For some time I have always made a huge arch around Call of Duty. First, it’s me too dull, and secondly I’m not good in it. At least that’s what I thought until the Corona Pandemic changed everything, so my gaming. COD: War zone appeared at the same time and has been able to process my real apocalypse in the game since then.

Gaming in Corona: The one sought peace, the other stress

The Coronavirus presented all people ahead of a challenge: In order to ensure the best possible protection against infections, the complete everyday life had to be reduced. To deal with this new situation, everyone developed their own strategy, including in gaming. Many people sought and found, for example, relaxation and community in games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I, however, felt a great meaninglessness and boredom. Before the pandemic, I had great fun when I saved kingdoms, worlds and galaxies in video games, but what did that still bring me? It was clear: I had other needs and therefore needed other games.

Cod developed here: War zone to my pandemic game. The Battle Royale booster, which sometimes came out in March 2020 on time for the first Lockdown in Germany, with his gameplay – could not reproduce the eternal fight in a time loop – my real life can not play better. The Iranian: I could never win Call of Duty before. To warble, to stump, too mainstream. And then also a Battle Royale game? Already three years ago, I explained in one of my first game tips articles that even Fortnite consists for me only from stress – and that I do not understand why someone wants to volunteer.

But now I did not want to experience stories, no Open Worlds and no shallow fun in video games: Now stress was the only thing I wanted. How practical that COD served nothing else. It was not only the stress, it was also the seemingly impossible task that irritated me, the task of winning this match as a last survivor. Or to make it better to make it better with another picture: Imagine you, you would like to get out with enough supplies in a bunker and has only a Rubik’s Cube. You know. This chunky cube, which is placed on average always after four minutes of shooting annoyed. Well was Cod: War zone My Rubik’s Cube . If I could not do anything anyway, I also could prove that I was very comfortable to shoot shooters and Battle Royale.

  • With this trailer Cod: War zone was first introduced. Since Verdant has changed a lot, zombies came and went, and meanwhile you are shooting on the tropical caldera map:

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Cod: War zone – the wonderful hell, my new sport

The plane crosses Rebirth Island, here reigns eternal sunset. Soon we jump out with the parachute and look how far we come. I do not necessarily want to win, I just want to be thrown into as many hair-raising moments as possible. Since the delightful hiding and deserved in my very first round, two years and many fights have passed. It’s like in the Film Edge of Tomorrow, as well as Tom Cruise I have become better and better in this time loop, by experiencing thousands of situations, lost and sometimes won .

In no other game I will be so much aware of the meaning of my muscle memory: Even on the PS5 I play COD: War zone continues with my PS4 controller because I know this best and with this my thoughts can translate the fastest in movements. A completely new familiarity, on such a basal mechanical level. I do not need to home, I just need sports.

Even though Cod: War zone and I can not belong together as a game and player and I still like someone on the transit, at a time and a place I do not know, I will not be from the other players perceived as outsider or foreign bodies. Of course, it is over and too toxic, but in many cases we go correctly, praise, criticize and talk to us like loose friends, even if we got to know each other a few seconds in the plane. We know each other anyway, because we have the same goal.

Everything is so non-binding and appropriate, so fast-lived and chaotic, but thus mechanical and structured, every defeat is just as quickly forgotten as every victory . For the show continues, and I never wonder if I’m finally good, but only what I did in which situation did wrong. I have a challenge that I would never be completely masters and does not have to, I can arrange my situation, as in real life, I processed defeat better, I process stress better and does not have to be afraid of boredom. Because COD: War zone just eats it .

COD: War zone became my companion in the pandemic. I can play my everyday arrangement with a negative state of permanent condition and burn all emotions in this simulator. Whether Activision, Infinity Ward or Raven software that had in mind, is meaningless. Until the normality returns, I always know where I have a place – without having to like a cod ever.