Infinity Ward is allowing for more than 100 players in a single match of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, so that means the game could be getting a Battle Royale mode, right? During last week’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer reveal event, Infinity Ward listed a wide range of player counts for their new take on Ground War. While the conventional 20-player matches will still be available, Infinity Ward is bumping the player count even higher with 40, 64, and over 100-player matches.
As of right now, there’s no gameplay footage available showcasing more than 40 players. According to Infinity Ward, the team is still playtesting over 100 players. While the series’ first foray into large-scale multiplayer wasn’t a huge success, Black Ops 4’s Battle Royale mode is virtually dead on PC, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s cross-play support should provide for a more stable community as time goes on. Having players across PS4, Xbox One, and PC should ensure that the game has healthy lobbies for many months and years following launch. Infinity Ward did give players a good idea at what a more hectic player-driven game mode could look like with their latest multiplayer trailer.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Infinity Ward studio art director Joe Emslie said that we’ll have to “wait and see,” if the game would include a Battle Royale mode. However, in an interview with IGN, multiplayer designer Joe Cecot said the team is focused on “core multiplayer” offerings as opposed to Battle Royale this time around. If the team did end up including it with more than 100 players, it would be the biggest, and likely most refined, take on a Battle Royale mode from a AAA developer. For the first time ever, it would also make Call of Duty: Modern Warfare a bigger war game than DICE’s Battlefield series with both Ground War and Battle Royale offerings.
On top of all of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s new multiplayer modes, Infinity Ward is creating a pretty unconventional system that’ll keep hardcore players coming back for more. A Tamagotchi-like device called Tamagunchi was revealed via Game Informer. Like the Tamagotchi, the Tamagunchi needs to be fed, but as opposed to food, players will feed their Tamagunchi with kills in-game. The new wrist-watch device will keep track of various stats and tell players the time of day as a nice little bonus. While this new feature is great for players who are wild about in-game stats, the nature of the device definitely conflicts with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s gritty and realistic approach to combat.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare looks to be a more connected and customization-driven game than any entry prior. It seems as though a Battle Royale mode is definitely in the works, but it might not be something the community sees right at launch. Considering Call of Duty: Modern Warfare won’t include a traditional DLC pass, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Infinity Ward push out a ton of cosmetic items like weapon skins, costumes, and Tamagunchi additions. If a Battle Royale mode is included, players who get really invested will definitely be drawn to having their character look decked out in lobbies and the aforementioned mode.
Next: All Weapons, Gear, and Killstreaks We Saw in Modern Warfare Multiplayer
Source: Eurogamer. IGN, Game Informer