After plenty of hype for the next generation of the beloved FPS franchise, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has just dropped a new multiplayer trailer on the eve of its exclusive beta phase, giving players a taste of things to come.
Showcasing previously-teased elements in all their glory, the new 2.5-minute clip shows players arriving at a variety of battlezones across Europe, the southern US border, and the Middle East in a host of vehicles ranging from boats to helicopters and jeeps — all of which have been upgraded to behave more realistically, from handling physics to ‘enhanced destruction’ mechanics.
The maps also showcased a heavy emphasis on stealth and underwater combat, with a shot of players swimming through underwater tunnels on their way to a team objective. Players will also have the ability to perform stealth takedowns in multiplayer with greater efficacy — upgrading a weak link in the previous title’s game mechanics. This also carries on into sidearm gameplay, which has been streamlined to look and feel more fluid and realistic.
Standard multiplayer sees a host of new gadgets in play, from multipurpose land-sea mines to projectile cameras, which allow for greater recon and tactics for squads. There’s also a new Prisoner Rescue game mode, which tasks two teams with carrying their respective prisoners to safety from an enemy base.
Big Gameplay Changes For Warzone
While the trailer’s multiplayer sightings were fun to look at, the lion’s share of attention naturally gravitated to Warzone 2.0, one of the most-played FPS multiplayer experiences in the world.
Big details dropped during the NEXT event this week, which highlighted major format changes to shake up the Battle Royale genre for good. Let’s start with the location:
Warzone 2.0’s new map is called Al Mazrah — set in the fictional United Republic of Adal, this West Asian desert map features plenty of points of interest, with the Observatory and river channels being major gameplay highlights. According to streamers who already have their hands on the game, the new map also features a lot more in terms of buildings and structures than previous Warzone maps.
The gameplay has also gotten quite mixed up, especially with the new Gulag system. While previous Gulags required players to battle it out 1v1 with randomized weapon sets, the new Gulag sets up 2v2 matches with AI enemies in the area, along with a gameplay element called The Jailer.
Al Mazrah will also feature areas that are controlled by an AI faction; these sections are called Strongholds. The developer says this addition of AI is meant to add higher stakes and more realistic combat scenarios to the Warzone experience — at least according to the developers.
Meanwhile, the endgame experience has been tweaked as well. While the previous ‘circle’ mechanic forced players into an ever-decreasing single circle, the new mechanic will create multiple circles that eventually merge into one, providing a more unpredictable and chaotic experience for players who make it into the final minutes of a game.
Crucially, the classic loadout system which has been part of CoD titles for ages will be tossed away, in favor of a more ‘loot-and-build’ system that integrates features from the Gunsmith customization options on offer. This has, of course, divided the fanbase — although I’m personally in favor of this leaner, Apex Legends-esque idea.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 will be launched on November 16th.
Lead Image: Infinity Ward
