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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has reworked Warzone and launched its new DMZ mode with Season one, both of which are free to play. DMZ is Infinity Ward's take on extraction royale, a subgenre dominated by games like Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown.
In DMZ, your goal is simple: survive. Scavenge for materials, earn reputation with other factions, and make your way out of Al Mazrah alive. Unique weapon blueprints, operator cosmetics, and even an entire weapon are tied to this new game type. Today, we'll cover everything you need to know about MW2's new DMZ mode, showcasing its unique progression system, faction missions, and we'll cover how to get your hands on Season One's M13B assault rifle.
Updated November 29, 2022: We've updated this article to include a video guide that breaks down everything you need to know about DMZ.
What Is DMZ?
DMZ is an extraction royale mode for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, free for all players. All players are thrown into Al Mazrah and have a limited window to scavenge supplies, complete faction missions, and defeat AI bosses before extracting. You get one life in this mode. Don't waste it.
Compared to Warzone 2.0, DMZ is focused more on objectives and looting than pure PvP. The goal of DMZ is to increase faction reputation and gear your Operator for future DMZ runs, not to be the last surviving player. It draws parallels to other extraction royales like Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown, although DMZ is far more casual than those titles.
Why Should I Play DMZ?
DMZ offers exclusive rewards for fans of MW2 and Warzone, including weapon blueprints and new weapon platforms entirely. As of DMZ's launch, the M13B assault rifle can only be unlocked by playing this mode or purchasing an M13 weapon blueprint from the in-game store.
If you don't care about weapon blueprints, you'll at least want to play a few games of DMZ to get your hands on the M13B. Beyond that, DMZ offers an intense experience similar to Warzone but with more persistent elements. Fans of Warzone looking for something more objective-oriented might enjoy DMZ.
Gearing For A Mission
Before you drop into the DMZ, you must first kit your Operator out with weapons and equipment. You'll start DMZ with six Contraband weapons, gear that stays in the DMZ if you die. If you bring Contraband weapons and are unable to extract them, those weapons are permanently lost, so be mindful of what you're packing. Contraband weapons may not be modified via the Gunsmith.
You also have access to one Insured weapon to start. Insured weapons can be any weapon unlocked in MW2's multiplayer or Warzone modes, and these weapons may be modified through the Gunsmith system. Failing to extract with an Insured weapon will put it on a two-hour cooldown before it can be re-equipped. This timer may be reduced by extracting with Cash. The more Cash on hand, the bigger a cooldown reduction you'll receive. You can have up to three Insured weapons at a time, although the other two slots are unlocked via faction missions (explained later).
Beyond your weapons, you may also bring a Lethal, Tactical, and Field Upgrade with you on any DMZ run. Tacticals, Lethals, and Field Upgrades are not lost on death, so feel free to bring whatever you prefer. Additional equipment may be found in Al Mazrah through your DMZ run.
DMZ-Specific Equipment
You might notice a few more inventory slots while creating your class. These consist of on-solider items and your backpack. Here's a quick rundown of how they work:
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On-Soldier: Consists of an armor vest, gas mask, killstreak, and self-revive (presented in that order)
- Unlike Warzone, extracting with these items equipped will keep them for subsequent DMZ runs. Items are lost on death.
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Backpack: Shows how much inventory space you have. You may also bring keys scavenged from past DMZ runs.
- Keys may be used to open locked buildings and hidden areas for rare loot. You may only use a key three times before it breaks.
- Spare backpacks and armor vests are not kept on extraction. Your largest backpack and vest are automatically equipped.
No other items (excluding weapons) are preserved between DMZ runs. Anything else you extract will be converted into XP. This includes spare armor vests and backpacks.
Faction Missions
The last thing you want to check before jumping into the DMZ is your faction menu. Located next to the matchmaking button, faction missions provide exclusive rewards and large XP bundles for completing certain objectives in the DMZ. These objectives range from raiding AI-controlled strongholds to refueling vehicles in Al Mazrah. Up to three faction missions may be active per run.
To start, you'll have access to four faction missions from Legion, the first of three factions in DMZ. Complete all four objectives to unlock the White Lotus faction, then complete six missions for both factions to unlock Black Mous, the final faction.
Each faction in DMZ will have different objectives for you to complete. The difficulty of each mission seems to be tied to the faction itself:
- Legion: Easy difficulty
- White Lotus: Medium difficulty
- Black Mous: Hard difficulty
Missions get progressively more demanding as you level up each faction, so you'll want to focus on gearing your Operator as you increase your reputation. If you're ever unclear as to which rank you are with each faction, check the faction missions tab and look in the top-left corner of the screen. The selected faction will state your current reputation rank.
Faction Mission Rewards
So long as the objectives were completed during a run, failed or otherwise, you'll complete your faction mission. Each faction mission grants XP and a unique reward when completed. The second reward ranges from DMZ goodies—Contraband weapons, keys, etc.—to cosmetic goods that work in MW2's multiplayer and Warzone modes. Double XP Tokens are also earnable through DMZ. XP rewards scale based on faction rank, starting at +5,000 XP earned with rank one missions.
Exploring The DMZ
Once you're in the DMZ, what you do is entirely up to your squad. Most players should focus on completing their faction missions before extracting, but these missions can be finished at any time. You can focus on scavenging for materials, gearing up your character for future DMZ runs, or you might rush to the Chemist boss near the center of Al Mazrah to unlock the M13B assault rifle. The experience is mostly sandbox driven, but you have 30 minutes to complete your goals and successfully extract. Failure to extract will void all items you've found during your run.
What we suggest is to focus on faction missions for your first few runs. Complete two or three missions, then immediately make your way to extraction. The first few faction missions do a good job of introducing you to DMZ's main mechanics, some of which will feel familiar if you've played Warzone 2.0.
And don't underestimate the AI. The bots in DMZ are incredibly tough, comparable to Hardened or Veteran difficulty in MW2's campaign. Focus on headshots, use your Tactical equipment often, and engage groups from a distance. Playing too aggressively will get you killed.
Navigating Al Mazrah
Al Mazrah is a massive map, sharing the same layout as Warzone 2.0. You'll want to make ample use of your map, opened the same way you'd view a multiplayer scoreboard. This map will give you a clear view of extraction points, but you'll want to zoom in on your location to quickly find points of interest. Your map tracks a ton of key locations, including:
- UAV Towers
- Buy Stations
- Vehicles
- Notable Buildings (Gas Stations, Police Academies, etc.)
- Optional Contracts
- AI Strongholds
DMZ uses the same prioritized loot system as Warzone 2.0. If you're looking for medicine, you'll want to look for bathroom medicine cabinets or hospitals. Gas canisters can be found near gas stations, and weapons can be found near police stations. Bear this in mind as you chart a course throughout Al Mazrah.
More importantly, you'll want to find a vehicle as soon as possible. You can't traverse the whole map in 30 minutes on foot; a vehicle is mandatory if you want to chase down supply drops or find AI bosses. Zoom in on your location and nab a nearby vehicle. Vehicles drain fuel now, so keep a few gas canisters handy if you're going far.
Extracting
A radiation circle will begin to enclose in Al Mazrah towards the end of a DMZ game. It's best to extract sooner rather than later.
At any point during a DMZ match, you may extract by moving to any extraction points marked on your map. The LZ will have green smoke denoting a valid extraction point. Interact with the smoke to start an extraction sequence. Every player near the extraction point will be notified that extraction has begun. AI will also start to converge on your location. You must survive long enough (about a minute) for the extraction helicopter to arrive.
Once the helicopter arrives, your team will have 35 seconds to leave. Missing the window will leave you stranded, forcing you to evac elsewhere. Get in the helicopter, stay alive for a few seconds, and you'll be extracted out of the DMZ with all of your goods intact.
Three extraction points are active throughout a DMZ game. A fourth extraction point becomes available towards the end of a match when radiation begins to converge on Al Mazrah, similar to how Warzone works. This is everyone's final chance to extract. Expect a tough fight.
Contracts
Similar to Warzone, optional contracts may be found while exploring the DMZ. Interacting with one will provide an optional objective thematically linked with the contract in question. For example, HVT contracts will ask you to defeat an AI miniboss somewhere on the map. Completing a contract grants a large cash payout, typically $5,000. Use this currency to purchase equipment at a nearby Buy Station before you extract.
Strongholds
AI soldiers have fortified certain buildings in Al Mazrah, showcased by a rook-shaped icon on your map. The building itself is heavily fortified, protected by armed guards with riot shields and high-damage weapons. Entry into a stronghold requires a keycard, accessed by defeating nearby guards or purchased from a Buy Station.
Clearing a stronghold is your main way of finding better Contraband items and intel for certain faction missions. Clear strongholds out when you need a cash injection or are looking for a particularly rare item.
Defeating The Chemist
Unlocking The M13B The Easy Way
Only the player with the M13 unlocks the rifle after extracting. Everyone else in the party will not unlock the M13B. To offset this, we highly recommend the M13 holder stays with the party and starts another DMZ match, bringing the M13 with them. Drop the M13 for one squad member and immediately extract. That person will then unlock the M13. Rinse and repeat until everyone you know has unlocked the weapon.
The Chemist is a boss located in an isolated radiation field in Al Mazrah, denoted by a small yellow circle on your map. This area contains a lingering radiation field that deals constant damage per second, requiring you to find radiation consumables or use the Battle Rage Field Upgrade to stay alive. You'll find the Chemist in a radiation suit out in the open, surrounded by dozens of armored units.
Fighting the Chemist in the open is suicide, as they have an absurdly high HP pool and are protected by armored guards. We recommend grabbing a vehicle and running the Chemist over. Your car will deal far more damage than any weapon, letting you nab their M13 at the start of a DMZ match. Grab the weapon and book it for extraction.
DMZ Tips
- Keep Your Distance: AI soldiers have a hard time hitting you from a distance. Bring long-range weapons to pick them off from a safe distance.
- Set A Goal: Mindlessly looting and killing AI is a great way to die. Set a plan before you start a DMZ run, adjust your loadout accordingly, and be swift. Those 30 minutes go by fast.
- Unarmed Runs: If you have no weapons, start a DMZ run with a Smoke Grenade, Throwing Knife, and Munitions Crate. Throw the smoke into a group of AI and pick them off with your knife. This will get you a starting weapon. Use the Munitions Crate to fill your ammo reserves.
- Find A Vehicle: Vehicles are a cost-effective way of killing AI soldiers while doubling as a movement tool. Use them whenever possible.
- Don't Neglect Faction Missions: Ranking up your factions is important for unlocking more Insured weapon slots, giving you more loadout flexibility.