Warzone 2: Operation Nightmare – Dates, Events, & New Playlists

The Haunting has returned to Call of Duty and it’s time for fans to experience Operation: Nightmare. This ghastly transformation of Al Mazrah and Vondel has unleashed Eldritch horrors into the warzone, flavoring the usual experience with an appropriate level of Halloween-themed spookiness.

Accompanying Al Mazrah and Vondel’s terrifying nighttime makeovers, we’ve got an in-game event, limited-time equipment, and a whole lot more fun to keep us occupied through the rest of October.

There’s even a chance to snag a Diablo IV reward while you check off all the boxes of this spooky experience.

Warzone: Operation Nightmare Event Dates

Operation Nightmare will run from October 17 to the first week of November, giving players over two full weeks to experience everything that Raven Software and the supporting Warzone studios have on tap for us.

There’s a ton of new content, so it’s going to take some time to munch all the way through the event for any completionists out there. It’s still going to be a considerable time drain even for casual fans, but at least there’s plenty to sink our teeth into.

Operation Nightmare Playlist, Al Mazrah (Night), Zombie Royale

Operation: Nightmare is a playlist of its own in Battle Royale and DMZ, but it also represents the arrival of the new nighttime Al Mazrah variant and the true kickoff of The Haunting’s spooky festivities.

Not only are the BR map and Vondel overhauled, but we also get a whole new set of Equipment, as well as multiple new experiences. The Haunted Box, a combination of an Armor Box and an Ammo Box, will keep you fight-ready, but those classic Warzone jump scare noises are back, so be on guard when opening one.

We can also access the new Bloodseeker grenade and an influx of Thermal Weapons to counteract the darkness that’s fallen across the game on the night variants.

For BR and DMZ, you’ll find a whole new crop of creepy enemies to take on around the map. Taking them all down will grant you unique rewards, such as the aforementioned Diablo IV drop from killing The Butcher.

Zombie Royale, a fan-favorite mode from the first year of Warzone, has also returned. Death is different in this mode. You return to the fight as a bloodthirsty super-zombie, with the goal of eliminating the remaining players to stop them from winning the game.

Over on the Resurgence side, Vondel is getting a makeover into Vondead. It’s a grisly variant of the city map that is hiding secrets about Operation Nightmare all throughout, and it’s up to us to figure out why the whole town is overrun with zombies in the first place. Lockdown, the Hardpoint-inspired game mode last seen in Season 03, is also back.

Even parts of the map are different, as humans have barricaded Marketplace and drained the canal in an attempt to slow down the invading zombie horde. This makes the map flow significantly different, and it’s worth trying out even if you’ve had your fill of Vondel games.

DMZ: Operation Nightmare Update

DMZ gets the biggest overhaul of the season, with the gas being removed for the time being. All of the usual mechanics are in play here, except now it’s about surviving the nightmarish hordes of the Hellmouth. Use this mode to collect your Soul Capture rewards and to take down The Butcher (or any other creepy crawly creatures you see fit.)

You’ll still have to extract from the map as normal, but all of the Halloween-themed changes to Al Mazrah and Vondel (Vondead) still apply.

There are also a ton of cosmetics to earn or purchase during this event (and all of Season 06), so if you want to take down your enemies in style, follow the guide linked above to add a personal touch to the nightmare.

Warzone isn’t the only thing that’s changing, though. Check out everything that’s different over on the Modern Warfare 2 side of things as well, as your Soul Capture progress will be shared no matter if you’re winning BR games or trolling your teammates in a round of Infected.