For many Call of Duty: Warzone players, the battle royale experience has changed drastically since the game’s early days. What was once a fun, casual shooter for groups of friends has, according to some fans, become an unrelenting sweat-fest where only the most dedicated, high-skill players can thrive.
This sentiment was recently voiced on Reddit by user RandomMooseNoises, who shared what he called an "unpopular opinion" about the state of Warzone. He reminisced about Warzone’s earlier years, when he and his friends could hop into a few games, enjoy some kills, and occasionally secure a win. However, he now finds the game nearly “unplayable” due to the dominance of highly skilled and intensely competitive players.
Is Warzone’s Casual Appeal Fading?
"Since BO6, the game might as well be unplayable. The amount of ‘sweaty’ players that take the game way too seriously is mind-boggling. I don’t know if this is because all the other casual players have left, and the MnK players and streamers have taken over, but the way to play Warzone has changed. If you’re not spazzing over your controller, you’re not winning."
His frustration stems from watching kill cams of players performing rapid slide cancels, movement exploits, and seemingly inhuman reaction times. What was once a way to relax and enjoy a game with friends now feels like a punishing experience.
A Divisive Debate: Casuals vs. Competitive Players
Of course, Warzone is still a competitive first-person shooter at its core, and not everyone sympathizes with this perspective. While some players agree that the game has become too sweaty, others argue that the issue is less about the game itself and more about expectations.
One response, from Reddit user nedimiedin, pushes back against the idea that Warzone has changed for the worse. He suggests that what casual players perceive as "sweaty" is simply the natural evolution of the game as players improve over time.
"You have to accept that a lot of these players aren’t sweating. That’s just how they naturally play with how much time they put in. What seems like maximum effort to you is second-thought to these guys."
He also challenges the notion of what it means to be a “casual” gamer, pointing out that true casual players don’t care about their kill-death ratio or winning.
"You can’t call yourself a casual gamer if you’re pissed that you’re not doing good. Casuals hop on, f*** around with friends, and don’t care whether they go 1-20 or 20-1. You clearly care, so you’re not casual.
Comment by u/RandomMooseNoises from discussion in CODWarzone
Skill-Based Matchmaking And Player Retention
Many players who share RandomMooseNoises’ frustration blame skill-based matchmaking - the system that pairs players with opponents of similar skill levels. While intended to create fair matchups, SBMM has long been a controversial topic in the Call of Duty community. Some argue that it forces casual players into lobbies that are too difficult, leading to constant frustration, while others see it as a necessary feature that prevents newer or lower-skilled players from being steamrolled.
Another possible factor is player attrition. If many casual players have moved on to other games, the remaining Warzone player base could naturally consist of more dedicated and competitive gamers. This would create an environment where even “average” lobbies feel overwhelmingly difficult compared to earlier iterations of the game.
Is There Even A Solution?
So, what can be done to bridge the gap between casual players looking for fun and skilled players who thrive on competition? Some suggest a ranked mode with visible skill tiers, allowing casual players to enjoy more relaxed matches while competitive players can push themselves in higher-stakes environments. Others advocate for server-based matchmaking instead of strict SBMM, which could create more diverse lobbies with a mix of skill levels.
There are plenty of competitive shooters with an intact ranking system in place, such as Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, or Overwatch 2. Maybe this would be the best path for Activision to take, in order to make the casual part of its player base happy again.
Ultimately, the nature of shooters means that as long as players are improving, lobbies will always feel harder over time. Whether or not this makes Warzone "unplayable" is a matter of perspective. For some, the challenge is what keeps them engaged; for others, it turns a once-enjoyable game into a frustrating grind.
Regardless of which side of the debate players fall on, one thing is clear: Warzone continues to evolve, and not everyone is happy with the direction it’s headed.