Modern Warfare 4‘s DMZ mode is finally out after its 2022 beta, but the franchise’s full-fledged extraction mode is already running into hot debates. One of them involves the Possum trait, which lets operators come back from the dead once per match, with no time limit.
The divisive perk has sparked a few discussions on Reddit and social media. Some use it as a means to avoid paying a hefty operator rescue fee, while others see it as particularly awful to go up against during team fights.
Possum is one of two choices at the top of the Warfighter operator tree. If you have it equipped, you get one free life, even after your character is fully dead. There’s no time limit for Possum, either. You could take a 10-minute break and come back to life, ready to continue exploring Hajin again. Each player in a squad can also have it. Plus, any operator in DMZ can revive teammates after they’ve been gunned down.
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With Possum, it’s possible to get back up and revive your squad with few penalties, outside of likely losing the gear you had on you. Naturally, though, the power to navigate life and death can lead to particularly disruptive scenarios, such as shifting the outcome of a fast-paced firefight.
Unsurprisingly, seeing an opponent you just killed come back to get you can feel frustrating. In POIs, for instance, you could go back to looting after a skirmish, only to find a dead body suddenly disappeared. This is a common criticism from its detractors, while supporters think it makes the experience more forgiving, especially solo.
Some of the traits in DMZ surely seem cranked up to 11. UAV Overwatch allowed players to gain infinite UAVs by activating them. There was no way to steal them back until a quick patch. Possum is bound to meet a similar fate.
Despite being less than a week old, DMZ is also going through the age-old debate of PvE vs. PvP, which has become commonplace for extraction shooters. PvE isn’t necessarily off the table, Infinity Ward told Destructoid, though developers are happy with the mix they have at launch.
Since DMZ is a live-service title, there’s room for tuning up traits like Possum and other potentially troublesome elements. it’s unlikely to be the last controversy surrounding the unforgiving game mode, however.
