All Warzone Pacific gameplay changes: Dead Silence, shallow water, contracts, more

Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific’s Season 1 patch notes revealed some intriguing new gameplay changes coming with Vanguard’s integration and the Caldera map. Here’s how they will impact the meta and pace.

Just over a week before the launch of Warzone Pacific Season 1’s Vanguard integration and Caldera map launch, patch notes were released on November 30. While the update’s centerpiece was the shiny new map, some gameplay changes are quite intriguing as well.

For competitive players, the tweaks to field upgrades and equipment should hold weight for the Warzone meta. For casuals, adjustments to loadouts should affect the game’s pace, alongside additions of contracts, vehicles, and shallow water.

To save you from wading knee-deep into the patch notes themselves, we’ve compiled some of the biggest adjustments. Here’s what they are and how they should impact the game.

Warzone Pacific Season 1: Field Upgrades and Tactical, Lethal Equipment

The equipment meta in Warzone has stayed relatively constant for two years. But starting in Warzone Pacific and Vanguard Season 1, Dead Silences will be nerfed and Stopping Power Rounds will be removed completely.

• Read more: Warzone Pacific’s Vanguard Royale mode details: Dogfighting, vehicles, more

Further, a number of equipment changes are intriguing. The omnipresent Heartbeat Sensors and Stun Grenades are both getting nerfed, while Stim Shots are getting a buff (adding movement speed now) and all lethal equipment appear to be getting damage buffs as well.

These tweaks should open the meta up, but players will need to test them out when the new season drops on December 8/9 first. Interestingly, items like Snapshot Grenades and Decoy Grenades are also getting buffed — possibly to open up the tactical slot.

Warzone Pacific Season 1: Loadouts, Contracts, Shallow Water

As for the map’s general pacing, there are a number of changes that should affect literally everyone — not just those who care for the meta. The simplest change is to loadouts, which will now only be available for purchase after the first public loadout drop.

While that loadout mechanic will be familiar to Iron Trials players, the contracts are brand new. First is the Supply Drop Contract, which essentially drops a Care Package (like the killstreak) on the map. The contract team gets the location, but anyone can grab it.

• Read more: Warzone Pacific Season 1 patch notes: Caldera map, vehicles, gameplay updates

Second is the Big Game Bounty contract, which puts a bounty on the player with the highest kill count in the entire game. This is pretty spicy and puts a target on the most dangerous player’s head.

There’s also a Top Secret Contract, but no one knows what it is just yet.

Lastly, an interesting mechanic introduced to the game will be “shallow water.” Essentially, Caldera will feature water that players can swim or crouch in — which will give them the ColD Blooded perk temporarily. This basically adds a new layer of stealth to the game, counteracting the Tracker perk and granting some sneakiness to Warzone players.

Fire-based equipment also creates smoke when they hit the water, so soldiers can turn Molotovs and the like into Smoke Grenades when trying to cross through water unseen.