Warzone Tips:

Warzone Thumbstick Tips & Tricks

How do thumbsticks improve your Warzone gameplay? We have a few key tips and tricks that will ensure you know exactly how you can use your controller for maximum performance. Read on, learn about thumbsticks, and win more games of Warzone.

How Can Thumbsticks Change Your Game in Warzone?

When you shop for a new controller there are a ton of factors to consider when making our selection. Customization options like colors and designs can be a nice bonus, but when we’re trying to improve our gameplay in a game like Warzone, we’ve got to look for every option that can give our skills the opportunity to reach their full potential. 

Remappable paddles, instant triggers and bumpers, and improved grip all have relatively straight forward improvements to how you play. One of the most overlooked parts of your controller, and incidentally one of the most important parts for FPS gaming, are the thumbsticks. Thumbsticks are your direct connection to your player character in Warzone and are responsible for all of the movement and aim in a match. Make no mistake, you live or die by the accuracy and precision of the thumbsticks on your controller when playing Warzone.

Short vs long thumbsticks

First, how do thumbsticks improve your gameplay in Warzone? It all lies in the length of the thumbstick you're using and the distance your thumb rests from the fulcrum point of your controller’s thumbstick. The closer to the fulcrum point, smaller movement translates to larger motions at the fulcrum point, allowing you to make insanely fast movements while sacrificing precision. Inversely, the further away your thumb is from the fulcrum point the more movement your thumb has to make to get that same amount of directional change at the fulcrum point, allowing for increased precision at the cost of speed.

Concave vs Convex thumbsticks

The second key component of a thumbstick that helps optimize your gameplay is the pad of the thumbstick. These come in various shapes, but the key difference in performance can be seen from concave and domed thumbstick pads. Concave thumbsticks lock your thumb into place to help you maintain control at all times as your thumb shifts around during gameplay. Domed thumbstick pads allow your thumb to roll smoothly over the thumbstick for cleaner, more precise movement than a standard thumbstick.

Together, the length and pad of a thumbstick can be combined in different ways to enhance how you play with a controller.

In Warzone, we know that speed of movement and precision are both key. Luckily each thumbstick on our controllers only handles one role so the trade offs we experience for changing our thumbstick length and pad are minimal if we play with two different thumbstick types.

Your left thumbstick controls the movement and direction of your player character in Warzone. In a game where standing still welcomes a swift trip to the gulag the importance of this thumbstick cannot be understated. Knowing that speed and quick reactions are the key to success here it’s safe to say we can trade out precision for the added agility of a shortened thumbstick. We also know that a single slip of the thumb in a firefight would spell disaster, so we recommend a concave style thumbstick to ensure we’ve always got the best connection with our thumbstick. With this combination we can count on incredibly quick movement with a reliable connection between our thumb and the thumbstick, even when things start to get sweaty.

Your right thumbstick is where all the action happens. Your aim is controlled through your right thumbstick so precision and accuracy are of highest importance. A tall thumbstick will help you get the accuracy you need to land pinpoint shots, even at longer ranges. A domed style thumbstick will allow your thumb easy movement, giving you the full benefit the tall thumbstick provides.

Having the option to swap out your thumbsticks with ease is one of the key features that make a SCUF controller ideal for FPS games like Call of Duty Warzone. Try out the thumbstick setup we’ve recommended in your next Warzone match and then switch your thumbsticks up. Mix and match between tall, medium, and short thumbsticks with concave and domed thumbstick styles. Find a thumbstick setup that plays to your skill and watch as your games improve.

If you’re looking for more tips and tricks to improve your gameplay in Call of Duty: Warzone check out our other gameplay guides

These methods are tried and tested by some of the best Warzone players out there right now. Take it from them on what the best thumbsticks are for Warzone

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“The secret Warzone pros don’t want you to know. This is a stock PS5 controller and this is a SCUF PS4 controller. Notice something different? The sticks. SCUF controllers allows you to choose between short, medium, and long thumbsticks, as well as domed and concave sticks. I sat down and collected data on what thumbsticks help me play the best. Here’s the thumbstick setup that took me from a 2.5 to a 3.5 weekly KD. I found the longer domed right stick doubles the window your thumbstick has to move around which helps with accuracy and recoil control (+5% headshot accuracy & + 8% overall accuracy). Paired with a short concave left stick which shortens that window, keeps your thumb locked in, and makes juking Timmys easier. Try it out and I’ll see you in Verdansk… or Rebirth if that’s your thing, that’s cool.” - Shariq