Summary
Call of Dutyfans looking forward toSeason 03ofBlack Ops 6andWarzonewill need to wait a bit longer, as the first-person shooter franchise announced on Monday that its next season will be delayed until April 3, exactly one month from today.
Calling Season 03 a “big moment” for the franchise, the account noted that it will be “taking the time to deliver a great experience” as reasoning for the delay. Originally, the season was set to launch on March 20. In the interim, it’s likely that Season 02 will have its timer updated to bridge the gap.
A Lot Is Riding On Season 03
The delay of Season 03 shouldn’t be all too surprising given just how much is riding on it. Previously,Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson reportedthat the game’s third season will see the return of fan-favorite Warzone map, Verdansk. Prior to Black Ops 6’s launch, the official COD Twitter account revealed that the locale would return at some point in 2025.
Before that, in June,it was reported that there were never any plans for Verdansk to return in the first place. Rather, Activision made a pivotfollowing the success of Fortnite’s OG mode, which saw a record 44.7 million players log on in a single day in Nov. 2023.
In an attempt to potentially capture some of that fanfare, it was decided that a return to Verdansk was necessary. While Verdansk has not been confirmed outright, an official Verdansk collection was given a March 10 release, and Warzone, as a whole, is celebrating its five-year anniversary in March.
Adding to matters is the fact that the franchise is currently experiencing record-low numbers on Steam, as TheGamer’s Sam Woods has chronicled. In other words, Call of Duty can’t afford a failure, which is seemingly why a delay was necessary. Ultimately, only time will tell if the franchise’s big gamble on nostalgia will pay off.
