With the July update, 343 revamped the standard Warzone game. New bosses spawn at different locations and are worth more varied amount of points. I appreciate this update as it adds variety into the stale and predictable PvE aspect of Warzone.
However, 343 took a major step backwards in the PvP aspect. Before the update, a key element to securing a Warzone victory was attempting to capture the enemy’s bases. Owning at least two bases, especially the main base, reaped countless rewards - isolating the enemy team’s spawns, limiting their map access, and lowering their automatic point accumulation. Pre-updated, I spent most of my time in an average Warzone game to trying to capture an enemy-controlled base, usually the secondary base nearest their core spawn. Oftentimes I failed, but when I successfully captured a base, the tide of the game shifted. By clearing out the Marines and any in-base enemies, I stood a fighting chance to prevent any new enemies from entering and could singlehandedly take down a base.
Post-update, this strategy is completely removed from the game. Now, enemies can spawn inside a base currently being captured. This makes it almost impossible to defend a base during the time it takes to capture it. Enemy players can simply respawn at the contested base and hold their ground, buying time for more teammates to arrive. They don’t need to fight to reenter a contested base.
I’d challenge 343 to show some Warzone data pre- and post-update. How many base conversions were there per game pre-update? How many post-update? I guarantee it’s much more likely post-update that the team who originally captures a base holds it the entire game. This removes one of the integral, and honestly most fun, aspects of Warzone. As a die-hard Halo player from the beginning, I can honestly say I’m less excited and less motivated to play Warzone, a gametype which I thoroughly enjoyed.
<3 Corsair