Activision’s Call of Duty: Warzone continues to be a mammoth force in the battle royale world. After a strong 2020, Warzone kicked off 2021 with the help of the Black Ops Cold War integration. So we’ve gone through all six seasons of Warzone in 2021 and ranked them from worst to best.
At one time, Fortnite was the undisputed ruler of the battle royale genre. But along came the gritty, expansive violence of CoD: Warzone to shock the system. Activision’s project has been led by Raven Software, and Warzone’s 2021 has been on a serious roller coaster ride.
From Scump’s shocking World Series of Warzone tournament win, to Hollywood crossovers, to countless examples of cheating and hacking, Verdansk has seen it all. But, the fictional map is coming to the end of its journey, set to be replaced by Caldera in Warzone Pacific.
So it’s time to look back on 2021, and specifically the six seasons of Warzone since the Cold War integration. Here is Warzone Seasons 1-6 in 2021 ranked from worst to best.
Warzone Cold War Seasons ranked in 2021
6. Warzone Season 2
A definitive burst meta defined most loadouts in Warzone Season 2, as did a complimentary MAC-10. It definitely became grating to be killed by either an AUG or M16 from range or drilled by a MAC-10 up-close.
Also, Warzone Season 2 signaled the end of present-day Verdansk with the season becoming infested by Zombies. The overbearing contamination warnings culminated in a lackluster 2-day special ‘Destruction of Verdansk’ event, bringing to an end the most disappointing Warzone season of 2021.
5. Warzone Season 1
DMRzone. Probably the only season of Warzone in 2021 that was completely dominated by a single weapon. There were huge questions about how the Cold War integration would affect Warzone, and this was why.
A perfectly serviceable Marksman Rifle in Cold War became the bane of every Warzone player. Not only that, but the original Warzone kind of lost its identity here with multiple BOCW weapons becoming the meta. We also said goodbye to the OG Gulag, to the disappointment of many.
A huge plus for Season 1 though was the inclusion of Rebirth Island as it finally gave players some extra content and variation in their gameplay.
4. Warzone Season 5
Hacking was at an all-time high in Warzone Season 5 with many players, pros, and streamers leaving Verdansk for Apex Legends. Not only that, but it felt like a bit of a by-the-numbers season. New Perks were long overdue in Combat Scout and Tempered and the meta was incredibly balanced, but that was countered by quite possibly the worst event Warzone has ever seen – The Numbers event.
Although credit has to be given to Raven Software’s inventive game mode – Iron Trials ’84. Delivering a stern Warzone test for all players that raised the TTK and forced players to make the most of loot to survive.
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3. Warzone Season 4
Introducing the Red Doors, mysterious gateways to glorious treasure and goodies. They certainly added a fun touch to Verdansk, as did the new Payload mode. But it was clear at this point that Warzone was starting to become riddled with cheaters and hackers that were determined to spoil the fun for everyone else.
Other than that, Season 4 was just solid. The meta was as open as it had ever been and satellite drops added a bit more character to the map.
2. Warzone Season 6
If it wasn’t for the excessive presence of hackers, Cold War and Warzone’s final season might have actually gone down as the best. Being so far into the game’s lifespan now, Warzone has many different game mode variations for players to enjoy: Battle Royale, Rebirth, Payload, Clash, Iron Trials, and the spectacular new Operation Flashback option.
Flashback is a celebration of many of Warzone’s popular elements including Nakatomi Plaza’s Vault and in-game events. The randomized nature of the events makes it a blast, the ground loot is a lot of fun, and being in Season 6, there are now a ton of perfectly balanced guns to pick from. Also, players seem to absolutely love it!
Not only that, but we got the OG Gulag, a cool but flawed The Haunting event, and long-awaited access to the bunkers.
1. Warzone Season 3
The best season honor goes to Warzone Season 3. After a year in Verdansk, it was time for the map to undergo serious cosmetic changes or introduce another entirely. Raven Software did change a few POIs and rearrange the map to an extent, but it didn’t quite represent the game-changing update fans were hoping for. The obnoxious sun glare didn’t help either.
Despite the AMAX becoming king of the meta, Warzone Season 3 still felt new and exciting. A refreshed map changed up rotation, strategies needed to be rethought, and the Swiss K31 finally gave the Kar98k a worthy adversary.
Additionally, the Season 3 Reloaded update was incredible as it welcomed the 80s Action Hero event. Activision acquired two huge licenses in Die Hard and Rambo, let players become John McClane and Rambo, and slapped Nakatomi Plaza in the middle of the map. Its Vault, side missions, and towering presence drastically altered the dynamic of battle royale. This season felt the freshest of 2021, and we feel was probably the best Warzone season of the year.
There’s certainly been a lot to debate about Call of Duty: Warzone in 2021, and things are only just getting started. Warzone Pacific will hopefully be exciting – more so with the arrival of the new RICOCHET anti-cheat software. We’ll see what 2022 has in store!
