I still don’t know what I think about Ronald Reagan sending players to do war crimes, but I’m certainly on board with the epic shipboarding combat I just saw in the first multiplayer reveal trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
While we don’t see the ship’s actual armaments in play (it’s not clear if you can control them), the rest of the map seems incredibly dynamic: zip line from ship to ship, commandeer gunboats, jump around in jet skis, take down a helicopter with an RPG. You can even engage underwater, or so the trailer suggests.
And that’s just one of several maps Activision revealed in the trailer today. Here’s how it describes each of the first five maps:
Armada
Based on Operation Azorian, U.S. and Soviet forces arrive in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean in search of a prototype nuclear submarine. The scale of the Cold War could be tipped in favor of whoever salvages it, whether it be the Soviets reclaiming it or the U.S. intercepting it. Zipline from ship to ship or command gunboats to turn the tide of the fight.
Crossroads
At a pivotal route to Afghanistan deep in Uzbekistan, NATO forces are mobilized to ambush a large Soviet military convoy comprised of mobile ICBM launchers. With the backdrop of a frozen Soviet Wilderness, an MI6 Squadron are ready to combat any Spetsnaz forces in order to secure the top-secret intel held on the convoy, as well as any necessary supplies for future operations. Use tanks to blow up enemy positions or snowmobiles to zip behind the enemy and break their lines.
Miami
Through hired DGI forces, Perseus ambushed and assaulted a prison transport in Miami’s famed South Beach in order to free a trusted ally. Amid the cover of night amongst vibrant art-deco architecture and neon lights, CIA special forces have been dispatched to eliminate remaining DGI forces and identify clues to Perseus’ whereabouts.
Moscow
In the heart of the U.S.S.R, a Spetsnaz squad was sent to a compromised CIA safe house in order to secure the area, capture any remaining CIA operatives, and acquire further intel on NATO’s future plans. Initial reports indicate that the area has gone hot and fighting has spilled out into the streets, prompting a second CIA-JSOC team to arrive at the scene as reinforcements.
Satellite
Deep in the deserts of Angola, Central Africa, a top-secret, American-made reconnaissance satellite known as the KH-9 has been grounded, potentially by Perseus. Hired DGI forces are searching for the sensitive intel it holds, while NATO’s MI6 Squadron have been dispatched to secure the site and eliminate DGI stragglers.
Our sister site Polygon has an in-depth guide to everything we know about Cold War’s multiplayer mode so far, including some hands-on comparisons to previous games in the series, and it sounds like the ship-based “Armada” map might be pretty fun. “These giant ships give the match an excellent balance between the fast-paced fights of a regular Call of Duty match and the kind of huge-map sniping that might feel more at home in Warzone,” they wrote.
The game’s out November 13th as a cross-gen title for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and many customers who preorder will have access to an open beta that should begin in early October.