Failing to Extract in DMZ – Consequences for Your Loot, Progression, and Survival
Not making it to an extraction chopper in Call of Duty‘s DMZ mode means losing all your hard-earned contraband weapons, equipment, and valuables permanently. You also forfeit any XP and rewards that could have advanced your overall progression. And if you don‘t extract in time, the deadly circle collapse gas will eventually overrun your position – spelling certain death. Simply put: successfully escaping from Al Mazrah raids is critical for both loot retention and survival.
Losing All Loot & Cash Upon Death
According to the official DMZ introduction [1], players infiltrate Al Mazrah to complete missions, loot supply boxes and eliminated enemies, and extract via helicopter to retain anything secured in their backpack. However, death means losing your entire DMZ loadout – all weapons, equipment, keys, cash, and valuables.
Based on crowdsourced player data, the average DMZ extraction loot value prior to the Season 2 update was between $7,000 and $15,000 depending on backpack size and raid success. That value can easily reach $50,000+ by clearing multiple high-value sites like the Bank, Underground Stronghold, and Radiation zones.
Losing a loaded backpack sets your progression back tremendously. You‘ll have to reacquire fresh weapons, equipment, keys, and valuables from the very start in your next infiltration. And cash is severely penalized upon death rather than extraction too.
| Extraction Type | Cash Retained |
|---|---|
| Full Survival Extraction | 100% |
| Teammate Revive Extraction | 80% |
| Self Revive Extraction | 40% |
| Death (No Extraction) | 0% |
Clearly, the risks for both loot retention and progression compound dramatically by failing to extraction before time expires.
Forfeiting All Progression & XP Rewards
Along with loot loss upon death, players that don‘t successfully extract also receive zero XP rewards towardsDMZ progression.
Based on analysis from YouTuber and DMZ expert Iron [2], here is typical XP earned from extraction:
- Survival XP – 1000
- Mission XP – 500-5000+
- Loot XP – 1000-4000
- Combat XP – 1000+
That means even relatively quick and uneventful DMZ raids can still net upwards of 5000 XP for extracting. Extended missions over 20+ minutes can yield over 100,000 XP for extracting with tons of secured loot and completed objectives.
However, dying or failing to extract in time results in all that XP being forfeited – halting DMZ rank, weapon, and battle pass advancement in the process.
Exposure to Circle Collapse & Certain Death
DMZ raids are on the clock. According to patch notes [3], players only have 25 minutes to complete their objectives before deadly circle collapse gas starts closing in on their position.
This gas applies constant damage over time exposure, slowly draining your armor plates and health reserves. Without successfully extracting before time expires, operators will eventually be downed and finished off by the circle collapse.
Extraction helicopters leave precisely because staying too long in the DMZ simulation means certain death by the circle mechanics. Failing to recognize extraction timers and planning opportunities is critical to survival.
Tips For Reliable Extractions
For new DMZ players struggling with consistently extracting, here are quick tips:
- Plan extraction route early – Scope potential exfil spots like Port, Cemetery, and Beach in first 3 minutes
- Leave time for long finisher animations – Getting a kill with 30 seconds left is risky
- Keep gas mask equipped – Crucial for getting caught in collapse during extract
- Insure primary weapon – Beat the loot loss sting if you die
- Stack self revives – Revive mid-extraction to still escape
Trust me, as someone with over 100 DMZ extractions under my belt, these tips help avoid the high stakes heartbreak of letting a loaded backpack slip away deep in the zone!
Evaluating DMZ Season 2 Extraction Changes
Extraction gameplay has received significant updates in DMZ Season 2. Adjustments impact everything from new Exfiltration Perk bonuses [4], more extraction helicopter spots, evolving circle collapse speed, louder ambient battlefield sounds masking chopper cues, and more.
These cumulative changes make timely extraction individual awareness much more challenging. Having contingencies through squad revives or backup exfil routes helps counterbalance the increased environment volatility.
On the plus side, successfully escaping hot zones or clashes with these risk modifiers boosts reward payouts. For DMZ veterans who‘ve mastered navigating Al Mazrah, outplaying these new dynamics offers new high stakes, high reward extraction gameplay.
Conclusion
Extraction focused multiplayer modes like DMZ clearly communicate the meta rule – if you don‘t successfully escape with your loot, you walk away empty handed. For Call of Duty‘s new open world extraction shooter, exfiltration chops make all the difference.
The above analysis shows why strategically navigating the risks of circle collapse, lethal combat encounters, and narrow extraction windows premised on individual awareness separates DMZ experts from casuals. Mastering those gameplay skills provides the highest chances for progression plus ultimately survival.
And escaping a hotly contested extraction point loaded with rare Legendary SPR-208 sniper rifles and $100k in cash? Well thatCertainly makes close DMZ exfils worth their exhilarating high stakes and rewards!
Sources
[1] https://www.callofduty.com/warzone2/dmz[2] https://youtu.be/KHkabi_wEBw?t=250
[3] https://www.treyarch.com/game-intel/2023/02/Call_of_Duty_Warzone_2_Classified_Arms_Season_2_Patch_Notes
[4] https://dotesports.com/call-of-duty/news/full-list-of-perks-available-in-dmz-mode-for-warzone-2
