What Does DMZ Stand For? CoD Warzone Mode Explained

For the first time in the series’ history, Warzone 2 – now just Warzone – introduced an extraction mode in the form of DMZ. Because it’s new for Call of Duty, players want to know what it stands for and how the mode works. We’re doing both, here.

DMZ Meaning

It stands for ‘demilitarised zone’. It’s a term that’s most commonly used to describe areas of land that are disputed and implemented for security purposes. For example, if two neighbouring countries have a history of conflict, a DMZ may be used to separate them and ensure there is a buffer area between them, in which no party may place their armed forces.

In Call of Duty it’s obviously less of a serious matter. It does still stand for ‘demilitarised zone’, but it’s the name for Warzone’s extraction mode.

Presumably, it’s used to refer to the series of exclusion zones players can visit, all of which are disputed and subject to conflict between various organizations and factions.

What is DMZ Mode in Call of Duty?

DMZ is a new extraction mode within Warzone. While technically linked to WZ, it’s not a battle royale. As an extraction mode, it’s more comparable to games like Escape From Tarkov.

Players have to infiltrate exclusion zones – Al Mazrah, Vondel, Ashika Island and Building 21 – and complete mission and objectives. Typically, these center on finding high-value items, looting areas, killing the bots that populate the maps and extracting with the items, documents and cash in your backpack. There are other real-life players in DMZ matches, but they’re fewer than the bots that congregate in POIs and around objectives.

Completing these missions earns players rewards – XP, Double XP Tokens, Cosmetics, Keys, Weapons – and allows them to progress in the mode, levelling up across the various Factions that offer missions and rewards.

It sounds complex and it sort of is compared to the simple Call of Duty modes we’re used to. However, it’s a load of fun and there’s tons of things you can do when you get to learn the mode.

That’s everything to know about what DMZ means and the extraction mode in Call of Duty. For everything else, check out the related content below.