Yes, Absolutely There Are Real Players in Call of Duty‘s DMZ Mode
If you‘ve dipped your toes into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II‘s new open-world DMZ mode, you may have asked yourself: "Are there real players in here, or is it all just AI enemies?"
The answer is an emphatic yes – you will encounter real, human-controlled player squads in every DMZ match! You‘ll face off against a mix of AI combatants alongside up to 11 other real players.
As an enthusiastic CoD gamer and content creator, I‘ve logged many hours extracting gear, completing missions, and battling it out in DMZ. In this in-depth guide, I‘ll provide everything you need to know about real players in DMZ: how many there are, squads, standoffs, and more!
DMZ Mode Explained – What You‘re Up Against
For those new to CoD‘s take on an open-world extraction shooter, here‘s a quick explainer on DMZ mode:
- Launched in late 2022‘s MWII, DMZ drops you into the giant battle royale map Al Mazrah
- Objective is to loot weapons/gear, take on missions, kill AI enemies, and extract via chopper to keep your haul
- You only have a single life per DMZ session – die and lose everything on you
- Session lasts up to 25 minutes before gas closes in and you need to extract
It blends PvE and PvP elements for an intense, tactical experience unlike previous CoD modes.
| DMZ Key Facts | |
|---|---|
| Map | Al Mazrah |
| Players per Match | Up to 64 |
| Goal | Loot, mission, extract |
| Loss Condition | Single life, die and lose loadout |
| Duration | Up to 25 minutes |
So in any given match, what exactly are you up against? A deadly mix of AI combatants and real player squads.
Yes, Up to 12 Real Players Divide into 4 Squads
While AI enemies definitely make up the bulk of forces on Al Mazrah, you‘ll invariably come across real players in DMZ matches.
In my experience across hundreds of sessions, DMZ matches include up to 12 real players, divided into 4 separate squads of 3 players each.
That means there could be up to 3 additional player-controlled squads dropped into various points of the map, seeking their own missions & loot.
This leads to extremely tense standoffs when squads cross paths – you never know if that squad peering at you from a ridge 400 meters away has your name on their HDR sniper rifle!
| Real Players per DMZ Match | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total Players | Squads | Per Squad |
| 12 max | 4 | 3 players |
Of course with Al Mazrah‘s scale, you may only bump into a couple real squads per session – but rest assured they‘re blending with the AI forces. Stay frosty!
Blending of AI & Real Players Creates Unpredictability
While up to 12 real players may not seem that high for CoD‘s big maps and playercounts, their inclusion has massive impact on DMZ‘s feel.
We already have the excellent AI combatants – whether that‘s the armored Juggernauts that flush you out of cover or deadly Snipers pinning you down from 300 meters out. They make every movement feel dangerous, every loot run a risk.
But adding in the human element, the unpredictability of real players changes everything.
That squad taking shots down by Port Fayad – are they human or AI? Did that recon drone buzzing me belong to an actual person? Is the team stealthily approaching my building playing for real or programmed by Infinity Ward?
You just don‘t know – and that‘s what makes DMZ so tense!
Every encounter could be another player judging when to push, when to change positions, when to retreat. It makes movement, positioning, and strategy way less predictable.
And that drives the intensity through the roof!
Final Tips for Battling Real Player Squads
After hundreds of drops into Al Mazrah across all hours, I‘ve compiled some key tips for dealing with real players in DMZ:
- Assume every squad is human – don‘t let your guard down! Could make the difference
- Use cover and concealment carefully – real squads are smarter than AI
- Flank wide on contacts – human reaction times & aim are quick
- Travel in darkness when possible – avoid long sightlines
- Pack flashbangs – they devastate real player coordination
- Consider an EMP drone to destroy enemy electronics
- Play the edge of circle collapse to avoid being pinched
Follow those and you‘ll greatly improve your survival rate against the very real human threats that blend into DMZ matches!
Conclusion – Embrace the Unpredictable Danger
DMZ asks you to take big risks for even bigger rewards. The possibility of losing an entire inventories worth of rare blueprints and meta loadouts to other players raises an already intense mode to another level entirely in my book!
So in summary:
- Yes there are definitely real players – up to 12 divided into 4 squads
- They mix unpredictably with the AI combatants
- This blend creates amazing tension and intensity
- You better bring your A-game extracting loot or completing missions
- Outsmarting real squads provides such satisfaction
Hope you found this guide helpful – now get out there, toggle squad fill off, and see if you can be the last squad standing against the dangerous blend of enemies in DMZ!
What‘s been your experience with real squads in DMZ? Share any intense standoffs or tips in the comments!
