Highlights
The controversial Field Upgrade known as Redeploy Flares has been revoked from Call of Duty: Warzone. This decision was made based on its absence of competitive counter strategies, particularly in the crucial last moments of Ranked Play Battle Royale matches.
Several fans advocate for the elimination of Redeploy Flares to enhance the fairness of competitive Warzone and alleviate concerns about abusive behavior in tournaments. Conversely, there are supporters who argue that Redeploy Flares introduced an element of unpredictability to the game and were especially valuable in higher ranks to counter camping and griefing strategies.
Call of Duty: Warzone's latest update has removed Redeploy Flares from the game. This controversial Field Upgrade was initially introduced in Season 4 of Call of Duty: Warzone, which commenced in mid-June.
Among the various significant changes brought about by the fourth season of Warzone, Redeploy Flares emerged as one of the most impactful additions. This special equipment, referred to as a Field Upgrade in the game, allowed players to revive a fallen teammate at random by sacrificing their location to enemy players. Despite this minor drawback, it took no time for Redeploy Flares to radically alter the competitive gameplay. It transformed the strategy into an economy meta, making teams that accumulated more of these Field Upgrades more likely to emerge victorious in the final stages by continuously reviving their downed teammates, making it difficult for opponents to counter.
Less than four months after its introduction, the polarizing Call of Duty: Warzone Field Upgrade was removed in the October 4 update. The patch notes acknowledged that Redeploy Flares were difficult to counter and became increasingly unbalanced as the match progressed. Instead of making adjustments, Raven Software and its sister studios opted to completely eliminate the overpowered item.
Fans have shown support for this decision on social media, stating that the removal of Redeploy Flares has restored fairness to competitive Warzone. Some fans expressed disappointment that this highly requested change was not implemented earlier, as it affected the quality of the recently concluded World Series of Warzone 2023, with many teams exploiting the strategy throughout the tournament. A similar sentiment was expressed regarding performance fixes rolled out in late July after the game's biggest LAN event of the year had already begun.
Some fans expressed disappointment over the removal of Redeploy Flares in Call of Duty: Warzone, stating that it made the game less predictable. These fans believe that the Field Upgrade was particularly advantageous in higher ranks of competitive play, where teams frequently camp on high ground. Additionally, supporters of Redeploy Flares argue that it was extremely useful for countering teams that camp on Buy Stations, which some consider to be a form of griefing.
Call of Duty: Warzone can be played on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.