Season 02 Reloaded launches on March 15 for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. The midseason update continues the epic action from the start of the season with the introduction of Special Ops Raid Episode 02, the Himmelmatt Expo 6v6 Multiplayer map, new Camo Challenges, a new free functional weapon, and more across both games.
Raid Episode 02, Himmelmatt Expo, more Party modes
Test your skills in a new cooperative Raid, explore an idyllic winter retreat at Himmelmat, and let loose with new Multiplayer party modes.
Atomgrad Raid Episode 02: Team up with two other players and take on the roles of Captain Price, Farah, and Gaz as they embark on a new mission to identify and acquire a deadly warhead. The Operators must navigate through deadly traps and increasing enemy resistance as they ascend through the missile silo.
As part of the midseason update, anyone who owns Modern Warfare® II will be able to access Raids; Raid Assignments are no longer required for access. Players who successfully complete Episode 02 can take on the Veteran version of the Raid, offering additional rewards for tackling the mission against greater odds.
Himmelmatt Expo (6v6): Deploy to the Himmelmatt Expo, a new Core Multiplayer map set on a European mountainside. Battle in the main event center and skirmish through the snow-covered streets surrounding the luxurious amenities of this winter retreat. Look for Himmelmatt Expo in the Quick Play rotation and featured Playlists throughout Season 02 Reloaded.
Get your winter jacket and prepare to deploy to this idyllic company retreat nestled in the Swiss Alps. However, attendees for the upcoming Oil & Gas Summit 2023 will have to delay their arrival as combat breaks out on the site between SpecGru and KorTac forces.
Himmelmatt Expo consists of four major areas:
Event Center: The Event Center occupies nearly half of the map, a huge building housing reception services, a Conference Room, the Lounge, and a Terrace. The structure is composed of two levels: the main floor that runs from the reception desks on either side of the building and through the Terrace, and the lower floor leading to the Conference Room.
Main Roads: Roads lead to the event center’s top and bottom entrances, with parked vehicles scattered throughout. From the southern Roundabout, one can see over the Sauna and up toward the Restaurant, while Operators in the north Street enjoy a similar view over the Sauna and against enemies emerging from the Pool. Use the various trucks and vehicles here for cover as needed and be sure to race inside if you get notified of an incoming enemy streak.
Restaurant: While tiny compared to the event center, The Restaurant nonetheless occupies an important position on the map, with several game modes positioning their objective at or near the building.
Pool & Sauna: The Sauna offers a somewhat safer route when traveling outdoors, considering its position to the side of the map and the squat buildings providing solid cover. If you have to get through the Pool area, use your Tactical Sprint to get through fast; otherwise, you risk becoming a sitting duck on a cold winter day.
Himmelmatt Expo Spawns:
Spawning at the top of the map, SpecGru Operators can turn immediately into the North Hall or continue down the Roundabout toward the Pool, Restaurant, and Sauna.
KorTac forces spawn in on the southern tip of the map, facing the event center, where you’ll see its welcome messages in various languages. Operators have several options when starting the match here: Rush straight through the double-door entrances leading into the Lobby — from there, head to the Lounge, Terrace, or Conference Room — take the double-door entrance leading into the Lounge, or stay outdoors, wrapping around the main building toward the Pool and Sauna.
On a larger map like Himmelmatt Expo, it’s important to get a feel for when you should move in and attack and when it’s best to defend your position. Move too aggressively, and you’ll be eliminated in transit; hang back too much, and you risk missing out on the action. The more you play the map, the sharper your instincts will become. For more tips and tricks, check out the deep dive in the Himmelmatt Expo Map Guide Blog.
Play new party modes
Following up on the rerelease of Infected, Gun Game, and Grind for Modern Warfare II, Season 02 Reloaded drops three more party modes from Call of Duty’s near two-decade history:
Drop Zone: Capture and hold the Drop Zone to earn points in this chaotic team-based mode. For every 15 seconds that the Drop Zone is occupied, a Care Package containing a Killstreak will be dropped in the vicinity. This makes rotating to the next Drop Zone a high priority so you can dig in and start earning those packages ASAP.
All or Nothing: Equipped only with Throwing Knives and a pistol with no ammo, each Operator must fight for themselves in a race to earn 20 eliminations. Earn additional Perks by eliminating enemies, starting with the Scavenger Perk to allow for ammo pickups.
One in the Chamber: Load into the match with a pistol, one bullet, and three lives. Each player fights for themselves, and a single shot to any part of the body earns the elimination, granting the attacker one more bullet for the next fight. Try not to miss.
Call of Duty: Warzone third anniversary celebration
To celebrate three years of Warzone, all players will receive free items through the in-game Store that are themed around the maps, seasons, and memories made since its surprise launch on March 10, 2020. These rewards include a free Weapon Blueprint, a Calling Card, and an Emblem. Check the in-game Store daily to claim your rewards throughout the season.
Path of the Ronin Event Camo Challenges
When the midseason update launches, the Path of the Ronin will shift from the Seven Virtues of Bushido to a new set of challenges tied to weapon camos. Complete a challenge to unlock a new camouflage — Winds of Ash — for every weapon in that category. Complete all ten challenges to earn another new camo for every weapon — Bowing Blossoms — as well as a golden Charm that represents your dedication to following the Path of the Ronin.
New weapon
Season 02 Reloaded gives you more ways to deal with your enemies, whether you prefer going loud or striking swift and silent.
Tempus Torrent: This new Marksman Rifle offers impressive damage and a fast-firing mechanism, making it a great Primary Weapon choice when deploying to the new Himmelmatt Expo Multiplayer map or to Ashika Island. Unlock the Tempus Torrent by completing the in-game Weapon Challenge or by purchasing via Store Bundle
Watch for other Store Bundles arriving in the midseason, including the Tracer Pack: Padraig’s Pandemonium Bundle, Generation XRK, and Raid Bundle Season 02: Deepwater.
New Social Feature: Party Queuing
Among other technical updates across Modern Warfare and Warzone 2.0 that all developer studios are working on, there is one notable feature addition that makes it even easier to form parties with friends and competitive teammates
Party queuing allows players to automatically join a friend’s party once they are finished with their active match. Just like inviting friends to a party or channel, you can access party queuing via the in-game social menu.
After selecting the option to party queue, you will wait in the hanger bay pre-match lobby until that specific friend is done with their match, then automatically join their lobby for the next match. While queuing, you can use voice and text chat with those currently in a match, with all queued players appearing in the game channel member list for all players in said party.
Note that party queuing can cause the current squad to be ineligible to re-queue for a playlist if their new party size exceeds the match’s maximum party count (for example: getting a party of five from party queuing after finishing a Battle Royale Quads match). In those cases, you may need to switch to a game mode that can accommodate the new party size, or figure out how to get back to the game mode party size limit.
PlayStation exclusive reminder — Season 02 Combat Pack
Plus, don’t forget to grab your exclusive operator bundle. The Season 02 Combat Pack grants Hiro “Oni” Wantanabe an Operator Skin that suits the journey of those living the Samurai Code.
PlayStation® Plus subscribers will also receive the following: the “Oni Carver” SMG Blueprint, the “Oni Slasher” Assault Rifle Blueprint, the “Yoroi” Weapon Charm, the “Crimson Oni” Animated Calling Card, the “Golden Dragonfly” Weapon Sticker, and the “Grinning Oni” Emblem.
And be sure to jump into Season 02 Reloaded on PlayStation from March 16 10AM PT to March 17 10AM PT to take full advantage of the Sony exclusive Player 2XP!
Season 02 Reloaded launches March 15
For the best midseason experience, purchase Modern Warfare II on PlayStation today and get access to additional content across three modes, including the ability to unlock 14 exclusive Operators for use across both games. Modern Warfare II owners also get Premium XP while playing Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, awarded at the end of every match.
Stay frosty.
