A Call of Duty: Warzone 2 player finds a hidden easter egg hidden in the game referencing the fan-favorite Vardansk map from the first Warzone.
An eagle-eyed Call of Duty: Warzone 2 fan spotted a reference to the Verdansk map from the original Call of Duty: Warzone hidden in plain sight on one of the game's operators. Many Call of Duty: Warzone players were disappointed when developer Infinity Ward announced that the fan-favorite map would not be returning for the sequel, although the developer confirmed that Vardansk will return for Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, due out in 2023.
The Vardansk map, set in the fictional country of Kastovia, originally appeared in 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in the Special Ops and Ground War modes, and served as the main map for the battle royale spin-off, Call of Duty: Warzone. Surrounded by high mountains with a river running through the city center, the war-torn coastal city map is a perfect playground for multiplayer mayhem. Verdansk's absence from the free-to-play follow-up to Infinity Ward is one of the many complaints that players have leveled at the game, with numerous gameplay bugs and hackers in Call of Duty: Warzone 2 also working to fuel players' frustrations.
In a short video posted to r/CODWarzone, user tiktokalnuke showed off a hidden reference to the Call of Duty: Warzone's Vardanesque map that is hidden in plain sight in both the sequel and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Loading Operator Preview Screen tiktokalnuke selects SpecGru operator Enzo Reyes using the character's default skin, drawing attention to the map protected in Reyes' left hand before loading into the game. Once in the game, Tiktokalnuke examines his weapon to bring the map into clearer view and shows that, once the image is flipped, it is actually a small section of the Verdansk map from Call of Duty: Warzone.
Some Call of Duty: Warzone 2 players responded to the post, appreciating that Infinity Ward took the time to mention the game's popular map, even though it didn't return in the sequel, as many gamers had hoped. Other players were less enthused by the clever Easter egg, with one commenter asking why Infinity Ward would "rub salt in the wounds" of players saddened by its removal. While Call of Duty: Warzone 2's Al Mazrah map has proven popular with many fans, it's clear that some players still miss Verdansk.
While it may not be the franchise that some fans are rooting for, it's good to know that a little piece of Vardansk will always be with players if they wear the right skin. As more than 25 million Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 players continue to explore the battle royale game world, who knows what other mysteries await to be uncovered.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.