I love and hate CoD Warzone’s Pacific update – why are you doing this to me?

MeinMMO author Maik Schneider has already made a few big rounds of the island paradise “Caldera”. The new map of Call of Duty: Warzone is a direct hit for him. Nevertheless, Maik is disappointed with the Pacific update at the same time, because there is little good news besides the strong map.

I still remember exactly how dry my mouth felt after the announcement of the new Warzone map. It was only a short segment at the end of the Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer show – but the 2 minutes blew my mind and made my jaw drop.

Now the map is out and what can I say: I love the green island of Caldera. But at the same time, I kind of hate the whole Pacific update.

That’s why Warzone is now my dream- “Battle Royale”

My love for the Pacific update: The big highlight of the update should be the new map from the start. Caldera – a gem in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, lined with beaches, filled with jungle, ready for war.

And that’s what the new map did. Caldera is madness, in a good way.

The menu looks really good, convinces with bright colors and a whole new atmosphere. During a tour of the “Capital” location, the capital of Caldera, I felt the tropical flair and enjoyed the moments of calm between the hard battles.

But graphic bells and whistles and a “great setting” don’t convince me alone. I am a warrior and as such I want a battlefield that supports me in my attacks, in my tactics. And Caldera delivers that.

There are so many houses, possible landing sites and tactical aids. Even the first battle on Caldera felt more exciting than anything I have experienced in Verdansk in recent months.

On the old map, battles were often short and one-dimensional: One team was almost always at an advantage and either I flee or get involved in a skirmish with a handicap.

Caldera gives you a choice much more often. In our first matches, when the enemy had an advantage, we always found a way to undo the enemy’s tactical advantage. A blue house with 3 floors there, a half-height wall here, a tropical tree to hang up weapons there.

While there were many overpowering sniper spots and a lot of open space on the old map, the new map offered me a lot more options – and at almost any point in time.

The battles are more tactical, longer and clever integration of the environment into your own approach is much more rewarded.

That’s why I love the Pacific update with the new map. Everything I’ve seen so far screams “Battle Royale” and is better tailored to the needs of such a large mode without direct respawns. There are countless hours of fun in it.

That’s why Warzone is now my nightmare- “Battle Royale”

My hatred for the Pacific update: As a PS5 player, I feel neglected and even a little sad after the release of Caldera.

The Pacific update has been something I’ve been looking forward to since it was announced. The fresh tropical wind that was supposed to blow through the dusty battle royale is now more of a mild breeze.

Before the update was presented: “As far as graphics and technology are concerned, Warzone and Vanguard will share the same technology and engine” (via YouTube). But apparently there are different views of what this statement means.

For me it meant:

• Warzone switches to the Vanguard launcher
• New graphics based on the revamped Vanguard engine
• The new engine comes with a field of view controller for consoles (FoV slider)
• Vanguard feeling is transferred to Warzone (Movement, Perks etc.)
• Next-gen version for PlayStation and Xbox

However, when there were no specific announcements about a next-gen version and the FoV slider on the consoles a few days before the release, my skepticism slowly rose.

And after the release it became clear that this feeling was justified: no new graphics, no next-gen version, no FoV slider. Boom.

As I said, I don’t really care about graphics. But there is one thing I cannot forgive at the moment: the number with the FoV slider.

I played my first matches with MeinMMO shooter author Marko Jevtic, who was on the go on the PC. As a “spectator” he observed my moves more often and could only ask, shaking his head, whether I really couldn’t see the opponent “there on the left”.

If I start a PvP game, I want to get a little better with each day, with each match. That’s why this technical hurdle annoys me so much.

I am currently also loading Warzone on my PC, which is quite capable of running the Battle Royale at 100 FPS. But I’m a Konsolero at heart, especially when it comes to shooters. And it hits me very much that there is not at least one clear statement from the developers about the field of view controller on the consoles.

That’s why I hate the Pacific update. Because I know how much better the game could feel to me.

Conclusion: give me the FoV slider and we’ll make peace

I wanted two things from the Pacific update:

• A great new map
• The FoV slider for my PS5

Maybe I should be content with the 50% quota. But when the certainty was there at the start of the map, I was pretty disappointed.

Caldera played so well, gave me so much freedom and almost always rewarded me when I made a tactical move. Even a win was possible on the first evening.

But this stupid field of view controller spoils my first impression.

I still hope for a timely update or information about when or whether Warzone will get a next-gen version and / or the FoV slider. It doesn’t have to be the PS5 upgrade, but with my field of vision I would like more than the current tunnel vision.

Until then, I’ll struggle with my graphics settings on the PC.

I also like to read your first opinion on the new map and the Pacific update in the comments. Do you see things the same way or do you have completely different thoughts on the big update?

So far, Caldera is still in Early Access and will only come into play for everyone on the evening of December 9th. Here you will find the most important information about the download and the content of the Pacific update.