The game series Call of Duty will have an integrated Battle Royale mode for the first time this year. But how does the mode work? How will it differentiate itself from its biggest competitors Fortnite and PUBG? Here you can find all the known information about map size, vehicles, items, and release.
Call of Duty goes Battle Royale: After PUBG shook up the market in 2017 and Fortnite in 2018, captivating millions of players in front of their screens, Call of Duty wants to follow suit. CoD aims to release its own interpretation of the Battle Royale principle this year.
According to Treyarch’s game designer Matt Scronce, players can expect the best Battle Royale game ever released. Whether this bold statement will hold true will only be revealed upon the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
However, details about map size, available vehicles, and equipment are already known!
When will Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 be released? The new series installment with an integrated Battle Royale mode will be released worldwide on October 12, 2018, for the platforms PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One.
When is the Blackout beta? Before the official release, players will have the opportunity to explore the Blackout mode as part of a beta. For PS4 owners, the Battle Royale beta begins on September 10, 2018. Players on Xbox One and PC will be able to join on September 14. The beta ends on Monday, September 17, 2018.
More about it: All info about the launch of the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout beta
How do you get access to the beta? On consoles, all players are eligible to participate who pre-ordered Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Pre-orderers of any digital version of the game on PC are allowed to join the Blackout beta on September 14.
The open beta for all interested parties starts exclusively on PC on September 15, 2018. You will receive a first taste of the Battle Royale mode in the following trailer:
The map of Call of Duty Blackout – Known locations on a large map
This is how large the Blackout map could be: According to Treyarch, the map of the Battle Royale mode will be 1,500 times larger than the known map Nuketown.
How does it compare to Fortnite or PUBG? According to fan calculations, the map will be smaller than those of the major competitors PUBG and Fortnite: BR, but still larger than anything the series has seen so far.
These are the locations where Blackout takes place: The locations of the map will be heavily inspired by well-known places from older entries in the series, including Nuketown. Asylum, a zombie map from Call of Duty: World at War, has also been spotted.
This is what the map offers: It is expected to be the largest map in the history of Call of Duty. It features a mix of forests, built-up areas, and expansive open spaces and will be crossed by a large river, similar to Fortnite. However, the map has not yet been named.
To avoid camping and trench warfare, Call of Duty Blackout will also include a mechanic similar to PUBG and Fortnite that constantly restricts the available area of the map and forces players to move. Whether this will happen through gas (PUBG) or a deadly storm (Fortnite) is still unknown.
By the way: Some areas of the map will also have zombies for added chaos.
The vehicles of Call of Duty Blackout – On land, on water, in the air
Indeed, all dimensions of movement are covered.
These vehicles can be used: In Blackout, you have access to both land vehicles and a helicopter and a boat.
Land:
- Cargo Truck – Offers space for one driver and up to four passengers
- ATV – One driver and one passenger can use this vehicle
Sea:
- Zodiac Inflatable Boat for one pilot and up to three passengers
Air:
- Little Bird Helicopter – The aircraft has space for one pilot and up to four passengers
It will be exciting to see how vehicles can be meaningfully integrated into the gameplay concept. After all, vehicles in Fortnite: Battle Royale are not a necessity to escape the storm.
The characters of Call of Duty Blackout – Familiar faces!
Which characters can be played? The playable characters in Call of Duty Blackout mainly include familiar faces. You will be able to play as the crew from Zombies and other names from past campaigns like Mason, Viktor Reznov, Woods, or Hudson.
Whether certain characters need to be unlocked or are available through loot boxes is still unknown. There will be 20-22 characters in the beta and at launch. Several dozens are expected to follow after the launch.
The gameplay and equipment of Call of Duty Blackout – Feel at home!
How many players participate in Blackout? Treyarch states that 80 players will compete against each other in Blackout. However, during the last beta test, there were also matches with up to 100 players.
The player count could still increase: According to the developers, the 80 players per match are at least for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout Beta. However, it may well be that the number will be changed after the tests. In the last phase of the beta, Treyarch increased the player count to 100.
The game modes: Whether you go into battle alone, with a duo partner, or even as a squad of four is up to you. You will find equipment on the ground and in crates. Leaks suggest that the equipment will have varying rarities.
How does it work with weapons in Blackout? The weapon arsenal is expected to come from all parts of the series. If you pick up a weapon of higher rarity, it will come with better modifications and attachments.
How do perks work? In the Battle Royale mode Blackout, perks represent a type of power-up that is distributed across the battlefield. According to the developers, these are consumables – the advantages that come with the perks are only temporary.
More about it: In Blackout, perks are consumables
Will there be loot boxes in Call of Duty Blackout? This is still unknown. Nowadays, every major Battle Royale title comes with a form of monetization, primarily skins. The likelihood is high that Call of Duty will also follow this trend.
What about different game modes? Fortnite: Battle Royale undoubtedly plays a leading role when it comes to sophisticated and creative game modes designed to provide variety. Whether and to what extent Treyarch will deliver regular content is still unknown.
What do you think? Will the Battle Royale mode Blackout pose serious competition to PUBG and Fortnite?
