Call of Duty’s ‘Blackout’ Battle Royale Beta Is Live And People Love It

Avatar photoBy Ewan Roxburgh

Call of Duty is entering the Battle Royale realm in Black Ops 4, with their new Blackout mode hoping to compete against the likes of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite. The Private Beta is on now for PS4 owners with access and by all accounts, it’s a lot of fun.

Like other Battle Royale modes, you win a game of Blackout by being the last player or squad alive, after dropping down into the battlefield and scavenging supplies. You wingsuit down onto the map starting the match with nothing, and must find weapons and supplies as the circle begins to close you in.

It features a number of recognisable Call of Duty characters from the story modes of the first three Black Ops campaigns and zombies modes. Speaking of zombies, they will be grouped together in various sections of the map as an added threat in the heat of the battle.

It appears to be the biggest departure from the traditional Call of Duty multiplayer formula but people seem to be enjoying it.

I’m sure after checking out some of the footage, you’re super keen to play yourself. It’s a closed beta on consoles, so you’ll need to grab a code (which you can get through pre-ordering) to play. The PlayStation exclusivity ends September 15th and if you’re on PC, the open beta begins September 16th.

All the relevant dates and times are as follows:

  • PlayStation 4 Exclusive (Starts: September 11 at 3am AEST – Ends: September 15 at 3am AEST)
  • PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (Starts: September 15 at 3am AEST – Ends: September 18 at 3am AEST)
  • PC Beta Early Access (Starts: September 15 at 3am AEST) *PC exclusively on Battle.Net
  • PC Open Beta (Starts: September 16 at 3am AEST – Ends: September 17 at 3am AEST

A number of land, sea and air vehicles are also included in the game including an ATV, a Cargo Truck, a Tactical Boat and a Helicopter, that accommodate various numbers of passengers. Dotted about the map, are familiar locations inspired by some of the series’ previous maps, including Nuketown, Firing Range, Array, Hydro, Verruckt and Cargo to name a few.

There is obviously a wide array of weapons, attachments and equipment that can be collected in a Blackout match. Perks, health and armour, grenades, molotov cocktails, razor wire and remote-controlled recon cars are just some examples of gadgets and gizmos that may deliver you a win.

If you can’t play the beta, rest assured the wait until the full game is released isn’t long. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be released October 12th, 2018.