CoD HQ will finally be smaller and easier to use ready for Black Ops 6
ActivisionCall of Duty players have been calling for UI changes ever since MW2 2022 introduced the horizontal panel style. It has remained in MW3, but with Black Ops 6 on the horizon, it’s finally time for change.
The devs have now confirmed that they will be acting upon the feedback, as they detailed major changes to CoD HQ’s UI and download sizes.
CoD HQ updates
Activision have announced the following changes to CoD HQ that will be rolled out in a series of updates from MW3 Season 5 Reloaded up to Black Ops 6’s launch:
- New streamlined UI
- Direct access to games
- More control over your downloads, including Call of Duty: Warzone content
- Expanded streaming technology to reduce file sizes
ActivisionCall of Duty UI overhaul
A new UI will be introduced in mid-October for Call of Duty. It will feature a landing page focused on games, where the most recent title and Warzone will be the main focus. There will also be a selection of the “top content” for players to choose from without needing to scroll.
Further, starting with Black Ops 6’s launch, each title will have its “own individual user interfaces designed to easily get players into the modes and content they want to play.” Players will be able to experience a taste of BO6’s UI during the beta.
ActivisionDownload size reduction & game file organization
The first of these major updates for CoD HQ arrives on August 21, along with MW3 Season 5 Reloaded. This update will reorganize game files and separate Warzone from the annual titles, allowing players to download the battle royale separately, and have more choice over which game files are on their system.
Texture streaming usage will also be expanding in an effort to reduce download sizes. The update will be a big one, but according to the blog, the stated size will not translate into storage space. It will be large as it adds new tech and will reorganize game files to pave the way for the new UI.
The devs also claim that after this update, future CoD downloads will be smaller in size and existing files will take up less memory space on your system. They even stated that Black Ops 6 will be a smaller download in comparison to MW3 at launch thanks to the optimizations.
Players will be gifted a variety of rewards for completing the download(s) from August 21 to the end of MW3 Season 5. These include:
- 10x 1-Hour Double Player XP Tokens (10 Hours Total)
- 10x 1-Hour Double Weapon XP Tokens (10 Hours Total)
- 10x Battle Pass Token Tier Skips
Ultimately, these updates aim to improve the player experience in the Call of Duty HQ app for Black Ops 6’s launch. We’ll gain more insight into the UI changes during Call of Duty Next, which is also set to reveal more details about multiplayer, Zombies, and the Warzone integration.