Activision releases open source data for one of Call of Duty: Warzone's biggest maps — here's why it matters

What you need to know

• Caldera is a map that used to be available in Call of Duty: Warzone before being removed on Sep. 21, 2023. 
• Activision is sharing an open source data set for Caldera for non-commercial use, allowing fans and game developers alike to study the map in detail.
• The data is available on Github as an open source repository.

Game research professionals and aspiring amateurs have a gargantuan stash of new map data to pour over. 

Call of Duty publisher Activision shared on Tuesday that it is providing an open source data set for Caldera, the massive map that used to be playable in the original Call of Duty: Warzone experience after being added in 2021. The map is no longer available, as the entire original Call of Duty: Warzone was shut down in September 2023 to pave the way for the launch of Warzone 2.0. 

The open source data set for Caldera is now available via Github, and it includes mesh data, character pathing, and more. In a press release, Pixar chief technology officer Steve May noted that the release of this data is a "significant milestone for the industry," adding that it will allow for new collaborative research into environmental geometry. 

"By making such data available, Activision is empowering developers and researchers alike to explore new frontiers in 3D rendering and simulation, ultimately enriching the creative process across the board," he says.

"The release of the Caldera dataset from ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ by Activision is a game-changer, representing the most intricate USD asset ever shared by a game studio," says Mark Elendt, a mathematician at SideFX. "As a developer on the Houdini Solaris project, this unparalleled access to production-level test data is transformative. It allows us to ensure our software can tackle the most demanding and complex projects, ultimately jointly driving innovation and excellence in game development.” 

Open source tech helps drive the gaming industry forward

Any kind of open source tools or data sets are vital for the gaming and animation industries, as they allow professionals working at bigger companies to study and innovate alongside hobbyists and amateurs. The open source release of the original id Tech code for DOOM (1993) and many other older id Software projects has helped push a number of game engines forward, including the original iterations of the Call of Duty engine, which was initially based on id Tech 3. 

While it's a shame Caldera is no longer playable, Activision providing this data to the public is a great move. I'm looking forward to learning what kinds of discoveries are made when technical analysts start tearing into this data.

Looking ahead, it would great if this move set an example for the rest of the gaming industry, with studios and publishers releasing tools and data for defunct or unavailable games and maps. 

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