Warzone 2 streamers return to Caldera after frustration with “stale” sequel
The Warzone 2 community hasn’t been happy with the state of the battle royale sequel since launch, and a number of major streamers and pro players have now flocked back to Caldera.
It’s no secret that Warzone 2 has had a relatively mixed reception since it arrived in November 2022. The sequel introduced a host of major changes from the original and the community quickly expressed their disappointment.
Many of these changes have been reverted, such as the return of Loadout Markers and custom Perk Packages, but frustrations with the inability to one-shot snipe and the low TTK at close-range have stuck around.
Now, it seems that a number of high-profile Warzone 2 players are taking a break from Al Mazrah, opting to return to Caldera instead.
On March 29, JoeWo uploaded a video to his YouTube channel where he and some fellow streamers played Warzone 1 for the first time since the sequel launched. He explained that he wanted to play “Warzone, but with a skill gap,” and that it was the “most fun” he’s had in the battle royale for some time.
Likewise, ZLaner has begun posting Caldera clips, including a video focusing specifically on the faster movement that the original allows. “You’re just not doing this on Warzone 2,” said the streamer after using movement to wipe an entire squad.
Popular CoD YouTuber WhosImmortal has also uploaded a video where he returned to Warzone Caldera rather than playing the new game, and like his peers, he also had some strong words about the sequel.
“I won’t lie, the past couple of weeks have been kind of stale, a little bit monotonous here in Warzone 2,” said the creator. “Safe to say, I think I had more fun in this hour/hour and a half I spent in Warzone 1 than I have in Warzone 2 for some time.”
They aren’t alone either, as IceManIsaac previously stated that he thinks the gameplay on Caldera is “unmatched” after dropping back in.
Meanwhile, some players have abandoned Warzone altogether since the sequel arrived. On March 27, New York Subliners star Aydan announced that he would be taking a break from Warzone 2 until Season 3 at the earliest, choosing instead to stream Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play.
He mentioned that he feels “super letdown” by the competitive side of Warzone 2, and that he was struggling to “have fun making YouTube videos” with “no new content” to get stuck into.
Only time with tell if these high-profile players will return to Warzone Caldera permanently, or if a future update brings them back to Warzone 2 for good. With Season 3 around the corner, the community will be hoping that the devs pull out all the stops.
For more on Warzone 2, be sure to check out how to get CDL Major 4 Twitch rewards, as well as JGOD’s best loadout for the new Tempus Torrent Marksman Rifle.
Image credit: Activision
