Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone have various options meant to help optimize controller input. Among these options is a setting for deadzone, which can be set to different numerical values. This option is relatively new, and a lot of players don’t know exactly what it does. What is deadzone in Modern Warfare and Warzone? And what settings are best for casual or competitive play?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone | What is deadzone?
In simplest terms, deadzone or dead zone refers to an area where a game controller’s joystick does not respond to input. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone, the deadzone setting is used to adjust the distance a joystick must travel before movement is triggered.
Deadzone settings have been featured in many video games throughout the years. The core concept revolves around how far a joystick must be moved before an input is registered. In Modern Warfare and Warzone, lower settings mean the joystick is more sensitive to input. Likewise, higher settings mean the joystick is less sensitive to input.
It’s best to think of deadzone literally: The higher the value, the larger the central “dead zone” of the joystick. With the value set at zero, the joystick will respond to any and all joystick movement. Anything higher than zero creates a zone where where movement will not be registered as input.
In many cases, deadzone settings are meant to offset the effects of loose, worn-out, or older joysticks. Joysticks that are prone to drift can cause character or camera movement despite being in a central or neutral position. This is because even a little bit of thumbstick play can register to the game as intentional movement. The result is that the camera or character will move without any deliberate input from the player.
How to find the best deadzone setting
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone, the deadzone setting is designed as a way to fine-tune control. The default setting is .07, which allows for a small amount of play before movement is triggered. Increasing the value further will effectively make the joystick is less sensitive to movement.
Higher settings are mainly used for players with worn-out thumbsticks or those with joysticks that are prone to drift. It’s also good for players with shaky hands or those who often flip joystick directions rapidly. With a higher setting, you’re less likely to flip directions unintentionally, as you’ll have to pass through the neutral zone before an opposing input direction is registered.
Decreasing the deadzone setting will make the joystick more sensitive to input. Generally speaking, using lower settings will increase your accuracy, as more (or all) of the joystick’s movement will correspond to on-screen movement. The drawback is that it might make your controller feel “twitchy” or over-responsive. In the wrong hands, a lower setting could make it very difficult to line up shots or even move in a straight line.
The best deadzone setting in Modern Warfare and Warzone is a matter of personal preference. The game has loads of different configurations to choose from, chief among which is the ARC setting, or aim response curve. When combined with the deadzone settings, players can completely overhaul how the game “feels” when responding to controller input. The best advice is to play around with the settings to find an input scheme that works best for your individual play style.
If movement or aiming just don’t feel right to you, you can find tips on how to optimize your controls with our guide to the best Call of Duty: Warzone settings. By and large, most players will probably prefer settings close to the defaults. Power players, on the other hand, will probably do best with low deadzone settings combined with the standard aim response curve.
