Infinity Ward is continuing to lift the veil on DMZ, Modern Warfare 4’s upcoming extraction mode, and it seems the studio has some seriously ambitious plans for it. In fact, DMZ is being compared to Warzone in terms of its overall scope and scale.
Warzone launched in March 2020 and quickly became one of the biggest battle royale experiences in the world. Now, Infinity Ward appears to be hoping DMZ can have a similar impact on the extraction shooter genre.
DMZ Being Compared To Warzone
Infinity Ward has released a 15-minute video detailing the development of DMZ, exploring the mode’s origins and how the DMZ beta from four years ago ultimately served as the foundation for what’s coming with Modern Warfare 4.
Jack O’Hara, Co-Studio Head at Infinity Ward, explained that the team began by looking at Call of Duty’s existing mechanics and considering what new experiences could be built around them, with DMZ eventually becoming a “natural evolution” for the franchise.
However, the studio isn’t taking any shortcuts. The scope and scale of DMZ is described as being on the “higher end” of what Infinity Ward has done previously, with several major features contributing to its ambitious design, including:
- Number of AI enemies
- Number of players
- Map size & depth
- Dynamic weather system
- FOB social hub
The scale of the project is ultimately being compared to Warzone, which was described as a “big swing” for Call of Duty when it was introduced back in 2020. Infinity Ward sees DMZ in a similar light, describing it as “another big swing” for the franchise.
That ambition goes beyond simply creating another mode for Modern Warfare 4, too. Joe Cecot, Infinity Ward’s Multiplayer Creative Director, was asked whether the goal is to bring extraction shooters into the mainstream, and the answer was a clear yes.
It’s an interesting comparison, considering Warzone played a huge role in bringing battle royale into the mainstream. Infinity Ward now appears to be hoping DMZ can have a similar effect on extraction shooters, using one of gaming’s biggest franchises to introduce the genre to a much wider audience.
Of course, matching Warzone’s impact is a seriously tall order, but Infinity Ward certainly isn’t thinking small with DMZ. Whether this “big swing” manages to land remains to be seen.
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Charlie is one of Insider Gaming's Guides Writers who's been in the gaming industry for a little over a year. Unfortunately for him, he enjoys every video game genre out…
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