Warzone players split over “pay to win” pets in Season 5

Max Candelarezi
BlackCell's Arthur and Merlin in Warzone 2 Season 5

With Warzone 2’s Season 5, players were introduced to a new Pet Companion feature that allows them to bring Tactical Pet Companions into the game. However, this addition has sparked mixed reactions, dividing the community, as some players argue it provides “pay to win” advantages.

The Season 5 update for Warzone 2 has been released, and players are now exploring the abundance of new content. From weapon buffs and nerfs to movement changes, as well as the introduction of new Operators and weapons, there’s a lot to get into.

This update also introduced a new feature to the game called Tactical Pet Companion that allows players to enter the battlefield with a remarkable companionship within Battle Royale, Resurgence, and DMZ modes.

Pet companion in Warzone 2 sparks mixed reactions among players

In a recent Reddit post, Warzone 2 players shared their mixed reactions to the brand-new Season 5 Pet Companion feature now available in-game.

This recent addition, similar to what occurred in the past with cat skins or the inclusion of well-known rappers as operators, has caused a significant division in the community, with several players feeling negatively impacted by the introduction of the new companion pet.

As seen in the video, the player equipped with the Pet Companion receives alerts of the nearby player’s position through the barking of the dog on his back, helping him to easily recognize the threat when distracted.

In the post, some players suggest that this feature allows “blind players” to have a “pay to win seeing-eye dog.” Many comments supporting this reaction express concerns about how the feature negatively affects their gameplay experience.

On the other hand, some players believe that while it may assist certain individuals, it doesn’t necessarily qualify as an improvement and could instead be seen as “annoying and distracting” for the player using it.

Some went further to explain that “there’s no real advantage besides an audio queue,” besides it only works “if you have the High Alert perk [equipped].” As opposed to affected players who think this acts as a High Alert perk buff, giving players another benefit when using the perk.

BlackCell's Arthur Operator in Season 5 Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2
Merlin is the first Tactical Pet Companion to be introduced in Warzone 2.

One player even noted that this could be “literally a nerf for people using this,” as the dog’s barking could expose players trying to go unnoticed during matches.

While reaching a consensus in the COD community can be challenging, players had the opportunity to express their opinions through the post. And while some will avoid using it, others will try to use it to their advantage in-game.

For more on Warzone 2, be sure to check the devs’ response to why DMZ players can’t unlock weapons or why players are convinced that aim assist was secretly nerfed in Season 5.

Related Topics

About The Author

Max is a Games Writer at CharlieIntel who specializes in Call of Duty news and guides, EA FC, Apex Legends, XDefiant, and The Finals. He has completed the International Baccalaureate in English. You can contact Max by email at [email protected].