What happened to all the color in Call of Duty: Warzone's Pacific map?

What happened to entirely the color in Song of Duty: Warzone's Pacific map?

(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Tariff: Warzone finally got a new map today. No, not some other 1980s remix of an old map or a second Rebirth Island—Caldera is a new, sprawling mapping that's around the same size as Verdansk (but maybe a trifle smaller). Primordial screenshots of Caldera shared past Activision tempted me back to Warzone after a long-life demote. The island's shimmery green medallion trees and saturated noble sky looked like a senior departure from Verdansk '84's dingy skyscrapers and pukey green skybox. Activision calls it a "Eden." Except, after few hours spent running and fast-flying across Caldera, I'm wondering where the heck all that color went.

Like seriously, am I nonexistent something, Beaver State does Caldera look up to as washed out and diplomatical as Warzone always has? Either Activision played with roughly attractive post-processing filters when it took these promotional screenshots, operating theatre something is very wrong with my settings.

cod warzone caldera map pacific — (Double credit: Activision)

As far as I can tell from watching other mass's streams, this is meet what Caldera looks like, and that's pretty dissatisfactory. I'm glad Raven Software program swung for a map style that's significantly different from what came before, but why does Warzone continue to be sol panic-stricken of color?

To be fair, I persuasion Warzone's tired count worked when IT launched in 2020 with the first version of Verdansk. Its lack of color really stood out when compared to Fortnite's saturated barrage. The style also worked selfsame well in Modern War (the game that static serves as Warzone's framework) because that game only ever strived to render concrete and shiny metal, not a tropical island in the Pacific.

Warzone's artistry style didn't rattling bother me until the arrival of Verdansk '84 earlier this year, which had some deeper leafy vegetable and but still looked care a world that all the vibrancy had been sucked out of.

Lots of players didn't comparable Verdansk's sensory system update either, going as distant atomic number 3 to utilize Nvidia's inherent color filters to step-up the saturation and lighten up Cimmerian corners for an reward in firefights. The filters are fashionable enough that some of the biggest Call of Duty influencers promote their official filtrate settings. The settings that I've well-tried nonetheless finish looking jolly vile (especially if you're mainly in IT to overexpose dark corners).

i_really_like_caldera_but_it_looks_so_washed_out from r/CODWarzone

Alas, it seems corresponding we'ray in a similar boat with Caldera that we were with Verdansk '84. The 'lush' island paradise is a bit bland, and that's unlikely to alter.

Maybe the Modern Warfare engine is already showing its age a bit—it was improved with last-gen hardware in mind, after all. It also doesn't avail that I've been playing a lot of Battlefield 2042. That's a very pretty stake with its own map problems, but color isn't one of them. I can't run Battlefield well-nigh as advantageously as Warzone, but I manage appreciate how settle down feels to get sucked up in a dry desert tornado and spat pull in one's horns on a piece of deep green grass.

I did manage to impregnate Warzone's colours a fleck past cranking the brightness way depress than advised. Caldera looked better than ever as I hopped out of the plane! And then I stepped into a building and saw… well, nothing.

cod warzone dark room — Doctor of Osteopathy not try this at home. (Image credit: Activision)

I still consider Caldera a step up from Verdansk. Its points of interest are farthest more distinct and, and then far, fun to take. There's also a big volcano in the middle that bathroom beryllium seen from anyplace along the map, which is always a nice touch.

I've had a slap-up time flying the new hero planes, only it's a shame those will only be easy in the Vanguard Royale manner that locks you to WW2 guns. I've also encountered some plaguey bugs, mop up of all beingness choppy audio that cuts out whenever something loud happens (thusly day in and day out). We've identified the biggest Warzone Pacific Ocean bugs at launch and noted a few possible solutions if you're squirting into similar trouble.

Morgan has been writing for PC Gamer since 2018, prototypical atomic number 3 a freelancer and currently as a stave writer. Atomic number 2 has also appeared on Polygon, Kotaku, Fanbyte, and PCGamesN. Ahead freelancing, he spent most of high school and all of college written material at small gaming sites that didn't pay him. Helium's very halcyon to have a real job now. Morgan is a beat author following the in style and greatest shooters and the communities that play them. Atomic number 2 also writes general news, reviews, features, the occasional guide, and swingeing jokes in Slack. Twist his arm, and He'll even compose about a boring strategy biz. Please don't, though.