It's clear that Verdansk is injecting fresh energy into Call of Duty: Warzone, and the timing couldn't be better. Previously, the internet had labeled Activision's now five-year-old battle royale as "cooked," but the nostalgic return of Verdansk has flipped the script. Now, the online community is buzzing, declaring Warzone "back." Despite Activision's dramatic nuking of Verdansk, it seems that hasn't dampened the enthusiasm. Lapsed players, who cherish memories of Warzone as their go-to game during lockdown, are flocking back to the map that kicked it all off. Meanwhile, loyal players who've stuck with the game through its ups and downs over the past five years are now proclaiming that Warzone is more enjoyable than it has been since its explosive launch in 2020.

This return to a more fundamental gameplay experience was a strategic move by the developers at Raven and Beenox. In a comprehensive interview with IGN, Pete Actipis, the game director at Raven, and Etienne Pouliot, the creative director at Beenox, shared insights into their collaborative effort to revive Warzone. They delved into the process of bringing Verdansk back, highlighted the success of Verdansk's Casual mode, and discussed whether they considered restricting operator skins to mil-sim to recapture the 2020 vibe. Most importantly, they addressed the burning question on everyone's mind: Is Verdansk here to stay?

Read on to uncover the answers and get the full scoop on what's next for Call of Duty: Warzone.