Why is Warzone 2 One of the Most Challenging BRs for Average Players?
As an avid gamer and content creator who has sunk hundreds of hours into both Warzone titles, I‘ve noticed Warzone 2 ratchets up the difficulty compared to most other battle royales. Many average and new players are struggling mightily to compete.
Much Faster Time-To-Kill Rewards Crack Aim
According to detailed TTK charts from experts like TrueGameData, Warzone 2‘s base TTK across almost all weapons is 15-30% faster compared to Verdansk in Warzone 1. This gives players far less time to react when getting shot first. It rewards players with flawless snap aim who can instantly beam enemies. Average players often feel helpless with how quickly they melt.
The following table compares TTKs across some popular weapons:
| Weapon Class | Gun | Warzone 1 TTK (Chest) | Warzone 2 TTK (Chest) | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR | M4A1 | 504ms | 450ms | -12% |
| SMG | MP5 | 432ms | 360ms | -20% |
| Sniper | Kar98 | 472ms | 390ms | -21% |
As demonstrated, most weapon archetypes like ARs and SMGs can now down enemies over 15% faster compared to Verdask ‘84 meta builds. This disproportionately punishes less experienced players.
Sluggish Movement and Animation Locks
Based on user data analytics, Warzone 2 players move 11% slower on average compared to Warzone 1. Vital maneuvers like mantling objects, going prone, or entering/exiting sprint all feel considerably more sluggish. This gives players less ability to quickly evade firefights or reposition.
Most egregiously, players are now locked into lengthy animations when activating overpowered abilities like Dead Silence. Combined with the faster TTK, these animation locks often feel like a death sentence when enemies ambush you. They reward pre-aimed angles and reduce the skill gap by giving reactive players less ability to finesse gunfights.
Prevalence of Overpowered Weapons
The Al Mazrah meta throughout Season 1 and now Season 2 has been dominated by a small handful of overly lethal base weapons like the Kastov-762, ISO Hemlock, and Fennec 45. These guns vastly outclass alternatives with their combination of fire rate, damage, and recoil control.
In fact, according to WZRanked data, these 3 weapons account for over 51% of kills across matches in the past week. When entire squads abuse these fast-killing meta picks, it‘s an oppressive experience for less experienced players without access to them. Their prevalence caters to high skill players and reduces variety.
Other Major Changes That Increase Volatility
Along with the above issues, Warzone 2 made other controversial changes that have made matches more chaotic and volatile:
- Removing permanent custom loadouts gives good players quicker access to meta weapons compared to newbies relying on ground loot
- Reducing recoil smoothing increased the skill gap managing weapons
- Random circle pacing sometimes shortens end-games extremely quickly, rewarding campy play
Given how fiercely competitive Warzone 2 matches are, what advice can we offer new or struggling players to help them compete? Here are some key tips:
Leverage Superior Positioning
Since gunfills are so fast and lethal, work on flanking behind teams and catching them off guard before they can react. Set up ambushes inside buildings overlooking hot zones. Abuse power positions that break line of sight.
Master Slide Canceling
While traditional slide canceling is gone, there is still a "nerfed" version possible by alternating between crouching and sprinting. Learn timing and patterns to help evade fire and challenge gunfights more assertively.
Stick Together as a Squad
Playing solo is exponentially more difficult with how team-focused the meta is. Stick with even an average Warzone squad for more firepower, revives, loadout money, etc. Make callouts and support each other in gunfights.
Watch Streamers Using Meta Guns
Study how streamers perfectly control recoil and abuse meta ARs/SMGs like the Kastov and ISO Hemlock. Learn best builds and situational use cases for these ubiquitous meta picks to close the weapon gap.
Plunder/DMZ to Practice Mechanics
Before hitting Core BR, spend time practicing basics like movement, looting, and loadout control in Plunder. Or grind DMZ for weapon leveling. Getting comfortable with systems helps narrow the experience gap before tackling sweaty lobbies.
Drop any other questions below! Happy to offer more tips to players struggling with the fierce competition in Warzone 2. Core BR right now caters overwhelmingly to top players – but we can still make some headway.
