Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is here with the new DMZ extraction mode. This is more of an objective-based sandbox game that plays very different to battle royale. With many ways to tackle a round, including a variety of objectives all set in a PvPvE environment, it can be a lot to take in. Here we’ll list some tips and general information to help you get started and make the most of your time in DMZ mode.
Quick DMZ overview
DMZ is a trios mode in a PvPvE environment, where you can have the option to choose how you want to play, which includes looting for high-value items and weapons and completing faction objectives. You keep everything you loot with a successful exfil, but you risk losing almost everything if you die and fail to extract from the match.
General DMZ tips for beginners
Weapons work differently than battle royale
Before loading into a match of DMZ, it’s important to understand how weapon loadouts work. Here’s a full guide to DMZ weapon types, but basically, there are weapons you extract from the mode called Contraband, and there are the weapons you customize with the Gunsmith to take into DMZ, and those are called weapon blueprints.
Your custom blueprints are the only items that you won’t permanently lose from a failed DMZ mission, but you do get penalized for not successfully extracting from the match. This penalty is a two-hour cooldown timer. Here we offer a DMZ guide for how to unlock more insured weapon slots and reduce the cooldown penalty faster.
Whether you choose to go into a mission with your custom weapon blueprint, a Contraband weapon, or nothing at all will depend on what your goal is for the match. If your objective is just to go in and scavenge loot and money to extract with, it’s not worth risking your best guns. You can easily load into a match with just your fists, melee the first AI you see, and take their weapon. Or you can scavenge a building and likely find something to use.
Save the better guns for when you’re loading in for something specific that requires more firepower, such as clearing out Strongholds or a series of difficult faction missions.
Freebies and early essentials
Make sure to always load into a match with your lethal, tactical and field upgrade equipment. You always get to pick these items at the start of a match, and you never lose access to them. I recommend the munitions box for the best field upgrade, so you always have ammo at your disposal. You can always scavenge more or different lethals and tactical equipment, but always take those freebies.
Once in the match, look for the vests that let you equip more armor. You can buy these from Buy Stations, but there’s a good chance you’ll loot one if you search nearby buildings.
Easy weapon unlocks
One really important thing to note is that if you’re new or only have Warzone 2.0, you can unlock weapons much faster in DMZ. Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 have a complex weapon progression system that requires you to use certain weapons to unlock others, but you can bypass this hassle by simply extracting with guns in DMZ. Everytime you exfil with a weapon you don’t already have unlocked, it will unlock it for use across all modes. So, if you find a new gun you like, make sure you exfil with it.
Start faction missions early
Before loading into a match, you’ll have the option to choose three faction missions to complete in-game. These are tons of various challenges, including tasks like looting specific items, collecting intel, and eliminating marked targets. They do range in difficulty, but completing them will not only give you decent XP and rewards, but it also works towards unlocking additional insured weapon slots. Here is our full guide on how you unlock the additional weapon slots for DMZ, which also explains how you can reduce the cooldown penalty of your weapon blueprints.
DMZ assimilation feature and communication
If your squadmates die or you just need backup, you can use Warzone 2.0’s new assimilation feature. This lets you use a communication wheel to request to join other trios, or ask others to join you. This function is found by pressing up on the D-pad to access the mode’s communication wheel. This wheel also lets you use basic communication options for grouping up with friendlies or asking for help in your area.
Some AI are tough
Some AI are easy to fight, but beware of the armored AI and those at Strongholds or other dense objective areas, as they offer a more challenging fight. Make sure you have ammo and armor plates at your disposal, and don’t be afraid to retreat from a fight.
You can refuel and repair your vehicles
Unlike the original Warzone, the vehicles in Warzone 2 don’t have an unlimited fuel capacity. Make sure to watch the fuel meter at the bottom center of your screen. You can refuel vehicles with looted gas cans on the fly, but you can also refill and repair vehicles at gas stations.
Don’t feel pressured to stay
Loading in as a trio might seem like your fate is permanently tethered to teammates, but you can exfil at any time and don’t have to wait on your squadmates. You can choose to exfil separately, and so can they.
Season 1 has a new weapon that can be unlocked for use across Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0, and here’s our guide to unlocking the M13B assault rifle in DMZ mode. Also, make sure to check out our guide to Warzone 2.0 and DMZ’s new Stronghold and Black Site features.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors.
GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
