Call of Duty: Black Ops and Warzone Season One update – new maps, weapons, Prestige system and release time

While it seems that updates to Call of Duty’s Warzone mode are ten a penny, this week’s is slightly more exciting than ones that have gone before.

That’s because it marks the start of Season One of the multiplayer component of the recently released Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and the franchise's Warzone component.

While Warzone has already seen a number of seasons, those were tied in with the previous game in the franchise (2019’s Modern Warfare), and the latest content drop serves as a reboot of sorts.

The “massive expansion” of free content includes eight multiplayer maps and a new Warzone map, three free-to-acquire weapons, a new Battle Pass system, and more.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is the new Warzone map?

Warzone is Call of Duty's popular Battle Royale variant, and as such, needs larger maps to house the much larger number of players taking part at any one time – this week’s update brings a brand new expansive map to the mode in the form of Rebirth, an illicit (and real world) Soviet base.

Of course, the game’s lore provides a semi-fictionalised account of true events, and players are told that the base was raided and shut down by the CIA in 1968, during which "Operator Russell Adler caught and forcefully interrogated base commander Vikhor “Stitch” Kuzmin.

“The facility was rebuilt and recommissioned by Stitch in 1984 with one purpose,” say the game’s creators, the creation and testing of the deadly “Nova 6 gas” which has played a central part in the narrative of five Black Ops games.

“The entire island has dozens of locations to explore including laboratories, barracks, decontamination areas, and a hilltop prison block where unspeakable acts have been perpetrated,” and the map’s designers say players can expect “intense, close-quarter action”.

What are the new multiplayer maps?

The eight new multiplayer maps coming to Cold War Black Ops are as follows:

The Pines – a neon-drenched New Jersey shopping centre, this medium-sized, multi-level map is designed for both quick, intense close-quarter battles and longer range assault rifle and sniper-focused duels

Raid – This map debuted in Call of Duty: Black Ops II, a sprawling luxury complex within the Hollywood Hills with a design that gives way to competitive 6v6 combat

Nuketown ’84 Holiday – A firm Call of Duty favourite that was added to Black Ops Cold War in the lead-up to Season One, Nuketown gets a festive twist just in time for the holidays

Game Show – This studio setting features plenty of places to engage in combat to the backdrop of a vibrant, cheesy game show called What Do The Numbers Mean?

ICBM – Set inside the launch bay of a clandestine facility, this roughly circular maps sees players engage in explosive combat under the gigantic exhausts of an inter-continental ballistic missile

KGB – Set inside the real world Lubyanka KGB building (a perfect location for the game’s Cold War themes), the ornate marble hallways of this new map should make for some thrilling close-quarters combat

U-Bahn – This map’s action takes place in the underground tunnels beneath West Berlin a subterranean assault that will see players exchange fire among graffiti-covered subway carriages

Sanatorium – A Soviet experimental health retreat is the setting for this map, which features low wooded hills providing cover for fire team squads to gain reconnaissance over the main, roughly circular-shaped main ‘hotel’

What are the new weapons?

There are five new weapons coming to the game with the new update, and they are:

MAC 10 – An SMG with a fully automatic fire rate tempered by slight vertical recoil and moderate damage (free to use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone at Tier 15 of the Season One Battle Pass)

Groza – A fully automatic assault rifle with good handling speeds, solid damage, a fast fire rate, and impressive damage range (free to use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone at Tier 31 of the Season One Battle Pass)

Streetsweeper – This fully automatic shotgun is designed to clear out rooms of multiple foes; reliable weapon control is offset by slightly reduced damage

Sledgehammer – This melee weapon does what it says on the tin; a thick and weighty armament

Wakizashi – SLightly more refined than the Sledgehammer, the Wakizashi historically served as companion swords to the samurai’s Katana, meaning they are lightweight, resilient to force and durable

How does the new Prestige system work?

In a blog post Activision outlined just how the revised Prestige system works with the start of Black Ops Cold War’s Season One.

"At the start of Season One, your Season Level will reset to 1 while keeping all of your Create-a-Class content unlocked during your Military Rank levelling, and your progress will resume from the highest Prestige Level you achieved in the pre-season.”

This season, there are four additional Prestiges to achieve across the first 200 levels; what this means is you can earn up to four new Prestiges during Season One, but you’ll also be able to earn progress toward the Prestiges that may come in later seasons, as well as catch up to the latest available Prestige if you didn’t reach it during the previous season.

"You can continue past level 200 all the way to level 1,000 during Season One and receive Prestige Key milestone rewards at every 50 levels along the way,” say Activision.

It's also worth remembering that your Prestige level synchronised with Warzone and last year’s Modern Warfare, meaning you can progress Season levels and increase your Prestige Level by earning XP in any of the three titles.

When will Season One be available?

In the UK, Season One will officially launch at 7am on Wednesday 16 December.

For more information on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Warzone Season One, head to the official website