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Raven Software has confirmed that Warzone's sixth season will be the last set on the existing Verdansk map, as the game looks ahead toward the release of its brand new Pacific-based map.
Season 6 has brought a number of changes to Warzone's current map, Verdansk – including WW2 bunkers that presage the introduction of Call of Duty: Vanguard later this year. As shared in a tweet by CharlieIntel (below), Raven Software has confirmed that this will be the last time Verdansk is used before it is set to be removed from the game ahead of the battle royale's next chapter.
"Season 6 will be our last time in Verdansk," Raven Software confirms. #Warzone pic.twitter.com/TibX9nzlgy
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) October 6, 2021
For some fans, this will come as something of a relief. While Verdansk has tried to keep things fresh with a number of noteworthy map changes in its time – including a 1980s reskin that considerably altered various locations within its landscape – some in the community feel it has somewhat overstayed its welcome.
That's not to say that fans won't miss Verdansk; for a long time, it has been Warzone's home. However, where issues with hackers have driven a number of players towards Warzone's alternate game mode, Resurgence, a change in map (alongside the game's upcoming anti-cheat) is likely to bring some of the fanbase back to main battle royale mode.
With Verdansk set to be around for a little while longer, Raven updated fans on what they can expect to see from the map for the remainder of its lifespan. "We wanted to do something special and bring back the original Gulag, with classic showers. Players loved it and so we're happy to bring this back for season six," Raven says. Warzone's Gulag has been redesigned a number of times since moving away from its original design to varying degrees of success. Whether or not players' personal preferences align with the initial concept's design, for many fans, a return to the game's original Gulag is sure to evoke feelings of nostalgia.
That being said, a change to the Gulag isn't the only one being made in Season 6. As reported by CharlieIntel, seismic charges causing earthquakes across the map have resulted in large fissures tearing up Verdansk's landscape. As a result, large areas of Downtown and Stadium have been left in disarray with toppled buildings offering new scenic areas to explore and fight across. Ahead of the release of Vanguard – Sledgehammer Games latest Call of Duty installment to explore the second world war – players will also find various WW2-era bunkers across the map throughout its final weeks.
With a number of changes to experience in Verdansk and confirmation that the map's days are numbered, now might be the perfect time to squad up and jump back into the action. For more on Call of Duty, make sure to check out this article detailing the hacker problems that players reported experiencing during Call of Duty: Vanguard's recent beta.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.