Warzone 2 season 3 release date is next week - here's what's new

Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2's season 3 release date has been set for Wednesday, April 12. Activision confirmed the launch date alongside a number of new details about Call of Duty's next season.

Most of the big stuff from the Warzone 2 season 3 roadmap we've heard before, like the addition of Ranked mode and the long-awaited return of Plunder, but today's extensive blog filled in the details and provided some new information about what to expect from the new season.

Massive Resurgence is a new and fast-paced version of the existing Warzone 2 mode, taking place on the larger Al Mazrah map and bumping up the player count to an eye-watering 150 players.

Warzone 2 season 3 is also getting a new gulag called Blacksite, which is distinct from the stronghold Black Site. The new Blacksite is a semi-rectangular, asymmetrical training map with multiple interior spaces and long external routes for you to navigate while you compete to escape your purgatory. If you have Modern Warfare 2, you can check out Blacksite by playing Gunfight or hopping on a private match.

Right at season 3 launch, Warzone 2 will add Redeploy Drones that you can use to travel quickly around the map. They work similarly to those on Ashika Island, so you can prepare for flight by playing Resurgence or Mini Royale modes before they come to Al Mazrah.

Tempered plate carriers are another new addition to Warzone 2 season 3 that'll change how you handle armored plates by giving your armor two half-bars instaed of three thirds. This should make it easier and more efficient to re-plate when oe or both are damaged. 

UAV towers are also making their way over to Warzone 2's battle royale after being introduced in DMZ. These can be activated to give you and your allies intel on your enemies' position, but beware: they also ping your location to your foes, so use them wisely.

As for Modern Warfare 2, season 3 will see the long-awaited return of Gunfight mode, featuring four maps: the new Warzone 2.0 Gulag map Blacksite, the fan-favorite Shipment, a smaller map called Alley that's set in Al Mazrah, and Exhibit, which is based on the Museum 6v6 multiplayer map. 

A twist on the standard Gunfight mode, the new On-Site Procurement (OSP) mode variant will arrive at some point in-season in a regular playlist update. In Gunfight OSP, you'll have to find weapons and gear spread out across the map instead of being gifted a random loadout every round, which will undoubtedly make it even more crucial that you move quickly and coordinate with your squad.

There's also three new 6v6 core maps coming in Modern Warfare 2 season 3. Pelayo's Lighthouse is a small map featuring a dimly lit and foggy island with a prominent lighthouse, and the nighttime map Black Gold is based on the Rohan Oil section of Al Mazrah. Both of those will be available at launch, while a third new map will be revealed later on in season 2.

Modern Warfare 2 will also add two new battle maps for Ground War and Invasion at the start of season 3. Rohan Oil is a daytime twist and expansion of a well-known Warzone 2 point of interest "allowing for plenty of air and land vehicles to barrel past refinery silos toward objectives," while Sattiq Cave Complex sits just South of Rohan Oil and "provides an interesting mix of verticality, small building skirmishes, and interior combat via its intricate cave network." Alboran Hatchery, which looks like it sits just outside Pelayo's Lighthouse, is another new core map being added in-season.

Cranked will be added to Modern Warfare 2's playlist at season 3 launch, while Face Off and GW Infected will come later in-season. There will also be new Ranked rewards at launch and, coming in the mid-season update, a new core map, Special Ops mission, and the next episode of Raid.

The full Call of Duty season 3 update is jam-packed with a DMZ overhaul, a new battle pass, new weapons, a new Operator roster, and more. You can get a general overview here, but the full patch notes will arrive next week.

Here's how we ranked the best Call of Duty games of all time.