Season 3 of Black Ops 6 and Warzone has been officially pushed back by two weeks. While this delay is no doubt disappointing, it’s actually a good thing for Call of Duty overall – and even players are supporting it.

It’s no secret that Call of Duty is going through something of a rough patch. While Black Ops 6 launched to positive reviews, its integration into Warzone hasn’t been the slam dunk that everyone was expecting.

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The battle royale has been plagued with different bugs and gameplay issues, hackers continue to run rampant, and the player count has plummeted as a result. So much so that the Season 2 and Season 2 Reloaded updates have mostly skipped new content for Warzone, in favor of quality of life fixes to get the game into a better spot.

The community is hoping that Season 3 will turn things around, with the long-awaited return of original map Verdansk. However, on March 3, the devs revealed that the update had been delayed by two weeks and will now launch on April 3 instead of March 20.

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It’s rare that Call of Duty postpones major updates like this, but given how much is riding on it, a delay is actually best for all involved.

Verdansk delay is better for everyone

As the devs themselves put it, Season 3 is a “big moment,” especially for Warzone. The return of Verdansk is make-or-break, with reports also revealing that Activision are considering scrapping the BR in CoD 2026 if things don’t pick up.

So, the last thing anyone wants is to be met by a buggy Verdansk that doesn’t live up to the hype. There are already concerns that the map won’t be able to recapture the magic of 2020, and a fumbled launch would kill any excitement instantly.

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Season 03 is a big moment for Call of Duty: Warzone and Black Ops 6, and we’re taking the time to deliver a great experience starting on April 3.

More to come following Call of Duty: Warzone’s 5th anniversary next week… pic.twitter.com/TmPJnoYBZS

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) March 3, 2025

Through all the low points in recent years, this has been the one thing that fans have wanted. While no one is under the illusion that a change of map would suddenly solve every problem, it could give the game some much-needed positivity and get the community excited again if handled correctly.

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With this delay, the odds of that happening can only improve. We’ve seen too many games or updates launch too early and be riddled with issues, but a little more time in the oven gives the devs the opportunity to iron out any problems before it rolls out.

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As players, we should never want anything to be released before it’s ready, as even just an extra couple of weeks can make a huge difference to the final product. That’s doubly true when it’s an update of such significance and the delay, if nothing else, means that the team understands the gravity of the situation – which can only be a good thing.

Even Call of Duty players are happy

Activision

Despite everything I’ve said up to this point, delays are usually met with plenty of frustration from players. However, the news of Season 3 being moved back has been met with a surprisingly warm response. Fans have waited nearly four years for Verdansk to return, and based on the replies, they’re happy to wait a little longer.

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“If this means less bugs, better anticheat, smoother launch, this is a massive W,” said one player responding to Call of Duty’s tweet. “Thanks for delaying it instead of just releasing it to get it out.”

“I’d rather a short delay than a bug riddled launch,” agreed a second, before another added: “I’d rather it be done right than rushed.”

That being said, while the vibe was mostly positive, there were also those who felt the delay puts even more pressure on a smooth launch.

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“I don’t mind delaying it so there’s no issues when it drops, but if there’s still bugs when it releases we’ve got a huge problem,” replied a more skeptical player.

The Call of Duty (particularly Warzone) community is on a knife-edge; ready to welcome the BR back with open arms, or pronounce it dead on arrival. It’s arguably one of the most important updates for the series in recent memory.

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That’s why pushing Season 3 and the return of Verdansk back to address any issues can only be the right decision. This patch needs to be a success and should welcome any steps taken to ensure that happens.