PlayStation has had its turn, and this weekend was time for Microsoft’s Xbox to take the spotlight. The Xbox Game Showcase 2026 promises the latest looks at upcoming games from Xbox Game Studios, alongside new reveals and trailers from some of the biggest franchises around.

The live-streamed event kicked off Sunday at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST, and if one Xbox gaming showcase wasn’t enough, it was immediately followed by the Gears of War: E-Day Direct, with plenty of new information on the upcoming shooter, which is set to release on October 6. Don’t worry if you couldn't watch; you can check out all the biggest announcements and reveal below.

Alongside Gears, we saw more from the new Fable game, a teaser for Persona 5, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 had a presence in a big way, as well as the Halo 1 remake.

How to watch Xbox Games Showcase 2026

Xbox Games Showcase 2026 + Gears of War: E-Day Direct takes place today (Sunday, June 7) at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST.

You can watch the recording via YouTube or Twitch.

LIVE UPDATES

Welcome!

Good morning! Welcome to Tom's Guide's coverage of the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 + Gears of War: E-Day Direct (that's quite a mouthful). We'll have live updates covering all the new reveals and trailers in this live blog. If you're a passionate Xbox gamer, you won't want to miss this mammoth-sized live showcase.

Halo: Campaign Evolved screenshots leaked

There's been a surprising lack of leaks ahead of today's Xbox Games Showcase, but several screenshots of Halo: Campaign Evolved were captured on Xbox's official store page by some eagle-eyed Redditors before being taken down. The screenshots give us a glimpse at Cortana's redesign, along with battles in space and redesigned brutes with beards.

Persona 6 debut?

Several leakers have suggested we could get a look at Persona 6 today, though with Atlus also expected to reveal a release date for Persona 4 Revival at the Xbox Games Showcase, I'm not too optimistic. Then again, that would be peak Atlus.

Don't expect any next-gen console news

Games will be front and center at today's presentation (it is all called the Xbox Games Showcase, after all). But if you were getting your hopes up about new details on Xbox's next-gen console, codenamed Project Helix, I'm here to dash those.

"The focus here is on the games," Microsoft Studios boss Matt Booty said on the latest Xbox podcast (h/t Gamespot). "There won’t be Helix news. Helix will not be in this showcase. We want to get everything about that right."

A new era for Xbox

The showcase will be the first under new CEO of Microsoft Gaming Asha Sharma, who took over for now-retired Xbox boss Phil Spencer in February. Though I don't have high hopes given the show's focus on games, I'd love to see her outline a clearer picture on Xbox's future.

Phil's vision of Xbox's next-gen console as a powerful PC-like machine for your living room sounds tailored toward a pretty niche audience, but with rising costs of, well, everything these days, more and more gamers are getting priced out. Will Xbox pivot to court a broader crowd or double down on what's rumors suggest could be a pricey next-gen console?

Viva Piñata revival?

It's a long shot, but given the recent success of Pokopia, I'd love to see Xbox revive its Viva Piñata series. We haven't gotten a new game since Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise way back in 2008. Cozy games have only gotten more popular since then, and I say it's time to bring it back with more piñatas, bigger gardens, and modern controls.

Just an hour to go...

The Xbox Games Showcase is almost here! In a little over an hour, the livestreamed event will kick off, giving us our first look at games like State of Decay 3, Halo: Campaign Evolved, and new Fable and Call of Duty games.

The red room of death

Yesterday Xbox CEO Asha Sharma shared a snapshot on X of the in-person venue this year's showcase will take place at. It's giving off big "Twin Peaks" vibes to me.

Here we go!

The Xbox Games Showcase is about to kick off! As a refresher for anyone just joining us, you can watch along via YouTube or Twitch when the event kicks off at the top of the hour. Gears of War: E-day will front and center, with its own Direct immediately following the showcase. Also expect to hear more about RPGs like Fable, Clockwork Revolution, and the Persona series as well as a statement of intent from Xbox's new leadership.

New gameplay trailer for Gears of War: E Day

I'm not surprised to see Xbox kick things off with gameplay footage of today's main event: Gears of War: E-Day. A lengthy shot of gameplay showed off combat as chaos erupts through the street. The carnage is every bit as gritty and bloody as expected of the series, complete with chainsaws galore.

The age of Xbox exclusives continues

The new CEO of Microsoft Gaming Asha Sharma revealed Xbox isn't done with console exclusives quite yet. After showing off some gameplay footage of Gears of War: E-Day, the exec announced it would be an Xbox exclusive when it comes out on October 6, 2026. Considering how many previously exclusive Xbox games have made their way to other consoles, it was unclear whether Xbox would continue making them or instead pivot to hedging its bets with wider releases.

Fable revival looks promising

I love RPGs, but somehow never played the original Fable games so I wasn't too hyped for the series revival. After seeing the trailer, though, I'm excited. The writing made me laugh out loud, landing somewhere between Baldur's Gate 3 and Vox Machina with some well-placed F-bombs that actually landed rather than feeling forced. The combat looks stellar as well, with a weight that reminds me of the newer God of War games. Fable will hit store shelves on February 23, 2027.

Halo gets space battles

Three new missions are coming to Halo Campaign Evolved, the big remake of the first Halo, and Xbox showed off an exciting new addition in today's showcase: space flying missions and combat. The missions seem to be prequels to the original's campaign, with the voiceover promising a story "we haven't heard yet" that takes place "one year before the ring." Halo Campaign Evolved releases July 28, 2026.

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy up next

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy shifts the spotlight to Sophia in a prequel adventure. The combat and gameplay seems less horror and more Tomb Raider/Uncharted vibes with some of the ancient temples she's seen running through. It comes out August 27 across multiple platforms.

Persona 4 Revival takes the stage

Take a trip to The Midnight Channel with our first real look at Persona 4 Revival. In the same vein as the Persona 3 Reload remake, the PS2 original looks way more detailed this time around with animated cut scenes, vibrant colors, and more detailed models. Atlus is also bringing over the Baton Pass mechanic from P3R for flashy, Persona 5-esque battles.

It's out Feb 18, 2027!

Build your cult in Join Us

Join Us from Wolf Haus Games has the graphics and multiplayer havoc of GTA 6 with the premise of Cult of the Lamb, and I'm here for it. In either single player and 4-person co-op you build your cult and convert followers to your cause while surviving giant tentacle monsters emerging from the Earth and other apocalyptic scenarios. The voice acting is on point too: "You better evaluate your life choices."

A new Senua game on the horizon

We got a look at some of the combat and gameplay for the third game in the Senua series, simply titled Senua, that's coming out next year. The combat has always been on the floaty side, but her hits landed with a satisfying weight and there seems to be plenty of environmental tools you can use in group fights. The trailer showed her kicking over a burning effigy to scatter her opponents.

Fallout 76 gets some new goodies

Bethesda up now with a Fallout 76 update with a seriously catchy jingle. The new Infestations update, which is available now, adds plenty of new baddies to mow through with your friends. And is that new power armor I see? Nice!

Sega's Crazy Taxi revival looks sick

As soon as I heard that "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" I was sat up. Sega's long in development Crazy Taxi revival finally has a name and a slick new trailer. The gameplay footage showed off even more insane antics as players pick up customers and zip around the city. Crazy Taxi World Tour comes out in 2027 across PS5, Xbox, and PC.

Y'all we are so back

Xbox showed off a new Xbox model for the company's 25th anniversary, with a Y2K style I've been chomping at the bit to come back: Those colored see-through casings that were everywhere in the early aughts. The limited edition Xbox Series X25 comes out in November 2026, and while it's not clear if it'll sport any new specs, they nailed the design.

Minecraft Dungeons II gets a new trailer

Mojang Studios returns with its next Minecraft thing, showing off players fighting through dungeons together in a world of blocky, Minecraft-style visuals. Minecraft Dungeons 2 is coming September 29.

The Thieves Guild is back

Some Elder Scrolls news, though not Elder Scrolls 6. Rather, the series' MMORPG entry, The Elder Scrolls Online, is getting a thieves guild expansion that takes players to the high seas and underwater in a hunt for glorious loot. Also making an appearance was Sheogorath, the Daedric prince of madness, and it sure looks like he got transported to Skyrim. The update is coming out July 8.

Genderbent Castlevania, yes please

To celebrate Castlevania's 40th anniversary, we got a new look at Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a new 2D entry in the series. It looks to be a substantial entry in the series, complete with a sprawling castle map and powers like gravity-flipping and jumping inside a painting. It's coming out October 15, 2026.

Persona 6 got...something

Persona 6 made an appearance at today's showcase, though hardly a substantial one. Instead of any gameplay or a look at the new cast of characters, we got another green-tinged teaser, this time of a graveyard and a couple of collages of people with cut-up pictures. I'm sure it'll all make more sense once Atlus releases the first batch of trailers, which may not be for a while considering we still don't have a release date.

Spyro, my boy!

Would you look at that, Spyro's getting a revival! I loved the games as a kid, and the trailer showed off the iconic purple dragon and some new flight-based gameplay. Spyro: A Realm Beyond takes flight in spring 2027.

Clockwork Revolution confirmed for 2027

inXile's steampunk RPG Clockwork Revolution finally has a release window, and it's 2027. In today's showcase, we got a look at some of the game's core characters and first-person environments. Also: a heist plot! All signs point to it being another Xbox exclusive.

New look at CoD MW4

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4's new DMZ looks tense as hell, and the sound design is entirely too real in replicating bullets whizzing by your head. "Extract or die trying," we're reminded. CoD MW4 is out October 23 with an upcoming playtest set for July.

Onto the Gears of War: E-Day Direct

Studio head Mike Crump welcomes us to the Coalition as the Gears of War presentation kicks off with a bloody countdown. So stay tuned to learn more about the long-awaited prequel.

'The most brutally satisfying Gears yet'

The prequel heads back to Emergence Date, the catastrophic event that forever altered humanity’s fate and set the stage for the war-torn world players first encountered in the original game back in 2006.

Crump promises "the most brutally satisfying Gears yet." With the series leap to Unreal Engine 5, developer The Coalition revisited what made the series resonate in the first place. The team looked back to the iconic "Mad World" trailer for inspiration, seeing in it many of the themes that define the franchise. With the E-Day story, they saw it as the perfect chance to recapture that atmosphere with modern tech that finally allowed them to realize it on the scale they originally envisioned.

Built from the ground up, the game showcases seamless large-scale environments, ray-traced lighting, and real-time destruction for a dramatically reimagined look at the Gears universe while staying true to its roots.

Reimagined combat and movement

The team overhauled the game's movement with smoother transitions, a larger range of cover, and the ability to jump to open up the citywide battleground. You have more choice than ever to tackle each combat puzzle, which can take place across neighborhoods and through multiple floors of buildings. The team built out an extensive tool set for making the world feel lived in too.

E holes are back

The iconic emergence loop for spawning enemies, a core part of the Gears of War combat flow, returns in Gears of War: E-Day. Chippable cover across a range of textures also makes you feel like you're influencing the world. You'll watch "the fall of Kalona" in real time, and The Coalition demonstrated this with before and after shots of the destruction as the Locus overrun the city.

A look at Gears co-op

All four characters are playable, with two-player split-screen available locally. In PvP, maps are designed to feel like classic battles, with the added bonus of new traversal modes to build on the game's revamped movement system. There's also Foreword siege, a 12-player mode that focuses on defending Kalona co-operatively.

That's a wrap!

The Xbox Games Showcase ended with a reel of everything we've seen throughout the show. What was your favorite announcement? Let us know in the comments!

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is the latest entry in the juggernaut shooter franchise. It brings the long-running Black Ops sub-series to a... wait a moment, that's the exact sentence that started my Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review.

You’ll have to forgive my confusion, because unlike previous years, where publisher Activision does a non-Black Ops iteration of COD before returning to the most out-there version of the beloved shooter franchise, this year it’s straight back to Black Ops. Going straight from Black Ops 6 to Black Ops 7 makes 2025’s COD feel even "more of the same" than ever.

Sure, the single-player campaign offers some new ideas, and the zombie mode is deeper than ever, but it's still a Call of Duty experience that feels familiar.

And I love Call of Duty. I've played every major COD game (yes, even the pre-Modern Warfare installments), so I'm always excited to get my hands on new maps for multiplayer and start grinding those prestige levels all over again.

Putting my fandom aside, it's hard to say Black Ops 7 does anything special enough to bring in new players or bring lapsed fans back. It's a good game, sure, but it's nothing we haven’t seen before.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7: The basics

• What is it? Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is the latest first-person shooter video game in the long-running annualized franchise. It has all the usual components. A campaign with a live-service end-game that borrows from the popular extraction shooter sub-genre, round-based zombies and, of course, competitive multiplayer.
• Who is it for? This game is clearly targeting Call of Duty fans who are already invested in the series. It doesn't do enough to change the classic formula to bring back lapsed fans or attract the Fortnite generation.
• How much does it cost? Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 standard edition costs $69. There is also the Vault Edition for $99, which includes the digital extras. Or you can play Black Ops 7 via Game Pass on Xbox and PC.
• What other games has the developer made? Treyarch and co-developer Raven Software are best known for their work on the Call of Duty series. Non-COD releases feel like a lifetime ago, but Treyarch also made fantastic Spider-Man games during the PS2 and PS3 generations. Remastered editions, when?
• What games is it similar to? Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is like several other Call of Duty games, especially the other Black Ops games. It's a first-person shooter, which is a well-worn genre with lots of similar games. Those tend to stray further from the realism themes in Modern Warfare and some other sub-franchises. The endgame of the campaign also blends elements of extraction shooters like Arc Raiders.

An unpausable campaign

It seems someone at Treyarch, Raven or Activision woke up one day and said, "Let's make the Call of Duty campaign co-op; people like multiplayer games." Everyone in the office probably cheered.

Another person apparently followed up with, "Let's make it only co-op even when you're playing alone." You'd think the team would have revolted, but they approved the idea, launching a four-player campaign that you can't play offline or pause, even if you're playing alone with AI squadmates.

Now that one of the most baffling decisions in video game development history is out of the way, let's actually talk about the actual campaign: this is proof that the Call of Duty franchise can get weird. It becomes bizarre, with so much supernatural dream content and giant monsters, that it feels more like playing Destiny or Doom than Black Ops at times.

It's a good campaign, though. The five-hour or so story takes some surprising turns before sending you into the endgame sandbox. That's right, Call of Duty has its own form of extraction shooter to keep you playing for the long haul (as if the endlessly addicting Zombie and multiplayer modes weren't enough to suck up your gaming hours).

You probably already know if you like Call of Duty's campaign structure, and nothing I can say in here will change your mind either way. Unless you like taking frequent bathroom breaks in the middle of hectic firefights, your opinion may be swayed by the lack of pauses.

Zombies, still not for me, but robust

I've never been a fan of Zombies mode. No matter how robust they make it, I can't get into it. Whether it's open world, small confined maps or whatever other ideas the developers throw at the wall, I find myself trying it out but moving on sharpish.

The Zombies mode in Black Ops 7 is robust, filled with multiple modes that'll let you play the game the way it was when Zombies first launched in World at War or with the more modern, open-world twist. It’s good to see Treyarch offering the mode in a way that made it popular in the first place, while also giving those who've moved on to the mode they've grown to love.

The Standard mode is the one you know and love. It features the odd, nonsensical story players have come to expect, along with all the Easter eggs you could ever want. If you want your Zombies gameplay to offer a sense of progression with story, this is the mode you’ll spend most of your time in, especially if you’re an experienced player.

Next, there's Directed, which gives you guidance and on-screen instructions for the main quest. It’s like Standard, but with more guidance. If you want hints to help you find the easter eggs and progress the story, this mode is for you. I played this mode mostly during the review, as I like having guidance while still experiencing what the mode has to offer.

Survival mode harkens back to the old-school days when Zombies didn't have a story. You just kill waves of zombies for as long as you can, and eventually you all die. This is how I remember Zombies, and while the mode has largely moved on to Standard, this throwback is a nice diversion if you just want to shoot some zombies.

Finally, there's Cursed, which is described as an old-school mode for veteran players. I wasn't able to try this mode as it was locked during the review period, but it is now available to all players.

Most importantly, across all modes, the Call of Duty shooting mechanics and overall feel we know and love remain untouched. The aiming feels just as snappy and accurate as it does in the other modes, which makes fighting the never-ending hordes more enjoyable. The new movement also makes it easy to Zombies, giving you new ways to avoid certain doom when that’s the sensible tactic.

Great, familiar multiplayer

I come to Call of Duty for one thing: the competitive multiplayer. I dabble in campaign and zombies with every release, but I generally come back to the multiplayer over and over throughout the year until the next one comes out. About a month ago, I put Black Ops 6 down to give myself a break before Black Ops 7 launched. It's always good to take a break before jumping into the game again — well before jumping into a new game, but as we're about to get to, it feels very similar to BO6.

Call of Duty maps are perhaps the most subjective part of the game. At this point, the maps are always (mostly) balanced into the three-lane structure with different variations and points of interest. Players will likely complain about the maps they like and the ones they don't, and you might like the exact opposite ones I do. All I can say is the maps feel balanced, and I haven't found any where one side feels overly advantageous over the other.

The core progression remains more or less the same, but changes to the custom class system give you a little more control to fine-tune your equipment kit to your playstyle. For example, you can add a mix of perk classes to create more Combat Specialties. Previously, you had to choose three from the same category, so being able to mix and match without sacrificing a Specialty is an appreciated upgrade.

Another fun change is the Overclock System, which allows you to tweak field upgrades and other aspects of your build for improvements. For example, you can use the Drone Pod field upgrade in conjunction with an Overclock System, which enables you to deploy them faster.

Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoy the multiplayer aspect of Black Ops 7. I can't say I love it. Sure, it has some small tweaks to the custom class system, but if you weren't deep in Black Ops 6, you'd probably think they were the same game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7: Verdict

If I were reviewing Black Ops 7 in a bubble with no previous Call of Duty experience, I'd probably think it was the most feature-complete shooter I’ve ever played. But I'm not. I played my first COD game in 2004 and have spent more hours with the series than I can count.

The fact is, there aren't many innovations or exciting new additions to this game compared to the one that came out just a year ago. It’s more Call of Duty, and I love that. However, it’s also just more Call of Duty. I'd like to see something new added to the formula to justify the $69 price tag for players who aren't content with merely new maps, operators, and unlocks.

So while Black Ops 7 is a great Call of Duty game, I have a hard time recommending it to anyone who isn't eager for more of the same COD we've been playing for decades.

We're in a veritable golden age of video game movie adaptations, and Activision's $30 billion "Call of Duty" franchise looks to be the next big name in line for the big-screen treatment. A "Call of Duty" movie is now officially in the works, Paramount Skydance and Activision announced Tuesday (September 2). It’s exactly the kind of project you’d expect from the studio behind "Top Gun: Maverick" and the wildly successful "Sonic the Hedgehog" trilogy.

As part of the deal, Paramount will develop, produce, and distribute a live-action feature film based on the “Call of Duty” universe, which spans more than 30 mainline games released since 2003. Activision is on board as a creative partner for the film. Both companies said they remain committed to honoring the brand's "rich narrative and distinctive style" for fans.

"We’re approaching this film with the same disciplined, uncompromising commitment to excellence that guided our work on 'Top Gun: Maverick,' ensuring it meets the exceptionally high standards this franchise and its fans deserve," said Paramount chairman and CEO David Ellison in a press release.

The news comes just a few days after Ellison, apparently an avid gamer himself, called Call of Duty the next video game series in Paramount's crosshairs following the success of the "Sonic the Hedgehog" films.

“As a lifelong fan of Call of Duty, this is truly a dream come true,” Ellison said in Tuesday's press release. "From the first Allied campaigns in the original Call of Duty, through Modern Warfare and Black Ops, I’ve spent countless hours playing this franchise that I absolutely love. Being entrusted by Activision and players worldwide to bring this extraordinary storytelling universe to the big screen is both an honor and a responsibility that we don’t take lightly."

Activision President Rob Kostich called Paramount a "fantastic partner" to bring "Call of Duty" to the silver screen. "Our shared goal is quite simple — to create an unforgettable blockbuster movie experience that our community loves, and one that also excites and inspires new fans of the franchise," he added.

The valuation of the new deal between Paramount Skydance and Activision has not been disclosed, but it's likely to be a pretty penny. In 2023, Microsoft acquired Activision, which publishes "Call of Duty" along with other popular gaming franchises like "Warcraft," "Diablo," and "Candy Crush," in a deal worth $69 billion.

What we know about the 'Call of Duty' movie

Though Paramount and Activision confirmed a "Call of Duty" movie is officially in the works, they didn't reveal much in the way of what to expect. It's unclear what games or storylines will be adapted, though given that the "Modern Warfare" and "Black Ops" sub-franchises are among the most popular in the series, those seem to be the most likely candidates.

As of yet, there's no timeline for when the film will hit theaters. Before we get a release date, Paramount will have to pin down a writer, story direction, script and talent, all processes that are likely to take quite some time. With that in mind, the "Call of Duty" movie is likely several years away from arriving in theaters.

Something exciting to note is that it could be the jumping-off point for a "Call of Duty" cinematic universe. According to Variety, sources with inside knowledge of the Paramount–Activision deal claim it leaves room for the "Call of Duty" universe to branch out into both additional films and television. Though obviously, future projects will hinge on how the movie performs.

Given how popular "Call of Duty" is, the adaptation is already starting on solid footing. If done right, the film has the potential to resonate with audiences on a huge scale and become another global phenomenon like we saw with "A Minecraft Movie" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Though it could also go the way of "Borderlands" or "Until Dawn" as a throwback to the painfully awful video game adaptations of decades past.

How Paramount develops the "Call of Duty" movie in the months and years ahead remains to be seen, but it's clear the studio has a prime opportunity before it to draw a massive audience.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest entry in the juggernaut shooter franchise. It brings the long-running Black Ops sub-series to a Gulf War setting — a first for Call of Duty — and adds a new movement system called omni-movements. Otherwise, Black Ops 6 relies on the same bag of tricks that Call of Duty fans have been enjoying for more than a decade, but that’s not a negative as the CoD formula continues to be capable of delivering thrilling shooter moments.

I love Call of Duty and have put thousands of hours into the series' various multiplayer suites over the years. Having been a dedicated player since Call of Duty 2 (released in 2005), I've seen the franchise at its best and suffered through its lowest ebbs. I'd rank Black Ops 6 in the middle. It doesn't set a new standard for Call of Duty quality but there's enough substance to keep you entertained.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is not without problems. However, at its core, it's a fun shooter, which is the most important thing. Whether you're a fan of Zombie mode, just want to play the blockbuster campaign, or want to lose hours to the unrivaled multiplayer portion, there's something in this package for you.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review: The basics

• What is it? Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is part of the long-running first-person shooter series, which launched its first game in 2003. It's part of the Black Ops sub-series which kicked off with 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops.
• Who is it for? Black Ops 6 is primarily targeted towards existing Call of Duty fans. It makes some small changes to keep veteran players engaged but doesn't switch up the formula enough to attract new players.
• What's the price? The standard edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 sells for $69. The digital-only Vault edition is $99 and includes some extra weapons, operators and the first season of BlackCell.
• What other games has the developer made? Several Activision developers contributed to Black Ops 6, but Treyarch and Raven Software are the main studios behind the game. Both developers are primarily known for their work on Call of Duty games.
• What games is this similar to? Naturally, Black Ops 6 is similar to other Call of Duty games, but may also appeal to fans of the Battlefield franchise.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review: Campaign

The single-player campaign is the bread and butter for some Call of Duty players and a skippable side attraction for others. I most definitely fall into the latter. When playing a Call of Duty game, I typically don't touch the story for months after it comes out, as I want to spend what precious little time I have for gaming on the multiplayer. And that's if I bother to play at all.

However, the Call of Duty 6: Black Ops 6 campaign is solid and well put together. As is the trend with Black Ops games, this game is about smaller battles and espionage more than all-out warfare. Set in 1991, the campaign follows a group of rogue operatives as they battle against a paramilitary group with sinister intentions. It might sound like a standard Call of Duty story, but developers Treyarch get weird with things (like really weird), and I'm okay with that based on the way it's framed within the story (no spoilers here!).

Call of Duty might be famous for its run-and-gun gameplay but stealth is an option in several campaign levels if you prefer a quieter approach. However, if you want to blast enemies and run around with the omni-movement system, you can do that, too (with a couple of forced stealth missions sprinkled in).

Shooting in Black Ops 6 feels great, which is great for when your stealthy intentions completely go by the wayside.

As fun as the moment-to-moment shooter gameplay is, the story just didn't grab me. Sure, it has weird hallucinogenic portions that add some intrigue to the otherwise generic military tale, but I just didn't grow attached to any of the characters, which is critical to keeping the eight-hour campaign engaging.

Fan-favorite characters Frank Woods and Russell Adler, alongside several new faces, are tasked with stopping the Pantheon paramilitary group, but I found it hard to care about any of them.

The solid gameplay goes a long way, but without feeling compelled by the story to keep going, I found myself thinking about where I'd much rather spend my time: competitive multiplayer.

If you're a Call of Duty campaign fan, Black Ops 6 will likely tick the right boxes for you. There are setpiece missions, smaller battles and all the other vital aspects you know and love. Plus, it's long enough to feel like a good value if it's your main selling point without overstaying its welcome.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review: Multiplayer

I love Call of Duty multiplayer. The speed, feel of the shooting, map design and progression all suck me in every year. Am I a great player? Not anymore (my kill-death ratio hovers around 1.10). But it doesn't matter how good I am; the game finds a way to make you feel like an action hero, even if your aim isn't that sharp.

You might have heard mixed reactions to the maps offered in Black Ops 6. I've seen some dedicated Call of Duty players panning them. Me, though, I love the map selection. I can't remember a Call of Duty game where I liked almost every map that comes through the rotation, but that's exactly how I feel about Black Ops 6.

Some highlights include Payback, which sees you battling it out in a mansion; Warhead, a smaller map with intense corner-based fights; and my favorite, Rewind, where you'll fight it out in a video rental store situated in a blown-out shopping center.

And if the map selection wasn't already on point, Nuketown is now in the mix after being added in the first of several free post-launch content updates.

Omni-movement is the most significant change to multiplayer (and the game as a whole). You'll see many more players flopping around and diving than you're probably used to. It's like a shiny new toy; so many players are going overboard using it all the time. This will wear off once they realize it's best reserved for a specific situation. You don't always want to on your back in the heat of a firefight.

Thankfully, it's not such a game-changer that it'll ruin your experience, and if you don't feel like flopping around, you can slide around and sprint in much the same way as the two most recent Call of Duty Modern Warfare titles.

As much as I love COD multiplayer, I have no problem acknowledging that a shiny new movement system isn't going to convert non-fans. It's still a lot of the same stuff. You spawn into a game, shoot people, get shot and repeat. Between matches, you level up and unlock new guns and attachments for said guns.

And the cycle continues. You probably already know if you like that cycle. And if you do, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 nails it in every way.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review: Zombies

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign gets a little weird. The Zombies mode is absolutely bizarre. Of course, adding the undead to any mode removes any semblance of realism, but that's just the tip of the unhinged iceberg.

For old-school fans of the mode, the most exciting aspect of Zombies is the return of round-based gameplay. Instead of running around the open map endlessly, you'll get progressively harder waves of zombies and more powerful tools to fight them with. And it's not like the old days when you're cooped up in a small area — the two levels are wide open and large.

As for the levels, Zombies launched with Terminus Island and Liberty Falls. Both have plenty of easter eggs and other oddities to discover, so veterans of the series will have plenty to keep them busy while waiting for post-launch updates.

Like every other mode in this latest Call of Duty iteration, shooting zombies and other ridiculous monsters feels fantastic, and movement is smooth (you can hop around and flop with omni-movement if you want).

The biggest issue with Zombies, which isn't new to Black Ops 6, is that it's hard to play with random players you meet online. The first few waves are easy enough, but you will fail shortly after if you're not well-coordinated. If you have a group of friends to play with, you'll have a great time. If you're solo (as I was), you'll find progressing to the deeper portions of the mode nearly impossible. You can get some of the cool Easter eggs, but lots of them require coordination.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review: Verdict

I love Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Well, I love its competitive multiplayer. After finishing this review, I'm not in a rush to revisit the campaign or Zombies. And that's okay because the three modes offer something different for everyone.

If you like working toward a common goal with your friends, Zombies is there for you. If you want a blockbuster single-player shoot with dramatic twists and turns that feel like watching a classic action movie, the campaign mode will deliver.

And if you're like me and want to enjoy the thrill of competing against other players, multiplayer is the mode for you. With Prestige levels and tons of unlocks, this mode will easily keep you busy until next year when another Call of Duty game launches, and we repeat the cycle all over again.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 doesn't rewrite the tried and tested formula, but that's okay, too. Or at least, it's okay for me and probably will be for most longtime fans.

iOS 18 has brought a treasure trove of new features to iPhones, from the practical to the personalized. While you might have heard about 9 iOS features you need to try or discovered that iOS 18 lets you change the color of your app icons, some of the most useful updates are flying under the radar. 

Among great practical features like Safari Highlights, there's a game-changer for anyone who's ever needed to track down a specific call: the hidden call history search. This new tool allows you to filter your call logs by contact, making it easier than ever to find that important missed call or recall when you last spoke to someone. 

This hidden feature is a game-changer for anyone who relies heavily on their phone for communication. It allows you to filter your call logs by contact, making it easier than ever to find that important missed call or recall when you last spoke to someone. Let's dive into how to use this feature and make the most of your call history! 

Beyond the hidden call history search, iOS 18 adds other helpful iPhone features. For instance, you can now send messages via satellite. To manage your logins, check out How to set up the Passwords app in iOS 18. And for a better browsing experience, explore iOS 18 lets you surf without distractions — how to use Safari Reader. 

Activision revealed the next Call of Duty during the Xbox Games Showcase this weekend. And for COD fans, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 looks to be an exciting step in the series' long history — at least for those who have an always-on internet connection.

Spotted by Kotaku, Activision put up an FAQ page for the game that includes a small section to answer whether you need an internet connection to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Activision's self-reported answer to the question confirms that player will need a continuous internet connection for every game mode, including the single-player campaign.

"To deliver the highest-quality visuals while also reducing the game’s overall storage space on your hard drive, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will use texture streaming across all game modes," the FAQ reads. "This means you’ll need a continuous internet connection to play any game mode, including Campaign. If you’re on a console, Campaign can be played without a premium subscription service such as Game Pass Core or PlayStation Plus."

In general, always-on internet requirements haven't really filtered down to console players the way they have impacted PC gamers. 

We're curious what space Activision and developers Raven Software and Treyarch think they're actually saving with "texture streaming."Our friends at sister site PC  Gamer says that "texture streaming" is related to games "streaming high-res textures into memory from your SSD." This might mean that Activision is offloading some of that work to the cloud. 

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Xbox is putting all of its cards on the Game Pass front as it plans to release the next Call of Duty installment on the subscription service at launch. 

The report comes via the Wall Street Journal in an exclusive that claims an official announcement from Microsoft is planned for next month’s Xbox showcase, planned for June 9.

It’s an interesting move that will see a typically premium game sold at around $70 available to gamers on a monthly subscription fee of between $9.99 to $16.99. Game Pass has been heralded as one of the best values in gaming, allowing you access to over 450 titles, many of them major hits including Grand Theft Auto 5, Lies of P, and Starfield.

Meanwhile, PS5 and PS4 players will have to pay full price to experience the next Call of Duty outing.  

Game Pass hits the trenches 

Call of Duty’s next major hit is set to grace the ever-growing Xbox Game Pass catalog on launch day, which has still yet to be announced but should land sometime toward the end of 2024. With its incredibly large fanbase, one that corrals several different series and a battle royale experience in Warzone, Call of Duty on Game Pass could be huge for Microsoft and a major blow to PlayStation players. 

Modern Warfare 3, the last Call of Duty installment released in November 2023, managed to eke out the second spot as the best-selling game of the year behind Hogwarts: Legacy. According to Gameindustry.biz writer Christopher Dring, nearly 72% of all physical UK sales of the game were primarily on PS5. 

Thus, PS players account for a large portion of the Call of Duty player base. It was a pivotal part of the debate surrounding Microsoft’s $75.4B purchase of Activision Blizzard, which concluded on October 13, 2023. Xbox has yet to add any of the older Call of Duty games to its subscription service, but with this recent announcement more could be finding a new home in Game Pass. 

It’s not entirely clear what the next Call of Duty installment will be, but many reports suggest it will follow along the Black Ops series taking place in the Gulf War. As with all previous releases dating back to the revival of Modern Warfare, this new entry will have connective tissue with both Warzone and Warzone Mobile. 

Game Pass proves a remarkable selling point for gamers. At just $10 for its base monthly plan, you gain access to a wide variety of experiences beyond just the Xbox branding. An additional $16 a month grants you access to cloud gaming services, letting you play your favorite games on the go over WiFi or cell service. 

Microsoft claims the service is host to as many as 34M subscribers, which it announced earlier this year. Its major day and date launch of Starfield drove a record number of subscriptions to the service, which could be mirrored in the soon-to-release Call of Duty sequel. 

An Xbox Games Showcase and aptly-titled "Redacted" Direct is planned for June 9, the latter of which should give Call of Duty fans better insight into what to expect with the franchise's next title. The livestream will kick off starting at 10AM PT/ 1PM ET across Xbox's socials. 

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Update: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) is now back on Steam following the release of a patch to address the issues described below. The original story follows:

Activision has taken an old, yet still quite popular Call of Duty game offline following a malware attack orchestrated by hackers on Steam. 

Despite the fact that a remake of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released last year, the original game from 2009 is available to play on Steam and draws in hundreds of players each day. It’s also a lot cheaper at $20 vs $70 which could be why it remains quite popular even though the game is more than a decade old.

However, as reported by TechCrunch, a Steam user took to the service’s forums yesterday (July 26) to alert other Call of Duty players that attackers were “using hacked lobbies” to spread malware. While the malware in question doesn’t have a name, it is listed on VirusTotal which is an online malware repository.

In the forum post, another Call of Duty player explained that they had analyzed the malware and it appears to be a worm based on a series of text strings contained within it. TechCrunch also spoke with an anonymous game industry insider who confirmed that the Steam user’s analysis was accurate.

Self-spreading malware

Unlike other malware that’s spread through phishing attacks or malicious apps, this malware strain is a worm that’s spread through the online lobbies for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer component.

Just like a real virus, it can automatically jump from one infected player to another. This likely indicates that the hackers behind this campaign have found one or even several vulnerabilities in the game that they’re exploiting to execute malicious code on the computers of other Call of Duty players.

This is why the official Call of Duty Updates account has announced on Twitter that Multiplayer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) has been taken offline while an investigation into the issue is being conducted. 

While we’ll have to wait and see what happens, the most likely outcome will be that Activision releases a patch which addresses the issues hackers have been exploiting to spread malware before the game’s multiplayer lobbies are brought back online.

How to stay safe when gaming online

In order to protect yourself from malware and other viruses when gaming online, you’re going to want to take the same steps you do when checking your inbox. This means not opening links or attachments from unknown senders and always being careful not to reveal your personal information when in multiplayer lobbies.

At the same time, you’re going to want to stick to official PC game stores like Steam or the Epic Games Store instead of trying to download games illegally. Pirating games not only hurts their developers but also puts you at risk as cracked games often contain malware or other viruses.

Likewise, you should also have one of the best antivirus software solutions installed on your gaming PC to protect you from malware. If you’re on a tight budget though, Microsoft’s own Windows Defender can certainly do the trick though you often get useful extras like a password manager, VPN and even cloud storage with paid antivirus software. For complete online protection though, you should check out the best internet security suites.

Now that gaming is more popular than ever, hackers will likely continue to target gamers in their attacks. However, by being careful online and securing your gaming PC with a good antivirus, you can avoid falling victim to these kinds of attacks.

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Microsoft and Sony have struck a deal that sees the former agree to keep the Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation rather than make it an Xbox exclusive. 

"We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard," Phil Spencer, Microsoft Gaming CEO, tweeted. "We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games."

So die hard PlayStation fans can breathe easy knowing that Call of Duty won’t become an Xbox exclusive, despite concerns that could happen as part of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which publishes Call of Duty games as well as many other big franchises, including a little game called World of Warcraft. 

For a moment it was looking like the Microsoft acquisition was going to be blocked by the US Federal Trade Commission due to concerns over anti-competitive behavior. But Microsoft defeated the regulator in court. Now all the Redmond company needs to do is win over the United Kingdom's Markets and Competition Authority (CMA), which is opposed to the deal; the legal battle is on pause as the two are looking to negotiate a compromise.

Details of the agreement weren’t touted by Spencer, but Xbox head of global communication Kari Perez told The Verge that it is a 10-year-long deal. So in a decade’s time, Xbox could finally have exclusive rights to Call of Duty. Though I personally don’t foresee that to be the case, as Sony will likely come to a new agreement, or maybe Call of Duty could wither from being the multi-billion dollar franchise it is.

Legal wrangling aside, in the here and now the net result of this decision means that PS5 players won’t be left out in the cold when the next Call of Duty game invariable arrives. And subscribers of Xbox Game Pass will likely get to play Call of Duty as part of their subscription, rather than needing to pay for the game separately; this is just educated speculation on my part rather than fact, however.

For the players?  

Ever since Microsoft bought Bethesda and its associated studios, there has been a niggling concern that many big-name games would become Xbox exclusives, thereby letting the console compete with the PlayStation brand that’s been established for longer. 

In some ways, this has happened with the likes of Redfall being an Xbox exclusive, and Starfield coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PCs only. However, when Microsoft bought the behemoth that is Minecraft in 2014, it did not make the building game Xbox or PC exclusive; in fact, it spread Minecraft to other platforms. 

So time will tell if Microsoft uses its acquisitions to force people to become Xbox players, or if it will take a more platform-agnostic approach. My prediction is that outside of games that Microsoft has had a direct influence in making, or massive new IPs like Starfield, it will keep big franchises available on multiple consoles and platforms. After all, even if the next Call of Duty sells massively more on PlayStation than Xbox, Microsoft will still reap the revenue benefits. 

In the meantime, check out our picks for the best Xbox Series X games you can play right now, as well as the exclusive-heavy best PS5 games. 

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And just like that, the drama seemed to evaporate. While Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision still isn’t a completely done deal, the decision by Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley to side with Microsoft and not the FTC means that the odds now feel stacked in the Xbox maker’s favor (pending a possible appeal, of course).

There are still outstanding issues to be resolved with the U.K.’s Competitions and Markets Authority. But assuming things progress smoothly from hereon in, Microsoft will likely be the new home of iconic franchises ranging from Call of Duty and Crash Bandicoot to World of Warcraft and Candy Crush Saga. 

So what does and could that mean for gamers? We’ve outlined some of the burning questions you might have below.

Will Call of Duty come to Xbox Game Pass?

That’s very much the plan. “We intend to make Activision Blizzard’s much-loved library of games – including Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty – available in Game Pass and to grow those gaming communities,” CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, wrote last September.

In the case of Call of Duty, that’s a whole lot of content. Not only are Black Ops Cold War, Vanguard and Modern Warfare II built for Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, but the following titles are also available via backwards compatibility on Xbox One and Series consoles:

• Call of Duty 2
• Call of Duty 3
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
• Call of Duty: Black Ops
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II
• Call of Duty: Ghosts
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Call of Duty: World at War

Notably, when Microsoft bought Bethesda, its backwards-compatible titles were enhanced with FPS Boost, so hopefully Activision’s titles will be similarly optimized.

Will this spell price increases on Game Pass?

It certainly won’t help. Microsoft didn’t spend $68.7 billion on Activision Blizzard out of charity, and Game Pass will be a key way the company intends to recoup that investment. 

Price increases have been signposted for a long time, which isn’t especially surprising considering the value the service offers. Earlier this month, prices rose from $9.99 to $10.99 for basic Game Pass, and from $14.99 to $16.99 Ultimate. 

Ultimately, it would be surprising if this was the last increase we saw and all that legacy Activision content will help justify the decision.

Will Call of Duty become an Xbox exclusive?

Microsoft swears not — and it’s had to make certain commitments to get past the regulatory hurdles that were in the way of the acquisition going ahead.

One concession is that Call of Duty will continue to be available on rival platforms for at least a decade, Microsoft says, which should take us onto the PS6 at least.

And throughout the takeover, Microsoft has been adamant that it wouldn’t make sense to cut off Sony. 

“As we’ve always said, any realistic modeling of the true cost of removing CoD from PlayStation players clearly demonstrates that there is absolutely no financial incentive for us to do so,” Rima Alaily, corporate vice president and deputy counsel for Microsoft told The Verge back in March. 

Indeed, it’s worth noting that Microsoft has continued to support Minecraft on other platforms since its purchase of Mojang.

All the same, Microsoft has made it clear that Starfield — the next big release coming from Bethesda — won’t be released on PS5. And that should make fans nervous for Activision properties going forward, even if Call of Duty has temporary protections in place.

Will Microsoft make a new Guitar Hero/Prototype/Tony Hawk’s/Starcraft?

While most outsiders believe that Microsoft was chiefly interested in Call of Duty — a series that always dominates the charts with every new release — Activision Blizzard isn’t short of iconic franchises, even if some have lain dormant for some time.

Here are the main franchises of both Activision and Blizzard:

Activision

• Call of Duty
• Crash Bandicoot
• Spyro
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
• Prototype
• Guitar Hero (plus those spin-offs: DJ Hero and Band Hero)
• Candy Crush

Blizzard

• Diablo
• Warcraft
• Overwatch
• Starcraft
• Hearthstone

There are also plenty of long-forgotten IPs that could potentially be revived: think True Crime, Gun, King’s Quest and Blur.

Will Microsoft revive any of them? While nothing is guaranteed, Microsoft’s studios have form here: there were 16 years between Psychonauts and its sequel, while the 2020 revival of Battletoads came 26 years after its last outing in 1994.

Game Pass could prove a useful testbed here. If Microsoft republishes an old title via backward compatibility and it takes off, then that’s a good indicator that a franchise is ready for its return.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) shares its name with one of the most beloved first-person shooters of all time. The original Modern Warfare 2 released in 2009 and became an instant classic. Living up to such a legendary namesake must have been a daunting task for developer Infinity Ward. And yet, 2022’s Modern Warfare 2 succeeds in recapturing much of the same magic. 

The new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 doesn't quite match up to its forefather. Still, this continuation of the rebooted Modern Warfare sub-franchise is impressive in its own right. Or at least, it’s impressive when it comes to competitive multiplayer. Unfortunately, the single-player campaign and co-op mode both fall short.

However, if you’re looking for a slice of Call of Duty multiplayer escapism this year, Modern Warfare 2 is almost guaranteed to delight. It combines fluid and frenetic gameplay with an expansive progression system. The Call of Duty franchise has used this winning formula for more than a decade, and it remains highly appealing today. Read on for our full Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 review.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 review: Campaign  

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 offers a bombastic five-hour campaign that plays out like a cross between a Michael Bay movie and a propaganda ad for the United States military. 

Several characters from 2019’s Modern Warfare return, including Captain John Price (Barry Sloane), Sergeant Kyle “Gaz” Garrick (Elliot Knight) and Sergeant John “Soap” MacTavish (Neil Ellice). Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley (Samuel Roukin), a fan-favorite character from the original Modern Warfare, gets a reimagining here, too. The humourous interplay and macho camaraderie between these likable squadmates are easily the most enjoyable parts of the campaign’s narrative. 

Unfortunately, the actual plot is decidedly less interesting than the main cast. You jump right into the thick of things, with slick briefings about stolen missiles and clandestine terrorist cells, but it all feels very one-note and predictable. I was tempted to hit the "skip cutscene" button in-between missions.

At least Modern Warfare 2 is anything but one-note when it comes to gameplay. Previous Call of Duty campaigns have amounted to little more than a thinly connected series of shooting galleries, but in Modern Warfare 2, almost every chapter has something different for you to do. If anything, there may be a lack of missions that focus on just shooting bad guys.

There’s a mission where you hop between high-speed trucks while chasing an armored convoy. An obligatory sniper mission has you creeping from perch to perch, and two back-to-back chapters place you inside a military plane as you provide air support for your squad on the ground. There’s even a section where you’re stripped of your weapons and must craft DIY tools in order to survive as enemy forces hunt you down. 

The varied gameplay is commendable, but it does lead to a campaign that lacks cohesion. Many mechanics appear for only a single mission, and barely feel fleshed out. If you’re a Call of Duty campaign aficionado, then a playthrough is probably worth your time. But if you opt to jump straight into the online modes, you’re not missing much. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 review: Multiplayer and Specs Ops 

The crown jewel of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is its competitive multiplayer component. After flirting with various gimmicks over the last decade, the Call of Duty franchise has refocused itself around classic boots-on-the-ground gameplay, and Modern Warfare 2 wisely continues this trend. 

At launch, there are 15 multiplayer maps available: 10 for smaller 6v6 matches, and five for the large 32v32 modes. However, the game incorporates some of the smaller maps into the larger ones. The collection of maps on offer is certainly not the most geographically diverse, but it’s a solid handful of arenas, with only a couple that you’ll dread appearing in rotation. 

Early favorites include Mercado Las Almas, which offers a good range of long-distance and close-quarters encounters, and Zarqwa Hydroelectric, which features an underwater section for engaging in aquatic combat. Crown Raceway is probably the most visually distinctive map — it’s set on an F1 racetrack — but there are too many spots for campers. However, the worst of the bunch is Santa Sena Border Crossing, due to an abundance of exploding vehicles that often result in cheap deaths. 

Modern Warfare 2 has launched with the vast majority of modes you’d expect, as well as a couple of new ones to spice things up. The new offerings are Prisoner Rescue and Knockout but both are no-respawn modes that play quite similarly. The simplicity of Domination or the intensity of Search and Destroy remain unrivaled, and these classic modes will likely have the true staying power as the game evolves in the coming months. 

You can jump into the large 32v32 player modes if you want a break from Call of Duty’s traditional zippy combat pace. But these experiences are a mixed bag overall. The returning Ground War mode apes Battlefield’s iconic conquest mode, but the combination of large maps with lots of sight lines and a short time-to-kill is a frustrating one. Plus, some of the capture points are poorly placed, making them a little too easy for a dominant team to hold. 

Thankfully, the new Invasion mode fares a lot better. In Invasion, teams of 20 players compete to score the most points by earning kills or destroying vehicles. Both teams come from opposite sides of the map, which makes an unseen enemy shooting you in the back a blissfully rare occurrence. Plus, there are AI soldiers thrown into the mix, allowing even unskilled players to farm some kills and contribute to their team's score. 

Modern Warfare 2 also lets you switch to a third-person perspective and enjoy Call of Duty’s signature shooting from a different vantage point. This isn’t the franchise’s first attempt at a third-person mode, but it's the most successful effort yet. Hopping into third-person makes for a nice change of pace, and is finally a legitimate feature rather than a gimmick.  

The cooperative Special Ops mode returns, but it’s no substitute for the iconic Zombies modes that usually come in the Black Ops games. Right now, Modern Warfare 2 offers three individual missions to play in two-player co-op, but none of them are worth more than a cursory glance. 

The objectives in Spec Ops are straightforward, and shooting wave after wave of generic AI-controlled enemies becomes mundane very quickly. To make matters worse, Spec Ops is the glitchiest portion of the game, too. I encountered a bug where an objective failed to trigger, so my partner and I decided to see who could jump the furthest in an abandoned combat jeep instead — which turned out to be more fun. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 review: Progression 

An expansive progression system ties Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2's various online modes together, and ensures you’re always unlocking something new. Issues crop up when you want to unlock something specific, rather than just grind XP and weapon levels to see what you get.

In previous Call of Duty games, obtaining a new attachment for your weapon of choice required either leveling up that weapon or completing specific challenges. However, in Modern Warfare 2, attachment unlocks are often tied to leveling up a completely different weapon. For example, to unlock the Cronen Mini Pro attachment for the standard M4 assault rifle, you must reach weapon level seven with a shotgun. 

I presume the developers implemented this change in an effort to encourage players to experiment with the game’s entire arsenal. However, being forced to use a weapon that doesn’t suit your playlist is never fun. 

Modern Warfare 2 also adds the ability to fine-tune your weapon with an impressive level of precision. But this is probably only a feature that the most invested players will use. Casual players most likely won’t want to obsess over degrees of weapon recoil. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Verdict 

If you’re primarily interested in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for its competitive multiplayer, then the game will almost certainly satisfy you. Its collection of (mostly) well-crafted maps, solid gameplay and engaging modes coalesce into one of the series’ best overall multiplayer offerings.

Unfortunately, Modern Warfare 2 falls a little short as a complete package. The campaign has thrilling moments, but throws too many half-baked ideas at the wall. The Spec Ops cooperative mode also feels like an afterthought. Nevertheless, so long as you view these as merely side attractions to the main event, you’ll probably find yourself hooked on Modern Warfare 2 like it's 2009 all over again. 

PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan isn’t happy about Xbox’s Call of Duty offer. In a recent statement provided to GamesIndustry.biz, Ryan said Microsoft’s offer was "inadequate on many levels." The offer in question stipulates that the Redmond-based company would keep the popular first-person shooter franchise on PlayStation for “several more years,” beyond the current marketing deal, as told to The Verge.

For the uninitiated, Microsoft will buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. While the deal isn’t yet finalized, things will most likely align in Microsoft’s favor. Once the deal is in place, Microsoft will own franchises such as Overwatch, Diablo, Candy Crush Saga and of course, Call of Duty. While Microsoft could keep Call of Duty and all Activision Blizzard franchises from launching on competing platforms, the company says it will not do so — at least for the foreseeable future.

As GamesIndustry.biz notes, the existing deal between Sony and Activision Blizzard should cover the next three Call of Duty games, including the upcoming Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. If these games come out annually, as they have since 2005, then PlayStation will get Call of Duty games at least until 2027 (three under the existing deal, and three under Xbox’s offer). That’s six years' worth of games, but it seems that isn’t good enough for PlayStation.

The war for Call of Duty

"Microsoft has only offered for Call of Duty to remain on PlayStation for three years after the current agreement between Activision and Sony ends,” said Ryan. “After almost 20 years of Call of Duty on PlayStation, their proposal was inadequate on many levels and failed to take account of the impact on our gamers. We want to guarantee PlayStation gamers continue to have the highest quality Call of Duty experience, and Microsoft’s proposal undermines this principle."

Microsoft has faced scrutiny for its Activision Blizzard merger from the Competition Markets Authority, among other regulators. Sony and Microsoft have also butted heads in court over the deal. In documents submitted to Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) regulator, Sony asserts that Call of Duty stands “as a gaming category on its own” and that it would be hard for another developer to create a rival for the juggernaut franchise.

In turn, Microsoft claimed Sony pays for “blocking rights” to prevent developers from adding third-party content to Xbox Game Pass (via The Verge). Needless to say, things have gotten ugly regarding Microsoft’s potential ownership of Call of Duty.

The prospect of Call of Duty no longer being available on PlayStation isn’t one to take lightly. After all, the game has consistently topped sales charts for nearly 20 years. There are many gamers who play only Call of Duty, and some of these folks could flock to Xbox if the series is only available in that ecosystem. We already saw this play out in 2011, during the PlayStation Network outage that lasted for three weeks. During that time, some PS3 players migrated to Xbox 360, just to get their Call of Duty fix. Sony may be worried that this will happen again.

An adequate offer

While I understand Sony’s position, I think the company should be grateful for Xbox’s offer. After all, Microsoft is under no obligation to release its own games on a rival platform. Yes, Minecraft is available outside of the Xbox ecosystem, which encompasses Xbox consoles like Xbox Series X, the best gaming PCs and best gaming phones capable of streaming Xbox Cloud Gaming. But that doesn’t mean the same is going to be true for Call of Duty. Microsoft could keep the series all to itself, if it desired.

In fact, locking Call of Duty down in the Xbox ecosystem would benefit Microsoft. If Xbox is the only platform with Call of Duty, the series’ devout fanbase will most likely play it on Xbox. It's admittedly possible that keeping the FPS franchise off of PlayStation would result in diminished sales, since Sony’s platform currently has the largest portion of Call of Duty's player base. That may be true. But if having Call of Duty exclusively on Xbox results in a greater number of people subscribing to Xbox Game Pass, then Microsoft would no doubt consider that a victory. The fact that Xbox is sharing Call of Duty with its direct rival at all is commendable.

With all due respect, Jim Ryan’s remarks fall flat considering PlayStation’s history with exclusives and exclusivity rights for third-party games, including Call of Duty. I won’t get into said history here, but even games as recent as Final Fantasy VII: Remake and Forspoken won’t be arriving on Xbox anytime soon. Exclusivity deals notwithstanding, it’s hard to sympathize with the CEO’s concerns when PlayStation has had (and continues to have) its share of exclusives.

However, I do empathize with PlayStation users who are upset that Call of Duty could one day become an Xbox exclusive. If you’ve entrenched yourself in a console ecosystem, you can't just jump ship to another — not without leaving behind all the games you’ve purchased, friends you’ve met online or trophies/achievements you'e earned. But this is a scenario some players may have to face, especially if they’re big Call of Duty fans. I feel bad for the people losing Call of Duty, but not for the company.

Enjoy it while lasts 

It’s too early to say what will result when Xbox finalizes its purchase of Activision Blizzard. What I can say is that Microsoft, like any corporation, will act in its best interest, no matter how altruistic it may appear.

And who knows? Perhaps the two gaming giants can hammer out a deal to keep the FPS franchise on PlayStation for longer. But even if that doesn't happen, PlayStation should be glad Call of Duty is staying on its consoles for the next half-decade. Given the alternative scenario of Xbox keeping Call of Duty to itself, PlayStation has reason to be grateful.

Update: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is here, and it packs one of the best multiplayer suites in franchise history. But the campaign and co-op modes aren't quite up to par. 

Developer Infinity Ward has confirmed that the next game in the Call of Duty franchise will officially be called Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. 

We’ve known for a couple of months that this year's entry in the annual shooter series would be a sequel to 2019’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare, which was itself a reimagining of 2007’s Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. However, until now we didn’t technically know what this sequel would be called, but now we do. The game will be officially called Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. No prizes for guessing that one. 

Little else is known about Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, although we can safely presume it will combine a cinematic campaign with the franchise's expected suite of multiplayer modes. Heavy integration with free-to-play battle royale title Call of Duty Warzone is also highly likely. As with last year’s Call of Duty Vanguard, expect a new Warzone map to debut alongside Modern Warfare 2. 

According to VGC, Modern Warfare 2’s single-player offering will center on a drug war against the Columbian cartel. The campaign will reportedly include “close-quarters combat, tricky decision making, and the classic Call of Duty set-piece moments fans have come to expect.” It also looks like a near certainty that fan-favorite character Ghost will make a return, as he’s already been teased on social media.

Of course, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is a name that will be familiar to many as a previous game in the franchise released under that exact title in 2009. While using the same name has led to some speculation that Call of Duty 2022 will be a remake of that 14-year-old classic, Activision has confirmed that this year’s Modern Warfare 2 is an original title. It just shares the same name as arguably the most beloved game in the franchise, which will surely cause at least some confusion down the line. 

Exactly when Modern Warfare 2 will launch is currently unknown. Historically the franchise has released in November, with a few games coming in late October. However, Call of Duty games are not normally confirmed this early in the year, so perhaps Modern Warfare 2 is set to release ahead of schedule. 

Another explanation for this early reveal could be the underperformance of last year’s Call of Duty Vanguard. While the game was still one of the top sellers of 2021, it doesn’t appear to have held player interest for very long. Activision may be revealing Modern Warfare 2 now to get players excited about the franchise again and start building hype ahead of its launch. 

If you skipped Call of Duty Vanguard last November, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to give it a spin as the shooter is now free to play for a limited time. 

For the next two weeks, Vanguard’s multiplayer portion will be free to access on all platforms (that’s PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One and PC). This trial kicks off today (Wednesday, March 30) and runs until April 13, which gives you plenty of time to see the sights of WWII. Although, you won’t have full access to the game as the single-player component remains locked behind a purchase.  

Included in the trial are two brand new maps introduced as part of the game’s second season of content. The first is called Casablanca and is a medium-sized map set within a Moroccan marketplace. The second map is Gondola, another medium-sized environment set on a snowy mountain complete with ski-lifts for quick kills while on route to your objective. Fan favorites maps from the base game, such as Shipment, Hotel Royale and Das Haus are also available. 

The free multiplayer trial also offers access to a new game type: Arms Race. In this large-map mode your objective is to capture specific points on a map while in turn destroying enemy controlled bases using explosives. Classic Call of Duty modes such as team deathmatch, capture the flag and kill confirmed are also available to players during the free trial period. 

Activision has offered Call of Duty free trials in the past but they typically run for a couple of days over a single weekend. This Vanguard trial being significantly longer could be in response to the game’s underwhelming sales, and apparent struggles to maintain a strong player base. 

While Vanguard was still the best-selling game of 2021, its sales were down 36% compared to 2020’s Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. This free trial is likely a last ditch attempt to boost the game’s player base as it could well be dwindling. 

While it would seem that Vanguard has failed to fully capture the interest of the Call of Duty community, we don't expect this year's entry in the annual franchise to suffer the same fate. Call of Duty 2022 is confirmed to be Modern Warfare sequel, which which almost certainty guarantee it stronger sales than the underwhelming Vanguard.

Update: An Activision spokesperson has reached out in response to the below article and said: "We have an exciting slate of premium and free-to-play Call of Duty experiences for this year, next year and beyond. Reports of anything otherwise are incorrect. We look forward to sharing more details when the time is right."

We’ve only recently learned that Call of Duty 2022 will be a Modern Warfare sequel, but news about Call of Duty 2023 is already leaking. It looks like next year will be a very unusual one for the long running shooter franchise as it could be the first year since 2005 that there isn’t a new mainline instalment. 

There has been murmuring that Call of Duty could take a year off for a while now, but Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier has claimed the decision is now final. Activision has reportedly decided that in 2023 it will not release a new entry in the Call of Duty franchise. This would mark the end of the franchise’s almost two decade run of annual releases. 

This decision reportedly comes in the wake of a “recent entry in the series failing to meet expectations.” The entry in question is almost certainly 2021’s Call of Duty Vanguard. The WWII shooter launched last November to a tepid reception and while sales data has been scarce the game sold 36% less at launch in the U.K. compared to 2020’s Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. Perhaps a franchise rethink is on the horizon. 

According to Schreier’s report, “some executives believe [Activision is] introducing new versions too rapidly.” This is a sentiment that is often echoed by the Call of Duty community. Traditionally games in the franchise only receive a year of dedicated support, before focus is shifted to the next instalment. This has previously led to Call of Duty games being abandoned just as they’ve hit a sweet spot in terms of content and overall gameplay balance. 

Call of Duty games are made on a rotating cycle between three studios: Infinity Ward, Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games, although they often intermingle and assist each other as needed. Next year was due to be the turn of Treyarch who last led the development on Black Ops Cold War. 

In the wake of this news, the California-based development team will reportedly shift focus to a new free-to-play title that will release in 2023 to fill the void left by Call of Duty. It's not yet known if this unconfirmed online game will be set within the Call of Duty universe, or will be an entirely franchise. 

Despite this news, diehard Call of Duty fans don’t need to worry about what they’ll have to play in 2023. This year’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare sequel is highly likely to receive two years of support to tide players over, plus a new Warzone experience is already confirmed to launch in 2022. This follow-up to the wildly popular battle royale title will undoubtedly have a longtail and is sure to receive regular support throughout 2023 and beyond. 

While there will still be plenty of Call of Duty content next year even without a new mainline entry, the franchise potentially skipping 2023 is still big news. A new Call of Duty each year has become such a mainstay of the gaming release calendar you can set your watch by it. It’ll definitely feel a little strange if 2023 doesn't have a fresh Call of Duty to play, but some time off could be just what the franchise needs to recapture its spark. 

And if you fancy a change from Call of Duty there are some stellar shooting games you can play right now; Deathloop would be one of our immediate choices. But Apex Legends also offers some serious battle royale action, Doom Eternal is a rip-roaring run-and-gun game, and the PS5 exclusive third-person action, Returnal is well worth a look. 

Call of Duty fans could be in for a treat ahead of the weekend: not only are there strong rumors indicating that a major franchise announcement is set for today, but a new leak may have just uncovered this year’s entry in the juggernaut shooter series. 

It appears that 2022’s Call of Duty will be Modern Warfare 2. Don’t get confused with the 2009 game of the same name, this will be a follow-up to the Modern Warfare reboot released back in 2019. For months, online whispers have suggested developer Infinity Ward is working on a Modern Warfare sequel, but an apparent leak of the game’s main menu appears to have reinforced the news. 

The image comes from @ZestyLeaks on Twitter, and shows an alleged centralized menu for Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty Vanguard, Warzone and Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. While the image could be a well-designed fabrication, the last few Call of Duty games have sported similar style menus, so this image certainly appears to have a whiff of legitimacy. 

The timing of this leak may not be coincidence either. There are various reports swirling that a significant Call of Duty announcement is due today (Friday, February 11). These rumors can be traced back to reliable leaker Tom Henderson, who yesterday posted that “the embargo for Warzone 2 releases tomorrow.”

This would suggest that a follow up to free-to-play battle royale game Call of Duty Warzone is set to be announced. But a follow-up post indicated that we might see Modern Warfare 2 revealed at the same time as the two projects are closely linked. 

Adding even more fuel to the fire was a teasing post from Infinity Ward, which seems to suggest that some form of announcement is indeed imminent. 

Call of Duty games are usually revealed over the summer, and then released in October/November. An early reveal for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 could either suggest that the game will launch outside of the franchise's established release window, or that last year’s entry Vanguard is struggling to hold player interest. Publisher Activision may be hoping to reinvigorate the community with a big announcement. 

Curiously, there is a Call of Duty League esports event scheduled for later today  (2:15 p.m. ET) which could be the ideal place to reveal what’s next for the franchise as thousands of members of the Call of Duty community will no doubt be watching. Nothing is guaranteed of course, but watch this space, as the future of Call of Duty could be just around the corner. 

Ever since it acquired Activision, Microsoft has been quick to reassure gamers that Call of Duty wouldn’t suddenly become an Xbox-exclusive series. However, up until now, the language that the company used suggested that there might be an expiration date on the franchise’s multiplatform status. Shooter fans on the PS5 need no longer worry, however, as Microsoft has just released a much longer and more comprehensive statement on the topic. Not only will Microsoft honor its agreements with Sony beyond the terms of its current contract, but the Xbox manufacturer may also be courting Nintendo for a similar arrangement.

To learn the full story, check out Microsoft’s long and winding blog post entitled "Adapting ahead of regulation: a principled approach to app stores." In it, Brad Smith president and vice chair of Microsoft, discusses how the company will cooperate with regulators in order to make sure that its Activision acquisition doesn’t run into any legal trouble. To distill a long explanation down to its basics, Smith argues that by keeping apps available across a wide range of platforms, and being as transparent as possible about the process, Microsoft shouldn’t run afoul of any antitrust rules.

While Call of Duty availability isn’t the crux of the post, Smith does devote about two paragraphs to the topic. His commentary makes the situation pretty clear:

"Some commentators have asked whether we will continue to make popular content like Activision’s Call of Duty available on competing platforms like Sony’s PlayStation," he said. "The obvious concern is that Microsoft could make this title availability exclusively on the Xbox console, undermining opportunities for Sony PlayStation users

"To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future."

Granted, a blog post isn’t legally binding, and the language leaves plenty of wiggle room. Nowhere does Smith guarantee that every single Call of Duty will come out on PS5, nor does he guarantee that the PS5 version will have perfect parity with the Xbox version. Still, the overall message is clear: Activision titles, including Call of Duty, will generally remain available on PlayStation, even after the current agreement between Sony and Activision expires.

Potentially even more interesting is that Microsoft is eager to work with Nintendo as well.

"We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform," Smith added to his previous comments. "We believe this is right for the industry, for gamers and for our business."

Whether this means Microsoft wants to put Call of Duty, specifically, on Switch, isn’t clear. After all, Activision Blizzard publishes many games beyond just Call of Duty, and some of them are already on Switch — Overwatch and Crash Bandicoot, for example. But the bottom line is clear: Microsoft wants to keep working with Sony and Nintendo and seems to want Activision games available on as many platforms as possible.

Of course, this is all dependent on U.S. authorities authorizing Microsoft’s Activision purchase. We’ll know for sure within the next year.

Last week’s announcement that Microsoft plans to purchase Activision Blizzard in a deal worth $68.7 billion has raised plenty of questions, chief among them is the fate of the Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation. It looks like we might have some clarity on this matter and it's good news for PS5 owners. 

Sony had already laid out its stance, with a spokesperson saying: “We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform” and it appears that Microsoft is happy to oblige in this case. Bloomberg reported that the upcoming slate of Call of Duty titles through 2023 will launch on PlayStation systems.

Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier confirmed on Twitter that even after the acquisition closes next year, a previously inked deal will ensure that Call of Duty 2022 (strongly rumored to be a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare reboot), Call of Duty 2023, and a sequel to free-to-play Battle Royale title Call of Duty: Warzone will all launch on the PS5, and potentially the PS4 as well. 

Microsoft has also confirmed in a recent blog post that it will continue to bring Call of Duty to PlayStation, beyond the terms of the existing agreement. So, at least for now, we can say that Call of Duty has a future on PlayStation. Whether some spin-off becomes an Xbox and PC exclusive remains to be seen. 

This mirrors the approach that Microsoft has taken since it acquired ZeniMax (parent company of Bethesda) in 2020. All contractural agreements signed pre-purchase are currently being honored. 

This resulted in Deathloop coming exclusively to PS5 last year, and the upcoming Ghostwire: Tokyo will also launch first on Sony’s next-gen system. However, these games are free to come to Xbox Series X after a period of one-year exclusivity on PS5. Not to mention, games not tied up in pre-existing deals such as Starfield will be Xbox exclusive. 

This latest development at least clears up the future of the Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation through until 2023. After that, things become a little murkier. There is a possibility that Microsoft will opt to make the series an Xbox exclusive. After all, Call of Duty is one of the biggest games series in the world, being able to deny its closest competitor access would be a serious boon for Xbox.

Of course, there is also an argument that Microsoft would benefit more from allowing future Call of Duty games on PlayStation. Microsoft would make money from each copy sold on PlayStation, while also making the games available via Xbox Game Pass. This strategy could definitely incentivize a few diehard PS5 players to make the switch to Xbox Series X. 

The future of Activision Blizzard titles on PlayStation definitely isn’t solidified, but at least in the foreseeable future, you’ll still be able to play Call of Duty on PS5. Our advice: enjoy it while it lasts. 

Sony has responded to the industry-altering news that Microsoft is set to acquire Activision Blizzard in a $68.7 billion deal, and PlayStation’s parent company seems fairly confident that the juggernaut Call of Duty series will remain on its platform. 

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, a Sony spokesperson is quoted as saying, “We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform.” It’s a short and snappy statement but it does clearly indicate that Sony expects future Call of Duty games to make their way to the PS5.

PlayStation has had an exclusive deal with the Call of Duty franchise since 2015’s Call of Duty Black Ops 3. This long-running agreement has seen PlayStation platforms receive exclusive content and early access to DLC packs. Deals of this nature are presumably what Sony means when it refers to Activision Blizzard’s “contractual agreements.” The current length of this agreement is now known to continue for three more years.

Well, in a recent blog post, Microsoft confirmed that Call of Duty will continue to find a home on PlayStation consoles, beyond the terms of the current agreement. 

Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard is expected to complete in 2023 and once it does the company will own franchises including CoD, Overwatch, Starcraft, Diablo, Crash Bandicoot, Sypro the Dragon and more. The deal has naturally raised questions about these popular franchises becoming exclusive to Xbox in the console space, but it appears that Sony is fairly relaxed on this potentially thorny issue, for now at least. 

When quizzed on exclusivity by Bloomberg, the CEO of Xbox, Phil Spencer, said: “I’ll just say to players out there who are playing Activision Blizzard games on Sony’s platform: It’s not our intent to pull communities away from that platform and we remained committed to that.”

On the surface, this sounds fairly promising for PlayStation gamers hoping to still enjoy Activision Blizzard titles on their platform of choice, but it should be noted Spencer made similar comments in the wake of Microsoft’s $7.5 billion purchase of ZeniMax (parent company of Bethesda) in 2020. However, last year, during E3 2021 it was revealed that Betheseda’s first original IP in 25 years, sci-fi RPG Starfield, will be exclusive to the Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC. 

There is every possibility that Microsoft will see out the remainder of any contracts Activision Blizzard previously agreed with Sony and will then make the publisher's core franchises Xbox exclusive long-term. Although, this may not be the best strategy for Microsoft to adopt according to some industry analysts. 

David Cole, of DFC Intelligence, told GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft making Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox could raise serious legal concerns. He said: “Regulators will take a close look and franchises like Call of Duty may not be exclusive to Xbox platforms because of antitrust concerns.”

Regardless of whether series like Call of Duty and Overwatch have a PlayStation future, we do know that “many Activision Blizzard games” will be coming to the Xbox Game Pass service once the deal completes per the official announcement post. This will be a huge boon for Microsoft’s gaming subscription service and could see the sizeable Call of Duty community shift towards playing on Xbox Series X, even if the games remain available on PS5. 

This massive acquisition has raised a lot of questions, and a fair amount of backlash from parties concerned about industry consolidation. In the short term, there appear to be several pros and a few cons to Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal, but only time will tell if it is ultimately good for gaming as a whole. 

Call of Duty: Vanguard is finally here, and it brings with it an action-packed campaign, a variety of different multiplayer modes and a grotesquely fun Zombies experience. With so much new content, you might find yourself wondering how best to approach certain elements of the game. Let’s take a look at 10 Call of Duty: Vanguard tips that can help you make the most of your time with the game.

Play the campaign first

Whether you’re a veteran with thousands of hours under your belt, or a new player diving into your first Call of Duty game, you can never go wrong by playing the campaign first. Not only is Vanguard’s campaign a heart-pounding adventure, but it’s also a fantastic way to acquaint yourself with the general feel of the game. You'll also learn about many of the guns you’ll eventually use in multiplayer. Once your fingers are warmed up and your muscle memory is firing on all cylinders, you’ll be ready to jump online.

Combat Pacing can greatly improve your multiplayer experience

A first for the franchise, Vanguard’s brand new “Combat Pacing” feature allows you to decide how many players you’d like to fight against in a match. Choosing Tactical mode allows for traditional 6v6 showdowns, like those you’re likely used to from previous games. Assault mode increases the player count up to 28. Lastly, you can opt for true chaos by selecting Blitz mode, which litters the map with up to 48 people. If that’s your thing, make it happen, you animal.

Turn off world motion blur and weapon motion blur 

Depending on your preferences, you may find that motion blur provides a more cinematic experience for the campaign — or you may find it jarring and unsightly. Either way, once you’ve made your way into multiplayer, motion blur in the world and on your weapon can actually make it considerably more difficult to see targets when you’re moving about the map. If you want a competitive edge, head into your settings menu and turn off both World Motion Blur and Weapon Motion Blur.

Cheap killstreaks are often a better choice

Look, we all wish we were master Call of Duty players, racking up high kills every match and calling in the best killstreaks. For the average player, however, it’s usually more efficient to aim for cheaper killstreaks, which ensure that you almost always get a chance to use them. Three very cost-effective options in Vanguard are Intel (three kills), which pings enemies on your minimap for a short while, Care Package (four kills), which gives you a chance to score another random (and potentially higher-end) killstreak, and Spy Plane (four kills), which reveals enemy positions on the minimap for all your allies.

Use different loadouts for different map sizes

Many of Vanguard’s maps are small or medium-sized, but there are a few larger maps thrown in for long-range firefights among players. If you want to play as efficiently as possible, make sure you create a wide selection of loadouts for different ranges. SMGs, shotguns and some faster assault rifles work best for short- to medium-range encounters, but long-range showdowns can provide great incentives for using snipers and LMGs. 

Play to your strengths

Whether you’re a Call of Duty veteran or a newcomer, you’re going to have strengths and weaknesses to consider in online multiplayer. Playing to your strengths, especially while learning new maps and weapons, will bring much better chances of success. If you’re twitchy and accurate, maybe you’ll be fine venturing off alone on a dangerous side of the map. If you’re a slower and more tactical player, perhaps you should stick with your team and work together, or find a comfortable spot on the map to patrol. Everyone’s good at something, so figure out what your something is and do it.

Study every map

During the first few weeks after a new Call of Duty launch, one of the best things you can do to improve your long-term stats is to diligently study the layout of the maps. Even if you’re just a casual player, it’s useful to understand the structure of each map, including where its choke points are located, and how to counter power positions like sniper nests. Once again, playing to your strengths is vital to overcoming the opposition, so figure out which side of the map is best suited to your playstyle, and stick to it when possible.

The ninja perk is a must-have

Sound plays an important role in any competitive shooter, and Vanguard is no different. Someone using a good audio setup or headset can have a substantial leg up on the competition by being able to hear enemy footsteps. If you’d like to reduce how often you die after someone hears you coming, your best bet is the Ninja perk. Unlocked at level 15, this perk makes your footsteps silent, reduces your fall damage and even dampens the effectiveness of your enemy’s Tracker perk. 

Save up for extra lives in Champion Hill

Money management is a major component of Vanguard’s battle royale-inspired Champion Hill mode. You’ll need to make thoughtful decisions about whether to purchase perks, one-time use killstreaks or lasting gun upgrades. If you’re late in the game and falling behind on lives, though, don’t forget that you can spend a big chunk of cash on an extra life, which could come in handy during the final fight or two. This is especially beneficial when you’re going up against a team that's already ahead, giving you a fighting chance at coming out on top.

Covenants are vital to success in Zombies

When you dive into Vanguard’s Zombie mode, you’ll notice the Altar of the Covenants in the hub. Completing objectives throughout the match earns you Sacrificial Hearts, which you can trade at this altar, granting you a choice of three randomized covenants. Each Covenant brings with it a unique bonus, such as higher melee damage or a chance to keep equipment even after using it. Buying these upgrades is essential to improving your build on each run, so make sure to pick the Covenants that synergize with your other perks, so you can become the ultimate zombie slayer.

Call of Duty: Vanguard has something to offer both returning players and those who may have walked away from the popular first-person shooter franchise. The game provides an exhilarating campaign and an iterative-but-fun multiplayer suite.

The single-player story casts players as multiple characters, who relive tide-turning World War II battles in the wake of their collective capture. Similarly, multiplayer matches play out across 20 locations from the same era, while introducing a few new modes to shake things up. Developer Sledgehammer Games capped off the experience with a new version of the beloved cooperative Zombies mode, which continues the story that started in last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

In this Call of Duty: Vanguard review, we’ll take a look at how these components combine to create a cohesive whole that you won’t want to miss.

Call of Duty: Vanguard review: Campaign

Set during the final days of World War II, with the Nazis all but defeated, Call of Duty: Vanguard’s story sees a group of soldiers from multiple allied forces come together to foil a Third Reich plot. Even if the campaign doesn’t do much that we haven’t seen before, it's nevertheless one of the series’ strongest efforts in years, thanks to its exceptional cast, gripping action and breathtaking spectacle. 

The campaign starts off strong, with an opening mission that introduces our heroes as they hijack a moving train during a torrential rainstorm in Hamburg, Germany. They find themselves intercepted by Nazi forces, and subsequently imprisoned for interrogation. However, de facto main character and group leader Arthur intends to manipulate the Nazis into sharing information about their plans, too. 

As the team endures relentless cross-examination, Arthur reflects on notable battles from each character's past, presented to us as playable vignettes. These make up the bulk of the five-hour campaign, and give us glimpses into what makes the characters tick. But in-between these recollections are stunning, almost photorealistic cutscenes featuring phenomenal performances from every cast member. The downright bone-chilling dual antagonists, sadistic officers Freisinger and Richter (Dominic Monaghan from Lord of the RIngs), deserve special mention.

The character backstories aren't particularly profound on a narrative level, but they all offer visceral, emotionally affecting portrayals of war. Vanguard frames impactful sequences beautifully, such as a midnight approach towards a burning windmill that lights up the night sky like a beacon, or peaceful moments with the citizens of Stalingrad directly before they hear the sound of incoming bombers on a fateful day. Bear McCreary’s riveting score further accentuates the atmosphere, underscoring the tension and lending a cinematic energy to every heart-pounding moment.

Each character has an exclusive gameplay gimmick to use in their missions. Arthur can command other soldiers to move obstacles or lay down covering fire. Lovable hothead Wade can heighten his senses to see enemy outlines in the distance. Demolition expert Lucas can carry up to four types of lethal equipment. Russian badass Polina’s increased mobility is the best of the bunch, though, granting her the ability to fit through tight spaces and scale walls as she navigates the crumbling rooftops of a devastated Stalingrad. It’s hard not to miss these one-off perks as you move between characters, but the game’s nonstop action ensures that the disappointment doesn’t linger.

Indeed, the actual gunfights in Vanguard continue to be as exciting as ever. Some play out as slow-paced breach-and-clears through tight corridors, where only snappy reflexes stand between you and restarting a checkpoint. Others are large-scale battles in historic locales, which effortlessly blend shooting galleries with epic set pieces that feel more authentic than in any other Call of Duty game in recent memory. The only rough patch along the way is an aerial mission, where poor fighter plane controls dampen the intense and visually dazzling dogfights. But that's a minor blemish on this otherwise-remarkable World War II adventure.

Call of Duty: Vanguard review: Multiplayer

If you’ve played Call of Duty games for a while, you've probably developed strong opinions regarding whether the newer entries have improved or worsened the multiplayer formula. I’d argue that the series began declining around the time it introduced excessive verticality and special abilities that didn’t mesh well with strictly skill-based gunfights. Either way, while Vanguard’s multiplayer isn’t transformative, it does at least take moderate steps toward better map design.

The best offerings among the 16 base maps are moderate in size and embrace the classic three-lane style, which caters to competitive players seeking fair fights. My favorite map, Hotel Royal, is a great example of this traditional layout. It features two long, somewhat open rooftop lanes on either side for medium-ranged encounters, as well as great sightlines for sniping. A crowded interior lounge emphasizes close-quarter showdowns, with tons of strategic cover placement.

Meanwhile, larger, more atmospheric maps, such as the snowy plaza of Red Star, eschew any sense of symmetry in favor of irregular map structures. Maps like this may not work for tournament play, due to the reliance on power positions and unpredictability. But it's still fun to learn all of the counter spots that can help you drive campers out of their hidey-holes. Luckily, the only downright exasperating maps are Numa Numa and Das Haus: tiny spawn-camping nightmares, which make Nuketown seem balanced in comparison.

Complementing the solid map construction is the all-new “Combat Pacing” feature. For the very first time, you’re free to choose from three different options for the amount of players you’d like in your lobbies. Tactical pacing is usually a standard 6v6 matchup, while Assault increases the player count a bit for some extra action. If you’re looking for some chaos and nonstop shooting, you can pick Blitz, which fills matches with up to 48 players. 

As I’m not the biggest fan of being slaughtered mercilessly the moment I spawn, Blitz pacing is the antithesis of entertainment for me. But both Tactical and Assault modes provide decently balanced experiences that keep the adrenaline pumping. It’s best to stick to them if you’d like to consider your positioning and strategy for tackling the opposition.

Among the fresh additions to multiplayer is a mode called Patrol, functioning as an active clone of Hardpoint, where the point now moves at all times. More unique still is Champion Hill, a round-robin deathmatch where you choose and upgrade your loadout every few rounds, or else save up money to buy extra lives. It’s an amusing battle royale lite that requires a lot of skill and a smidge of luck. Impatient players may be annoyed at the amount of downtime involved in waiting for other teams to finish their fights, though.

It wouldn’t be Call of Duty without plenty of guns to unlock and kit out, but there’s nothing particularly revolutionary about the loadout system this time around. You still choose primary and secondary guns, a selection of three perks, multiple grenade types and killstreaks. Using a weapon consistently levels it up to unlock more attachments – optics, magazines, underbarrels, and so forth – which you can apply to improve stats. It’s essentially little more than a boring reskin of what we’ve seen in the past few years, but it gets the job done.

As for the guns themselves, none won me over entirely. As someone who has historically relied on a trusty assault rifle in all but the most claustrophobic maps, I’ve been fine using the STG44, with its low recoil and fast time-to-kill. Of course, some maps with open central locations, or corridors with long sight lines, can make LMGs and sniping a comfortable option, if that’s your thing. But there’s no denying that the mobility and versatility that Vanguard’s many small maps require could put SMGs like the M1928 and MP40 among the most sought-after guns. 

Call of Duty: Vanguard review: Zombies

Thanks to a crossover with Treyarch Studios this year, Call of Duty: Vanguard brings with it a brand new, fully-featured iteration of the beloved Call of Duty: Zombies mode. Even more enticing for fans of continuity is that the story here is a prequel to the Dark Aether story introduced in last year’s Black Ops Cold War. This adventure takes players back to 1944 in an attempt to stop the Nazis from unleashing hordes of zombies upon Europe.

The biggest change in this installment is the incredible diversity of builds available. Players gain a new Sacrificial Heart item by completing objectives. These Hearts allow them to choose from a randomized collection of upgrades that increase in power as you progress through a match. Being able to make thoughtful choices about run-altering powers at the end of every showdown gives a sense of weight to each playthrough.

This sense of randomness adds to Zombies’ roguelite-inspired vibe, too. Maybe you’ll have a streak of bad luck that leaves you feeling a bit underpowered. But there’s also always the chance that you’ll snag a powerful upgrade early on, which could help you and your team overcome tasks with ease. Unsurprisingly, it's quite a rush to be the unstoppable force among your pals.

Otherwise, you’ll mostly upgrade your guns, pick up fresh perks and do whatever it takes to become the ultimate undead slayer. Vanguard’s Zombie mode is exactly what you’ve come to expect – gory and action-packed mayhem with friends. If you’ve already popped hundreds of zombie heads in past games, you’ll probably want to continue doing so here. 

Call of Duty: Vanguard review: Verdict

Call of Duty: Vanguard’s campaign is the series' standout achievement this year, taking players on a gorgeous journey with incredible set pieces, compelling characters and fun shootouts. While the game’s multiplayer and Zombies modes are mostly enjoyable affairs, too, neither one does much to move the franchise forward. If you’re fine with that, you’ll find the whole package worth your time and money.

After months of speculation, this year’s entry in the best-selling shooter franchise has been officially confirmed as Call of Duty Vanguard. The game was unveiled as part of a special event in Warzone called the Battle of Verdansk, and is set to launch this November. 

Call of Duty Vanguard sees the series once again return to its roots with a WWII setting. This time period hasn’t been explored by the franchise since 2017’s Call of Duty WWII. Though developer Sledgehammer Games has claimed that Vanguard will be “rooted but not beholden” to real-world history — so expect a few inaccuracies in the name of fun. 

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Call of Duty Vanguard is going to have a tough battle on its hands this year. With both Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite set to launch in the weeks after its debut, Vanguard will need to be a strong entry in the series in order for the franchise to continue its streak of online shooter dominance. But with three distinct modes already confirmed, plus Warzone integration, Vanguard is certainly looking like a compelling package.  

Launch is just around the corner, but there are still a few secrets that remain under wraps. For now, here's everything we know about Call of Duty Vanguard. 

Call of Duty Vanguard release date 

Call of Duty Vanguard will launch on November 5, 2021. It will arrive on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC.

Similar to last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, players who wish to own the game on both PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox Series X will need to opt for the digital cross-gen bundle. The standard edition only gives you access to a single platform. 

Call of Duty Vanguard trailer 

The announcement of Call of Duty Vanguard included a cinematic three-minute trailer that introduces the game’s core cast and shows off some seriously bombastic set-piece moments.  

With launch day only a couple of weeks away, the Call of Duty Vanguard launch trailer was recently released. This short trailer showcases the game's three distinct gameplay modes and also confirms the exact time the game will be available to play on release day. 

Call of Duty Vanguard campaign 

Unlike Battlefield 2042, which is multiplayer only, Call of Duty Vanguard is confirmed to have a traditional single-player campaign. 

The campaign will follow four special ops soldiers who presumably form the titular vanguard: Sgt. Arthur Kingsley (British, 9th Parachute Battalion), Lt. Polina Petrova (Soviet, 138th Rifle Division), Captain Wade Jackson (American, Scouting Squadron Six) and 2nd Lt. Lucas Riggs (Australian, 20th Battalion).

Missions will take place across four theatres of war: the Western Front, the Eastern Front, North Africa, and the South Pacific. Sledgehammer Games opting to include four unique theatres of war is quite noteworthy. The last major WWII shooter, Battlefield 5, neglected to include several prominent locations including the Western Front. 

Furthermore, Call of Duty Vanguard is being developed on the same engine that powered 2019’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare and will reportedly include some form of destructible environment.

At Gamescom 2021, we got an extended look at Vanguard's campaign in action. This nine-minute gameplay demo is set in Stalingrad and sees Lt. Polina Petrova (voiced by Laura Bailey) sneaking through the city, fending off German soldiers and even dodging a tank along the way. 

Expect the Vanguard campaign to be a highly cinematic experience, with big set-piece moments and plenty of intense firefights. There's even a very brief scripted platforming moment in the trailer as Petrova tries to escape a collapsing building

The footage looks highly polished, as you'd expect from a Call of Duty title. While it doesn't indicate that Vanguard will be taking the franchise in any new directions, it looks to be essentially a playable summer blockbuster — exactly what Call of Duty excels at delivering.

Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer 

Call of Duty is beloved primarily for its multiplayer functionality, and Vanguard will of course be including a suite of online modes. The recent Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer reveal gave us a proper look at what the game will have to offer when it comes to online play. 

During this live-streamed presentation, it was confirmed by the game's multiplayer creative director, Greg Reisdorf, that Vanguard will be taking "historical liberties and risks to deliver something fun" and will be centered around "untraditional, gritty, antiheroes from every front of the war". It definitely sounds like a more refreshing take on the global conflict than Sledgehammer's last stab at the series. 

At launch, there will be 20 maps available. There will be 16 regular maps, as well as four that are designed for the new Champion Hill mode. This new mode is described as a “series of tournament-style head-to-head matches, where players can play solo (1v1) or squad up in duos (2v2) and trios (3v3) to battle it out in an arena consisting of four maps to be the last squad standing.”

A recent PlayStation Blog post has further detailed the multiplayer modes and features that will be present in Call of Duty Vanguard. One of the more interesting details within this article is the announcement of Combat Pacing. 

This is a new feature of the Call of Duty franchise and will allow players to finetune how the game plays to best suit their own playstyle. There will be three pacing categories to choose from: Tactical, Assault, and Blitz. Tactical will offer the traditional Call of Duty multiplayer experience but Assualt and Blitz will both increase the pace of multiplayer matches, the latter will even increase the player count for an even more frenetic experience.

Expect the arsenal of weapons at your disposal to be (mostly) period-accurate and there will also be plenty of customization options. Don’t be surprised if some cosmetic items are a little eccentric though. Expect at least a few to be only available to those willing to pay a little extra as well. 

A section of players will be disappointed to hear that rumors indicate the series’ highly controversial skill-based matchmaking will make a return in Vanguard. This function aims to group players with others of a similar skill level, but many argue it spoils the fun and should be saved for rank play. 

Call of Duty Vanguard zombies

Call of Duty’s iconic Zombies mode will be present in Vanguard. Sledgehammer Games isn’t taking the lead on this portion of the game, it’ll be Treyarch working on the mode instead. 

Treyarch is the studio that first created Call of Duty Zombies way back in 2008, and most recently developed the mode for last year’s Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. So Zombies is in good hands. 

Earlier this month we got our first look at the mode courtesy of the above Zombies trailer, which features plenty of the undead monsters as well as some Billie Eilish music — which doesn't quite fit the time period!

Call of Duty Vanguard beta 

A Call of Duty Vanguard beta was held in September. It ran for two weekends giving players a chance to experience the game's intense online multiplayer on a small handful of maps. 

The beta is now over, and as we're so close to launch it's extremely unlikely that another early-access multiplayer preview will be held. If you're desperate to play Vanguard, you're going to have to wait until the November 5 release date, unfortunately. 

Call of Duty Vanguard Warzone 

Warzone, Call of Duty’s free-to-play battle royale mode, will again be integrated with the latest mainline installment in the franchise. 

Vanguard-inspired items are almost guaranteed to make their way into the game. Plus, Raven Studios is developing a completely new Warzone map that is set in the Pacific and will tie into Vanguard in some form. This map won't be ready to launch in November but will instead be coming at a later (currently unknown) date. 

And, if you're a somewhat unethical gamer, you can use a Warzone VPN to spoof your location to avoid SBMM and prey on lower-ranked players.

Call of Duty Vanguard PS5 features

Sledgehammer has recently detailed some PS5 exclusive features that take full advantage of the console's DualSense controller. In a PlayStation Blog post, the developer explained that the tech-stuffed controller will "elevate the sense of immersion and bring an array of tactile experiences to different weapons in the game."

This will be primarily achieved thanks to the Dualsense adaptive triggers, which make the feeling of firing each weapon noticeably different. "Our goal in Call of Duty: Vanguard was to simulate the trigger weight of real-world weapons, and to give the player the opportunity to find the trigger pull that works for them in the game," the blog post reads. 

The gameplay experience will be further enhanced by the DualSense haptic feedback which can simulate enemy fire destroying your cover or an airplane performing a bombing run on your location. According to Sledgehammer, “you will feel the action happening around you pulse through your hands and traverse up your arms.” It all sounds very next-gen.  

These features could theoretically come to PC as well, as the DualSense is computable with gaming PCs. However, Xbox Series X players will, unfortunately, miss out. One benefit that will come to both consoles (and PC) is the game's significantly reduced install size, which has also been confirmed via Twitter. 

Call of Duty Vanguard outlook 

It’s been rumored for months that behind the scenes the development of Call of Duty Vanguard has been troubled. You wouldn’t know that judging by the slick reveal presentation, the highly cinematic trailers, and the generally very polished beta. 

Vanguard has the advantage of being the sole high-profile historical shooter releasing this year, whereas the competition is more futuristic in tone. However, Battlefield 2042 is promising to really push next-gen hardware with the inclusion of 128-player matches. Sledgehammer has yet to show off anything as impressive. Hopefully, there are still a few surprises to come on launch day.  

Regardless, there are several reasons to be excited about Call of Duty Vanguard but also some potential issues that have us a little concerned about the game's prospects. We'll have to wait until next month to definitively call this one. 

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Activision has detailed how Call of Duty Vanguard will utilize the unique features of the PS5 DualSense controller. It's also been confirmed that the game’s storage footprint will be significantly smaller than previous installments in the juggernaut shooter series on next-gen consoles and PC. 

Vanguard’s DualSense features have been fully unveiled in a post on the PlayStation Blog. Developer Sledgehammer Games has explained that the tech-stuffed PS5 controller will “elevate the sense of immersion and bring an array of tactile experiences to different weapons in the game.” 

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In plain English, this means firing each weapon will feel different thanks to the DualSense adaptive triggers. The blog post reads: “Our goal in Call of Duty: Vanguard was to simulate the trigger weight of real-world weapons, and to give the player the opportunity to find the trigger pull that works for them in the game.”

As you'd expect, the DualSense features will be exclusive to Sony's latest gaming console. This could make the PS5 version of the game the definitive Call of Duty Vanguard experience on console, but we'll have to wait until we get our hands on the game next month before we can make that final judgment. 

There are several stages of trigger pull in Vanguard from the “take-up”, the distance a trigger travels once a player starts to press it. Then there’s the “break”, which is the point at which a shot is fired once enough pressure is applied. This is followed by the “over-travel” which is how far the trigger pulls after the breakpoint, and finally, the “trigger reset”, which stops automatic firing and resets the break. 

“It’s at the “break” stage that the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers apply varying degrees of feedback to help create the feeling of weight on the trigger. This feedback is applied differently for different weapons, creating a more accurate sense of trigger weight for each,” the blog post continues. 

The gameplay experience will be further enhanced by the DualSense haptic feedback which can simulate enemy fire destroying your cover or an airplane performing a bombing run on your location. According to Sledgehammer, “you will feel the action happening around you pulse through your hands and traverse up your arms.” It all sounds very next-gen.  

Last year’s Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War also supported DualSense features, but it appears that Vanguard is taking things up a level. This isn’t the only area where Vanguard aims to improve upon its predecessor. It’s also been confirmed that the game will demand less storage space than recent Call of Duty titles. 

Call of Duty games have become infamous for demanding huge amounts of storage space. For example, Black Ops Cold War’s file size has ballooned to more than 200GB after a year of regular updates. When you consider that the PS5 only has a mere 667GB of useable storage space as standard, that’s almost a third of the console’s base hard drive required to play just one game.  

Thankfully, this looks to be a problem of the past. The official Call of Duty Twitter account posted that “new on-demand texture streaming tech [is] expected to save up to 30%-50%+ on next-gen console and PC.” This announcement has been warmly received by the Call of Duty community. Vanguard's smaller storage requirements will benefit players on both PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Call of Duty Vanguard is set to launch on November 5 on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC, with a version for last-gen consoles also releasing on that date. It’s set to compete in a crowded shooter market this winter with both Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite also launching before the end of the year. 

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The release of Call of Duty: Vanguard is only a couple of weeks away, and publisher Activision has confirmed exactly when eager players can jump into the action.

As shown in a brand new trailer, on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One, the game will be playable from 12 a.m. ET on November 5 which is 9 p.m. PT on November 4 for gamers on the West Coast. For players outside of North America, the game will unlock at midnight local time on November 5. The launch timing for the PC version hasn’t been announced yet.

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In order to begin playing at the exact minute Call of Duty: Vanguard goes live, you will need to have digitally pre-loaded the game. This feature isn’t available yet on either PlayStation or Xbox but should go live at least a few days before launch. If you opt to buy the game physically, then you’ll be at the whim of postal delivery or retail store opening hours.   

Confirmation of these launch timings will come as welcome news to Call of Duty fans desperate to jump into the latest installment in the long-running series. This year’s entry, Vanguard, returns the franchise to its WWII roots and will offer three distinct gameplay modes: multiplayer, campaign and Zombies.

All three modes are highlighted in the recently released Call of Duty: Vanguard launch trailer. This short sizzle-reel-style trailer shows off some intense multiplayer action, the narrative-driven campaign, and the latest take on the much-loved Zombies horde mode. It’s definitely got us counting down the days until we can jump into the fray ourselves. 

The trailer also further confirms that Call of Duty’s free-to-play battle royale title, Warzone, will be getting a suite of fresh content that ties into Vanguard. The most substantial of which will be an entirely new map, called Pacific. Although this new arena won’t be available in time for Vanguard’s launch. 

The final quarter of 2021 is promising to be an exciting time for shooter fans. Not only is Call of Duty: Vanguard launching on November 5, but it’s closely followed by the release of Battlefield 2042 on November 19 and Halo Infinite on December 8. 

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The Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer reveal was held last night, and the near 30-minute showcase of the game’s suite of online modes seriously grabbed my attention. I’ve gone from being fairly nonplussed about the latest entry in the long-running shooter franchise to being actively excited to get my hands on Call of Duty Vanguard. 

The live-streamed event began with Greg Reisdorf, multiplayer creative director at Sledgehammer Games, explaining that Vanguard will be “taking historical liberties and risks to deliver something fun.” This is quite a change from Sledgehammer’s last stab at the series, Call of Duty: WWII, which was a fairly traditional video game depiction of the global conflict. 

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Following this brief introduction was the premier of a high-octane reveal trailer featuring some actual gameplay. Afterward, we got around 20 minutes of pretty dry developer interviews. These interview segments were interspersed primarily with footage from the trailer we’d already seen; that was slightly disappointing.  

Nevertheless, the multiplayer reveal trailer has dramatically changed my initial opinion of the game. With Vanguard’s focus on “untraditional, gritty, antiheroes from every front of the war” and the tone presented in the trailer, it looks almost like a playable Quentin Tarantino movie — there’s even an operative wielding a baseball bat.   

In the ongoing Battlefield 2042 vs Call of Duty Vanguard war the former very much had my support, but now I’m edging towards neutral territory. Battlefield 2042 definitely looks like the more next-gen game at this stage, but Vanguard could have it beat when it comes to the amount of content available at launch. 

After the reveal event, an article was uploaded to the PlayStation Blog giving even more Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer details. The post confirmed that the game will offer 20 maps at a launch — 16 for the traditional multiplayer and four for the new Champion Hill mode. That’s an awful lot of maps on day one, especially compared to its biggest rival. 

Combat Pacing, a brand new inclusion for the Call of Duty series, has also been detailed. This feature will give players more control over how each match plays by selecting one of three pacing categories: Tactical, Assault, and Blitz. The classic Call of Duty experience can be found by selecting Tactical, but Assault and Blitz will allow you up the ante, with the latter even increasing the player count for a more fast and frenetic experience.

This feature could be a gamechanger, allowing players to find a setting that best suits their playstyle. There’s often debate in the Call of Duty community when a new installment launches about whether the game plays too fast or too slow. But Combat Pacing should hopefully appease all players. 

Call of Duty Vanguard will also have all the expected trappings of a CoD online suite. From the expanded Gunsmith for weapon customization to a diverse group of playable Operators, who will all have unique abilities and attributes alongside an extended background told through unique dialogue. All the features long-time players expect will seemingly be there at launch. 

Perhaps Vanguard isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it looks like a very polished take on the Call of Duty multiplayer experience that has dominated gaming for over a decade. Thankfully, the PlayStation Early Access Beta kicks off this Friday so it’ll only be a matter of days before we can all jump into the fray ourselves. 

Call of Duty Vanguard is currently scheduled to release on November 5 on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC, as well as last-gen consoles. It will include not only a broad range of online modes but also a full single-player campaign, a co-operative Zombies mode, and deep integration with free-to-play smash Call of Duty Warzone. 

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Call of Duty Vanguard is set to launch this November, but eager players won’t have to wait till then to get hands-on as an exclusive Alpha is taking place on PS5 and PS4 this weekend, as confirmed by the PlayStation Blog.  

Running from Friday, August 27 until Sunday, August 29, the Call of Duty Vanguard Alpha will give participants access to the new Champions Hill mode. This mode is described as a “multi-arena survival tournament where tactics and strategy combine with quick-action, close-quarter gunplay.” 

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The mode can be played in either Duo (2v2) or Trio (3v3), and will see your squad compete against seven others in a round-robin tournament to claim victory. It should be a fairly intense mode that appears to be rather reminiscent of Gunfight from 2019’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare. 

Participating in the Call of Duty Vanguard Alpha won’t just let you experience the game ahead of release. You’ll also get an exclusive Calling Card and Emblem in the Vanguard upon its full release as well as having access to these customization items in Call of Duty Warzone later this year. 

While Call of Duty Vanguard will be releasing on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC, the Alpha is exclusively available on PS5 and PS4. Fear not if you don’t play on PlayStation, a beta will be held before November that is expected to be available across platforms. 

How to play the Call of Duty Vanguard Alpha 

Taking part in the Call of Duty Vanguard Alpha is extremely easy. For starters, there are no additional requirements to get involved. You don’t have to pre-order the game, or even have a PlayStation Plus membership, it’s open to all players on PS5 and PS4. 

The Alpha is scheduled to begin from August 27 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) and will run until the same time on August 29. However, you can already pre-load the client so that when the Alpha starts you can immediately jump straight into the action. 

If you already own Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Call of Duty Warzone or Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, then you can access the Alpha from the main menu of these titles. Just select the Vanguard Alpha blade, which is located to the far left of the main menu screen. Clicking this option will take you directly to the PlayStation Store to begin downloading the Aphla client.

If you don’t own any of those previous Call of Duty games or don’t have them currently installed on your system, the Alpha can be accessed from the PlayStation Store. Just search for Call of Duty Vanguard Alpha on either the PS4 and PS5 and it should appear instantly. 

Alternatively, you can begin the download process from a PC or mobile device, using either this link for the PS5 version or this link for the PS4 version. Once you’ve redeemed the Alpha on your PSN account it will be accessible from the Game Library section of your console.  

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Call of Duty Vanguard is real and coming this November. After months of internet speculation and quite a few leaks, this year's entry in the popular shooter franchise has been confirmed as a return to the series WWII roots. 

There’s plenty to be excited about with Vanguard. For starters, the game is built on the same engine as 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which means it’ll probably be downright gorgeous to look at. Plus, with shooter-rivals Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite focusing on the future, Call of Duty looks set to corner the market on big-budget historical shooters this holiday season. 

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While most of what we know about Call of Duty Vanguard has our hype levels rising high, there are a few tidbits that aren’t quite as exciting. In particular, the rumored return of a dreaded feature; if true, its inclusion could spell disaster for the game’s multiplayer. 

We’re expecting to learn more about Vanguard in the coming weeks, not to mention being able to try it out for ourselves in the upcoming PlayStation-exclusive Alpha (kicking off August 27). Until then, these are the three reasons we’re very excited for Call of Duty Vanguard, and two that have us a little worried. 

Reasons to be excited #1: War on all fronts 

It’s been confirmed that Call of Duty Vanguard will take place across four theatres of war: the Western front, the Eastern front, North Africa, and the South Pacific. 

This is significant as previous big-budget WWII games, including 2017’s Battlefield 5, have neglected to include some prominent locations from the conflict. Call of Duty Vanguard isn’t making that same mistake and seems to be attempting to cover almost the full breadth of the war across both single-player and multiplayer.

This is definitely an ambitious aim, and it could prove a stretch too far for the developer Sledgehammer Games. But if pulled off successfully, it could result in Call of Duty Vanguard becoming the definitive WWII shooter. 

Reasons to be excited #2: Treyarch on Zombies 

While Sledgehammer Games is taking the development lead on Call of Duty Vanguard, the Zombies mode will be handled by fellow-Activision owned studio Treyarch. 

Any long-time Call of Duty players will be aware of Treyarch’s pedigree when it comes to the popular co-op mode. The Santa Monica-based studio introduced the world to Zombies in 2008’s Call of Duty World at War and since then it has been the primary custodian of the surprisingly deep lore that surrounds the mode. 

Furthermore, Vanguard’s Zombie mode will reportedly tie into the Dark Aether story told in last year’s Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War (which Treyarch lead development on). This should result in much-need continuity across the mode, the lack of which has often been a problem when a non-Treyarch studio has attempted to tackle Zombies. 

Reasons to be excited #3: Full single-player campaign 

Sure, most people play Call of Duty for the multiplayer but the value of a full single-player campaign shouldn’t be underestimated. Especially when you consider that rival shooter Battlefield 2042 is forgoing any form of campaign mode in favor of focusing purely on online. 

Call of Duty Vanguard's traditional single-player campaign will ensure the game feels like a complete package. Not to mention that the last two Call of Duty games had remarkably strong campaigns as well. Hopefully, Vanguard can continue the streak. 

Yes, we’ll likely be spending the majority of our playtime online, but a Call of Duty campaign is usually pure blockbuster entertainment. Maybe not the deepest experience, but a heck of a lot of fun. We’re glad that Vanguard hasn’t pulled a Black Ops 4 and omitted a campaign entirely. 

Reasons to be worried #1: SBMM is (likely) back 

It’s probably the news that every Call of Duty fan dreaded, but according to a leak from earlier this year, skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) will be returning for Call of Duty Vanguard. 

We like the idea of SBMM in concept. The feature aims to match players up based on skill level, to prevent a newbie from being pitted against a pro player and being hopelessly outgunned. In practice, it often leads to frustration. 

The feature has been a little too sensitive in the previous few Call of Duty titles. Have an above-average game and you’ll be moved up into the next skill-based bracket and find yourself outmatched by players of much higher abilities. 

We’re not saying Sledgehammer should ditch SBMM, as there’s nothing fun about being the victim of a blowout at the hands of a player with far more skill and experience than you, but it definitely needs to be tweaked in Vanguard.  

Reasons to be worried #2: Lack of next-gen features 

It’s been confirmed that Battlefield 2042’s flagship feature, 128-player matches, will be reserved exclusively for next-gen consoles and PC. In contrast, Call of Duty Vanguard has yet to reveal anything that will push the PS5 and Xbox Series X. 

While we’d expect the standard next-gen functionality (faster loading, better resolution etc.) the apparent lack of true next-gen features is disappointing. Call of Duty Vanguard could end up feeling more like a polished PS4/Xbox One game on next-gen hardware, rather than a game that really takes advantage of the increased power of these consoles. 

By the time Vanguard launches the PS5 and Xbox Series X will be almost a year old, so there’s no excuse for the game not to feel like a true next-gen experience. Hopefully, there is more to be announced on this front. 

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Call of Duty Vanguard has been officially confirmed as the 2021 installment of the annual first-person shooter franchise. While the name and some details were leaked weeks ago, this is the first time that publisher Activision has officially shown off this year’s game. 

The latest entry in the wildly popular series was announced on Monday, when the official Call of Duty Twitter account posted a short trailer. Running barely two minutes long, this is definitely a teaser trailer, but it finally confirms what online leaks have suggested for a while now: the game will be titled Call of Duty Vanguard and will seemingly be set during World War II. 

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The live-action trailer gives very little away beyond that. However, it does show off four unique locations, which gives us a potential hint at the various settings in which the game will take place. Each one also features a face hidden in the background; these could be the members of the titular Vanguard.

Key art for the game was also revealed, focusing on four soldiers in the heat of battle. It seems likely that these mystery characters will have an important role to play in Call of Duty Vanguard. Perhaps they'll be unique character classes in multiplayer, or they might feature prominently in the game's single-player campaign (if it has one).

A worldwide reveal for Call of Duty Vanguard is set to take place on August 19 at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT / 6:30 p.m. BST) during a special event within Call of Duty Warzone, the hugely popular free-to-play online battle royale game. Last year’s Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War had its grand unveiling within Warzone, too. 

It’s also been confirmed that as per previous rumors, Call of Duty Vanguard is being developed by Sledgehammer Games. The developer previously took the lead on 2015’s Call of Duty Advanced Warfare and 2017’s Call of Duty WWII. The latter was the last time the Call of Duty franchise featured a World War II setting. The most recent games in the series have all been set during the Cold War, the present day, or the near future. 

No release date or platform information has been revealed as of yet. However, based on the annualized nature of the Call of Duty franchise, we can assume the game will launch in either October or November of this year. As for platforms, it’ll almost certainly be available on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC, with PS4 and Xbox One versions likely as well. 

Call of Duty Vanguard will face stiff competition for the attention of online shooter players this fall, as both Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite are scheduled to release before the year is out. Though perhaps the game’s historical setting will help it stand out compared with its more futuristic contemporaries. 

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Call of Duty: Warzone can finally be played in 120 frames per second on PS5. This fps boost finally comes to Sony’s next-gen console around seven months after Xbox Series X players got access to it. 

Surprisingly publisher Activision didn’t formally announce this significant upgrade, and the inclusion of a 120 fps on PS5 was only discovered buried within the latest set of Call of Duty: Warzone patch notes. Nevertheless, the feature is now live and can be enabled by players on PS5 — provided they have an HDMI 2.1 cable and a 120 hz compatible television.  

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In a multiplayer shooter like Warzone, fast reactions are everything. Even a moment of lag or a couple of dropped frames can lead to your elimination. Therefore, PlayStation gamers have been requesting 120 fps for months. So it’s good news that the Warzone development team has finally managed to get the option onto PS5. 

The reason it’s taken so long appears to be due to how the PS5 handles backwards compatibility. Call of Duty: Warzone is technically a PS4 game, there isn’t a native PS5 version. Developers of the multiplayer hit Rocket League have previously stated to Eurogamer that enabling 120 fps on PS5 “requires a full native port” while it’s just a “minor patch” on Xbox Series X due to the console’s smart delivery system. 

However, it seems the Warzone development team has found a suitable solution to the PS5’s limitations, which brings the version on Sony’s console up to parity with the one on Microsoft’s bulky black box. If you’re wondering how to enable Warzone's 120 fps mode on PS5 we’ve got all you need to know down below.

How to enable 120 fps in Call of Duty Warzone on PS5 

In order to enable 120 fps on Warzone on PS5, aside from a copy of the game and the console itself (check out our PS5 restock guide), you will need an HDMI 2.1 cable and a television/monitor that sports a 120Hz refresh rate. 

Once you’ve got all the equipment you need, head to the PS5 system settings. Go to the Screen and Video tab, then select Video Output, and from this submenu set Enable 120Hz Output to automatic.

Now go back to the main settings menu and click Saved Data and Game/App Settings. In the Game Presets submenu ensure that Performance Mode is set to default.

Once you’ve done all that next time you boot up Call of Duty; Warzone you will be able to play in 120 fps. Previously the game ran at 60 fps, so you should immediately notice the difference that a doubling of the framerate offers.

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In an announcement that has shocked absolutely nobody, Activision has confirmed it will be publishing a new Call of Duty game this year. What is news, however, is that developer of the latest entry in the juggernaut shooter franchise has been revealed to be Sledgehammer Games. 

Notoriously, Call of Duty games cycle between multiple developers in order to ensure a new installment can be released annually. Call of Duty 2021 will see Sledgehammer return to helm the franchise after previously taking development lead on 2017’s Call of Duty: WWII and 2014’s Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The studio has also worked in a support capacity for Infinity Ward and Treyarch on more recent Call of Duty games. 

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This information was announced during Activision’s Q1 earnings call, with Activision bosses claiming that the game is “looking great” and “on track” for release this fall. That may come as a relief to Call of Duty fans, as behind the scene whispers have suggested the 2021 entry in the series has faced a very rocky development road. 

The game is confirmed to include a full campaign, as well as multiplayer (duh!) and some form of co-op mode. The game will also “integrate with and enhance the existing Call of Duty ecosystem." 

Cutting through the marketing speak, this likely refers to the game’s compatibility with Call of Duty: Warzone. It’s likely the free-to-play battle royal mode will undergo themed changes to tie in with the new game as happened with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

During the earnings call, it was also stated that the game is built as a “next-generation experience." This could mean that the game opts to release exclusively for the PS5 and Xbox Series X on console, skipping the PS4 and Xbox One entirely. Although seeing as Call of Duty didn’t abandon the PS3 and Xbox 360 until they were two years out-of-date, we’d be surprised to see the series committing solely to next-gen just yet. 

Little else is known about Call of Duty 2021, although a persistent rumor claims that it will be called Call of Duty: WWII Vanguard, and could feature an alternate history take on World War II. 

Seeing as Sledgehammer developed Call of Duty: WWII, it would make sense for them to handle a sequel. Activision may however want to go with something completely fresh in order to compete with Battlefield 6 which is also scheduled to launch this year. 

The earnings call also revealed that Call of Duty continues to be a gaming behemoth. With 150 million active monthly users across all supported Call of Duty titles. So don’t expect the annualized entries in the series to go away anytime soon, there will almost certainly be a new Call of Duty every year for the foreseeable future. 

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Call of Duty: Warzone has finally nuked the Verdansk map, but it's not over yet. The limited-time event is getting a second part that's set to kick off later today.

Verdansk's 1980s makeover leaked earlier this month, with Activision officially teasing the nuking event last week. A nuclear blast incinerated the map on April 21, shortly before the Season 3 update rolled out. Activision extended the event for an extra hour for players who missed the original window due to server issues. (Make sure you show up nice and early for part 2.)

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The second part of the Call of Duty: Warzone Verdansk event is set to take place today, April 22, at 12pm PT/ 3pm ET / 8pm BST / 9pm CEST. In the meantime, you can log into the game after downloading the latest update to kick off Season 3. 

Players are limited to Rebirth Island for now, so it's likely we won't see Verdansk in all of its '80s glory until the event has run its course. Hopefully, the servers will hold up for today's events. But if there are any issues, we may get extra time to complete the event, just like last time.

The latest Call of Duty: Warzone update is jam-packed with all kinds of things, and not just a map refresh. This 25 GB patch features the new Hunt for Adler limited-time event, which is tied to challenges in both Warzone and Black Ops Cold War. There are three new operators, six new weapons and four multiplayer maps for Cold War. 

If Warzone's Verdansk update is the only thing you're interested in, you can follow the teasers over on the Call of Duty Twitter account.  

If you're playing Call of Duty: Warzone, and/or Black Ops Cold War on PC, there's another update you absolutely shouldn't sleep on. Both titles have just received a DLSS boost for gamers with Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs. The update should grant a 70% boost in performance at 4K.

Alternatively, you can opt to "reinvest the extra performance in higher detail levels and higher rendering resolutions, which will help you spot distant targets, and make gameplay prettier and more immersive," according to Activision.

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Call of Duty players with an Nvidia Geforce RTX graphics card are in for DLSS boost. Call of Duty: Warzone, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare are just two of five titles adopting Nvidia's tech, and the update is available right now.

Nvidia announced the update is coming to both Call of Duty games, as well as Outriders, Mortal Shell, and Naraka: Bladepoint. Turning on DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) will upscale the resolution and accelerate framerates. This means a smoother gameplay experience that can still churn out those high-quality effects like ray tracing.

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You can enable Nvidia DLSS in your respective game's options menu. It applies to Call of Duty: Warzone, and Modern Warfare's multiplayer modes, as well as Modern Warfare’s co-op Spec Ops mode. You can also switch it on for Modern Warfare's campaign, as well as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Zombies, multiplayer, and campaign mode. 

Nvidia said it'll boost performance on its GeForce RTX graphics cards by 70% at 4K, but adds that you can "reinvest the extra performance in higher detail levels and higher rendering resolutions, which will help you spot distant targets, and make gameplay prettier and more immersive."

The benchmarks for Call of Duty: Warzone are over on the Nvidia blog, but the graphics giant hasn't posted the details for Modern Warfare. There are benchmarks for the other three titles that are getting the DLSS boost, as well as comparison videos for them. You can also check out the difference between Warzone in native 4K and DLSS 4K in the video comparison above. 

Call of Duty: Warzone players are kicking off Season 3 this week with a hefty 25GB update. The Verdansk map has finally been nuked, after leaked map footage suggested it was on the cards. Activision teased the live event last week, which has been split into two parts. The second half of the event is set to take place later today.

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Call of Duty: Warzone is now officially barreling towards the end times, with Activision teasing the impending nuking of the Verdansk map. 

The event isn't a surprise by any means, and the new map has already been leaked, but we have a date courtesy of the publisher: April 21.

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The date for the map revamp was pegged for April 21 or April 22, based on the end of Warzone season 2. Now the official Call of Duty Twitter account has confirmed the date and time of the apocalyptic event: April 21, 12 p.m. PT/ 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST.

It was just a couple of weeks ago that we saw new map footage leak, showing off an 1980s makeover for Verdansk. The update will bring the Warzone map in line with Black Ops, and will be ushered in with a healthy peppering of missiles transforming the landscape. 

We've already seen them whizzing about overhead, and crashing into the ground, although it's had zero effect on the terrain so far. Whether someone pulled the trigger early behind the scenes, or it's a legitimate tease, we don't know, but the end is most definitely nigh.

While Activision hasn't officially dropped any details on the changes coming to the map, its frantic attempt at damage control in the wake of the map leaks are telling. The company was spitting out Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) strikes against leakers on Twitter, as well as games journalists and websites reporting on the news. It's not the first time Activision has poured fuel on the fire when a leak has slipped out; it did the same thing last year when updates leaked ahead of official word. 

All Activision has managed to do is confirm the validity of the leaks by swinging its DMCAs around, but we won't have to wait long to see them come to fruition. Keep a weather eye on Verdansk next week in the run up to the nuke event. We're sure it'll be an explosive reveal.  

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Call of Duty: Warzone will be heading back to the 80s, according to a leaked trailer which shows off the updated map. The footage , which seems to come from an unfinished trailer, show a new look for Verdansk. It could mean this is more of a makeover rather than entirely new content. 

Previous reports had said that the current season would be the last on the Verdansk map. The plan was always for the game to move into an 80s theme, which would put Warzone in line with Black Ops, rather than being more associated with Modern Warfare. Back in February the existing map was updated with things hinting at changes, including a zombie terminal in the missile silo and a shipwreck. 

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The promotional trailer was originally posted to a Twitter account On Thin Ice. The account posted an apology today and removed the video after Activision started spurting out copyright takedowns over the unfinished footage. The video still seems to be live on Reddit’s Warzone sub. Another Twitter user shared a compilation of some of the key locations in the new Warzone map, which seem to have been left up.

However Activision’s haste seems to have confirmed this leak is real. Indeed VGC and its writer Andy Robinson both had their Twitter accounts locked after posting the about this leak. Robinson points out that Activision did the same thing last year for tweeting about upcoming updates that hadn't been officially announced. Activision is clearly happy to "Barbra Streisand" itself, internet parlance to mean that attempted online censorship only does more to broadcast a message, with these spurious DMCA takedowns against journalists reporting information. 

Activision's copyright shenanigans aside, some players have responded to the leak with incredulity, seemingly quite annoyed that the game isn’t getting an entirely new map for this season, which starts on April 22. 

The professional salt miners over at Reddit said “So not only are we not getting a second BR map, all we're getting is just Verdansk 2.0 with less stuff?” Part of this disappointment could have been related to earlier leaks suggesting that the updated arena would be a stitched-together combination of the Black Ops Cold War fireteam maps.

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Call of Duty players looking to pick up the newest installment in the franchise this year are in for more of the same when it comes to multiplayer. The series' controversial skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) is said to be coming back for the third year in a row.

The tip comes from a Call of Duty leaker Tom Henderson, who delved into reports that the game will take place in an alternate universe WW2 that "doesn't end." This opens up the door for all kinds of fresh takes on the gameplay, with the devs not constricted by the need for historical accuracy.  

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In the thread, Henderson tells his followers to "keep in mind that this game will have SBMM," which he's clearly not a fan of — and neither is the community at large. SBMM first rolled out in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, as well as its free-to-play battle royale spinoff, Call of Duty: Warzone. 

While SBMM works out great for new players, matching them with other fresh-faced shooter fans, veteran players are less enthused. The critique is that the feature should be saved for ranked play, and not casual multiplayer where it can spoil the fun somewhat. 

Last year's Black Ops Cold War also relies on SBMM, although Treyarch's Martin Donlon says Call of Duty SBMM is only "one of many many tuneable parameters in a matchmaking system." In a Twitter thread last year, Donlon revealed that SBMM has been present in a number of Call of Duty titles over the years, with SBMM just being a single component of how the system matches players. 

To what extent it will be present in Call of Duty 2021, Henderson didn't say, but it's likely that SBMM will be utilised to some degree, given its presence in so many CoD titles over the years. 

Of course, if you're feeling put off, you can always give Battlefield 6 some consideration. While CoD is staying somewhat rooted in the past — albeit an alternative timeline — Battlefield 6 is bringing the game back to a more modern setting. 

Both titles are expected to launch around the holiday 2021 window, so you've got plenty of time to decide which one is for you.

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Activision has released a new high-resolution texture pack for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the free-to-play Battle Royale spinoff Warzone. 

The pack is available on both PS5 and PS4 Pro, as well as Xbox Series X. Weighing in at around 8GB, the upgrade promises to give the first-person shooter a visual sot in the arm.

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“This pack supports the most detailed textures for weapons and Operator in Modern Warfare and Warzone,"  the listing on the PSN store reads. 

It’s also “recommended only for PS4 Pro and PS5 players with high-resolution displays.” So if you’re playing on a base PS4 or don't have your console plugged into a 4K display then you can give this optional pack a miss, though we imagine the latter category is quite small. 

Unfortunately for PlayStation players this patch is purely a texture resolution bump and doesn’t bring the much-demanded 120 frames per second upgrade that fans have been calling for. The Xbox Series X version of the game already supports 120 fps. 

It’s curious that Activision is upgrading 2019’s Modern Warfare when last year’s Black Ops Cold War is the most current iteration of the popular shooter series. Typically once a new Call of Duty is released the previous year’s game is considered complete and put out to pasture.  

Of course, as the still supported Warzone spinoff runs off Modern Warfare’s launcher and shares the same core mechanics, the two games have become almost twined. It’s likely that the developers were able to upgrade both simultaneously rather than having to put any additional work into upgrade Modern Warfare itself.  

They won’t be paired for much longer however as Activision has already confirmed that during the next season of play, Warzone will be moving from its original Verdansk map and transitioning to a new area that ties in with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. 

It’s likely that this texture pack is the last serious update we’ll see for the rebooted Modern Warfare, which is a great shame as it's a fantastic title in our opinion and retains a very dedicated community to this day. 

More Call of Duty patches to download might come as a nasty surprise for those still running the base PS4, as it was already seen that installing all of Black Ops Cold War, Modern Warfare and Warzone might be too much for an original PS4 to handle. At least this one is optional. 

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Gaming online can be great fun, but sometimes you just can’t beat playing split-screen alongside a buddy sit on the sofa right next to you.

While games that support local multiplayer have become something of a rare breed in recent years, Sony is taking the opportunity to highlight the range of local co-op experiences that can be had on the PS5 with a new trailer.

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Running exactly one minute in length, the trailer shows off some of the best local multiplayer games on the console including FIFA 21, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Dirt 5. 

Frighteningly-realistic Basketball sim NBA 2K21 and charming puzzler Overcooked: All You Can Eat are also highlighted in the sizzle reel. 

Interspersed with the b-roll for each game are animated graphics showing off the unique capabilities of the PS5's DualSense controller. From the haptic feedback to the adaptive triggers, these are functions that not even the Xbox Series X controller can match.

Haptic vibration feedback is especially notable in FIFA 21 in which you’ll literally feel the ball crashes off the crossbar after a powerful shot, whereas the adaptive triggers really shine in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War as firing each gun feels different thanks to a varying degree of trigger resistance.

It’s most certainly a slickly put-together trailer, and we’re very glad to see that Sony is keen to highlight the local multiplayer experiences available on the PS5 console — couch co-op deserved more love last generation.

It’s a tad disappointing however that the trailer only highlights games that launched alongside the PS5 back in November 2020. There is no footage of any upcoming games to speak of, which is a shame as it would have been nice to know that local multiplayer has a strong future on the console.

Nevertheless, it’s pleasing to see such a beloved feature given some attention in the latest round of PlayStation marketing material.

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Your vanilla PS4's 500GB hard disc drive could struggle to store all of what most-recent Call of Duty games have to offer. 

Developer Activision has warned users that with fully-updated versions of Black Ops Cold War, Modern Warfare and Warzone, your PS5 might not have space for anything else; if you can even fit all the updates in the first place. There is a solution to the problem though. 

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The 500GB PS4 only has 407GB of usable hard drive space. If you have both games fully updated, and complete with all modes and packs installed, the new Season 2 update may be too much for your poor console to handle. 

If you have a 1TB PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro then Call of Duty's hefty game sizes won't be such a problem, but you'd still need to give up a large amount of HDD space. 

For reference, the Black Ops Cold War update is 10.5GB on the console, while the Warzone update is 17.9GB. Those are some hefty updates and mean the two already-bloated games are taking up even more space.

Activision has suggested users delete some “unused Game Content” if they want to successfully install both patches later tonight, with instructions on how to do it.

How to delete unnecessary PS4 Call of Duty content

In Black Ops Cold War you want to press R3 when you’re on the main menu, and head to File Management. You’ll then be able to delete content you don’t need anymore.

On Modern Warfare/Warzone you want to hit Options on the main menu, then the General tab. Scroll down to Game Installs and you’ll be able to pick and choose what content you want to get rid of.

Activision has only singled out PS4 owners, however, and it’s not clear how Call of Duty’s massive storage requirements will affect those playing on a 500GB Xbox One or Xbox One S. Their updates are even bigger than the PS4’s, needing 15.3GB for Black Ops, and 17.9GB for Warzone. 

In any case, it appears as the process for deleting redundant content is similar to that of Microsoft’s consoles.

Of course, none of this would be necessary if Call of Duty file sizes weren’t so astronomically big. Plenty of other games, including those with next-gen visuals, rarely reach the 100GB mark. 

This might also be the final straw and see you decide you want a PS5 or Xbox Series X. In that case, check out our PS5 restock update tracker article and our where to buy Xbox Series X hub

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