Since lockdown has kicked in and people have been resigned to their homes for what seems like an eternity, a question keeps popping up time and again on social media: what is the gulag?
Of course, for those that know their history, gulags were Soviet labour camps and prisons. However, in 2020, 'the gulag' has taken on a slightly different meaning.
In order to differentiate it from other battle royale games, Call of Duty: Warzone introduced the 'Gulag'. It's an arena which you are transported to after you die, where you're forced to go 1v1 against another player in the hope that you'll be revived. If you kill your opponent, you live to fight another day and return to the main arena. If you die, you need your teammates to revive you with in-game cash. If you've gone on a solo mission, you're toast.
Also, before you delve into your own 1v1 gun game, you can spectate on other matches that are going on before yours. Furthermore, you can also do things like throw rocks at opponents and get into fistfights. Yes, it seems very immature to enjoy doing such childish things, but it is extremely fun.
The 'Gulag' has been subject to a variety of memes on social media. For those that haven't played the game, it has caused some confusion.
Welcome to the gulag Courtney🤟🏼 pic.twitter.com/jjUDvFz23o
— LG👆🏼 (@Lewis_Gray7) April 16, 2020
FiNaNcIaL sUpPoRt #warzone #cod #codmw pic.twitter.com/ZMRpA1Nop6
— Warzone Memes, News & Clothing (@GulagGarms) April 6, 2020
For those that know their Call of Duty history, the 'Gulag' was also the scene of a mission in the campaign mode of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
According to Taylor Kurosaki, narrative director at Infinity Ward, the aspect of 'the gulag is one that hearkens back to the old games.' Funnily enough, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been remastered for this generation of console, but 'Warzone' remains an element of the Infinity Ward's 2019 release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
Here's a little taster of what to expect in the 'Gulag'. It's an arena that's not for the faint hearted:
SEE ALSO: Man Arrested On Way Back From The Gulag For Breaking 2km Limit
