Warzone 1 is finally back online but not quite how you remember it

The original Warzone is now back online after a few weeks of inactivity as the sequel came into focus. However, the first CoD Battle Royale isn’t quite as you remember it as Caldera is now the only map in effect.

When Warzone 2 was first unveiled, a full-fledged sequel rather than just a standard update, many raised concerns over what would become of the original game. Would this new BR run on a separate application? Would weapons and skins transfer over? Can players still access the first iteration if they prefer?

At first, Activision was slow to address these questions. Many details remained under wraps until one particular blog post revealed the base game will be rebranded as Warzone Caldera. After a brief stretch of downtime while Warzone 2 launches, the original would return just with this Pacific-era map.

Now, a few weeks on from the sequel’s release and exactly that has happened. The original Warzone experience is now available once again, though a great deal has been stripped from what made the classic BR shine.

Warzone Caldera is how the original CoD BR experience lives on.

When logging into Warzone Caldera now, players are greeted with just the one map. Absent are the bite-sized BR maps in the exceptionally popular Rebirth Island and Fortune’s Keep. Similarly, a number of fan-favorite playlists have also been pulled from the game. All that remains at this point in time are standard BR Quads and BR Solos options.

Also of note, there currently appears to be nothing in the pipeline to support Warzone Caldera moving forward. As it stands, there’s no Battle Pass to grind through, no new content in the shop, and seemingly nothing on the horizon. It’s purely an instance of the classic BR without any further bells and whistles.

There’s no telling if plans will change anytime soon, but it certainly looks as though Warzone 2 is the sole focus moving forward. With millions having migrated during the downtime, it only makes sense. But for those who were hopeful the original experience would live on, it’s now lacking in many key areas.