The voice actress of the next Need for Speed accidentally leaks that it is a remake of the franchises most beloved game by fans.
For some time now the most reliable source of leaks are the voice actors who are not aware of what has been announced or not of their upcoming works. Without clear NDAs, or not giving them much importance, not a month goes by without a voice actor giving us information about a project we didn’t know about, whether it’s a new installment of an already recognized franchise, as has happened with the new Call of Duty, or as is the case, the remake of an acclaimed title. Because to the delight of many, it seems that Need for Speed: Most Wanted will be back in 2024.
Simone Bailly, who voiced one of the characters in the original game -which gives us to understand that it is a remake of the 2005 version, not the 2012 one-, put in a now deleted tweet that a remake of Need for Speed: Most Wanted Remake would arrive in 2024. Citing Criterion Games and EA, there is no doubt that this was a mistake on the part of the actress, who thought that the game had already been announced, which gives us a hint that the future of this famous car game is coming in curves.
The original Need for Speed: Most Wanted was published in 2005 and was developed by EA Canada and the now defunct EA Black Box. It appeared for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Nintendo DS, PC, Game Boy Advance and Xbox 360, having a remarkable reception at the time. In 2012, Criterion Games, who would probably be in charge of this remake since EA has again commissioned them the Need for Speed after they made the last four prior to Need for Speed Unbound to the people of Ghost Games, made a reboot of the game that was very well received.
In the absence of official confirmation, it seems clear that next year we will have a new Need for Speed by Criterion Games. In fact, another Need for Speed: Most Wanted. And while we would love to see them making other kinds of games, especially remembering the excellence of their own games like Black or Burnout Paradise, nobody likes a sweet and we look forward to the announcement of this Need for Speed: Most Wanted Remake.
Call of Duty is one of the most played franchises in the world, but what we never expected is that it wasn’t exactly on PC.
Call of Duty is one of the most played games in the world. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. There are people who don’t play video games, they play Call of Duty, and that’s why it’s no wonder that their numbers are absolutely staggering when we think about the number of people playing the franchise’s titles and the number of games they sell. However, what might catch us off guard is the platform where most of these players are. Because it’s not the one that most of us would expect.
Thanks to the testimony of Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, in the FTC trial against Microsoft regarding the purchase of their company, he has provided data, among many other things, about the platforms where Call of Duty is predominantly played. Surprisingly, it is neither PlayStation nor PC. It is mobile devices.
According to the information provided, mobile platforms have the highest number of daily active users for Call of Duty games. With an average of 35.7 million players, the franchise has more users on mobile platforms than all other platforms combined, with 17.5 million on PC, 11.2 million on PlayStation, and 5.6 million on Xbox. This trend is consistent when looking at the monthly active user figures as well. With nearly fifty million monthly active users on mobile devices, reaching 49.98 million, PC falls behind with 24.5 million, PlayStation with 15.68 million, and Xbox with 7.84 million. This explains why Microsoft offered favorable conditions to Sony to acquire Call of Duty: because their largest player base is on mobile devices.
Indeed, this information should be taken with caution. While it is true that it comes from Bobby Kotick and was given under oath in a trial, we do not know to what extent these figures are real or accurate. What we do know is that it gives us a much clearer and more precise picture of what is happening behind the scenes with Call of Duty. While we may have thought that it was primarily a game played on PC, it seems that its main platform all this time has been tablets and mobile phones.
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We all like to play the lone wolf, running into an enemy outpost like Rambo and swinging a chain gun around while yelling “Leroy Jenkins!” It’s the way shooter games may play in our head, but unfortunately it’s not going to net you many wins (and if it does, thank your teammates). The best shooter games take inspiration from actual squad-based combat, and even if at the end of the day you’re still just playing Fortnite or Battlefield, some strategies and maneuvers still bleed into the experience. Here’s our selection of squad-based military tactics that will give you an edge over players, even when the odds are stacked against you.
If you’re a fan of shotguns in video games, you’ll need to stay out of wide, open fields. Likewise, you’ll want to keep far away from close quarters if you’re playing a sharpshooter. Where the fight happens is up to you; avoid running into a place where you’re outnumbered, outmaneuvered, or have poor mobility. Before Napoleon Bonaparte sent off his invading armies, he hired cartographers to sketch maps of enemy settlements and terrain.
Studying this heat map of Outpost from Modern Warfare 3 can shed light on areas to avoid.
Instead, keep to familiar territory where you have a clear advantage. If you’re not sure where that is, look up the map online. Check your loadout. Plan where you want to make your stand. This tactic also works great in games that offer gadgets like thermal vision, smoke grenades, or trip mines. Keep your entrances covered, and outlast your opponents.
2. Use team chat
You know how people like to scream and hurl insults about your mother over game chat? While this is charming you can also use this tool to coordinate a team (provided you can establish the ethos for them to take you seriously). Don’t just use it to call out enemy locations either. In an actual military situation you’d be doing a lot more communicating than shooting, and it’s this way for a reason – knowing is half the battle. Which of your teammates can offer cover fire with a sniper rifle? Does anyone have eyes on the objective? How many enemies are converged over x position? If you know what you’re up against you won’t be understaffed.
“Who needed a carbine? There’s one by me.”
If you’re on a team with some outlandishly good players, but you find you’re still having trouble capturing a territory or completing an objective, it’s probably because your team’s talents aren’t being put in the right places. Stop banging your head against the wall and coordinate an effective push. Take a second to rethink your strategy. There could be a weakness you were too frustrated to see. Re-evaluate and exploit it, this time with numbers behind you!
3. Move in formation
The military deploys its units in small squad formations, and it’s not just because it looks cool. The way your team is positioned can make all the difference once a firefight erupts. Where are you positioned? Where are your teammates positioned? Can you effectively move, react, and shoot as one cohesive unit, or could one well-placed grenade take you all out at once? Know the best time to employ the best shape.
One of the most effective formations in a game like PUBG or Battlefield is the Fire Team Column which positions your squad mates in a parallelogram (the bottom formation pictured below). This is a great shape for controlled mobility in any direction, and also allow for an immediate, reactive counter in case you get ambushed. If you move together and keep moderately spread out you’re forcing your enemies to pick a single target. Once they do, communicate and retaliate as one cohesive unit. It’s also great because you can easily and intuitively switch formations from the Fire Team Column:
4. RTR
RTR stands for React, Take Cover, Return Fire. If you find yourself separated from your team for whatever reason, this is an effective defensive strategy should the enemy gets the drop on you. In a more realistic shooter experience you’re not going to have health bars a mile long, or shields made out of magic. Your best defense is to threaten with your own firepower, and retreat to a more advantageous position. That’s what RTR is all about:
No one likes getting shot at. Go prone and return fire. See how they like it.
When you get shot at, your first reaction may be to run or hide, but it’s actually better to shoot back at the enemy – even if you know you can’t kill them; that’s not what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to get them to stop shooting at you. If you lay down suppressive fire (React) you can buy yourself enough time to do step two (Take Cover). If there isn’t a decent cover to duck behind, crouch down, drop to the ground, or at least zig-zag back and forth. It’s better than standing there doing nothing, and jumping around isn’t as helpful as you’d think. Once you’re in a better spot for avoiding enemy shots, you can take proper aim (Return Fire) from a safer position.
5. Flank
This is a classic ‘hammer and anvil’ tactic employed by the Alexander the Great and the Macedonians. The idea is to keep your opponent preoccupied with an unbreakable force in front, while you’re circling around to hit them with a hard-hitting elite force from behind. It looked something like this:
Flanking is such an overused, obvious tactic that it’s often discarded as a something overly predictable. The whole point of a good flank is that it is unpredictable. If you’re just attacking from two directions at once, you are technically flanking an enemy, but there are ways to do so more effectively: Surrounding and pincering, misdirecting, or attacking from a wholly unexpected angle.
You may have noticed that most of these strategies involve working with a team. Yes, that’s the point. Even if you’ve spent the entire match bad-mouthing your teammates for a having bad K/D, at the end of the day even bad players can group up and at least hold the advantage of numbers – they just need to be properly coordinated. Hop on team chat and start playing the macro game! If they won’t listen and just keep shouting insults about your mother … at least you tried.
From the intergalactic spaceships to the fields of Hyrule, these video game protagonists are absolutely iconic!
No video game is complete without a good protagonist. Sure, cool settings and tense plotlines are great and all, but at the end of the day, all the best stories are about compelling characters. This is even truer in the case of video games; as players, we don’t just watch the stories of these characters, we experience them.
Over the years, the world of gaming has seen more than its fair share of strong heroes, and it’s hard to narrow down such a crowded field to the 10 best. That said, here’s our lineup of gaming’s 10 most iconic heroes.
10 best video game protagonists
Soap MacTavish- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Image courtesy Infinity Ward
Soap beat out Lara Croft from Tomb Raider and Dante from Devil May Cry by just a hair.
When Soap first arrives in the original Call of Duty 4, he’s about as green as it gets. Taken under the wing of the gruff, no-nonsense Captain Price, Soap soon grows into an elite veteran soldier.
In Modern Warfare 2, he’s the commander of his own special operations unit, no longer the raw recruit we first guided through a SAS training run.
By Modern Warfare 3, Soap is a hardened soldier; as players, one of the most gratifying parts of the Modern Warfare series is taking that journey along with Soap. Like him, we start as recruits and end up as hardened professionals.
Gordon Freeman is a man of many talents. Not only can he complete equations complex enough to make your head spin, but he can also stop an alien invasion almost singlehandedly using little more than a crowbar.
Gordon is a scientist-turned-reluctant warrior, and it’s that experience that separates Gordon from the typical gruff FPS protagonist. His background lets us experience different perspectives and encounter some even weirder science along the way.
With more than 100 games spanning multiple systems, it’s undeniable that this intrepid blue adventurer has left his mark on gaming. Mega Man is an originally mild-mannered android that reluctantly takes up arms to defend the world from (usually robotic) threats.
With challenging levels, unique boss battles, and a host of different powerups, Mega Man takes a simple formula and perfects it. He’s a classic hero in every sense of the term.
When we first met Ezio, it was hard to imagine that the mischievous playboy would one day become the most elite and respected assassin of all time. However, throughout several games, he becomes exactly that.
Though the Assassin’s Creed series has its share of strong protagonists, as players we essentially get to live out Ezio’s entire life, from youth to old age. He’s one of the richest and most well-developed characters in the series, and he left an indelible mark on fans around the globe.
Big Boss is as much a philosopher as he is a warrior. Not content to merely fight the wars of others, Big Boss makes it his life purpose to change the world. Though he starts as a young idealist and a true hero, series veterans will know that he eventually ends up as one of the main antagonists of the series.
The Metal Gear Solid prequels allow players to experience Big Boss’s complicated and tragic backstory, and in true Metal Gear fashion, eventually, realize that he may not have been a villain after all.
Heck, his clone is Solid Snake who is another great character that almost made this list. Big Boss is the definition of an iconic character, and he’s a staple in gaming history.
Commander Shepard’s story is your story. Sure, there are a few things out of your control… but as a player, you have a whole galaxy’s worth of choices and decisions at your fingertips. From choosing your appearance, your squad, or how you act in a particular scenario, there are almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to how you want to experience Commander Shepard’s journey. Even though we’re still playing a character, we get to play them exactly the way we want to as players, which makes Commander Shepard an even more powerful and defining hero.
Sorry Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII, there is only room for one pointy-eared swordsman on this list!
Link has seen more than his fair share of action over the years, growing from a few green pixels to the blue-eyed hero we know today. This intrepid adventurer never gives up, no matter what the forces of darkness throw at him. He may sometimes come off as inexperienced, but that just makes him all the more relatable. His tenacity and courage leave an indelible mark on players and fans.
We were close to putting Samus Aran on this list, but Link and a certain someone else from the Super Smash Bros. roster won out overall!
A modern-day Indiana Jones, Nathan Drake has a sharp mind, tenacious attitude, and a wise-crack for every situation. He’s not the typical stalwart hero. He’s got plenty of flaws of his own and is perhaps one of the most relatable characters in gaming. He’s just an ordinary guy facing down extraordinary (and sometimes supernatural) circumstance. That makes him all the more human… and a hell of a lot of fun to play.
The tale of Arthur Morgan is a long one, but completely worth the journey. Despite a laundry list of characters you meet along the way, at the end of the day, Red Dead 2 is Arthur’s story. Arthur Morgan is an outlaw with a gruff exterior and a heart of gold despite his flaws. All he wants is to do what’s right for himself and those he cares about. His story is filled with betrayal, joy, heartbreak, and every emotion in between. When we start the game, Arthur is essentially a stranger to us, but by the time the credits roll, he feels like family, and it’s an exceedingly difficult goodbye.
Was there ever any doubt? The king of gaming’s heroes retains his crown. With adventures spanning worlds, consoles, and many years, this red-shirted plumber does it all with a smile and unflappable positivity. No matter what new evil comes to bear, Mario will do anything to protect those in harm’s way. When you think about a video game character, Mario is probably the first one that comes to mind. Mario is, simply put, the best.
Though humans usually tend to be the stars of most video games, they will occasionally get to share that spotlight with some rather fuzzy cohorts. Whether it be wandering the post-apocalyptic wastes, taking on covert operations, or playing some radical new jams on guitar, video game dogs are every bit as lovable as their real-life counterparts. Here, we’re counting down the 10 best dogs in gaming.
10 coolest dogs in video games
Riley- Call of Duty: Ghosts
Image courtesy Infinity Ward
We were torn between placing Riley on this list or Rush from the Mega Man franchise. However, after we learned more about Riley’s history, we had to give throw this dog a bone.
Riley was, in many ways, a pioneer for pups in modern gaming. The stalwart Riley garnered a fair bit of attention when Call of Duty: Ghosts hit the scene, and since then dogs in gaming have seen a bit of a renaissance. This stalwart German Shepherd acted as an indispensable companion to the Ghost unit, keeping pace through all manner of dangerous missions. That’s not the best part, though: Riley is a real dog, or more accurately, two dogs. Real-life Navy SEAL canines Ruger and Colin provided motion-capture performances for the fictional Riley.
Although the Silent Hill dog did not make this list, another pooch from another great horror franchise did!
Early on in Resident Evil 4, way before you start encountering bloodthirsty villagers and disturbing bioweapons, Leon S. Kennedy will run into a heartbreaking sight. A whimpering wild dog has his back leg caught in a rusty bear trap. Though you do have the option to just walk on past (but seriously, why would you?!), freeing this poor creature will net you some serious good karma. After freeing the dog, he’ll let out a happy bark and limp off into the woods, but will return later to help you in the boss battle against the colossal El Gigante.
Seeing the white-furred pup appear at the bleakest moment of the fight makes us wonder if maybe Gandalf has a secret dog form?
Sif- Dark Souls
Image courtesy From Software
Sif is what some experts might call a “chonky boi,” or alternately, a “big chungus.” This rather large wolf’s size isn’t something to be scoffed at, though. That giant sword that Sif carries around like a chew toy can do some serious damage. Jokes aside, Sif has a tragic backstory: Sif’s master, Artorias, sacrificed himself to protect his loyal companion from the corruption of the Abyss. After rescuing the trapped wolf, you can summon Sif to fight by your side later on.
He’s a dog. He’s got a guitar. He plays some sweet tunes. Is there honestly anything better? K.K. Slider’s legendary jams and smooth attitude have turned him into one of the most iconic characters in the Animal Crossing series. He also uses his music as a tool to fight the man, railing against “industry fat cats” and trying to keep his music as authentic as possible. So, not only is K.K. Slider one groovy pup, but he also might be one of the last musicians with any integrity.
Amaterasu- “Okami”
Image courtesy Capcom
Amaterasu is a dog god… or maybe god dog? Either way, she’s based on an actual figure from Japanese mythology. The star of the colorful and iconic Okami, Amaterasu is trying to put a troubled past behind her, traveling the land to protect the innocent from the demonic forces of darkness. Not only that, but she creates some truly remarkable artwork along the way.
Also, if anyone from Nintendo is listening, we would love to see Amaterasu in Super Smash Bros.
Barbas- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Image courtesy Bethesda
When we first loaded up Skyrim on our Xbox 360, we never would’ve guessed that we would be making a new canine bestie.
Barbas is everyone’s dream made a reality: a bonafide talking dog. Not only does this boy talk, but he’s also got jokes. His sarcasm is about as dry as it comes, and you’ll need to keep some Resist Fire potions on hand to deal with his steady stream of burns.
Sense of humor aside, Barbas is a good friend and companion, but unfortunately, you can’t keep him for long. Eventually, you’ll need to return him to his true master: the Daedric Prince Clavicus Vile, a god-like being who’s basically Skyrim’s version of Loki.
Boomer is four-legged proof that dogs really are man’s best friend. Whether it’s grabbing ammo and supplies from fallen foes, spotting enemies from afar, or ripping their throats out like he’s going after the squeaker in a new toy, Boomer is just about the best furry companion you could ask for. Though Far Cry 5 boasts an animal menagerie that includes a grizzly bear and a puma that you can keep as companions, Boomer is truly the leader of the pack. Such a good boy.
When you first meet Chop he’s a bit… rough around the edges. Franklin’s animal companion is about as in-touch with his “baser instincts” as an animal can get. That said, Chop grows as Franklin does, following him from his cramped room at his aunt’s house to a swanky new pad in Vinewood. Chop stays the same lovable goof at heart, though, and he’s always down for a walk around the block or a rousing game of fetch. If you run into any annoying joggers or vapid celebrities along the way, Chop will be there to show them what it means to be top dog in Vinewood.
Though Riley may be the original special ops canine, D. Dog is the Big Boss. This scrappy mutt is found by Venom Snake in the dusty deserts of Afghanistan. The elite soldier rescues the one-eyed puppy and he soon becomes the beloved mascot of the Diamond Dogs, sporting an eyepatch just like his master.
You can dress him up in a whole wardrobe’s worth of sweet tactical gear, chance his appearance and coat, and give him all the head skritches you want even if you’re in the middle of a dangerous mission. There’s nothing more heartwarming than seeing an entire base full of hardened mercenaries acting like delighted little kids when they see D. Dog. He’s a good boy who will be by your side no matter what!
Honestly, is there any virtual dog out there that can top Dogmeat? Appearing in more than his fair share of Fallout titles, Dogmeat is your loyal companion throughout your expeditions in the post-apocalyptic wastelands of America. Dogmeat is down for just about any task that might come his way, from facing down super mutants to scavenging for supplies. You can even talk to this intelligent fellow, and though he may not be able to speak, he can offer some riveting insights into the world around him. Best of all, you can even give him his own doghouse as part of your buildable settlements in Fallout 4. You won’t want to go anywhere in the post-apocalypse without Dogmeat at your side.
So, were there any pixelated pups that we might have missed? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back with Softonic for more Top Lists and other gaming-related goodness.
A beloved franchise looks to get new life with Modern Warfare.
There was a time when Call of Duty was one of the most inescapable franchises in the world. Peaking in popularity with the Modern Warfare series, especially Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty was seen as the gaming industry’s signature AAA franchise. While it was eventually dethroned as the most popular AAA franchise, Call of Duty, especially the Modern Warfare subseries, is seen as a defining game series of the Xbox 360/PS3 generation.
After the Modern Warfare subseries ended with Modern Warfare 3 in 2011, the series took a number of creative risks to varying results. From going to the close and distant future to introducing classes with special abilities, to even going back the CoD’s WWII roots, the series never quite managed to recapture that Modern Warfare fervor.
Fans seemed to dislike Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare in particular, as its trailer is one of the most disliked YouTube videos in history. When the original Modern Warfare designers left Infinity Ward to form Reflex (which went on to make Titanfall and Apex Legends), it seemed all hope of a new Modern Warfare was lost.
Now, it seems our prayers have been answered.
Modern Warfare is finally back with a brand new reboot. As the first new game in the series in nearly a decade, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has plenty of expectations to shoulder. Based on all of the news we’ve seen so far, they’re headed in the right direction.
According to prerelease material, the series is placing a greater emphasis on morally gray politically-relevant conflicts this time, aiming to showcase the horrors of the modern world and the powers that be. While specific details have been scarce, it has been reported that certain campaign scenes have been so emotionally powerful that playtesters have cried while viewing them.
The focus on tragedy and morally unsound conflict brings up memories of Modern Warfare 2’s infamous “No Russian” mission, which had the player take part in a terrorist attack on an airport. The series has mostly failed to recapture this sense of realistic shock, so it’ll be interesting to see if they can truly shock the world again. The developers have classified the story as a reboot of the Modern Warfare franchise, and staple character Captain Price returns.
Gameplay-wise things are shaking up as well. The release trailer has shown us that leaning out of cover has been added to the series, and developers have described the gameplay as more methodical than previous games. For the first time in years, the CoD series is getting a brand new engine, allowing for tweaked gameplay and more photorealistic visuals.
And of course, what would Call of Duty be without multiplayer? Infinity Ward has already announced two major improvements for the series moving forward. First, similar to Fortnite, Modern Warfare will be cross-compatible among gaming platforms, including console to PC. Additionally, Infinity Ward has said that the game will not feature a season pass, meaning that all downloadable content will be free moving forward. This is a huge step forward for the Call of Duty series, which has been criticized for years for its overpriced map packs that fragment the player base. Both additions cast Modern Warfare as the series’ most consumer-friendly game yet.
While details are still scarce, we’re still incredibly excited for Modern Warfare from what we’ve heard. What do you think?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare says goodbye to annual passes, and hello to free content!
After eight years of waiting, gamers are finally getting the next Modern Warfare game in the Call of Duty lineup. Activision released the trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and the hype is real:
To make things even better, we don’t have to wait very long before this comes out. The trailer ends by giving us a release date of Oct. 25 of this year!
New features
According to Kotaku, the game will feature the following updates:
Modern Warfare will remove annual passes. Instead, it will deliver free maps, content, and post-launch events to all players. Although these features will be free, we don’t know whether or not Activision will include any paid content.
The game will feature cross-play support between PC and consoles. We don’t know if Xbox One users can play against PS4 players, but they will be able to play against PC users.
The PC version is exclusive to Battle.net
Modern Warfare will be on a completely new engine.
In the campaign mode, players will traverse through European cities as well as the Middle East.
You will be able to play co-op in “Elite Operations.”
There will be an “immersive narrative experience” crossing single-player, co-op, and competitive multiplayer.
If you’re looking for next-level storytelling, Call of Duty simply isn’t the franchise for you. As far as stories go, there really isn’t a single Call of Duty game with a noteworthy story, and this game doesn’t look like it will be an exception. That said, we do get a shot of the return of fan-favorite character Captain Price.
Although the story looks lacking, the graphics look absolutely top notch.
Characters move throughout the world without the landscape blurring around them. This suggests that the game has low motion blur. Over the past few years, motion blur has made its way into games. Basically, motion blur keeps characters looking crisp when the camera moves while the backgrounds get blurry. The Uncharted series is a prime example of a franchise with big motion blur issues.
Luckily, everything in this game looks crisp no matter how intense things get.
How will this be different from other Call of Duty games?
To be perfectly blunt, Call of Duty games don’t often stray from their winning formula. Call of Duty games consistently sell millions of copies despite the fact that each game feels like more of the same.
However, Activision appears to be atoning for sins of the past, and for that we’re excited. Not having to pay extra for more maps, content, and events is a huge step in the right direction.
Do we think this game is going to be a contender for Game of the Year? Probably not. Death Stranding looks like it will have that on lockdown. However, it does look like it will set a positive tone for Call of Duty games in the future.
Before you jump into battle, follow our guide to increase your chances of victory!
Welcome to Black Ops 4!
Call of Duty recently decided to drop any semblance of a single-player storyline and focus on competitive online multiplayer. Thanks to the craze started by Fortnite and PUBG, that includes a Battle Royale mode!
It’s called… BLACKOUT.
Frankly, it’s great! Call of Duty’s years of experience in smooth, quick combat and exciting first-person shooters formed an awesome game. We were getting a little tired of third-person Battle Royale, honestly…
But winning is hard! There are new challenges to face, and powerful techniques that may be used against you if you’re not ready.
That’s why we made the…
Guide to winning Black Ops 4: Blackout
Part 1: Preparation
Before hitting the field of Blackout, consider trying this out:
Play multiplayer
Like Fortnite, you need to get into fights to learn how combat works and find your favorite controller settings. If you start playing Blackout first, prepare to wait minutes at a time loading a new game, dropping in, and grabbing weapons you’ve never seen before…and then dying.
Instead, step into Team Deathmatch or another quick game!
After spending one minute joining, you can try tons of new weapons, get into fights again and again, and die as many times as you like! Well, your teammates may not like it, but you gotta start somewhere…
Before you reach player level 5, Black Ops allows you to try all guns and their attachments. After this, you start earning everything for good, and you may “borrow” teammates loadouts. Start figuring out what weapons work, what you like, and what the attachments do (scopes, extended clips, fast mags, long barrels, suppressors, and so on).
Also, try different characters and get a feel for their equipment and power-ups. Many things – such as the mesh mines, “Dead Silence” skill, and tomahawk – will be available on the Blackout map as pickups.
For our example, check out Ajax. Both his Ballistic Shield and 9-Bang are available in Blackout, but must be found on the ground:
Moving to blackout
Before dropping in Blackout, take some time to study the map. Every place works differently – from the hidden underground base at Nuke Town, to the enormous waterside facility of the hydro dam. Learn where they are so you can begin creating a mental picture.
Why not get started right now?
Also… be especially sure to note where rivers are: you may find, like we did, that crossing water gets a ton of people killed. Forests? Good. Rivers? Bad.
Just sayin’.
Part 2: Inventory
Ah, the ol’ inventory management of Battle Royale games…
There are a few peculiarities to Blackout you’ll want to understand. If you played Multiplayer and understand how guns, equipment, and power-ups work, you’re well on your way.
But wait…there’s more!
Where to find stuff
As with many Battle Royale games, you’ll find items strewn throughout the map, mostly located in or on top of buildings.
There are also ammo chests, ordnance crates, and supply drops (the last two look the same, but one falls from the sky). All of these will have useful items: equipment, ammo, healing items, weapons, attachments for those weapons, and possibly even character challenges, for unlocking new skins. Look carefully for these chests: whilepickups have a white outline to show you where they are, no storage containers will!
These ammo crates are small and hard to spot…but have great weapons inside!
(NOTE: supply drops will be marked with a plume of red smoke, but you gotta find them on the map, wherever they drop.)
Choose your weapon
There are three things to note here.
First, gun attachments are available throughout the map because most of the weapons you find will not have any add-ons.Keep looking for scopes, silencers, better magazines, fore grips, long barrels, and more!
If you’re lucky, you may find a “tactical” weapon: these will simply be called “tactical” in a storage chest, or adopt a yellow outline when on the ground. They come with a full set of attachments and a few other boosts!
Also, when choosing your weapons, remember that Blackout’s map is huge! You can thrive in a multiplayer using SMG’s and shotguns, but we recommend having one long-range weapon on hand at all times for Battle Royale: at the very least, have a good 3x or 4x scope!
Third and last, on-weapon attachments don’t take up space in your inventory. Find anything you can, but be wary of keeping them around if you don’t/can’t need them!
Health items
Horde these.
Unlike Fortnite, where you can build cover, firefights in Blackout often come to head-on battles. Even if you win, you’re far more likely to take some damage. Be ready to heal up!
Equipment
Equipment ranges from the defensive (ballistic shield) to midway (mesh mines) to offensive (cluster grenade). If you have space, grab ’em!
When equipment piles up, we have a few suggestions. One, keep a few items for defense so you can protect your rear when the game reaches its finale. And two, offensive equipment is great but be wary: throwables can take a long time to be thrown! Prepare beforehand, don’t cook your grenade for too long, and remember that clusters rock!
(Rumor has it the cluster grenade has been nerfed…but they’re still great at dealing damage in a wide area!)
Be careful with power-ups
Finally, to wrap up the inventory notes: power-ups!
They look like green boxes on the field. Activate one or two at a time from your inventory screen. Each provides some form of benefit: making you move quietly (Dead Silence), increasing movement while crouched (Skulker), or dealing greater melee damage (Brawler).
Alas, we found most of them aren’t useful. At the very least, it takes great foresight to use power-ups well, and they can crowd inventory space. Be mindful what you choose, and don’t grab too many! They’re everywhere.
Our favorites:
Dead Silence and Skulker, which were just mentioned.
Engineer: makes vehicles visible through walls. They appear red when occupied by enemies.
Looter: shows the outline of pickups through walls.
Awareness: enemy footsteps are louder.
Part 3: Tactics
Finally, the best part! What can actually be done to win?
Land well, as always
If you’ve played Battle Royale, the basics are familiar: land near your teammates, land on top of a weapon whenever possible, and know the area.
There are a few differences.
Mainly, turn straight down the instant you jump. Physics matter in Black Ops, and diving at the start of your jump builds critical speed!
Also, as always, beware the storm. If you land at the edge of the Blackout map, you may find yourself traveling a long, long way for the next circle. Make sure there’s a vehicle nearby if you do!
(Oh, beware the storm in general, that’s Battle Royale 101)
Choose your battles
We can’t overstate this enough.
Black Ops battles are rough: since you must use environmental cover, chances are damage will be taken from enemies, this is true even for the best players.
With that said, there are no hard and fast rules for when to attack and when not to. However, we recommend having a game plan or collaborating with the team. Get a good position, be the third party when others are fighting, wait for teams to come out of the storm, crawl and crouch to get into better positions, take the high ground. Be strategic!
Planning may sound like a waste of time, but it isn’t! You can have even more fun when your battles are quicker and cleaner: taking out enemies in this way feels awesome!
Take it slow
Finally, take it slow. Black Ops tricks many people into thinking that a run-and-gun attitude gets the wins. In reality, disregarding cover to chase down a kill gets you shot, separates teammates from the others, and results in a lost game. Instead, patience, forethought, and teamwork make victors.
Final Thoughts
There’s something about Black Ops: Blackout that’s really exciting. It’s a first-person shooter, it looks great, skills matter, planning makes a difference, and teamwork gets the win. It’s everything we could expect from a Call of Duty Battle Royale!
Finally, remember to enjoy the ride. Go for the win, but have fun regardless. We hope you’re enjoying Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and look forward to seeing you on the battlefield!
Blackout is the standout new multiplayer mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. While it’s a familiar experience for fans of Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, it features the tight gunplay and fast-paced action that Call of Duty is famous for, providing a fresh experience. The mode combines essential parts of the Call of Duty experience, like perks, with vehicles, futuristic equipment, and even zombies.
Trying to score your first victory royale? Here are some tips to help you knock out the competition.
How to win Black Ops 4’s blackout mode
Know the map
Blackout’s map is smaller than both PUBG’s and Fortnite’s. With fewer named locations, it’s vitally important to know the ins and outs of every major spot. The helicopter that you start in also flies closer to the edges than the bus in Fortnite, so be prepared to learn the edges of the map in addition to the center.
Certain locations have already proved popular with players, including Firing Range, Train Station, and obviously, Nuketown Island. Be extremely careful when landing in these locations, as there will almost always be multiple people landing there with you. However, if you want to directly practice your shooting skills, it’s recommended to land in these locations instead of hiding somewhere more obscure.
I believe I can fly
Jumping and landing is a much different process than landing in Fortnite or PUBG. In those games, you usually want to wait for the plane/bus to fly close to and parallel to the location you’re aiming for. This does not apply to Blackout, as with careful timing, you can fly almost anywhere you want from any point.
After you figure out where you want to land, jump as soon as possible. Dive straight down until you hit a speed of 70, then immediately pitch up hard. If done correctly, this should level you out, allowing you to carry your momentum and fly fast and far to your destination.
Why Battle Royale fans need to play this hilarious game
It’s important to prioritize certain types of loot; the type you’re aiming for depends on how far you are into the game. Once you land, your absolutely immediate priority is finding a gun, so ignore all other pickups until you find a gun right away. Finding a gun before someone nearby does can mean the difference between a 30-second game and a victory royale.
After you find a gun and are relatively safe, focus on finding armor and healing items. Armor comes in three tiers, and level 3 armor is the only one that gives your head protection. Regarding healing items, if you find trauma kits use them right away. Trauma kits are the only healing items that give you bonus health, even when your health bar is full. It’s also important to note that unlike other games, you can heal while sprinting.
For other loot like equipment, attachments, and perks, try to synergize them based on your weapon loadout. For example, if you have two assault rifles, put a powerful scope on one of them and a reflex sight on the other so that you can be effective at multiple ranges. When you find perks, you should usually just use them right away (as long as you’re safe). Most perks last for several minutes, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
As if dozens of other players weren’t trouble enough, Blackout also features zombies! Don’t fret if you see them, though, because they drop amazing loot like modded assault rifles and even the ray gun!
When fighting them, use strategies you would typically use in Zombies mode, like staying mobile and making sure your back isn’t exposed. Zombies appear in specific locations, such as Asylum (based on the Zombies map Verruckt) and Lighthouse.
Additionally, pay attention to the sky, as you’ll sometimes be able to see giant blue beams. These beams reveal the presence of mystery boxes, which grant you powerful weapons and items. They’re always guarded by a horde of zombies, however, and they must be eradicated for you to open the box. Unfortunately, that hellish laughing teddy bear from Zombies is also back, and it will teleport the box somewhere else if you use it too much.
Have you won a Blackout game? Any tips we missed? Let us know!
Characters move throughout the world without the landscape blurring around them. This suggests that the game has low motion blur. Over the past few years, motion blur has made its way into games. Basically, motion blur keeps characters looking crisp when the camera moves while the backgrounds get blurry. The Uncharted series is a prime example of a franchise with big motion blur issues.
