In the games-as-service gaming landscape where striking the balance between fun and challenging is key to retaining players, playing around with the way the game plays is necessary to find that sweet spot. Developer Infinity Ward and publisher Activision seem to be continually tweaking the gameplay and playlists while offering new content in the form of new weaponry, skins, and challenges to see what players take to (and what they complain about). Sometimes the changes are seen as an improvement, like the speed of the gas cloud in Warzone, and other times the change is immediately rejected by the fan base.
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How the features included in this latest update will fare remains to be seen, but May 5th brings a host of new shiny things for players to mess around with in both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the battle royale arena of Warzone. In Modern Warfare, the game is adding the classic COD multiplayer playlist Demolition. The mode pits two teams against one another, one attacking bomb sites, the other, defending those sites.
Also brought in is the fan favorite Shipment 24/7, a frantic and claustrophobic playlist set on the tiny Shipment map that first appeared back in January. The final new playlist is Boots on the Ground War, a variant on the 64-player Ground War mode, but with no vehicles anywhere to be found.
On the Warzone side of the equation, the Plunder Trios playlist will be swapped out in favor of the Blood Money Trios, a game mode that incentivizes kills to net players more cash. Additionally, Infinity Ward is making the decision to remove helicopters from Warzone. No reason was given, but players in the know have found a bug that clips the helicopter into certain places, preventing player damage. This could be the reason, but that is pure speculation from fans and observers at this point.
By offering so many changes on a weekly basis, Infinity Ward and Activision are figuring out what works and what doesn’t. Fans contribute to that list with their opinions on playlists and whether the chest in Warzone should always give a player cash. This week’s update will be another attempt to get the formula right.
Given that the companies behind the game want to see Warzone remain a constant—even as new games are released—all of this tweaking of game modes and little tests of new features is likely to continue to find the right balance. Players will just have to get used to the ever-changing terrain.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare & Warzone are available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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Source: Twitter/Infinity Ward
