Warzone tips: 8 things you need to know to survive the COD battle royale

Follow these essential Call of Duty Warzone tips and rise to the top of the battle royale

No matter when you started playing the hottest battle royale game this year, these Call of Duty Warzone tips will always be useful. We’ve hardly stopped playing since the mode launched near the start of 2020, which means we’ve got a lot of Call of Duty Warzone experience that we can pass onto you. Read on for our top Call of Duty Warzone tips, explaining everything from the gulag to contracts and more.

1. Get kills in the pre-game lobby to level up your weapons

When you’re running around a small section of the Verdansk map before the battle royale begins, you’ll be given a random weapon. During these brief moments, you can kill other players and doing so will actually level up your weapon. This progress carries over to multiplayer, so you can be productive in the pre-match even without entering a full match.

2. How does the Warzone gulag work?

The Call of Duty Warzone gulag is COD’s twist on battle royale death, giving you a second chance when you’re killed if you’re prepared to fight for it. In Warzone, the first time you die you’ll appear in the Gulag (which isn’t the gulag that appears on the map, in case you were wondering) rather than going back to the lobby. Here you’ll be able to fight a 1v1 match for the chance for a second drop into the game, but not before you wait on a balcony watching other 1v1 fights while you wait your turn. You’ll be able to help teammates over chat, or throw rocks at the opposition.

3. What are Warzone Buy Stations and what can you get from them?

Think of Warzone Buy Station as a conflict vending machine. You’ll find them in the world both via the on-screen radar and the in-game tac map, marked by a little shopping cart icon. When you find one you’ll be able to buy things like armor plates and killstreaks, as well as a Loadout Drop to get your own gear in the game. The cash you need to do that will be scattered around the map, mostly inside buildings and on other players – when you kill them they’ll drop any money they were carrying as well as loot.

4. How do you ready up in a Warzone lobby?

There’s no actual ready up button when you play Warzone which can feel a little weird, Especially as the lobby is busy with various tabs for weapons, operators and more, leaving you feeling like you might have missed something. Don’t sweat it though as if you’re in a lobby, you’re ready. You might hear a noise repeating a lot and wonder what it is while you wait – that’s the sound people leaving and joining the match make.

5. Is there Warzone crossplay?

You can use Call of Duty Warzone crossplay to team up with your friends, regardless of whether they’re playing on PC, PS4, or Xbox One. To start set it up, head to the Social menu from the main Warzone lobby, then follow the Add Friends prompt. This will let you choose how you want to search for your friend, be it with their Activision Account or a platform specific account name, and once you’ve found them you can send out a friend request. Once they accept the request their banner will appear on the Social screen, then all you need to do is select them and pick either Join Game or Invite to Party so you can squad up.

6. How do I earn Warzone Killstreaks?

Warzone Killstreaks work a little differently to previous Call of Duty games. Instead of earning them through hitting a kill count you now get them through Buy Stations, or if you’re lucky, through loot or supply boxes. There are four currently in the game: a deployable shield turret which is a mounted 50 cal with a small shield attach, a UAV which will detect any enemies not using the Ghost perk, a laser designated Custer Strike, and an air strike you target through binoculars. You can only carry one Kill streak at a time, with anything new you collect replacing what you’ve currently got. So choose wisely.

7. Learn how the redeploy/revive system works

In order to redeploy your fallen teammates who have killed someone in the Gulag, you need to accumulate $4,500 in cash. You can find cash lying around the place and inside supply boxes, but you’ll also earn cash from killing enemies. Once you have enough, look for a buy station – marked on the map with a shopping cart icon – and you’ll be able to buy them back. Everyone’s life has a price, after all.

8. What are Warzone contracts?

You’ll find Call of Duty Warzone Contracts scattered around the map, offering you a way to earn more cash and some game changing advantages (Listen out for the electronic noise they make to help you find them). There are three types of contracts that will appear randomly on the map each game. If you accept one your entire team will then have to complete it:

• Bounty Contract: These appear as Target icons and will reward you with cash and XP. When you activate one you’ll be directed to take out a member of another squad who’ll be loosely highlighted on the tac map. If you do it in time, another player will then be selected. 
• Recon Contract: These Flag icons identify missions that are basically mini HQ or Domination missions. You’ll have to gather around a flare and upload data, with smoke drawing in any squads that can see it. If you succeed you’ll be rewarded with cash, a loot drop and the location of the next circle. 
• Scavenger Contract: These Magnifying glass icons are ideal if you need loot. Triggering one will highlight one of three Supply boxes in the world. As you find the first the second is revealed, then the third.

There’s also a contract bonus that improves for each you complete in a match. This improves your rewards, effectively levelling up what you can earn.