Players of Raven Software’s free-to-play battle royale Call of Duty: Warzone have a lot to deal with when it comes to issues that impede the ability to enjoy the game as the developers intended. First, there is the plethora of hackers and cheaters, who ruin the gaming experience for other players. For example, for a few months now, a silent aim hack has permitted Call of Duty: Warzone players to hit their targets without even aiming, regardless of the distance between them. The problem with cheaters is so widespread that players have begun demanding an overhaul to the game’s report system, in addition to some long-requested weapon balancing.
Then there are the bugs that have at times also greatly impacted players’ ability to enjoy the game. Last year, the much-used heartbeat sensor began randomly killing people, and more recently a player shared a video of themselves fruitlessly trying to equip the tool, which wouldn't come out no matter how many times they tried. Another bug that has cropped up lately causes the cargo truck in Payload to completely stop moving, essentially handing the win to defenders.
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A different issue that has been frustrating players, although it’s not clear if it’s a bug or intended functionality, is the overpowered stun grenade. In Call of Duty: Warzone, the stun blurs the player's screen and slows their movement and aim speed for about five seconds. It is therefore an almost guaranteed kill. Stunned players have no counters to a stun grenade, meaning that a good toss of the device can often change the course of battle.
Players have long been asking for either a nerf to stun grenades or the addition of some counters to its effects. However, the roadmap of fixes and updates coming to Warzone with the launch of Season 5 on August 12 made no mention of stun grenades, much to the disappointment of some players. “Honestly, stuns are more powerful than a Semtex,” stated one player in a recent Reddit post about the situation. “At least a Semtex you have to be precise… Stuns, simply throw them in the same area code, and you have a free kill on someone.”
While the sentiment seems to be shared by many players, others argued that Warzone's aim assist is a sufficient counter to the disorientation caused by a stun grenade. Aim assist slows the equipped weapon’s crosshair as it approaches a target, allowing even a stunned or blinded player to know when their reticle is over an enemy. However, some people like to rely on their own skills while playing and don’t use aim assist, and these gamers would be at a distinct disadvantage if aim assist proves to be the only counter to stuns in Warzone.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.