Activision Unveils Black Ops Royale for Warzone on March 12

Activision has unveiled Black Ops Royale, a new battle royale mode for Call of Duty: Warzone that draws heavily from the franchise's original Blackout experience, set to launch on March 12 at 9 p.m. PT across all platforms. The free-to-play addition arrives as part of the Season 2 Reloaded update, offering players a stripped-down, scavenging-focused alternative to standard Warzone matches on the newly adapted Avalon map.

In Black Ops Royale, up to 25 squads of four players, totaling 100 participants, deploy via wingsuits onto Avalon, a Mediterranean-themed battleground previously featured in Black Ops 7's Endgame mode. The map has been modified for battle royale play, with reduced water areas, swimmable waterways, crossable tidal flats, and points of interest inspired by classic Black Ops multiplayer maps. Unlike traditional Warzone, there are no custom loadouts, Gulag redeploys, or Buy Stations, forcing teams to scavenge ground loot for weapons, equipment, and perks from the outset.

Weapons, drawn exclusively from Black Ops 7, come in fixed archetypes that define their handling, global benefits, and upgrade paths. Players can enhance rarity levels—from common to legendary—using...