Black Ops Cold War Beta: New Details & Content Revealed
Activision and Treyarch have revealed more details on what players will get a chance to go hands on with in the Black Ops Cold War Beta.
The Black Ops Cold War Beta Early Access begins October 8 on PlayStation 4, with the Open Beta for PS4 beginning October 10.
Experience thrilling Multiplayer action from quintessential 6v6 Black Ops combat across new and returning modes, 12v12 Combined Arms and the all new 40 player Fireteam Dirty Bomb mode. Use Field Upgrades and unleash Scorestreaks on enemies, perfect your loadout in the Gunsmith and more.
Beta Content:
CARTEL
Our newest Multiplayer map, Cartel, will be available from the start of the Beta on October 8th on PS4. Set in the steamy jungles of Nicaragua, players will storm a remote cartel compound where a known Perseus associate has been operating in the shadows.
This lush map offers a variety of attack options for any play style, from the close-quarters interiors of the warehouse on one side to the shaded streams flanking the opposite end. If you’re feeling lucky, try holding down the central tower to snipe oncoming enemies, or take the stealth route through the foliage in the center lane.
You’ll get to play both 6v6 and 12v12 modes on Cartel in the Beta, including Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination, Combined Arms: Domination, and additional modes as the Beta continues throughout both weekends.
“We built Cartel around the idea of an ‘open’ middle – one that provides a very high risk versus reward incentive. We wanted players to have the feeling that they could ‘own’ this part of the map by utilizing the plants, weaving between them, and really become a hunter. We definitely built in enough room for variety and different player styles to flourish.” – Miles Leslie, Creative Specialist
We’re excited to support up to 24 players on this new map, as well as a full selection of core 6v6 modes in the Beta. Similarly, Black Ops Cold War will include 6v6 versions of our Crossroads and Armada maps at launch on November 13th!
VIP ESCORT
Our newest 6v6 mode will be available starting this weekend in the PS4 Beta, and those who pre-order digitally can try it out first.
In VIP Escort, your objective is to safely escort the VIP to one of two extraction zones, or wipe out the enemy team to win. If you’re on defense, you’ll need to stop the enemy VIP from extracting before your team is eliminated. Because this is a no-respawn mode, players can revive their downed teammates before they bleed out, so it pays to coordinate with your squad.
Scorestreaks are disabled, and players will have access to their usual loadouts except for the randomly selected VIP each round, who spawns in with a pistol, two Smoke Grenades, two Frag Grenades, a Field Mic, and a Spy Plane. Teamwork is key, so you’ll need to communicate if you want the dub. (We’ve got more on that below.)
“My personal keys to victory? I stick close and escort the VIP, and defend them at all costs. If the VIP doesn’t make it out alive, it won’t matter if you do.” – Markise Gladney, Associate Game Designer
We’re looking forward to seeing what kind of cat-and-mouse games you play out there to come out on top. As always, we’re eager to hear your feedback once you’ve had a chance to jump in.
COMBINED ARMS: ASSAULT
Our new Combined Arms category of 12v12 modes brings bigger teams, larger play spaces, plenty of vehicles, and objective-based warfare. This might sound familiar if you played the Alpha and jumped into Combined Arms: Domination, which was playable on two different maps: Crossroads and Armada. We’re unleashing even more in the Beta when Combined Arms: Domination returns on these and one of our newest maps, Cartel.
But why stop there? We’re introducing even more to the Beta with Combined Arms: Assault. This is a bigger, badder take on a classic mode that relies on team-based momentum to secure the victory.
The match gets rolling with two teams of 12 spreading out across the map to fight for control of a central neutral capture zone. Once that objective is captured, the next one opens up deeper into enemy territory. The first team to successfully infiltrate and capture the enemy’s final zone comes out on top.
“Combined Arms: Assault is an exhilarating large-scale experience where both teams are focused on a single moving objective. From charging the radar station in Crossroads on a Snowmobile, to storming the enemy’s ship in Armada, Combined Arms: Assault is where you’ll find some of Black Ops Multiplayer’s most intense and cinematic moments.” – Matt Scronce, Lead Game Designer
By default, teams will battle it out through five capture zones in each map. Once a zone is captured, the match timer will pause, allowing teams to reset and prepare for the next push. The match is won when a team has captured the final zone at the end of the linear progression of objectives. If neither team successfully captures the enemy’s final zone, the round will end, and teams will play a single overtime round with only the central objective in play. The first team to capture the zone will win the round and the match.
FIRETEAM: DIRTY BOMB
Available for the first time during Weekend 2 of the Beta on two new large-scale maps, Fireteam: Dirty Bomb cranks the action up to 11 with multi-squad insanity. A total of 40 players broken out into 10 teams will compete to take out enemies, collect uranium caches, locate Dirty Bombs scattered throughout the map, and successfully deposit their uranium into said bombs to detonate them and get the win.
Each detonation causes radiation to leak out to large areas of the map, scoring points for the team that ignited the bomb and transforming huge portions of the map into radioactive hazards for everyone. The longer a player hangs onto uranium, the longer radiation sickness sets in. This affects Perk benefits, movement, health regeneration, and ultimately, your Operator’s life.
When that life runs out, you’ll experience the Fireteam Spawn system unique to Fireteam modes in Black Ops Cold War Multiplayer. You’ll have to make a tactical choice in redeploying into the map by spawning onto a teammate not currently in combat, by parachuting right back into the action, or by spawning directly into the passenger seat of a teammate’s vehicle for instant gratification.
Beta Schedule:
As a reminder, here’s the beta schedule:
- Weekend 1 — PlayStation 4 Exclusive
- Early Access Begins: October 8 at 10AM PT
- Open Beta Begins: October 10
- Weekend 1 Ends: October 12 at 10AM PT
- Weekend 2 — Beta on PS4, Xbox One, and PC
- Early Access for Xbox & PC (PS4 Open Beta) Begins: October 15 at 10AM PT
- Xbox & PC Open Beta Begins: October 17
- Open Beta Ends: October 19 at 10AM PT
SOURCE: Activision & Treyarch