In this article, let’s compare two heavyweights in the battle royale genre: Call of Duty’s Warzone and PUBG Battlegrounds. 

Introduction

Call of Duty Warzone and PUBG Battlegrounds have attracted millions of players from around the globe and have influenced the gaming industry massively. Even though both exceptionally successful games share the same genre, major differences set the two games apart. This results in a diverse gaming experience for each battle royale game. Warzone is much more action-packed than PUBG, and PUBG is much more dependent on tactical gameplay. 

But let’s closely examine 10 of the most telling differences. 

Top 10 Differences 

10. Crossplay

Back in the day, you weren’t able to play with your buddies who use different platforms than yourself. Luckily, this has changed. With the introduction of crossplay, the confining boundaries have been removed. Now you are able to catch up with anyone on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation. 

However, there is a major potential downside. If the game in question requires players to quickly react to in-game situations, PC players tend to have an advantage over console players. Due to the mouse and keyboard, players can perform sudden, swift movements much better. Some games compensate with an aimbot to help console players fill that gap. It is not always clear if this perfectly balances out the differences. 

Speaking of which, here is the difference: PUBG does support crossplay, but only among PlayStation and Xbox players. There is currently no ability for console players to battle with PC players. This is due to one reason: there is no aim-assist in PUBG to make the gunplay easier for console players. In fact, there is no aim assist at all. 

Call of Duty, on the contrary, is available across all platforms, meaning that console players can compete against PC players. This is possible with the help of the aim-assist. You can choose to deactivate the aim assist in the options menu, or switch it to ‘focusing’ or ‘precision’. Obviously, PC players don’t have access to the aim-assist. Again, it is not clear if this helps to mitigate the disadvantage of playing with a controller. 

9. Vehicles

While the main focus of both games lies upon infantry-combat, vehicles are a great asset that enrich the variety of opportunities for tactical gameplay. Sometimes vehicles are inevitable, as the vast size of some maps forces players to make use of them in order to reach the safe zone. 

Although many different vehicles are available in both games, there's one major difference: the inclusion of helicopters. This highly mobile aircraft is perfect for advanced squad play if it is played out well. It is only available in Call of Duty Warzone. Actually, it is unthinkable in PUBG, as the game relies on tactical gameplay, where you are sometimes forced across open fields to reach the safe zone. A helicopter would be too much of an unfair advantage. 

However, for the fast-paced arcade gameplay of Call of Duty, it is a perfect fit and fun to use.  

8. Looting System

Leveling and looting – two primary needs of the modern gamer, which ought to be satisfied. Let’s consider looting for now. 

Of course, both games feature plenty of loot scattered around the map, so you could go on endlessly unless interrupted by enemy squads and players. 

Here comes the major difference: Call of Duty comes with pre-set loadouts. This means, once you set foot on the battlefield, you are already equipped with weapons to defend yourself and increase the chance of survival. You also can choose different perks in COD, which suit your particular playing style. 

That isn’t the case with PUBG. Once you land, your only defense is your fists, which proves to be inadequate if there are players in the vicinity who have already managed to find a weapon. As a result, you sometimes get a chaotic early game, with no satisfying loot, in an area full of armed opponents. There are no perks. 

7. Gunplay

The difference in gunplay can be quickly illustrated as: Arcade vs Simulation. 

Call of Duty’s gunplay is more of an arcade-nature, since there are not too realistic weapons and bullet physics. The recoil is easier to control, and there is no bullet drop below 200 - 300  meters. So you can always directly aim at the opponent, without anticipating the bullet drop. This makes it easier to engage in fights, and easier for new players to join an existing player base. 

PUBG is more of a simulation. Newer players always struggle to handle the weapon’s recoil, especially those with a higher damage. It takes time to get used to it. You also have to consider bullet drop when firing at longer distances. This is very important for DMR and sniper plays, where you sometimes only get one chance to hit the target. 

6. Graphics

Eachgame runs on a different graphic engine. Call of Duty’s engine was specifically created and developed for the Call of Duty series by Infinity Ward, while PUBG runs on the Unreal 4 engine. 

This is the main difference in terms of graphics. 

All in all, Call of Duty’s graphics are much more visually appealing, as they are almost cinematic in their presentation. It is more polished and smooth, especially on the new console generation. PUBG has gritty graphics, which still look good, but different as with Call of Duty.      

5. Health Recovery

In PUBG, players do not regenerate health over time. You will always have to have some meds at hand to refill the health bar, you also normally need boosts to refill the bar to a 100%. This is why you always need some meds before engaging in combat. 

In Warzone, players refill their health automatically over time. If you are behind cover, or you are not being shot at, the health bar regenerates relatively quickly to a 100%. You don’t need to worry about meds as much as in PUBG, thus being able to engage in fights right in the beginning. 

4. Comeback System

The possibility of reentering the match once you were killed was always available in Warzone. You were sent to the Gulag, in order to fight a 1 vs 1. The winner was allowed on the plane back into the current game. You could also gather some cash to call in your lost teammate via a crate, somewhere on the map. 

However, in PUBG, this wasn’t possible until just recently. If you were playing squads and unlucky enough to get killed in the first skirmish, that was it. You could sit back and enjoy 25 minutes of squad play without you. When this happens more often, it can get really frustrating. But luckily, these days are over. 

With the latest update, PUBG added the contentious recall system. This prompted many players who stopped playing PUBG to come back into the game. Choco Taco is one of them. Now you are able to retrieve the Bluechip from your fallen comrade, which has to be registered in the Blue Chip Tower. And just like that, your teammate is on his way back. Well, without any weapon or armor, but he will be back! 

So you can say that this is not a difference anymore, but the new system just applies to the bigger maps. Sanhok, Karakin, and Paramo are still without any possibility to retrieve killed teammates. 

3. Player Count

This one is fairly straight-forward. Warzone always had more players than PUBG, with 150 players in total. PUBG’s standard size is 100 players, with smaller maps featuring 64 seats in the plane. 

2. Maps

Call of Duty Warzone features 5 maps in total. The classic map is Verdansk, which was the only map available with the release of the game back in March 2020. In December 2020, the new map Rebirth Island was added. Until now, three more maps were added, including the 84’ version of Verdansk. 

PUBG regularly features 8 different maps,thanks to a weekly map rotation system. The classic map is Erangel, which was available with the release of the game in March 2017. In December 2017, the second map Miramar was added. Interestingly, the timing of the second-map releases is similar in both games, differing only in the year of release. 

To date, PUBG has developed 9 unique maps, with another one currently in development.      

1. Gameplay

Again, as previously stated, both games can be divided into arcade versus simulation. 

Call of Duty Warzone provides a much more action-packed, fast-paced, arcade-like gameplay. If you die, there is a good chance to return to the game. This puts an emphasis on actual fighting in the game, it encourages to do so. The game is much more dependent on the player’s reflexes, where mistakes don’t imply the end. Overall, Warzone is more stimulating and forgiving. 

PUBG is much more methodical in its approach. It requires more tactical gameplay, with an emphasis on positioning within the safe circles. It is much slower in its pace and needs patience every now and then. Mistakes in the game send you on the fastest way back to the lobby. Overall, PUBG is more realistic and unforgiving.  

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