A great surprise took many Warzone community members aback, resulting from the launch of The Haunting event, which surprisingly started without featuring its main attraction.
Well-anticipated by all, the noted Haunting Event made a comeback in Warzone. This year, community members got to experience the re-invented Vondel and Al Mazrah maps, haunted for the season. Alternatively, groups also had the chance to attend either the Soul Capture or Operation Nightmare events.
Furthermore, players got the chance to win an exclusive reward in Diablo IV. This reward could be won by overcoming Butcher in a daring crossover event. Moreover, new tactical equipment, an update to the field upgrade, and loot were other highlights.
However, the element considered the star of the show is the reappearance of Zombie Royale. This preferred mode led to manic chaos by having eliminated players respawned as zombies. The decision to stagger its release incited disappointment and controversy when community members found they couldn’t access the mode immediately upon the launch of The Haunting Event.
Outrage Over Staggered Content Delivery
This year's Zombie Royale mode has brought together the best elements from preceding games, offering an exciting new gaming experience. The mode follows a simple approach; players that meet their end respawn as zombies with enhanced abilities. These undead players must eliminate every single player to win, and players that die in their zombie form are thrown out of the match.
Typical to the battle royale fashion, the last player standing alive in the match is declared the winner. However, community members were disappointed when they found this mode would not be available immediately upon the launch of the event. Instead, they would have to wait until later in the week for the Zombie Royale to commence.
The developer, Raven Software, on October 17, presented Warzone's The Haunting playlist calendar. It mentioned that Zombie Royale wouldn't join the map rotation until October 20. They also mentioned that until then, players could enjoy Halloween-inspired maps on Al Mazrah or Vondel. However, this suggestion was not good enough for many in the gaming community.
Community Reactions and Criticism
A response quote from Warzone Loadout on a tweet to Raven Software, states: “So frustrating. Why would you advertise a fan favorite mode as the big update for weeks and then don’t have it at launch? Zombie Royale should have been live directly.”
Another community member and a content creator, TheTacticalBrit added his opinion, stating “Why would you not have zombies at launch?” They saw it as a missed opportunity and expressed dissatisfaction.
Adding to it, another community member and content creator named, HunterTV, made a direct suggestion saying: “You guys can’t do anything right with these playlists.” The discontentment among the community members is evident.
Despite the varying feedback and responses to the launch strategy, the community wishes that the wait for Zombie Royale proves to be worthwhile once it goes live later in the week. Amidst that, there's ample Warzone coverage to keep the players engaged and entertained onwards.