Warzone 2 devs ban OP thermal scopes in Ranked Play
ActivisionEver since Warzone 2 Ranked Play arrived, thermal optics have dominated the mode as players look to gain an upper hand. Now, the devs banned thermal scopes from the competitive mode altogether.
The Warzone 2 Season 3 Reloaded update brought the long-awaited Ranked Play beta, giving fans new rewards to grind for as they climb the Skill Divisions. It didn’t take long for the competitive mode to form its own meta, as players discover the best weapons and landing spots.
With the stakes higher than ever in Ranked Play, a handful of overpowered strategies have emerged as players look to increase their rank. Luckily, the devs have remained committed to banning any vehicles or Equipment that cause major issues.
Now, the devs revealed that the selection of Thermal Optics are the latest addition to the restricted list in Warzone 2 Ranked Play.
On May 24, following a small playlist update, a number of players claimed that thermal optics like the SZ Holotherm were no longer available in the mode. The news was later confirmed via a Treyarch Tweet.
A follow-up Tweet explained the reasoning behind the new restrictions: “Given their unintended interaction with Cold-Blooded, the WZ Ranked Play teams observed that these attachments have too significant an impact on competitive play, especially late game, and have restricted them while we investigate further.”
This is a clear response to a popular tactic that has dominated Warzone 2 Ranked Play in its first few weeks, where players would spam Smoke Grenades and then use a thermal optic to pick off the blindsided enemies.
Following the official announcement that thermal sights have been banned, many fans are already delighted with the change.
Responding to CharlieIntel’s tweet, one player said: “Nice! Now I can take cold blooded off for restock again. Smoke meta is back.”
Meanwhile, others were worried that removing the main counter will see Smoke Grandes dominate Ranked Play going forward. “I can’t wait to shoot a singular bullet at a team only for them to throw 6 smokes and disappear,” replied another player.
Treyarch and Raven Software have mentioned previously that they will make adjustments to Warzone 2 Ranked Play where needed, so it’s unlikely that this is the last ban we see. Only time will tell which other features will join proximity chat and Bomb Drones on the banned list.
