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To become a Mangler in Warzone’s Haunted Hollow, complete the Research Center ghost hunt: find the EMF Reader, use it to locate and shoot three spirits with a thermal-optic weapon, then pick up and activate the Mutant Injection they drop. The transformation lasts for a limited time; the walkthrough consulted does not specify an exact duration.
Before you start: Haunted Hollow and availability
This Easter egg is reported for Haunted Hollow, the re-themed Haven’s Hollow map featured in Season 06. Activision announced the season on September 8, 2026, with launch scheduled for September 17 (Activision’s Season 06 announcement). Raven Software’s September 30, 2026 patch notes mention a fix for a HUD overlap issue while Mutant Injection was active (Warzone patch notes), but neither official source provides the Easter egg instructions or confirms availability in every playlist or match.
The locations and mechanics below come from a secondary walkthrough updated September 23, 2026. Treat details such as the spirit timer and spawn behavior as guide-reported rather than official specifications.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteHow to complete the Research Center ghost hunt
- Collect the EMF Reader. Head to the building southeast of the Research Center and enter the server room on its bottom floor. The walkthrough places the reader on a desk in a corner. Picking it up occupies your Tactical slot.
- Get a thermal-optic weapon. On the upper floor of the main Research Center, look near a whiteboard in the central-southern area for a Voyak KT-3 assault rifle fitted with a Thermal Optic. Alternatively, bring a weapon with a Thermal Optic in your loadout. The ground pickup means a custom class is optional.
- Use the EMF Reader to close in on a spirit. Equip it and move through the Research Center. The guide reports that its signal rises from Low to Medium to High as you approach; a reading of 9.99 indicates that the spirit is in the room.
- Switch weapons when the room goes dark. At the maximum reading, the room darkens. Equip the thermal-optic weapon and scan for a glowing particle effect around an object. The spirit may not appear as a human-shaped figure.
- Shoot the object, then track again. The walkthrough says a successful hit makes the spirit relocate. Repeat the tracking and shooting process until you have hit three spirits in total. There is a limited window to find each one; if it expires, a jump scare occurs and the spirit relocates, so use the EMF Reader to locate it again.
- Pick up and activate the reward. The third hit ends the hunt and drops loot that includes the Mutant Injection. Collect the syringe and activate it to transform.
Choose how to get your thermal optic
| Option | What to do | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Research Center pickup | Find the Thermal Optic-equipped Voyak KT-3 near the upper-floor whiteboard. | No custom class is required, but you need to find the weapon after arriving. |
| Loadout weapon | Bring a weapon fitted with a Thermal Optic. | You arrive with the intended optic ready, but must choose that weapon in your loadout beforehand. |
What the Mutant Injection does
Activating the syringe triggers a short animation and turns you into a Mangler temporarily. The guide reports explosive shots from the cannon arm, sickle melee attacks, and a sprint attack. It gives no exact transformation duration, so plan to use the form promptly rather than relying on a specific number of seconds.
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Practical cautions
- Expect possible interference. Other Operators may contest the Research Center while you work. A secondary account advises watching nearby entrances; this is tactical advice, not a requirement of the Easter egg.
- Do not mistake a patch note for a playlist guarantee. The September 30 notes confirm a Mutant Injection-related HUD fix, not that the hunt is enabled in every playlist or every match.
- Reacquire a relocated spirit. If the search window expires and the jump scare occurs, keep using the EMF Reader rather than assuming the hunt has failed.
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