New Call of Duty: Warzone trailer shows a beautiful rebuilt Verdansk, but some fans want more: 'it won't be the same unfortunately'

Four operators survey Verdansk. One holds a sniper rifle, one binoculars, another holds is landing with their parachute, while the last wears a skull mask
(Image credit: Activision)

  • Verdansk is coming back to Warzone on April 3
  • The classic map has been rebuilt by Beenox
  • It will feature overhauled visuals, including better lighting

Fan-favorite map Verdansk is finally coming back to Call of Duty: Warzone and it looks absolutely stunning.

The development team at Beenox, the studio helming the updated version of the classic environment, has released a new Intel Drop video showing it off and explaining some of the work that's gone into it.

"It's rebuilt from the ground up to recapture the original battle royale experience but now it has stunning new textures [and] improved visuals," explained environment artist Simon Duschense.

How We Rebuilt Verdansk From the Ground Up - Intel Drop | Call of Duty: Warzone - YouTube How We Rebuilt Verdansk From the Ground Up - Intel Drop | Call of Duty: Warzone - YouTube
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"We really wanted to keep this nostalgic feeling while also upgrading it with new technology," he added.

Although it might not look like much has changed, when you compare this new Verdansk to the old environments it's clear that there have been some massive upgrades plus some small changes to its layout.

The lighting is hugely improved, with significantly more realistic shadows and textures that now appear in much higher resolution.

That said, some fans don't seem too thrilled with the news. "We need old feeling, old movement, old TTK, old game. Not just [the] map," said one YouTube commenter. " Another added "it won't be the same unfortunately."

A number of players also seem skeptical about the reliability of the game's anti-cheat systems. "Invest in a better anti-cheat or none of this matters" is currently one of the highest-rated comments under the video.

Verdansk returns to Call of Duty: Warzone on April 3. The game is available now as a free-to-play title on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC.

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Dashiell Wood
Hardware Writer

Dash is a technology journalist who covers gaming hardware at TechRadar. Before joining the TechRadar team, he was writing gaming articles for some of the UK's biggest magazines including PLAY, Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX. Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found listening to J-pop or feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.

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