With tons of rumors all pointing to a battle royale mode coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, the mode’s inclusion could either be better late than never or too late, depending on how Infinity Ward frames the mode with its other multiplayer offerings.
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Battle Royale’s Everlasting Popularity
For fans who followed media coverage leading up to the release of the game, some may remember that the game’s development team stated they would likely skip adding a battle royale mode to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. For anyone who was fans of the “Blackout” mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, these statements were disappointing. Many believed that Call of Duty’s gameplay lent itself well to the battle royale format and saw Black Ops 4’s iteration as proof of that concept.
Initially, Infinity Ward’s development team stated that they wanted to focus on the core multiplayer experience of the Call of Duty franchise, and that they weren’t considering a battle royale for that reason. Several leaks for a battle royale in Modern Warfare’s Season 2 seem to show a change of heart. Even with the last update to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 happening in September, Operation Dark Divide, the battle royale still continues to be very popular today. Twitch’s daily viewer count still places the Black Ops 4 category in the top 30 games, so it’s not like interest has fallen off. Since Blackout has been very popular among Black Ops 4 players, it’s hard to ignore that portion of the shooter market in the future.
It’s also worth noting that battle royale games/game modes in general are still very popular. Players by and large returned to Fortnite when Chapter 2 was announced, and the game still consistently tops Twitch’s daily viewer counts. Even before the great black hole incident and the overhaul that came with Chapter 2, fans would always return to Fortnite for the live events that occurred.
Apex Legends has also seen a resurgence with the introduction of the latest character Revenant in Season 4. Last year, it even implemented a brand new map (similar to Fortnite’s Chapter 2) to help break the monotony, and it did wonders for Apex Legends. The game has had a wonderful resurgence from previously struggling due to lack of substantial content additions.
Battle royale games continue to prove the formula is still immensely popular, and with proper support it can be the perfect addition to any shooter. Just ask Fortnite, which was nearly cancelled by Epic Games before its initial release and way before its battle royale mode came out.
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Modern Warfare’s Battle Royale
With that being said, there’s been plenty of gameplay leaks and evidence found in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s latest update that points to a battle royale mode coming to the game. Battle royale for Modern Warfare could be a fantastic addition for the game, if done right.
The most important thing to consider when developing any battle royale, even for a video game franchise as ubiquitous as Call of Duty, is distinguishing the game from other similar experiences. It’s been an issue with other smaller development studios that want to provide its own take on the popular game type. Fortnite has always managed to consistently top other battle royale games, for example, but there are plenty of successful and awesome battle royale games that aren’t Fortnite.
Modern Warfare’s take on battle royale could be a massive success if Infinity Ward sticks to what makes the core Call of Duty multiplayer experience great. If there’s a lesson to be learned from Blackout’s success compared to PUBG and other battle royales, it’s success comes from focusing on strengths. Call of Duty is known for having tight gunplay and smooth movement while still remaining grounded in realism. Battle royale modes are inherently unrealistic, or at the very least improbable, so Modern Warfare’s interpretation of a battle royale mode should be interesting.
Another defining aspect of battle royales is having a unique twist or mechanic that sets it apart from the standard archetype of the mode. Fortnite has its iconic building mechanic, allowing players to create structures from gathered materials. Apex Legends has set character types, each with their own unique abilities and equipment.
Modern Warfare’s battle royale could easily incorporate unique mechanics to its own take by borrowing existing mechanics. The game can easily draw from the Spec Ops or Ground War modes for inspiration, incorporating mechanics like air strikes, care packages, and more. Blackout included things like usable vehicles, super abilities, and special equipment, most of which are currently in Modern Warfare’s core multiplayer modes. Any mechanic that differentiates it from the standard fare of battle royale games is a big plus, and if the leaks detailing huge player counts among other things are true, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare could be setting itself up for success.
Overall, as long as there’s enough content to make the mode unique, then Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s battle royale mode should be a fantastic addition to the sub-genre. Though the initial craze did die down, the best battle royale games have showed no sign of slowing down or dying of in popularity. Call of Duty Modern Warfare’s development team at Infinity Ward likely recognizes that, and rightfully so should enter the sub-genre with their own take.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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