Call of Duty Warzone update: rumoured map changes and datamine leaks that could be coming with launch of Black Ops Cold War

A big update to the map of Call of Duty's popular Warzone mode could be incoming.

That’s according to datamined details that have leaked online. It had been hinted that the popular battle royale game would be getting a substantial update with the November release of Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

Dataminers pour through a game’s files to find clues to features and updates that could be coming in the future, and speculation is rife that the new game will bring a brand new map to Warzone which could outright replace that game's Verdansk location.

Here is everything you need to know.

What’s new?

In this instance, information has been found among the Black Ops Cold War beta files.

The game is currently in its beta phase, meaning players are able to test out an unfinished section of the game, which helps the developers isolate and fix glitches or other problems.

Dataminers have found the introduction videos to a number of Black Ops Cold War’s multiplayer maps.

That in itself isn't groundbreaking, but when you consider that sections of Warzone’s original map were separated to form that more condensed multiplayer maps of 2019’s Modern Warfare, things get more intriguing.

Could the new locations - which show off ski slopes and a large wintry forest - be part of a new map? That would make sense since, a few months ago, a separate datamine uncovered evidence of four new zones that could be coming to the Warzone map: Duga, Forest, Russia, and Ski Slopes.

Is Warzone getting a brand new map?

However, it remains to be seen just how drastic the update could be.

Will these new zones replace the current Verdansk map? Will they form a second map entirely separate from Verdansk? Or will they simply be added to the current play space, expanding its size?

Just as Modern Warfare combined most of its maps to form the current Warzone playing field, it’s suspected that Duga, Forest, Russia, and Ski Slopes are four maps from Black Ops Cold War that will merge to form a new battle royale map.

At the time of writing, nothing has been confirmed by the game’s publisher or developers, and though datamines such as this can often turn out to be accurate, until any new maps shows up in Warzone, nothing is for certain.

What else will be new with Black Ops?

Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was first shown off in August at this year’s online-only Gamescom event.

Raven Software's Dan Vondrak called the game "a dream project for us to work on," and explained that the game drops players into the 1980s at the height of the Cold War with iconic characters Black Ops characters, Woods, Hudson and Mason returning.

The campaign takes place in 1981, and will be "infused with player choices and freedom," such as the option for users to create their own character; there will also be multiple endings to the game.

There will also be a return of the popular 'Zombies' mode, which sees players team up to take on an unrelenting hoard of the undead in an attempt to survive for as long as possible.

Black Ops Cold War will be released on Friday 13 November 2020.