Activision reveals reason for Warzone Mobile's 120-player Verdansk - exclusive details

Activision has launched Call of Duty Warzone Mobile globally on App Store and Google Play. The game, which is entirely developed in-house, features the popular Verdansk map with support for up to 120 players, surpassing the 100-player limit of Warzone on PC and consoles. This move aims to consolidate Activision's revenue by not splitting profits with Tencent's TiMi Studio Group, the developer of Call of Duty Mobile. Although concerns have been raised about the potential neglect of PC and console versions of Warzone and Modern Warfare 3, Chris Plummer, Senior Vice President and Co-Head of Mobile at Activision Publishing, assures that the company is devoted to all platforms. Warzone Mobile has notable differences, such as custom tuning for the mobile platform and separate matchmaking pools, with cross-progression enabled but not cross-play. Activision's Ricochet team will address cheating concerns in Warzone Mobile.

According to Chris Plummer from Activision, the difference in player count for Warzone Mobile versus PC and console versions is a design choice and not due to technical limitations. The player counts can be adjusted for gameplay and pacing reasons.

Call of Duty Warzone Mobile revives the much-liked original Warzone map Verdansk, known for defining the game’s battle royale experience. This move of including a highly requested feature exclusively to mobile can be seen as an attempt to draw players and profits under Activision’s complete control. The commitment to a technology that can evolve over a decade indicates Activision's long-term vision for the mobile platform. Previous installations, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, have set a high bar for the franchise, and bringing Verdansk back on mobile can be seen as leveraging nostalgia and delivering what fans want, in a way that best suits the mobile experience. With Warzone's successful history and the massive player base that the mobile gaming market offers, Warzone Mobile is poised to capture the attention of both veteran players and newcomers alike.