Today in Cologne, Activision and Sledgehammer Games revealed Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Multiplayer, and we were there.
It all starts with the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare exoskeleton and the fundamental way it changes player movement delivering a new level of tactical combat. Speed, strength, agility, and verticality transform how you play. New abilities, movements, perks, equipment and weapon classes offer fans the most personalized, customizable and reward-based Call of Duty multiplayer. It all comes together to make each player feel like a tier one soldier of the future.
ADVANCED EXOSKELETON MOVEMENT: With the addition of the exoskeleton movements, the speed of the game increases dramatically. Boost Jump makes higher sightlines easily reachable and offers a new level of vertically. Boost Dodge delivers enhanced maneuverability, while Boost Dash provides mid-air evasive manoeuvrability. And Boost Slam empowers a new air-to-ground melee attack. It comes to life when players combine and chain these new mechanics to move through the map and engage with the enemy unlike anything ever in Call of Duty.
The exoskeleton offers new opportunities for specific exo abilities as detailed below. With the introduction of the variable grenade, the tactical slot in the create-a-class is now open for players to choose an exoskeleton ability.
SUPPLY DROPS: In Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare customization begins with Supply Drops, which is loot Call of Duty style, bringing a new reward system of more than 1,000 rewards into multiplayer. Supply Drops reward you with items, including Custom Weapons, Character Gear and Reinforcements. And these rewards come in three rarities – Enlisted, Professional, and Elite. In addition, to ranking through XP, Supply Drops will be rewarded through play time and in game challenges.
Custom Weapons: Attribute and cosmetic modifications on base weapons make up the nearly 350 custom weapon options that you can get from supply drops. These new modifications allow a greater range of customization to find the perfect weapon for individual play styles in addition to having a great look.
Gear: Supply drops can also feature gear that allows you to customize your operator for the virtual lobby and in-game. The wide variety of cosmetic customization that players can get through gear will allow everyone on the field to know who you are.
Reinforcements: Players can also be rewarded with one-time-use items that are activated during the match at pre-determined intervals, including perks and low-level scorestreaks. These are great for a one-time trial and burst of added excitement in match. And, like all Supply Drop rewards, Reinforcements come in the three rarity classes – Enlisted, Profession, and Elite.
WEAPONS: In Advanced Warfare, players have unprecedented options to find the weapon that best suits their needs. Each weapon features 10 custom options, where cosmetics and attributes vary, which ultimately deliver nearly 350 custom weapons out of the box. On top that, each weapon delivers a spectrum of attachment options, including tried and true attachments as well as all new ones to augment your weapon.
A NEW WEAPON CLASS: The high tech nature of 2054 is coming to multiplayer and there is no better example than the directed energy weapons. The new Heavy Weapons class includes directed energy weapons like the EM1 and EMPm2. These new weapons use the power of weaponized energy to overcome enemies. This class of weapon doesn’t rely on reloads, but instead they are known to overheat after too much activity.
PICK 13: The much loved Pick 10 create-a-class format is back with even more customizable options than before. You can now choose which scorestreaks will be included with your class. This addition to the beloved create-a-class format provides more depth to player strategy and play style. In addition to combining scorestreaks with your class, players can customize scorestreaks to make them more powerful, for a cost. For example, players can customize a Remote Turret into a Rocket Turret Module. In addition to customizable scorestreaks, the game introduces Co-Op Scorestreaks, which for the first time, two players can now join up a scorestreak and work together. This is the perfect example of teamwork for those players that rack up score, with those that may not always get the chance to experience the high-end scorestreaks. Teaming up on a Warbird is a perfect way to gain the advantage on the battlefield.
EXO ABILITIES: Brand new to Advanced Warfare, you now have the opportunity to augment your exo through additional exo abilities. Unlike the exo movements that every player has, exo abilities are selectable within Pick 13. For a slot, of course. These new exo abilities are activated by the player during the match, and used until the Exo Battery is depleted.
Exo Shield – A quick-deploy shield attached to your exo’s arm
Exo Overclock – Increased footspeed
Exo Stim – Temporary health regeneration beyond normal levels
Exo Cloak – Short duration visual concealment
Exo Hover – Short duration hovering in place
Exo Ping – Shows enemy movement and weapon fire in the HUD
Exo Trophy System – Destroys incoming grenades and rockets for a limited period of time
EXO PERKS: A slate of new perks impact exo abilities like a perk that suppresses boost so that it’s quieter and as a result a player’s thrusters don’t give away your location on the mini map. Another is the gung-ho perk, which allows players to re-load while sprinting, and shoot while sliding. There’s also exo overcharge, which gives players more energy for their exo battery. Exo Perks take up slots and depend on how players choose to approach their class, but within all customization, there is plenty of flexibility to make your soldier as powerful as you think he can be in the situations you’re playing in.
VIRTUAL FIRING RANGE: An all-new feature, and a first for Call of Duty. From the Create-a-Class menu or between matches, players can instantly hit the Virtual Firing Range to try out a new item with just a press of the button. No map load, no having to blindly go into a match with a new loadout. Now, players can get an immediate feel for things like the sights, attachments, bullet spread, recoil, and more before the next match even starts. It’s a great way to test-drive a new weapon before heading into battle.
CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION: Take your Call of Duty character to a new level by selecting the heads, eyewear, helmets, shirts, vest kits, gloves, pants, knee guards, boots and even the exoskeleton itself. The possible combinations, including selecting male or female characters, are nearly limitless.
VIRTUAL LOBBY: Advanced Warfare transforms the lobby experience for the first time in Call of Duty, providing the personalized true, virtual showcase called the Virtual Lobby. This is where all of a player’s hard work, both XP Progression and Supply Drop rewards are paid-off for all to see. In the Virtual Lobby you can quickly and easily see everyone’s character in all its glory. Just slide over and look at each character in detail. With their loadouts. With their customization options. With their rare Supply Drop custom weapons, gear and reinforcements as well as weapons, loadouts and all the gear from your character customization, the Virtual Lobby is the best way to show off to friends, or get a peek at something cool that someone else has earned, and to let your accomplishments speak for themselves.
GAME MODES: Advanced Warfare includes fan favorites Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, Domination and Team Domination, and more – all delivering new exoskeleton gameplay abilities, as well as:
Uplink – Uplink has been built with teamwork in mind, and to promote fast and frantic competitive gameplay. Both teams fight for control of a satellite drone, and must race – with it in hand – to the opponent’s uplink.
Momentum – Based on the War game mode originally found in Call of Duty®: World at War, Momentum is the Call of Duty version of tug of war. Five consecutive capture points exist on the map, but only one is active at a time. The more kills and captures your team gets, the faster you are able to capture additional points. Once the other team captures on you, the momentum meter gets reset, so your team needs to be at its best the whole game.
MAPS:
Biolab – Part of a snowy secret base, this map features both close quarters indoor combat along with long range outdoor terrain with added verticality for quick and fast-paced action. Use your Exo boost to take the action to the rooftops.
Riot – Set in a bombed out prison after a devastating riot, this penitentiary still has some defense mechanisms active. Crafted to utilize a classic 3-lane approach, this map offers two large open areas on both sides of the map along with a large cell block right in the center for an all-comers shoot-out that thrusts players right into the action.
Ascend – Taking place in a futuristic Space Elevator terminal, this location features a map-based score streak that allows players to call in the turret defenses. Ascend also was designed with clean 3-Lane format and a verticality that is tailor made for exoskeleton abilities.
Defender – In the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, an abandoned bunker that’s features open gameplay and is a perfect showcase for the new exoskeleton abilities. An added aspect to this map is the dynamic event. A tsunami hits with strategic regularity and changes a good portion of the map.
eSPORTS: Advanced Warfare multiplayer also delivers a full-suite of eSports options. Available information includes, with more features and details to be released closer to launch:
- Hardpoint and Capture the Flag
- Round-based Domination
- Broadcaster Mode now features an expanded Oracle mode
- Ranked playlists
- LAN lobbies
- Private match rule-set value slider
So what do you think of Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Multiplayer? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
