Call of Duty: Warzone is removing the controversial Grappling Hook from its Battle Royale and Resurgence playlists following months of divided player feedback. The popular Call of Duty: Warzone has repeatedly experimented with new mobility mechanics, but few have changed the meta of its standard matches as dramatically as the Grappling Hook has.
Grappling Hooks initially appeared alongside Wall Jump in one of Call of Duty: Warzone‘s experimental limited-time modes before becoming part of standard Battle Royale and Resurgence modes with Season 3. Raven Software had previously stated that the mechanics received a strong response during testing and would be beneficial to players as additional traversal options, while increasing opportunities to raise the skill ceiling. Like many games with a Grappling Hook, players can use the item to rapidly reach rooftops, cross gaps, escape dangerous encounters, or attack opponents from unexpected angles. However, its ability to bypass traditional routes also quickly changed the importance of positioning, high-ground control, and map knowledge, disrupting the established flow of the game.
Call of Duty: Warzone Is Removing the Grappling Hook
Raven Software confirmed the Grappling Hook’s upcoming removal from Warzone in a post on the official developer’s Twitter account, stating that the item will leave standard Battle Royale and Resurgence playlists later in August. The decision follows multiple attempts to balance the device through adjustments, culminating in the decision to remove it from standard play entirely. Season 3 Reloaded previously lowered its Fire Sale price and adjusted how frequently it appeared through Scavenger contracts, while Season 4 added a Surveyor perk interaction that briefly revealed nearby players using the Grappling Hook on the minimap. Call of Duty: Warzone‘s Season 4 Reloaded went even further by significantly reducing its speed and momentum mechanics following fan feedback. Raven has even acknowledged that the item was enabling highly aggressive repositioning with limited risk and said it was not satisfied with its effect on Warzone‘s balance and metagame.
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Image via Treyarch / Call of Duty -
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Image via Activision
The removal of the equipment has produced a response almost as divided as the item itself. Some Warzone players celebrated the announcement, arguing that Grappling Hooks disrupted the flow of matches, made it too easy to challenge fortified positions, and was rather buggy in its implementation. Others said the item had become one of Call of Duty: Warzone‘s most enjoyable additions, particularly on Avalon, where players could combine the hook with elevated terrain and other traversal options to get across the map considerably faster. However, the battle royale’s overall balancing seems to be the biggest point of contention, as several commenters have questioned why Raven is targeting Grappling Hooks instead of Juggernaut Armor and the Specialist bonus.
Standard Call of Duty: Warzone matches might look a little different going forward as a result. Without Grappling Hooks, ladders, ziplines, and properly planned rotations may become more valuable again, changing the skill ceiling once more. In any given match, squad-controlled rooftops and other elevated positions will likely have fewer unexpected entry points to monitor, while players caught below them will lose one of their quickest methods of launching an attack. That said, Raven has not announced that Wall Jump will be removed from any playlists, which remains one of Season 3’s most controversial additions to the game alongside the Grappling Hook.
Fans of the equipment will still have a place to use it, though, as Grappling Hooks remain in some of Warzone‘s more experimental modes. Season 5’s 50v50 Heavy Metal Heroes mode prominently features the item alongside Flicker and Kinetic Jump abilities, armed vehicles, and movement buffs that aren’t featured in the primary game types. Keeping powerful mobility tools in purpose-built modes allows Raven to preserve faster play styles without redefining standard Battle Royale and Resurgence matches, which is likely the most reasonable middle ground right now.
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March 10, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Violence
