Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone Season 05: Heroes Hold the Line
In the Season 04 Reloaded blog, we shared initial results from our Call of Duty: Warzone Battle Royale Solos playlist test – where Casual Solos replaced Core Solos – to better understand how players engage with each experience. Our initial test was conducted to identify if Casual Solos could increase the waning popularity of the Core Solos experience. The test showed Casual Solos outperformed Core Solos by more than 3 to 1, with improvements in matchmaking quality, ping stability, and overall match health.
We have since completed a second phase of testing, running both Casual Solos and Core Solos side-by-side, which has allowed us to gather deeper regional data and assess how playlists affect the player experience across a global population.
Our second test showed similar results, with Casual Solos receiving 3X the number of daily users than Core Solos. The data also reveals that players who heavily favored the Core Solos playlist in Season 03 (before Casual Solos was added) significantly reduced their time in the mode when it returned in Season 04 Reloaded – spending just 25% of their total playtime in Core Solos.
Our teams continue to examine how playlist offerings work regionally. Here’s how playlists will shift when Season 05 launches, in consideration of the data we’ve seen:
- Both Core Solos and Casual Solos will be available globally on day one of the season
- Within 48 hours playlists will be updated:
- Core Solos will remain active in North America (NA) and Europe (EU) only
- Casual Solos will continue to be available in all regions
In North America and Europe, Core Solos was marginally more sustainable than other regions in both phases of testing; however, the mode still suffered from match quality concerns (connection, match times) due to players preferring other available playlists. In other regions, Core Solos was unable to deliver acceptable match quality.
Casual Solos has proven itself to be the more approachable and globally sustainable mode. Keeping this mode live worldwide ensures that solo players everywhere have a healthy, high-quality match experience.
By tailoring playlists based on regional data, we’re ensuring that every Call of Duty: Warzone player gets the best possible experience, regardless of location. This is the next step in refining how we build playlists that serve all Call of Duty: Warzone players. We’ll continue to evaluate performance and feedback as Season 05 rolls out.
