SPOILER ALERT: This introduction continues the story of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II to set the stage for Season 05. Commander Phillip Graves was presumed KIA during a ferocious tank battle during the Modern Warfare II Campaign, after turning on members of Task Force 141.
Graves is alive.
Even if Task Force 141 successfully secured the warhead as part of their RAID, Farah lost her brother — and AQ asset — Hadir . . . but not before he revealed that a greater threat is on the horizon.
Unbeknownst to Price, Gaz, and the rest of 141, Farah and Alex head back into Urzikstan. A meeting has been set up with a former enemy who apparently wasn’t incinerated in his tank at the Fuerzas Especiales Headquarters in South America.
Three elite leaders pore over a map of Al Mazrah, where Graves has intel on a new ultranationalist threat now present in the AO, the same group Hadir could not speak of in his dying breaths:
The Konni Group.
Expect Patch Notes from Infinity Ward and Raven Software to be available prior to the release of Season 05. Additional development support is provided by (in alphabetical order) Activision Central Design, Activision Localization Dublin, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Team Ricochet, Toys for Bob, and Treyarch.
Here is what you need to know:
From battle-tested classics to new favorites,
Modern Warfare II’s
map rotation is about to expand well past three-dozen locations combined across all modes with these Core and Gunfight additions: Punta Mar, Strike, Lounge, and Canal.
Punta Mar (Core, Launch)
Get ready to infiltrate a brand-new map from Infinity Ward. Punta Mar is a recently evacuated tourist attraction in Las Almas — once a bustling town on a hill overlooking a beautiful South American beach.
Prepare to fight up and down that hill, maneuvering through shops, across rooftops, and through abandoned residences to take control of an area centered around a cobblestone street.
There’s little time between engagements. Watch the shop windows for enemy Operators and use the side streets and alleys to your advantage in this small map geared toward all playstyles.
Strike (Core, Launch)
Turn the clock back 15 years to one of the core maps of
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
.
Alongside its brethren in Shipment and Showdown, Strike will be restored to its full glory in Season 05, thanks to the latest Infinity Ward engine and technology.
This version of Strike is how veterans likely remember it, albeit with some slight adjustments to make it fit in
Modern Warfare II
. Does that include the back door near one of the spawn areas and B Bomb Site in Search & Destroy? You’ll find out at Season 05’s launch!
Lounge (Gunfight, Launch)
No time to kick back and relax here: This compact map for Gunfight and other small-squad modes takes place in a high-scale, high-octane club. Take the stairs or climb to a balcony for a view across the main chamber, and when the center gets too hot, try your luck in the game room or under the spotlights of the stage behind the grand piano. On this tiny map, there’s danger at every turn, so stay active, use cover, and be ready to put on a showstopping performance.
Canal (Gunfight, Launch)
Situated in the vicinity of Vondel, this new Gunfight map takes place in and around a brewery and a canal thoroughfare. Offering some verticality, Canal features cellars below the cobblestone streets above, with the action occurring between the canal bridges where the water or a moored boat are useful in your tactical planning. Be ready for close quarters combat while weaving through the brewery and restaurant. Canal is frenetic, with a bit more room to move than other Gunfight maps, so think tactically and keep pressing the fight.
DRC – Zone 1 (Core, Mid-Season)
Building 21 already had some spectacularly memorable moments in
Call of Duty: Warzone
. Now an area within the vicinity of this clandestine location will be revealed for
Modern Warfare II
Multiplayer. Prepare to enter a new Zone in the DRC research campus.
This map is located around the Visitor Center in the shadow of Building 21. Many of the technological triumphs that the DRC have gifted the world are on display here. Players are also allowed behind the curtain to view some of the inner workings of the facility, from Research and Development to the shipping and receiving areas, to a few of the laboratories.
This small-sized map is focused on fast-paced combat, where shortcuts, outflanking, and consistent action is to be expected. Look for a full tactical overview of this map at mid-season.
Expect three new
Modern Warfare II
Modes as Season 05 launches and progresses, along with a variety of returning Gunfight variants, and Faceoff with even more Operators for those seeking the ultimate in Cage Match experiences:
Havoc (Launch)
In Season 05, one thing is for certain: It’s time to wreak some Havoc.
Havoc is a brand-new Core Multiplayer mode inspired by classic arena-shooter gameplay, then further enhanced with the injection of a random selection of frenzy-inducing modifiers. Infinity Ward specifically designed this as a “rogue” like mode, where each time a game is played, you receive enhancement modifiers that changes the gameplay in new and interesting (and not to mention, chaotic) ways. Don’t expect two games of Havoc to play out identically. But do expect a whole lot of fast-paced combat with the emphasis on entertaining takedowns.
The match starts in a similar manner to a Team Deathmatch. However, you should forget about Perk Packages, Killstreaks, or Field Upgrades: They don’t exist in Havoc. Instead, prepare to embrace the match-changing modifiers!
Players start with one modifier at the beginning of a match. Once a squad is the first to reach a multiple of 12 kills – 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 – the game adds a new modifier to the match for
both
teams, from a pool of 14 available modifiers. Here are examples of just five of them:
Ammo Feeder
: Auto reloads a weapon (from stock ammo) upon elimination.
Boots Off the Ground:
Moon gravity. Affects only player jump heights, not thrown equipment or ballistics.
Flameshot:
Flame-tipped Crossbows and Molotovs only. All Loadouts change immediately to this upon modifier activation.
Hero Landing
: Landing from a big drop causes a frag-grenade-like explosion around you.
Perspective Shift:
Everyone swaps to a third-person camera view.
The modifiers stack as the match progresses, so by the end of a match you could have, for example, a third-person, moon gravity, hero-landing-enabled, auto-reloading flame-tipped Crossbow and Molotovs-only Deathmatch, once one team reaches 60 kills.
Bring the squad to Havoc, and prepare for some frenetic fun.
Big Capture the Flag (Launch)
Want to go bigger? Then the Battle Maps are ready for some classic Capture the Flag matches in Season 05.
Whether it is on the streets of Guijarro or in the waterlogged Mawizeh Marshlands, Big Capture the Flag on a 20v20 scale is a recipe for some epic matches.
Will a lone hero go behind enemy lines, beating the odds across hundreds of meters, all to ultimately make a decisive capture? Or will several squads armed with tanks, helicopters, and launchers fight to secure or reset a dropped flag out in the open?
That all depends on how you and your squad tackle this new mode coming within the launch window.
Gunfight Variants (including Armored Gunfight) (Launch, In-Season)
Step into the 2v2 Gunfight arena with three different variants available throughout Season 05. Look for the following:
Gunfight Custom (Launch):
Featuring standard Gunfight rules, but the weaponry you bring is taken from your favorite Loadouts.
Gunfight Snipers (Mid-Season):
Tool up with your favorite sniper or marksman rifle, and leave the Secondary, Tacticals, and Lethals at home.
Armored Gunfight (In-Season):
Need more protection during your 2v2 skirmishes? Then welcome to Armored Gunfight, a variation on the fan-favorite mode, featuring standard Gunfight rules with one distinct difference; armor is enabled! Each squadmate comes to the fight with 150 HP of Armor, 100 Health, and no replacement plates or health regeneration. All other Gunfight rules apply (win conditions, overtime, capturing the overtime flag), but your takedown tactics should be adjusted accordingly.
Faceoff (4v4) (Mid-Season)
For those seeking the fast-action gameplay of small-team cage matches, the ultimate compliment to Gunfight is back! Use your own Loadouts, forget Killstreaks, and play modes like Team Deathmatch and Kill Confirmed on all the
Modern Warfare II
Gunfight maps. However, in Season 05 the action is even more frenzied, as the player count is upped by one Operator per team: This is 4v4 Faceoff. Fans of Shipment 24v7 take note!
Champions of
Call of Duty: Warzone
: Heed the call of this new quest.
Just like the Traditional Battle Royale Champion’s Quest for Al Mazrah, a squad that is on a winning streak — five in a row in Mini Battle Royale matches — will have the opportunity to take on the Champion’s Quest in Vondel.
Although the Vondel’s quest will be similar to Al Mazrah’s quest in that you will build the M.G.B., there are a couple key differences:
First, all elements must be held and never dropped (a prerequisite that also now applies to any Champion’s Quest you undertake). That means an element can’t be dropped in the water and saved for the end. If an element is dropped, it must be recaptured to continue the quest.
Second, there are three brand-new elements — or elemental compounds — to capture as part of this quest:
Gallium:
Holding Gallium reveals all nearby team members who held it previously, as if you were affected by a Snapshot Grenade.
Deuterium
: This fatigues any Operator, which includes causing them to cough if they try sprinting.
Neptunium:
This periodically electrocutes all nearby Operators as well as hay-wiring vehicles, with similar effects as the Shock Stick.
The Champion’s Quest in Vondel will be ready for all challengers starting at season launch.
Two familiar vehicles are here across
Call of Duty: Warzone
maps; consult your Tac Map in-game for locations and availability.
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected — it does what it says in its name.
A vehicle roughly the size and shape of the Cargo Truck, the MRAP is equipped for heavy combat with additional armor plating and turrets, making it a slower, yet effective, vehicle for attack or defense.
The MRAP will not appear often — in fact, it is mostly available at the start of a mode coming out at mid-season — but whenever an Operator sees it being used, it’s time to either head inside or come at it head-on with Launchers, LMGs, and Killstreaks . . . and plenty of them.
Dirt Bike
A nimble and rapid form of transportation in
Call of Duty: Warzone
, the Dirt Bike is ready for Operators to lose enemies through tight alleys, perform hairpin turns on a dime, and get across any map without much cover but with plenty of style.
In other words, yes, you can catch sick air and pop wheelies on this whenever the operation calls for it.
In addition to the new features mentioned in the above note, expect new Missions, including Urgent Missions, to be made available in your Forward Operating Base menu, as well as the following:
Built for pure stealth engagements, the Disguised Field Upgrade allows you to appear as a member of a DMZ Combatant (AI) Faction. Equip the Disguise and DMZ Combatants of the same faction will not attack unless you blow your cover and act aggressively towards them.
An experimental stimulant offering an adrenaline rush as you complete a self-revive: A Self-Revive mixed with pure Battle Rage! After using it to get up from Last Stand, it immediately activates Battle Rage’s effects, allowing you to heal more quickly. The Tactical Sprint is also constantly refreshed for a short period of time.
Much like an Armor Box, this Field Upgrade holds multiple Self-Revive Kits. Perfect for squad-based infiltrations.
This is a Gas Mask that also acts as a Rebreather, providing protection from radioactive winds, gas, and allows for underwater breathing for an extended period of time.
This intense battle is set to begin on August 4 with a cease-fire between both factions set for August 16. Before then, both sides want you to join them. No matter which side you pick, the main challenge to complete is the same:
Earn 50 Operator Kills.
Access the Events tab of the in-game menu to access the Faction you wish to join. Then complete the challenge, and other faction-specific challenges (detailed below) to earn all the Event rewards. Thinking about switching sides during this Event? Mercenary activities are encouraged: Feel free to join Task Force 141 or Shadow Company as many times as you wish, earning some or all the Operator kills for the faction you’ve chosen, until you complete the Event for both sides.
Once the main challenge has been completed, you earn a Calling Card and an Emblem just for participating. But that’s not all. Let’s dive a little deeper into the other available challenges, which are related to each faction’s preferred operational tactics:
Task Force 141 likes to go in close with Finishing Moves and melee weapons, or they use whatever it takes to go long with Battle Rifle longshots.
Shadow Company, meanwhile, prefers stealth with SMG eliminations from behind, or they use everything in their Loadout to their advantage, like Launchers and Lethal Equipment.
Completing the challenges for either faction rewards you with items such as Tier Skips, Vehicle Skins, and a Weapon Blueprint for completing all the challenges for a faction.
All community Operator eliminations will be tracked during this event as combat between Task Force 141 and Shadow Company continues. Only elite Operators who complete all five of a faction’s challenges will be eligible for the following rewards:
The faction (Task Force 141 or Shadow Company) that wins this event by having the highest number of community Operation eliminations – the main Challenge for this Event that you can contribute up to 50 kills per faction towards – will unlock another reward. This is a free Operator Skin — either one for Soap or one for Horangi, depending on who wins — as well as a universal weapon camouflage and a one-hour Double Battle Pass XP Token.
Choose a side, fight until the last minute, get rewarded, and await further orders as the event concludes, prior to mid-season.
Vehicle and Camo Challenge Events (In-Season)
Players of both
Modern Warfare II
and
Call of Duty: Warzone
should expect further unlock challenges as Season 05 continues, not least a series of tasks related to expertise with vehicles, as well as an in-depth Camo Challenge with suitably impressive rewards.
As well as appearing as part of the Faction Showdown Launch Window Event, the Shadow Company will make their presence felt across BlackCell, especially with their new Operator Arthur and his faithful companion Merlin.
Those who purchase the BlackCell — available for $29.99 — will get access to Arthur, 1,100 COD Points, an advanced starting position in the Battle Pass AO, and even more content in the Season 05 Battle Pass . . . in addition to 20 Tier Skips (25 on PlayStation®).
Arthur doesn’t usually fight alone; he sometimes brings his dog Merlin along with him, as well as “Gwen,” both additions as part of the full BlackCell offering. Merlin is an extremely good boy; pouncing on and savaging Arthur’s opponents (when equipped as a Finishing Move). Gwen meanwhile, is a talking Gunscreen attachment incorporating a small speaker announcing specific in-game events.
More intel will be dropped on this offering in the designated Battle Pass, Bundles, and BlackCell blog post, which will be online prior to Season 05’s launch.
FR Avancer (Assault Rifle – Launch, Battle Pass)
With a blinding fire rate and exceptional maneuverability, in the right hands, this aggressive bullpup rifle can dominate the battlefield.
This fast-firing bullpup rifle is a midrange behemoth that can neutralize targets quickly within a few dozen meters.
Trained Operators will know how to master the recoil pattern and tame its high fire rate. That may involve a trip to the Gunsmith, but no matter what, it is a solid Battle Pass addition that is free for all those who earn this HVT in a Battle Pass Sector.
It will put it in competition with other fast-firing Assault Rifles in its category, so Operators that appreciate those should give the FR Avancer a test in the Firing Range (at the very least) in Season 05.
Carrack .300 (Sniper Rifle – Launch, Battle Pass)
This semi-auto bullpup sniper rifle features an exceptionally high fire rate and a unique design for best-in-class handling and stability when on the move.
Built for the Operator that claims they are a sharpshooter – it’s free for everyone in Season 05 through the Battle Pass, so time to see if the skill matches the talk.
The Carrack .300 is a true Sniper Rifle with a semi-automatic, bullpup design. Effective even at the longest ranges, all it requires is an Operator who can take a deep breath, keep calm under pressure, and line up a shot to the head or upper chest.
This rifle may not be the first choice for certain playstyles, but for those wanting semi-automatic takedown prowess over longer ranges, this is well worth taking into bigger maps once Season 05 launches.
Four New In-Season Weapons
M13C (Assault Rifle – In-Season)
The .300 BLK counterpart to the M13B, this full-auto Assault Rifle is versatile and hard-hitting as a main weapon or sniper support secondary.
Unlock Requirements: [[REDACTED]]
New SMG, Sidearm, and Melee Weapon (In-Season)
In addition to the two free Battle Pass weapons, and the M13C Assault Rifle, three more weapons are being released during Season 05.
Ready yourself for a new SMG, which is ready to offer another silent close-range solution thanks to its integrated suppressor.
A new sidearm is ready to be added to the deep pool of Secondary Weapons for Operators wanting more flexibility and stopping power at mid-range.
Speaking of Secondaries, the Pickaxe will be a simple, yet effective tool added to the melee category.
At launch and throughout the beginning of Season 05, six Operators can be added to your roster. More Operators will come out this season, but these six are the ones ready for immediate combat activities when this season launches:
Born in Central Florida, Oz overcame adversity even at a young age to become a great Operator, finding a fatal security flaw in a U.S. military system before he graduated high school.
He enlisted in a sister program to Hutch’s branch, becoming a highly decorated cyber soldier running top-secret ops, all while creating a family of his own with his brothers in arms. But when General Shepherd asked him to take the lead in a cyber defense division of a new PMC group, Oz was ready to join Shadow Company…
Except he heard one leader, Commander Graves, was reported in an incident against an C.I.A.-affiliated Operator on South American soil.
Shepherd closed the deal with tasking Oz at being Shadow Company’s “de facto leader.” Using both his elite special operations toolset on the ground as well as his skills in cyberwarfare, Oz’s mission is not only to lead Shadow Company’s global presence… But manage the narratives around that incident with Graves.
Graves (Battle Pass)
He’s back.
You probably have questions. Graves does not have time for answers. He says he was never in that tank that exploded at the hands of the 141, and now it’s back to business.
If you want his history, the
Modern Warfare II
Campaign speaks for itself. But also, know that he is a proud American, former Special Ops Team Chief, and the founder and current CEO of Shadow Company, a global risk management, protection, and private military firm specializing in troop, air, and maritime capabilities anywhere in the world.
In team modes, he and other Shadow Company Operators will side with KORTAC.
Arthur
Aside from being one of Shadow Company’s best, biographical intel for this Operator has been [[REDACTED]].
The Shadow Company warden of Building 21 just got ousted by Konni Group, so now this “giant” is ready for new operations.
During initial encounters with Task Force 141, Velikan was a shadow of a shadow. Tales of his exploits are written off as fairytales at best and gross exaggerations at worst. Those who know him never speak ill of him. Whether it’s due to fear or respect, no one knows.
Since then, this Shadow Company mercenary was assigned to defend Building 21 from any elite Operators who managed to access this clandestine facility. But now that his job there is done — perhaps — he seems ready to work for SpecGru across all online operations.
Mace (Mid-Season)
Another returning face — or mask, if you will — the mercenary Mace will be called in during Season 05 Reloaded to assist Shadow Company with clean-up duties.
Additional Limited-Time Operators During Season 05
These headliners deserve more than a passing mention, especially because they are here in celebration of five decades of hip hop culture: Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg and 21 Savage.
In celebration of 50 years of hip hop,
Modern Warfare II
and
Call of Duty: Warzone
will have free content and special Bundles available throughtout Season 05.
Before getting into the special guest Operators coming out during Season 05, here is something for everyone:
Free War Track Packs
Since War Tracks debuted in 2019,
Call of Duty
put some of hip hop’s seminal tracks for everyone to hear in the game.
As part of
Call of Duty
celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop, everyone will receive free hip hop War Tracks for logging in between August 7 and August 16. Simply go online in
Modern Warfare II
and
Call of Duty: Warzone
on four separate days within that time period – an easy task for those that play daily or even only on weekends – to receive a free gift.
The first three days will grant a War Track from the ’80s (Foundation), ’90s (Golden Era), or 2000s (Life After Y2K). On the fourth day of logging in, you will receive a special Weapon Blueprint that can be used in any online mode.
In addition, three more Operators are arriving during Season 05 to celebrate over five decades of hip hop culture:
Don’t make any bad decisions; the Snoop Dogg Operator Bundle will be here as part of Call of Duty’s celebration of 50 years of Hip Hop. More information is to come in the Battle Pass, Bundles and BlackCell blog, which will post prior to launch.
Remember: At the end of the day, it’s a Doggy Dogg World, and we’re living in it.
Playtime is over; this is not “Chill Nicki”; this is Red Ruby Da Sleeze.
Nicki is known to break barriers in hip hop, and this is no different; come Season 05, she will be
Call of Duty’s
first-ever self-named female Operator.
Call him a rockstar or Mr. Right Now, no matter what, he’s 21 Savage.
Born in London and raised in Atlanta, a community he continues to give back to through philanthropic efforts, the Slaughter King went from underground hero to award-winning rapper.
Haven’t experienced
Modern Warfare II
yet?
You are missing out on Premium XP while playing
Call of Duty: Warzone
, as well as quick ways to level up over 60
weapons through Multiplayer and Special Ops, Multiplayer Ranked Play and its exclusive rewards, and the ability to unlock 14 exclusive Operators to use across both games.
Plus, those who own
Modern Warfare II
can access content coming as part of Season 05: four new maps, including the return of the legendary locale Strike, as well as the brand-new mode Havoc.
Stay frosty.
© 2023 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, and MODERN WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
Summer’s in full swing and hot new content is on the way for Season 7. Deploy to an idyllic retreat in the new Seaside Multiplayer map, provide your robot companion with safe passage in Safeguard, earn additional rewards in Tournament mode, get a brand-new Battle Pass packed for summer fun, and more.
The Mission: Detailing the map, tactics, and tips for a 6v6 Multiplayer map inspired by the Floating District of southwestern Vondel.
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