Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War

[Himmel]

We're almost definitely getting news on Call of Duty 2020 on Monday.

Activision has been sending out actual wooden crates to media outlets in the Call of Duty community with instructions that say, "Do not open this crate until August 10, 2020 - 12pm EDT." There's also a brief letter instructing recipients to send out a text at the stated time to receive a code that opens the lockbox on the crate. Source

COD 2020 TEASER IN WARZONE #1

COD 2020 TEASER IN WARZONE #2

[NARMAK]

I thought the title leaked already with a Doritos ad due to promote this next entry. The confusing aspect for me is that they have a hugely successful Battle Royale in Warzone right now after the lessons learned from Blackout, yet somehow there's a rumour that this 2020 entry is supposed to have its own Battle Royale mode too. That's just bizarre to me that Activision would want to cannibalise their own player base tbh when it seems to be doing really well.

[Himmel]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

I thought the title leaked already with a Doritos ad due to promote this next entry. The confusing aspect for me is that they have a hugely successful Battle Royale in Warzone right now after the lessons learned from Blackout, yet somehow there's a rumour that this 2020 entry is supposed to have its own Battle Royale mode too. That's just bizarre to me that Activision would want to cannibalise their own player base tbh when it seems to be doing really well.

Yeah just updated title.

[TheWildWhelk]

Sorry to roll this shit back so far, but does this mean we will get to see the content for Black Ops 2 (set in Vietnam) that was cut from the game to thrust it forward into 2025?

The original plan for Black Ops 2 was to have the majority of the game feature Alex Mason, with actor Michael Keaton as a major character, and be set as mentioned in the Vietnam-era. Keaton has said he recorded enough dialogue for a feature film, and that material we assume still exists in the Treyarch archive. Intriguing...

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by TheWildWhelk

Sorry to roll this shit back so far, but does this mean we will get to see the content for Black Ops 2 (set in Vietnam) that was cut from the game to thrust it forward into 2025?

The original plan for Black Ops 2 was to have the majority of the game feature Alex Mason, with actor Michael Keaton as a major character, and be set as mentioned in the Vietnam-era. Keaton has said he recorded enough dialogue for a feature film, and that material we assume still exists in the Treyarch archive. Intriguing...

Not sure if that will be the case BUT there's been teasers in Warzone flashing up on screen which seem to link to Alex Mason and that angle from Black Ops. Personally i only want stuff in there if it can properly serve a campaign atmosphere and not just to grab attention with a gratuitous portrayal. Vietnam was a damn tragedy caused by circumstances we cannot discuss due to forum rules but it shouldn't be lightly portrayed imo if it is used.

[TheWildWhelk]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

Not sure if that will be the case BUT there's been teasers in Warzone flashing up on screen which seem to link to Alex Mason and that angle from Black Ops. Personally i only want stuff in there if it can properly serve a campaign atmosphere and not just to grab attention with a gratuitous portrayal. Vietnam was a damn tragedy caused by circumstances we cannot discuss due to forum rules but it shouldn't be lightly portrayed imo if it is used.

For me the definitive Vietnam-era game from years back was the quite excellent Men Of Valour from 2015Games, who also created Medal of Honour: Allied Assault.

I've never been impressed with Treyarch's story-telling abilities in the CoD franchise; everything from Black Ops 2 onwards flet like the campaign was created by commitee with action set-pieces dropped in to keep the action moving. Black Ops 3 itself was virtually a different franchise with it leaning on the whole cyber-warfare sci-fi angle.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

I thought the title leaked already with a Doritos ad due to promote this next entry. The confusing aspect for me is that they have a hugely successful Battle Royale in Warzone right now after the lessons learned from Blackout, yet somehow there's a rumour that this 2020 entry is supposed to have its own Battle Royale mode too. That's just bizarre to me that Activision would want to cannibalise their own player base tbh when it seems to be doing really well.

Yep, there is no reason Warzone can’t just continue next year with appropriate updates.

[Mavrick]

Black Ops Cold War Editions & Price Confirmed

Standard: $59.99
Cross-Gen: $69.99
Ultimate: $89.99

[Mavrick]

out on November 13
- open-beta coming soon
- multiplayer reveal on September 9

- Campaign (East Berlin, Vietnam, Turkey, Soviet KGB etc)
- "next generation" of CoD MP
- Zombies

[Mavrick]

The Black Ops Cold War campaign emphasises player choice - with a character creator and Hitman-style levels

Black Ops Cold War is a direct sequel to Black Ops 1, starting in 1981 and continuing throughout the decade. There are some clear parallels between the prevailing attitudes of that time and our own - a kind of deep unease with the state of the world, with distrust and the prospect of global war juxtaposed against an explosion in culture and technology.

The game follows a US task force that aims to resist the plans of Perseus, a mysterious Soviet agent attempting to topple the established world order. Your group operates at the behest of Ronald Reagan and under the leadership of the mysterious Russell Adler. On the team are Hudson, Woods and Mason, with some other familiar faces from the original Black Ops making supporting appearances. These are some of the best characters the series has produced, so it's no surprise to see them return.

As well as choosing an interesting setting, the development team at Raven Software is offering a much greater degree of freedom than we've ever seen in a Call of Duty campaign. That starts with the character creator, which allows you to design your own single-player operator for the first time. There are eight stages in all, including options for skin tone and gender. While you can specify all of these options if you like to create a character suits your preferences, you can also leave them as 'classified' to end up with more of a blank slate like Call of Duties past. Choosing to not divulge your character's gender provides you with gender-neutral pronouns, which is a nice touch. As well as options that affect your in-game appearance and dialogue, some options have gameplay ramifications - so a psychological profile of "paranoid" halves the time it takes to aim down your sights, while the "lone wolf" profile allows you to sprint for twice as long.

The campaign itself also involves a greater level of player autonomy. Many missions allow you to take different paths to an objective, and you're also given dialogue options at some points in the story. You can also accomplish extra objectives and discover evidence to unlock two optional missions, which provide you with more narrative context to these levels. The choices you make will affect how the story progresses and ultimately what ending you receive, although it's clear that these choices will still exist within a broader narrative framework.

There are also several Hitman-style levels in the game, where you're asked to accomplish an objective by several potential means. One of these is set in the KGB headquarters in Moscow, where you're a double agent behind enemy lines. Here, you're able to poison a general, steal data, blackmail an officer or interrogate a prisoner in order to accomplish your unspecified but presumably delightfully devilish aims. Of course, the level ends with a traditional Call of Duty shootout, so it's clear that the more linear nature of the game remains the dominant vehicle to convey you along the story. For fans of the numbers, Mason!, you'll also be happy to know that the game includes some appropriately psychedelic and world-bending sequences as well.

[tcripe]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

out on November 13
- open-beta coming soon
- multiplayer reveal on September 9

- Campaign (East Berlin, Vietnam, Turkey, Soviet KGB etc)
- "next generation" of CoD MP
- Zombies

Will def try out the open beta before I put in a pre order. Loved Black Ops 1 back in the day. Hopefully this title gives me some fun nostalgia since its a direct sequel!

[ZHobbs]

From the Playstation blog post:

Players can pre-order the physical Standard PS4™ or PS5™ editions now at participating retailers.

Physical PS4 Standard Edition: Includes the full game on PlayStation 4****. Get more details at the official Activision FAQ about upgrading to the next-gen experience.

Physical PS5 Standard Edition: Includes the full game on PlayStation 5.

This reads as if there will be a standalone PS5 release but they really aren't advertising it, they want your extra $10 for the crossgen edition which happens to be digital only.

[Blu Lemmy]

I like the sounds of it.
Something different from the norm which makes a nice change for the franchise

[Mavrick]

PS4 version can be upgraded to the PS5 version for $10. You need to have the Disc inserted once you've downloaded the PS5 digital version in order to play.

The Xbox One version cannot be upgraded at all.

[TheWildWhelk]

Sounds to me overall that Treyarch have finally got their house in order after wasting stupid amounts of time developing Blackout. Some good creative decisions going on there, plus i'm sure the MP will be following the same tried and tested formula. So Zombies is returning? Oh really, did they have to? I used to be a huge fan of that game mode, but by the time that BO4 was stuffed to the gills with it i was just plain fed up of it. That i wish they had ditched, like MW...

[Mavrick]

Raven created the Campaign

Treyarch’s Dan Bunting said that in order to get this game out in time for next-gen launch, they partnered with Raven on making the campaign.

Raven was already in the process of designing a Cold War based campaign. The Know Your History Call of Duty teaser trailer was actually the very first set/mood piece Raven created for this game years back. Treyarch says the campaign Raven is creating is ‘worthy’ of the Black Ops name.

[Mavrick]

Physical Standard of PS4 will upgrade to PS5 for $10.
Physical Standard of Xbox One cannot upgrade to Xbox Series X.
Physical Standard of PS5 only includes PS5 version.
Physical Standard of Xbox Series X includes Xbox One copy.

And for those planning on getting the Physical Edition for PS4 and Xbox One, do remember: you do not get any of the bonus content. There is no Frank Woods Operator Bundle. There is no Early Open Beta access. Those are Digital Bonuses only.

https://twitter.com/charlieINTEL/sta...03460871921664

[TheWildWhelk]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

Raven created the Campaign

Raven Software have always struck me as being a curious outfit; they are neither fish nor fowl, a bastard offspring of ID Software that was left behind at Activision when ID moved over to Bethesda. Activision have always managed to find work for them, but never let them take center stage in anything. In the article it says that Raven created the campaign. Does this mean creatively from the ground up, or simply physical world builders based on a brief and script from Treyarch, like they did with ID's Quake 4?

[Mavrick]

[NARMAK]

Just read about the next gen upgrade charges and happy to say i wouldn't give these disgusting greedpots any money come launch. My money would squarely go towards Cyberpunk 2077 and Sony 1st party exclusives. The rest of the stuff will be like the major PS4 games i held off on to be played in 4K. Hopefully some with a PS5 patch as mentioned for them.

I'm sick of these greedy gits managing to somehow justify huge corporate bonuses and so on whilst cutting massive amounts of jobs based on their own incompetent management they reward themselves for.