Call of Duty: WWII has officially returned to the Microsoft Store (and PC Game Pass) after being removed 41 days ago.

Sledgehammer Games' 2017 mainline entry to the Call of Duty franchise, Call of Duty: WWII, made waves in late June when it was added to Xbox and PC Game Pass. Just days later, Activision announced Call of Duty: WWII would be taken offline for Windows PC players while the development team "investigated an issue."

The issue at hand was rampant "Remote Code Execution" hacks — exploits that allow hackers to execute code on a player's PC remotely. Players affected by the exploits shared photos and videos on social media of their machines being taken over while playing Call of Duty: WII.

The exploits could possibly have allowed hackers to install malware and other malicious code that could even result in data breaches and security vulnerabilities.

Only the Windows edition of the game available on the Microsoft Store was impacted by the RCE exploits that resulted in the game's temporary delisting. Xbox consoles utilize a modified Windows Kernel, which prevented the console edition of Call of Duty: WWII from being affected by the exploit. Other editions of the game on Battle.net and Steam were seemingly unaffected, as well.

Following Call of Duty publisher Activision's acquisition by Microsoft, there has been an effort made to gradually introduce the 20-plus-year franchise's past releases into the Xbox Game Pass service. Doing so has proven to be a challenge, however, as many of the titles need to be ported to the Microsoft Store.

For several years, Call of Duty launches were limited to Activision's own Battle.net storefront on PC.

Unlike many publishers, Activision has not shut down servers for older Call of Duty titles, but support for the games typically ends one year after launch. Early this summer, Activision rolled out a major update to various older Call of Duty titles, which sparked speculation by the community that those games could also come to Xbox Game Pass in the near future.

Many of those titles, too, including Infinity Ward's 2009 hit Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops (2012), are also plagued with hacks even on console. However, they do not seem to be as severe as the rampant RCE exploits in Call of Duty: WWII.

Efforts to port older Call of Duty titles to the Microsoft Store and add them to the Xbox Game Pass library could also cause hiccups with Activision's plans to release Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 this year from Treyarch and Raven Software.

Introducing old titles to Game Pass could potentially siphon players away from the newest release, which already has the player base skeptical due to its near-futuristic storyline.

There are concerns that omnimovement and advanced movement, like wall jumping and boost jumps, might usher in the end of the "boots on the ground" era that Call of Duty has been committed to since Modern Warfare (2019).

Players have also railed against the increasingly absurd operator skins, targeting Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's abundance of cel-shaded and crossover bundles featuring the likes of Beavis and Butthead and American Dad characters. The community's disdain ultimately led to Treyarch and Raven Software deciding to pull support for Carry Forward in Black Ops 7.

The community's opinion of Black Ops 7 seems to be a mixed bag at the moment, but Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's multiplayer has yet to be fully revealed. The sentiment of the community could change drastically following the COD NEXT showcase on September 30.

In the meantime, those who are tired of getting shot down by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 can now safely revisit Call of Duty: WWII on PC once again.

How did the Community respond to the temporary removal of Call of Duty: WWII from the Microsoft Store?

When Call of Duty: WWII vanished from the Microsoft Store just days after its Game Pass debut, the move set off a wave of confusion and concern.

Activision initially cited only an unspecified “issue,” but it quickly emerged that the PC version on Microsoft’s storefront had been hit with rampant Remote Code Execution exploits — the kind of vulnerability that could let bad actors hijack a player’s machine, install malware, or worse.

Social media lit up with clips and screenshots of compromised systems, and the lack of immediate, detailed communication from the publisher left many feeling uneasy.

Over the next 41 days, speculation swirled. Some players warned friends to steer clear entirely, while others questioned why the Microsoft Store build (and not the Steam or Battle.net editions) was uniquely affected. There are also lingering questions about the security of older Call of Duty titles being ported to Game Pass, with fears that similar flaws could lurk in other legacy releases.

When the game finally returned, patched and playable, there was a mix of relief and skepticism. Fans eager to revisit the 2017 shooter jumped back in, but others remained wary, their trust shaken by both the exploit itself and the long silence that followed.

For now, WWII is back in rotation, but the episode has served as a lasting reminder that even beloved classics can pose modern risks.

If you were looking to play Sledgehammer Games' 2017 title, Call of Duty: WWII, via PC Game Pass or the Microsoft Store this holiday weekend, you're sadly out of luck. The Call of Duty team has confirmed that the PC edition of WWII has been taken offline following "reports of an issue."

"An issue" is a bit of an understatement as to what is currently plaguing the Windows edition of Call of Duty: WWII. The game has become infested with RCE hackers, disruptive players who can utilize the exploit to execute code on another player's PC remotely without permission. This allows the hacker to install malware and malicious code that could result in data breaches and other security vulnerabilities.

Players began reporting the exploit on social media around July 2, shortly after the servers for the game went live, following maintenance on multiple Call of Duty titles. Players affected by the exploit began sharing videos and screenshots of their PCs being taken over by remote hackers.

The hacking of older titles is an open-air secret among the Call of Duty community, with players often avoiding the games on Steam. While Activision has taken a unique approach of keeping mainline Call of Duty titles servers open indefinitely, the teams do little to maintain the safety of those servers once they move on to the next premium release.

However, the move to include these older COD titles on Xbox and PC Game Pass has led to an injection of new and returning players to the franchise. Many of them felt lured in by the perceived safety of older titles being backed by Microsoft (who now owns Call of Duty's publisher, Activision).

The RCE exploits are only a problem for the sector of Game Pass subscribers who are logging into the Windows edition of Call of Duty: WWII. Xbox consoles operate on a modified Windows kernel that is more limited than its Windows 11 cousin, and therefore prevents RCEs from being as effective as a hacking tool.

Taking the Windows PC edition of Call of Duty: WWII offline seems to have done little to soothe the game's community, however, as players voiced frustration with the Call of Duty team's lack of transparency about the RCE.

Got this message while playing COD WWII from r/WWII

The team's post from the official Call of Duty Updates social media accounts only reported that the game was being taken offline to "investigate reports of an issue." There was no acknowledgment of the RCE exploit or the potential harm to players who had already launched the game over the last few days while it was available.

With Xbox expected to add more of Call of Duty's catalog to the Xbox and PC Game Pass libraries over time, there is concern from the community that additional older games' ongoing exploitation will not be patched before those titles join the service. This could potentially expose large swaths of new players to hackers with no warning.

Call of Duty: WWII remains available to install on Xbox PC and the Microsoft Store despite being offline. Sledgehammer Games, the developer of WWII, was among the studios affected by Microsoft's most recent layoff spree, along with other Call of Duty supporting studios, Raven Software and High Moon. Exactly how many team members were laid off from these studios exactly is unknown at this time, and it remains to be seen if the layoffs will affect the process of supporting older Call of Duty titles once they have launched onto Game Pass.

Thankfully, if you absolutely can't wait to play Call of Duty: WWII, you can still do so on Xbox. Or, maybe just enjoy some double XP on Black Ops 6.

In the wake of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard that closed in late 2023, the Xbox and Windows maker has been slowly bringing the Call of Duty games — some of the best-selling titles in the world — to its globally popular buffet-style Xbox Game Pass service. This began with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 last year and continued with the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, followed by Modern Warfare 2 this May and now Call of Duty: WWII on Monday.

Players have begun flooding into the 2017 FPS on both Xbox and PC since then, no doubt spurred on by Game Pass availability on both platforms for a title they'd have to pay $60 for otherwise. Unfortunately, though, what should be an exciting revival for the "boots on the ground" shooter has been marred by widespread reports of concerning RCE hacks in online multiplayer.

RCE exploits — short for "remote code execution" — allow hackers to, as the name suggests, execute code on another player's PC remotely. Though generally pretty rare, RCE hacks have been the cause of data breaches and malware injections before, and are indicative of glaring security vulnerabilities in anti-cheat systems. You may recall when all the Dark Souls servers were taken down until after Elden Ring's launch due to an RCE exploit FromSoftware had to fix.

Evidently, it seems something similar is going on right now with Call of Duty: WWII, as players have posted multiple examples of what appears to be these hacks in action on social media. In the above clip from user Wrioh (also viewable here), for example, their game freezes after they're killed by "FlyingBell76523" — the kind of nonsense string of words and numbers you'd expect for the name of a burner alt account — and code appears to run that opens up a Notepad document with a mocking message before their Call of Duty: WWII client crashes to desktop.

TDAWG, a large Call of Duty content creator, also shared an image sent to him by a fan in which an error caused by an RCE hack displayed an ominous "Get hacked by adrian5909 your pc is now mine" message.

"Just a friendly reminder to not play cod wwii on pc gamepass," TDAWG wrote. "You can literally get your pc hacked. This was sent to me by a subscriber. RT to spread awareness."

Interestingly, user Lasagne Manne — self-proclaimed "Cheat Engine connoisseur" and "video game cheater" — even shared a screenshot of what they claim is the program people are using to perform these RCE exploits. The image shows options for everything from forcing a player's microphone on or off and playing sound effects to far more concerning actions like triggering a blue screen of death (BSOD) or outright causing a PC shutdown.

"Talked to a guy who had access a while back and got a sneak peak/chance to buy the source, its not just ww2 its actually most cod games that are effected," they said, suggesting that other Call of Duty games are vulnerable as well. "There is a current p2c [product-to-consumer] selling with these features and people are getting their pcs turned into botnet zombies."

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Indeed, some quick searches indicate that RCE hacks have been a problem in other Call of Duty titles on PC in years past, though reported cases seem more sporadic than the several you can find on social media about WWII right now. Still, it highlights that there's very much a problem here.

Of course, it's hard to say concretely how dangerous and widespread these exploit programs are at this point, but given that Call of Duty: WWII is eight years old now, I wouldn't be surprised if its anti-cheat systems are far too outdated to combat them. And with loads of players flocking to the game to check it out now that it's on PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, that's a major issue if true.

Publisher Activision and the developers at Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software haven't responded publicly to player reports at the time of writing, but hopefully they're working to patch this apparent glaring vulnerability soon. In the meantime, I'd avoid playing Call of Duty: WWII online on PC if I were you.

Activision has broken cover on the final DLC pack for Call of Duty: WWII, and things are about to get explosive. Called "Shadow War," the pack will bring new multiplayer maps, a fresh War Mode, and the conclusion to the Nazi Zombies campaign.

Alongside an explosive trailer, details for the pack were revealed over on the PlayStation Blog. In terms of new multiplayer maps, players will get to check out Airship, Chancellery, and Excavation. Airship takes the fight to the Alps, where you'll fight for control of a docked zeppelin. Chancellery, meanwhile, sees players fighting over the titular structure in the dead of night. Finally, Excavation will see players doing battle in an Algerian mine.

As for the new War Mode, Operation Arcane is described thusly:

For fans of Nazi Zombies, this DLC will also bring the epic story to a close, giving players access to powerful new weapons as part of the final chapter, "The Frozen Dawn."

As per usual, PlayStation 4 players will get first dibs on Shadow War, with the launch scheduled for August 28. There's no word on an exact release date for Xbox One, but it will likely land around a month later is past is prologue.

Call of Duty: WWII is available now for as little as $31.

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Call of Duty: WWII players on Xbox One may want to mark their calendars. In a tweet this morning, the official Xbox UK Twitter account revealed that the game's DLC Pack 2 will arrive for Xbox players on May 10.

As Call of Duty blog Charlie Intel reports, the tweet has since been deleted, so it appears to have gone out as a mistake. It's unclear, however, if the date itself is mistaken. Still, PlayStation 4 players are set to get their hands on the DLC on April 10, so May 10 would be a plausible date for the Xbox release. Activision normally releases Call of Duty DLC on PlayStation 4 first, with Xbox coming later.

Call of Duty: WWII's DLC Pack 2 is set to introduce three new multiplayer maps: Dunkirk, Egypt, and V2. It will also pack a new war mode map that pits players against one another during the Allies' invasion of Sicily. Lastly, players will get their hands on a new zombies chapter, called The Shadowed Throne, which sees players taking on hordes of the undead Nazis in the heart of Berlin.

If May 10 is indeed the Xbox release date, we should get official word again as it draws closer. For now, Call of Duty: WWII is currently up for grabs at $40 and up if you're ready to jump in.

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The Call of Duty games have serious and bizarre sides, all at the same time. Call of Duty: WWII features a gritty campaign which takes you across various battles and zones, but it also features a "Zombies" mode which includes an over-the-top story. Today, Activision announced that "The Resistance", the first add-on pack for the game, is coming to Xbox One and PC on March 1, 2018.

The Resistance adds new multiplayer maps which task players with fighting in iconic World War II locations, from Paris to Prague, all centered around historic uprisings. However, the pack also features "The Darkest Shore", the terrifying new chapter in the twisted Zombies saga. Unlike normal zombies, the undead you encounter in Call of Duty: WWII are Nazis.

Call of Duty returns to its roots with Call of Duty: WWII. According to Activision, the game is a breathtaking experience that redefines World War II for a new gaming generation. You step into the shoes of a young soldier who lands in Normandy on D-Day and must battle across Europe through iconic locations in history's most monumental war. Players experience classic Call of Duty combat, the bonds of friendship, and the unforgiving nature of war in this game.

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Starting December 8 and running through January 2, you can prepare for a frosty fight with the game's first ever community event, called Winter Siege. Winter Siege features new winter-themed content, a free Winter Carentan multiplayer map, double experience playlists, and a festive new Headquarters. The most significant addition has to be the new weapons which anyone can unlock.

If you watch the event's trailer, you can see that it adds five new firearms. The focus here appears to be on automatic rifles which dispense a lot of firepower rather quickly. This comes in handy when you're stranded and outnumbered in multiplayer matches.

Call of Duty returns to its roots with Call of Duty: WWII. You step into the shoes of a young soldier who lands in Normandy on D-Day and must battle across Europe through iconic locations in history's most monumental war. According to Activision, you experience classic Call of Duty combat, the bonds of friendship, and the unforgiving nature of war in this game.

The best part is that Call of Duty: WWII supports Xbox One X and consistently features higher resolutions than PlayStation 4 Pro. It's great to see developers taking full advantage of the 1.8 teraflops difference between the two consoles to put out better visuals on Microsoft's machine.

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Headquarters allows you to interact with other players and participate in other public events like defending the area. However, Headquarters has been experiencing a lot of problems since launch. Gamers found themselves as the only ones there and it wasn't the Destiny-like social space Activision promised.

Luckily, that's been fixed in today's Patch 1.06. Sledgehammer Games explained that the featured required a lot of testing and polishing before being available to everyone. They issued the following statement in the patch notes.

This is great news for gamers who wished to further engage with the community. Hopefully Headquarters will be updated in the coming months to be even better. Aside from this major change, the patch also fixed a lot of balancing issues and glitches. It should be noted that microtransactions went live a few days ago which allow you to purchase loot crates to unlock certain items.

Call of Duty returns to its roots with Call of Duty: WWII. According to Activision, the game is a breathtaking experience that redefines World War II for a new gaming generation. You step into the shoes of a young soldier who lands in Normandy on D-Day and must battle across Europe through iconic locations in history's most monumental war. Experience classic Call of Duty combat, the bonds of friendship, and the unforgiving nature of war in this game.

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The console features 1.8 TFLOPS more power than the PlayStation 4 Pro so it's not surprising that many games look better. Digital Foundry got their hands on both versions and were able to determine that the Xbox One X stuck to a "full fat 4K" most of the time. Even though dynamic resolution is being used across both platforms along the horizontal axis, the Xbox One X version still sticks very closely to 4K. For those unfamiliar with the feature, dynamic resolution lowers the resolution to preserve the title's 60 FPS gameplay.

The PlayStation 4 Pro version is consistently lower resolution than the Xbox One X which results in a softer image. Not only that, but the Xbox One X also offers higher resolution shadows and superior ambient occlusion. This makes certain scenes appear more detailed than what you find on Sony's machine. This is great news for Xbox One X owners because they get to experience the best console version of the game.

Call of Duty returns to its roots with Call of Duty: WWII. According to Activision, the game is a breathtaking experience that redefines World War II for a new gaming generation. You step into the shoes of a young soldier who lands in Normandy on D-Day and must battle across Europe through iconic locations in history's most monumental war. Experience classic Call of Duty combat, the bonds of friendship, and the unforgiving nature of war in this game.

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The community and even those beyond the community have been drawn back to Call of Duty thanks to the end of the advanced movement era. The so-called "boots on the ground" title for 2017 generated a lot of excitement, and at launch that seems to have translated into a significantly better launch than its predecessor.

According to gamesindustry.biz, WWII at launch is 57 percent up on Infinite Warfare from last year.

It hasn't topped the mighty Black Ops 3 yet, but digital sales have seen similar strong performances.

Of all sales, 57% so far have been on PS4, 42% on Xbox One and the rest on PC. Of course, this report only accounts for the UK market, but the response to Call of Duty going back in time has been positive since the announcement earlier this year.

Whether you love it or hate it, Activision made the smartest move it could ever make with its biggest franchise. Now, if only its engineers can get the servers fixed ...

Call of Duty: WWII is out now for $60 and will be Xbox One X enhanced.

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After years of installments set in modern and futuristic settings, Activision's Call of Duty series has finally returned to its roots: World War II. Call of Duty: WWII captures that setting with bombast and dignity, focusing on a single squad of soldiers' journey across the European theater.

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One division's struggles against the war

Each year, a different Activision studio develops the latest Call of Duty. This year's installment, the first to take place during World War II in years, comes from Sledgehammer games, makers of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Advanced Warfare.

Where previous Call of Duty games have basically placed players in charge of super soldiers capable of wiping out countless enemies all by themselves, this entry sees a shift to squad dynamics. Players control Red Daniels, one of several fresh members of an Allied squad in the European Theater in 1944. His squad is part of the real-life First Infantry, a 15,000-troop division that played an important part in the war. Their adventures are fictional but involve numerous famous battles like D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge.

Call of Duty: WWII's campaign is easily the strongest in years (despite Infinite Warfare's having been very well constructed) thanks to its strong emphasis on character. Primary protagonist Red starts out as a green recruit eager to atone for some past mistake, his letters to his brother providing narration throughout the adventure.

As the story progresses, we learn more about Red's history and watch him progress from fresh-faced soldier to a hardened veteran. Throughout this all, his dedication to his squad (and particularly best friend Zussman) never falters. Each member of Red's squad has a distinct personality and traits that will make you care about (or hate) him, especially Technical Sergeant William Pierson, who acts as a Heart of Darkness-style allied antagonist to the men under his command.

Battles, driving, and stealth

Call of Duty: WWII's campaign captures numerous memorable battles from the war, starting with the allies' arrival on the beaches of Normandy. The soldiers who are lucky enough to make it to the beach without being blown up must still dodge constant barrages of fire while traversing barbed wire and struggling to reach the enemy bunkers so tantalizingly close to the shore.

Aside from typical large-scale battles like D-Day, the campaign offers a fair level of variety. For instance, Red gets to drive two jeeps during high-speed chase sequences, one of which has our heroes trying to catch up to and stop a massive Nazi train. Despite driving sequences being such a rarity for the series, these sections are exciting and control quite well – certainly better than those of the similarly themed Raid: World War II.

Other intense sections include a tank level in which players must take out anti-tank gunners and several heavily armored tanks, a stealthy rescue of a young Jewish girl amid a Nazi occupied building, and a late-game dogfighting level. The flying level doesn't feel nearly as tight as the driving sequences (or Infinite Warfare's flying levels), but it doesn't last too long.

One more highlight involves one of the game's much-discussed female playable characters. At one point, you'll play as a female member of the French resistance who loses her family to the Nazis. She must go undercover as a German officer at a Nazi administrative building in order to locate an allied informant.

Our french spy spends much of the level exploring the premises, attempting to avoid notice, and discreetly questioning officers who might be the informant. The tension builds and builds as the level progresses, eventually leading to a satisfying conclusion. It's possibly the best part of the campaign, so it's a shame she doesn't get another level towards the end of the game.

Health packs and squad abilities

Call of Duty: WWII is designed as a throwback, ditching the sliding and double-jumping of recent entries. It also reverts to a health pack-based life system instead of recharging health. You'll find health packs throughout each level, being able to carry up to four for later use. This adds a challenge not present in the last few CODs, forcing you to take cover more often and manage your health during each encounter.

You also get limited control over your squad in the form of squad abilities. Each member of the squad has his own ability that fills up and becomes available as you kill enemies. Call on an ally and he'll give you a health pack, ammo refill, air strike, and more. You have to be fairly close to a squad-mate to request his help, and you don't always have access to the full squad, but being able to call on them for help certainly makes you feel more like part of the team.

Multiplayer

Call of Duty: WWII's multiplayer component now involves an interactive hub world called the headquarters. There you can watch cinematics, accept challenges, customize weapons, open loot boxes (yes, COD has had them for years), and more. The headquarters is populated by other players, giving it a Destiny 2 social hub-style atmosphere. You can also explore and do things in the headquarters while queued up for multiplayer games, which reduces the tedium of the matchmaking experience.

The big new multiplayer mode this year is called "War." It pits two teams against each other in a structured objective-based match. One side will fight to accomplish goals like building a bridge while the other side tries to stop them. As the offensive team completes objectives, their goal shifts and the fight moves to a different section of the map. After the offense wins or loses, the sides switch and go for another round.

Call of Duty: WWII ships with three War levels, including the E3 level Operation Breakout, a snowy level involving tank escorts and refueling, and a D-Day level that starts on the beaches of Normandy.

Another exciting new multiplayer mode is "Gridiron," based on the sport of American football. Two teams battle to capture the ball and throw it through the other team's goal. While carrying the ball you can melee with it or throw it, but you can't shoot. Thus throwing the ball into an attacker's hands and then shooting him once he catches it (and temporarily loses the ability to shoot) becomes a viable strategy. It's fun whether you're carrying the ball or not.

Zombies

COD's popular cooperative "Zombies" mode returns in Call of Duty: WWII. This year's Zombies ditches the humorous '80s atmosphere of Infinite Warfare's take in favor of a much more serious and horror-based battle against Nazi zombies.

Your team of four players (who can select from four unique classes) will fight to complete objectives, buy better weaponry, and survive against increasingly dangerous waves of Nazi zombies. Downed players can be revived, but dead players don't get to visit an afterlife area while waiting to respawn like in Infinite Warfare. Once you're dead, you're dead till the next wave starts.

This dark and scary version of Zombies is lots of fun, but (like always) it's so tough that many players who enjoy other co-op games will find it frustrating. The whole experience is built around memorizing the map and learning where all the switches, doors, and objectives are – none of which the game tells you. Unless you're playing with someone who knows what to do, if often devolves into wandering around until you get killed.

Call of Duty: WWII review overall impression

Even though some of the modern Call of Duty games have been great, players have clearly hungered for a return to historical settings. Call of Duty: WWII wisely takes the fight back to World War II, telling a story that captures lots of important battles while remaining grounded in character. Even the subject of Nazi concentration camps is tackled with sensitivity and relevance.

The campaign production values are amazing as always, with excellent acting and motion capture, huge set pieces, and a fair bit of variety. And of course, WWII shows serious dedication to multiplayer with the new headquarters social hub, the excellent new war mode, and a gritty co-op Zombies mode. Whether you're interested in campaign or multiplayer, Call of Duty: WWII is the complete package and a must-play first-person shooter this holiday season.

Pros:

• Campaign story is grounded in character and camraderie.
• Squadmate abilities make you feel like you're part of a team.
• The new War and Gridiron modes offer plenty of team-based competition.

Cons:

• Campaign is completely linear, lacking the enjoyable mission selection structure of Infinite Warfare.
• Checkpoints are sometimes spread too far.
• Co-op Zombies mode relies too much on memorizing the map and overly vague objectives.

Call of Duty: WWII sells for $59.99 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Steam.

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Xbox One review copy and travel to the Call of Duty: WWII review event provided by Activison.

Call of Duty: WWII promises to bring the franchise back to its roots, with the revival of "boots on the ground" multiplayer gameplay later this year. Moving away from jump-packs and exosuits, the game is already shaping up to deliver some welcome changes, while also bringing back a level of purity associated with the series a decade ago.

One of the biggest new changes to Call of Duty: WWII's multiplayer is the new "Divisions" system – a new route for customizing your multiplayer experience.

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What are Divisions?

Divisions are a new approach to competitive multiplayer classes, making their debut in Call of Duty: WWII. Unlike the existing "Create-A-Class" system, which allows players to finely tweak multiplayer classes to their liking, Divisions promote a more structured approach to both gameplay and progression.

After "enlisting" in a Division, players will gain access to new abilities – some even available exclusively to certain Divisions. While there are still options to customize your gameplay experience, Divisions generally encourage players to adopt more defined styles of play.

Wait, so what happened to Create-A-Class?

Divisions are a replacement of the Create-A-Class system, despite being a major component of Call of Duty multiplayer for almost ten years. While Divisions take forward several concepts from the old loadout system, the evolution ensures players having a much more guided path through multiplayer progression.

Like Create-A-Class, players can choose their primary weapons, secondary weapons, and equipment all from the entire Call of Duty: WWII arsenal. However, attributes decided by your Division, such as passive skills and upgrades, will be tied down by the route you've chosen to pursue. There is still the flexibility to shape a class around your personal preferences, although over time you'll come to discover certain weapon combinations fit well with a Division's abilities.

How do Divisions work?

Upon getting started with Call of Duty: WWII's multiplayer, all users will be asked to enlist in a specific Division. Players will be able to choose from the Airborne, Mountain, Infantry, Armored or Expeditionary Divisions, which each provide their own training paths to aid a specific play style.

Players will be able to switch between their enlisted Divisions on the fly. All Divisions are also available from the start, similarly to classes in most multiplayer shooters, however, new Division unlocks can be earned during the early stages of progression.

Each multiplayer loadout for a Division is comprised of weapons and associated skills. While weapons and equipment form the basis for combat, Division Skills, Division Training, and Basic Training are all additional abilities, which enhance your performance on the field. Here's a breakdown of the core components behind a Division loadout.

• Primary weapons: This is your main companion on the field and be your main method of delivering heavy damage. These weapons can also be equipped with various attachments to change their performance. Rifles, submachine guns, light machine guns, and shotguns are all under this weapon type.
• Secondary weapons: Secondary weapons are also a required component of Divisions, providing some supporting fire when times get tough. While pistols are the most common secondary firearms, rocket launchers, shovels, and ice picks are also confirmed to occupy this slot. Some of these weapons also support certain attachments.
• Equipment: The equipment slot is reserved for additional gadgets which don't fall under weapon slots. So far, grenades and mines are the only confirmed items to fall into this category.
• Division Skill: Your Division Skill is an ability available exclusively for your Division, based on its style of play. Division Skills cannot be changed and are one of the defining features of a class.
• Division Training: Division Training is a route of progression associated with your class, providing access to additional abilities outside of your Division Skill. These are tiered into levels and upon leveling up, new perks are unlocked.
• Basic Training: Your Basic Training slot is used to equip a third and final set of perks, which mostly add enhancements to your core abilities. These generally don't enhance your Division-specific abilities and don't appear to be tied to a Division.

For a deeper look into the weapons, equipment, and scorestreaks in Call of Duty: WW2, make sure to take a look at our in-depth list of everything announced so far.

What Division types are available?

For Call of Duty: WWII's launch, Activision has announced five unique Divisions and how we can expect them to play. In current builds of the game's multiplayer, customization of Divisions has been restricted to provide a better sense of their expected playstyle. As a result, specific weapons are paired to Divisions from the outset. Here's a brief look at each of the Divisions, and what they offer in battle.

• Infantry: is a traditional front-lines soldier, packing a semi-automatic rifle and self-loading pistol. This is a generally well-rounded class but excels in offensive situations.
• Expeditionary: is an aggressive scout class, best suited for when situations get up close and personal. While the class' shotgun provides heavy stopping power, the addition of incendiary shells can add extra heat to the battle.
• Airborne: soldiers gain access to a submachine gun with an optional suppressor, allowing for a more strategic and tactical angle to gameplay. This class can also bring smoke grenades into combat, adding a new edge to encounters.
• Armored: is a tank class, with heavy weapons, heavy armor, and unrivaled power. Although you'll be losing the agility of a traditional soldier, the LMG and Bazooka can be a deadly combination.
• Mountain: is the long-range class of Call of Duty: WW2, with access to sniper rifles for precise, sharp shooting. As one of the stealthier classes available, enemies won't know what hit them from afar.

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Further reading

• Everything we know so far about Call of Duty: WWII
• List of all Call of Duty: WWII weapons, equipment and scorestreaks

Following up on recent celebrity appearances from the likes of Ronda Rousey, Chris Evans, and Lil Jon, the next Xbox Live Sessions broadcast will feature Megan Fox, Microsoft has announced. The actress will hit the battlefield in the latest entry in the Call of Duty franchise, Call of Duty: WWII.

The session will be broadcast on the Xbox Mixer channel starting at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET on November 3 (find your local time here). Like previous Xbox Live Sessions, viewers will get a chance to submit questions and Microsoft will be giving out prizes. Alongside Fox, Microsoft says some other surprise guests will be showing up as well.

Microsoft launched Xbox Live Sessions in August as a Mixer show featuring celebrities, athletes, and artists diving into new and upcoming Xbox One games. Celebrity guests thus far have included DJ Khaled, Chandler Riggs, and James Corden, among others. Microsoft says it plans to bring in even more celebrities with sessions over the coming months.

Call of Duty: WWII returns the franchise to its roots in the second World War, which is likely to come as a breath of fresh air to anyone who was turned off by the futuristic setting of 2016's Infinite Warfare. Along with the franchise's standard fast-paced online multiplayer, Call of Duty: WWII will dip players into a gritty single-player campaign that explores the battle between the Axis and Allied powers.

Call of Duty: WWII is set to launch on November 3. If you'd rather jump into the game for yourself, you can currently preorder Call of Duty: WWII starting at $59.99.

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Call of Duty: WWII is just around the corner, and Activision is really capitalizing on the franchise's return to the second World War with a humorous new live-action trailer. The ultimate message? It's time to get the squad back together.

Call of Duty: WWII is set to be a breath of fresh air for fans of the franchise who were turned off by 2016's futuristic Infinite Warfare. Returning to Call of Duty's World War II roots, the latest game in the series will pit players in the middle of the frenetic battle between the Axis and Allied powers across a gritty single-player campaign and Call of Duty's signature multiplayer.

Call of Duty: WWII is scheduled to launch on November 3 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The game is up for preorder now starting at $59.99 at Microsoft and other retailers. Preorders will also get access to some extra goodies, including a free multiplayer weapon unlock, a Divisions Pack with five premium gear sets, and a Zombies Camo for your gun.

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Call of Duty, one of the largest shooter franchises of today, is returning to its roots later this year with a new World War 2 themed title. Unsurprisingly named "Call of Duty: WW2," the game moves away from recent trends in the series, by abandoning near-future warfare in favor of a historical setting.

As a part of a marketing deal with Sony, the game's publisher, Activision, has been keen to promote PlayStation 4 (PS4) versions of the game. This has left few details on what to expect from the rival release on Xbox One – let alone the enhancements in store for the upcoming Xbox One X. However, following a recently updated listing from UK retailer GAME (via charlieINTEL), specific details on Xbox One X enhancements have surfaced.

For many titles launching with visual upgrades on Xbox One X, box art designs are being reworked to highlight these features. Icons for both 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR) have been spotted on the latest retail packaging, indicating these upgrades will be available at launch on the console. Amidst a close marketing deal with Sony is comes as no surprise Activision has remained quiet leading up to the Xbox One X launch, however, this should be a welcome sight for those picking up the device this November.

In the months since its unveiling Activision has highlighted a slew of changes in the pipeline for Call of Duty: WWII – most notably a shift toward "boots on the ground" combat. When paired with new single player mechanics, multiplayer tweaks and the return of Nazi Zombies, the game is making one of the most inventive games (at least for Call of Duty) in some time.

Are you looking forward to these Xbox One X enhancements? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

A complete list of 'Xbox One X Enhanced' games (up to 4K, HDR)

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We just got our first look at Call of Duty: WWII's story mode with a dedicated trailer earlier this week, and now it's time to meet some of the allies that will be helping you out throughout the campaign. In duo of new, short trailers, Activision introduces Major Arthur Crowley and Rousseau, two characters that will be central to parts of the story mode.

Major Arthur Crowley is described as a member of the British Expeditionary Force who "serves as a part of the Special Operations Executive, where he executes covert missions behind enemy lines." Rousseau, on the other hand, is a French Resistance fighter who is working to push the Axis powers out of France.

Call of Duty: WWII is set for launch on November 3 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The game is up for preorder now starting at $59.99 at Microsoft and other retailers. As usual, Activision is also throwing in some goodies for preorders, including a free multiplayer weapon unlock, a Divisions Pack with five premium gear sets, and a Zombies Camo for your gun.

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Up until this point, we've seen a lot of Call of Duty: WWII's multiplayer mode, but not much in terms of its single-player campaign. The latest trailer for the game pulls the veil back a bit, giving us a peek at the action to come.

From the trailer's description:

Though there's no actual gameplay shown off, the trailer does tap into some of the major pieces of the plot that will drive the story forward.

Call of Duty: WWII is set for launch on November 3 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The game is up for preorder now starting at $59.99 at Microsoft and other retailers. As usual, Activision is also throwing in some goodies for preorders, including a free multiplayer weapon unlock, a Divisions Pack with five premium gear sets, and a Zombies Camo for your gun.

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Sledgehammer Games has announced that the PC open multiplayer beta for Call of Duty: WWII will kick off on September 29. PC gamers will be able to grab the beta on Steam and play through October 2.

The open beta will only cover a small part of the multiplayer portion of the game, but it should provide some valuable feedback for balancing gameplay ahead of launch. It also offers Sledgehammer a chance to stress test its servers, hopefully leading to a stable launch experience.

If you plan on taking part in the open beta, Sledgehammer says you'll want to make sure your PC is equipped with the following minimum specs:

• OS: Windows 7 64-Bit or later
• CPU: Intel® Core™ i3 3225 or equivalent
• RAM: 8 GB RAM
• HDD: 25 GB HD space
• Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660 @ 2 GB / AMD Radeon™ HD 7850 @ 2GB or better
• DirectX: Version 11.0 compatible video card or equivalent
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Note that these minimum specs aren't necessarily set in stone for the final, shipping version of the game.

Call of Duty: WWII is scheduled for release on November 3, and it's currently up for preorder on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 starting at $59.99. Activision and Sledgehammer are throwing in the usual batch of goodies for preorders as well with a free multiplayer weapon unlock, a Divisions Pack with five premium gear sets, and a Zombies Camo for your gun.

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PlayStation 4 players may have received a first crack at the Call of Duty: WWII beta last weekend, but now it's time for Xbox One to join the fray. Activision has now kicked off the second beta weekend for the game a day earlier than originally expected on both Xbox One and PS4.

To recap, the beta test is open to anyone who has preordered Call of Duty: WWII on Xbox One. And for the second beta weekend, testers are getting access to some new stuff. The level cap has been increased to level 30, opening up more unlocks. A new map is also up for testing with Aachen, which is set in a "war-torn town in Western Germany."

Call of Duty: WWII first impressions

If you've preordered, you should be able to download the beta client and jump into the fray now. The beta period is set to run through September 4, so you should have plenty of time to climb the ranks and test things out. And if you haven't preordered yet, Call of Duty: WWII preorders are up for grabs starting at $59.99.

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The Call of Duty series has seen its fair share of criticism over the past decade, by finding a formula to follow and sticking to its successes. Although these games never failed to be comprehensive experiences, there was little sense of innovation in recent entries to the series.

Now, with the recent reveal of this year's Call of Duty title, the series set to see one of its most significant changes in franchise history. The latest iteration of shooter promises to explore a more realistic portrayal of World War 2, across its single-player campaign, competitive multiplayer and cooperative modes. We've brought together everything we've learned about Call of Duty: WW2 so far, ahead of its debut this November.

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A band of brothers

After pursuing near-future warfare for some time, Call of Duty: WW2 marks a major turning point for the franchise. Visiting an era unexplored by the series since 2008's World at War, this should give Sledgehammer Games the opportunity to offer a fresh angle on the conflict.

Following the US 1st Infantry Division, Call of Duty: WW2's campaign puts players in the shoes of Private Red Daniels – a young recruit thrown into the horrors of the European theater. Although the Call of Duty games have never been known for their deep narratives, we can expect the campaign to touch on themes and values commonly associated with the Second World War.

Single-player marketing up until this point appears to be largely centered around the idea of companionship and brotherhood, built through a relationship between your squad mates. As to be expected from a Call of Duty campaign, we'll likely see the daring operations carried out by the Infantry Division, with odd emotional scenes interlaced throughout. Although these tales of camaraderie in the Second World War aren't exactly groundbreaking material, they've grown to be an iconic aspect of storytelling for the era in media.

This focus on teamwork will also extend to gameplay, where both you and your AI-controlled teammates will supposedly depend on one another. Health packs and ammunition resupplies can be exchanged between the squad, with smarter and more natural companion behavior.

Call of Duty: WW2 also promises to revisit "iconic World War II battles" throughout its story, from the anarchic events of D-Day at Normandy to the long and brutal battles at Hürtgen Forest. Although we're yet to hear much about the experiences on offer, they clearly look to encompass a wide range of conflicts across the whole of Europe.

Boots on the ground, straight into the action

While its reveal focused heavily on the period change, we've also come to learn some early details on the multiplayer portion of Call of Duty: WW2. Promising "boots on the ground" gameplay, multiplayer aims to bring back the simplicity of earlier Call of Duty titles. With games like Battlefield 1 having already proven the desire for change in the genre, Call of Duty: WW2 is a prime position to bring back these franchise roots. Although we won't be seeing the exo-suits and advanced gadgets, we can still expect some of the more recent additions to Call of Duty multiplayer to also make a return.

As a part of Activision's E3 2017 offerings, the publisher unveiled a majority of the major changes coming to multiplayer this time around. New multiplayer modes, maps, and features were all showcased, alongside an in-depth breakdown of the new "Divisions" class system.

One of the biggest additions to multiplayer this time around is a story-driven competitive experience named War Mode, which "brings a gripping new layer of excitement to Axis vs Allies team play." Adding context to conflicts, War Mode centers around objective-based gameplay with a historical edge.

Activision has also detailed the new "Divisions" system, which essentially replaces the existing "create-a-class" approach to weapon and player customization. Instead of finely tweaking your loadout from the game's entire arsenal, you'll now choose between pre-made divisions (classes). Five divisions will be available at launch, each with their own style of gameplay and associated weapon classes. While there will be customizations within each division, the options will be limited to correspond with the intended style of play. Here's a breakdown of the five divisions and their intended play styles.

• Infantry is a traditional front-lines soldier, packing a semi-automatic rifle and self-loading pistol. This is a generally well-rounded class but excels in offensive situations.
• Expeditionary is an aggressive scout class, best suited for when situations get up close and personal. While the class' shotgun provides heavy stopping power, the addition of incendiary shells can add extra heat to the battle.
• Airborne soldiers gain access to a submachine gun with an optional suppressor, allowing for a more strategic and tactical angle to gameplay. This class can also bring smoke grenades into combat, adding a new edge to encounters.
• Armored is a tank class, with heavy weapons, heavy armor, and unrivaled power. Although you'll be losing the agility of a traditional soldier, the LMG and Bazooka can be a deadly combination.
• Mountain is the long-range class of Call of Duty: WW2, with access to sniper rifles for precise, sharp shooting. As one of the stealthier classes available, enemies won't what hit them from afar.

A new social space is also debuting in Call of Duty: WW2, providing a central hub for customization, interacting with other players and other features outside of the core gameplay. As seen in various other multiplayer-centric titles, providing such a location completes the package, tying together both game content and personal progression. While we're yet to see an in-depth breakdown of the "Headquarters" mode, influence is clearly being taken from Activision's other flagship shooter, Destiny.

Waking the undead

Call of Duty: WW2 will also bring back one of the franchise's most popular modes – Zombies. With a return to the Second World War, this was all but inevitable, allowing the mode to travel back to its true Nazi roots.

Like previous games, Nazi Zombies in Call of Duty: WW2 will be a cooperative experience where players fight hordes of the undead, in set waves. Over time players will earn new equipment and power-ups, which can be used for a remainder of the match to combat the increasingly challenging onslaught of demonic creatures.

In an alternate reality, the basis for Nazi Zombies takes place after Axis powers gain the ability to revive the undead. With players set to recover artwork stolen by Nazi forces during the war, the invincible undead army is unleashed into the Mittelburg, Germany. Like recent revisions of the mode, Nazi Zombies will also have a narrative attached to it, featuring notable actors such as David Tennant, Elodie Yung, Katheryn Winnick and more.

How to get hands-on with Call of Duty: WW2

Call of Duty: WW2 is set to release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on November 3, 2017. Both physical and digital versions of the game are now available to pre-order, with special editions for those who want to full experience. Here's a breakdown of the various editions of Call of Duty: WW2 currently available to purchase.

• The physical Standard Edition of Call of Duty: WW2 is most common and stocked by a majority of video game retailers. With this, you'll be getting the base game, alongside any pre-order benefits.
• Alternatively, the digital Standard Edition provides access to the base game, although in the form of digital license locked to your account.
• Call of Duty: WW2's Pro Edition provides access to the base game, season pass and some unannounced bonus content exclusively at GameStop. You'll also be getting a physical SteelBook in the package, priced at $99.99.
• The Digital Deluxe Edition is a premium option for players who prefer digital, bundling together the base game, season pass and some unannounced bonus content. This is priced at $99.99.

Those who pre-order Call of Duty: WW2 ahead of launch can also gain exclusive access to the Private Beta - an opportunity to get hands-on with multiplayer before the official launch. While earlier access will be provided to those on PlayStation 4, the Private Beta will also be available on the Xbox One. Here's a breakdown of the dates for the beta, between all platforms.

• August 25 — PS4 early access Private Beta commences.
• August 28 — PS4 early access Private Beta ends.
• September 1 — Xbox One and PS4 Private Beta commences.
• September 4 — Private Beta ends for all platforms.

Sadly, it appears that players on PC won't be getting a multiplayer beta and will have to wait until release to get hands-on.

Scoping out what's to come

While we still have some time until the launch of Call of Duty: WW2, it won't be long until we discover more about the title. With more showcases expected over the coming months, we can expect to find out more information surrounding each of the modes running up to release. As always, we'll make sure to update this article when new details drop. For all future news on Call of Duty: WW2, keep an eye on Windows Central in the months ahead.

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Updated July 21, 2017: Updated with all the information on Call of Duty: WW2's newly announced mode, Nazi Zombies.

The first trailer for Call of Duty: WW2's zombie mode is here, and, as you'd expect, it's chock-full of undead Nazi soldiers. Check out the revealtrailer below:

In typical fashion for the series' zombie modes, Call of Duty: WW2 Nazi Zombies will follow its own separate narrative arc as part of a co-op survival mode. This time, you'll be fighting against zombies to recover stolen works of art in an otherwise unassuming Bavarian village. Here's how Activision describes it:

Everything we know so far about Call of Duty WW2

Call of Duty: WW2 is due for a November 3 release, and it's up for preorder now starting at $60.

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Call of Duty: WW2, the latest installment in the long-running series, go its reveal earlier in 2017, but one thing was crucially missing: zombies. Though we did get a short teaser image indicating the series' recurring zombie mode would return once more, details were missing. That's about to change, however, as the official Call of Duty Twitter account revealed more information will be coming on July 20 at the San Diego Comic-Con.

The zombie modes in previous Call of Duty games have offered a break from the standard action in favor of undead, often ridiculous (in a good way) gameplay focused on taking down hordes of the undead. Last year's Infinite Warfare, for example, took players back in time to combat zombies in an amusement park set in the 1980s. As for Call of Duty: WW2, we're guessing there will be lots and lots of Nazi Zombies to contend with.

Everything we know so far about Call of Duty: WW2

In any case, we'll learn much more on Activision's zombie plans on July 20. Call of Duty: WW2 itself is available for preorder now at $60 ahead of its November 3 launch date.

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Having recently revealed Call of Duty: WWII's campaign behind closed doors, Activision divulged lots of multiplayer details here at E3 2017. We played several matches against other members of the press, including the thrilling new War mode. These are our thoughts.

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Divisions

Upon joining a multiplayer game, players select their divisions, Call of Duty: WWII's replacement for the traditional class system. Multiplayer offers five basic divisions, with two variations of each for a total of ten divisions. All divisions are based on authentic World War II combat roles, such as Infantry and Airborne (paratroopers).

Divisions have one class-specific skill and two passive forms of training that provide multiple benefits. Skills can be activated at will, generally by hitting left on the D-Pad. As a few examples, Infantry 1 performs a bayonet charge that helps him close distances with deadly speed; Armored 2 mounts his machine gun against a ledge or on the ground to reduce its recoil; and Expeditionary 1 can swap out his shotgun shells for flaming rounds that cause enemies to burn to death.

As for training, these are the buffs that make each side feel like a member of his or her profession. I primarily played as Expeditionary 1 (the shotgunner), whose training perks include Sapper III (extra magazines, immunity to shell shock, and reduced explosive damage) and Ordnance (Scorestreaks cost less and add the ability to re-roll care packages). The two variations of each division vary in their Basic Training perks (and sometimes secondary weapons). Instead of Ordnance, Expeditionary 2 has the ability to dual wield pistols, for instance.

Divisions apparently can't be customized, a decision the developer, Sledgehammer, made to streamline the multiplayer existence and presumably, maintain balance. But, of course, you can still change your character model. As expected, you can even play as women in multiplayer.

First impressions of Call of Duty: WWII — A harrowing and gritty shooter

Game types

We played three competitive multiplayer game types, including the traditional Team Deathmatch and Domination, in which teams fight to capture three points on the map. But the most exciting game type was easily the new one: War.

War is objective-based, with one team on offense and the other defending. The flow of the match has an actual progression to it that resembles Overwatch and certain Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 modes. The E3 War map is called Operation Breakout.

As the Allied attackers, our team's first objective is to capture the command post inside a picturesque three-story European house. Should we have encountered too much resistance at the front of the house, we had the option to build a gun nest outside of the neighboring building. I built the nest, but it proved unnecessary – our team captured the command post without trouble.

Next, we had to build a bridge to cross a trench between two sides of the town. The bridge must be built in two sections before you can cross it. Fall into the trench and there might not be a way to get out – at least, none that I could see. The whole time the attackers work on the bridge, the defenders can pick away at them from bombed-out houses on the other side. Still, we eventually made it across and on to the next objective.

Our third objective involved planting explosives to destroy an Axis ammunition depot. Having accomplished that, the next objective required the attackers to escort a tank towards a troublesome anti-aircraft gun. If the Allied soldiers got too far from the tank, it would stop moving and wait for its escort.

So the defenders could've stop the assault by killing off everyone around the tank, but by that point the odds were already stacked against them. We managed to protect the tank until it got to the anti-aircraft gun, at which point victory was ours. The match ended with a cinematic of the gun's destruction, which in turn allowed Allied planes to resume their flights over the city.

War mode capitalizes on the typical fun of objective-based multiplayer games but also brings in some of the perks of campaign-style gameplay. Fighting through a level and completing different objectives the whole way through made for an exciting time for the whole team.

Still to come: Headquarters

Call of Duty: WWII has another promising new multiplayer mode in store, although it wasn't playable at E3. Headquarters is an all-new gameplay experience that allows large groups of players to congregate in their headquarters, away from the battlefield. There players will be able to "compete, earn rewards, [and] show off their accomplishments."

It's tough to imagine exactly how all that will work without more information, but it certainly could give players new reasons to keep coming back to this installment in Activision's long-running first-person shooter series. The return to the World War II setting doesn't hurt either!

Call of Duty: WWII is expected to come to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows on November 3 for $59.99.

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As part of Sony's E3 2017 showcase we found out when the PS4 beta would go live, but we didn't have details on when the Xbox One access would begin. But now we do: September 1.

An extra weekend of beta access is just one of the perks afforded to PS4 buyers of the latest Call of Duty, but Xbox folks pre-ordering now will get their chance between September 1 at 6pm BST through September 4 at 6pm BST.

The multiplayer game was revealed at the same press conference, and what we're seeing is an intense return to ground-based combat after many years of wall-running, jetpacks and futuristic weapons. Sledgehammer Games is the responsible developer, and even at this early stage it looks like they're delivering the experience many in the community have been screaming out for in recent years.

For more check out our early impressions from the show floor, and remember to drop a pre-order before September 1 if you want in on the beta.

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Although Activision, the game's publisher, hasn't revealed much yet about this entry, at E3 we got a behind-closed-doors first look at Call of Duty: WWII's explosive campaign. Here are all the gritty details!

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The second Great War

Call of Duty: WWII has been in development for three years at Sledgehammer games. This is the first Call of Duty game in years to return to the World War II setting, so the developers wanted to treat it with the appropriate level of respect. As they describe it, their goal was to honor the cause and the people who fought for that cause.

To get the accuracy and realism they're striving for, key Sledgehammer members visited numerous battle sites from World War II and witnessed the lingering effects of the war on the landscape and people. They also worked with prominent historians, testing and recording audio from authentic period weapons and incorporating real-=life events wherever possible.

Whereas previous Call of Duty games have basically placed players in charge of super soldiers capable of wiping out countless enemies all by themselves, this entry sees a shift to squad dynamics instead. Players control Red Daniels, one of several fresh members of an Allied squad in the European Theather in 1944. This squad is part of the real-life First Infantry, a 15,000-troop division that played an important part in the war. Their actual adventures are fictionalized but also based on places and events where real battles occurred.

First look at the campaign

The portion of the level we saw starts mid-action, and the Allies and Axis are already engaged in a fierce battle in a European town. The squad leader informs us of our goal to reach the church in the center of the town and lay down suppressive fire. He asks if the men have any questions, but before a soldier gets to ask one, everyone has already taken off running into the fray.

Our player character fights his way through the town, running and gunning but also lying prone and picking off approaching German soldiers who don't have a chance to see him. At one point, Red approaches the open doorway of a ruined home and a German soldier lands a shot on the hero before he has a chance to react. Even still, he quickly scores a melee kill with his knife. Now injured, Red must ask one of his squadmates for a first aid kit – health does not automatically refill in this Call of Duty.

As the team approaches the church, it finds its fellow soldiers struggling to overcome a turret placed atop a large truck. Red slips around the left side of the turret while it aims to the right, gets behind the gunner, and shoots him dead before he knows what hit him. He then climbs up into the truck past the dead enemy's body and mans the turret himself. After fighting off the surrounding attackers, the squad enters the church.

Inside, they search for supplies and fight off a few unfriendlies. Eventually they discover a group of German officers, and mercifully tie them up as prisoners. Will you be able to shoot them instead in the final game? That remains to be seen.

Prisoners in hand, the team quickly discovers that enemy anti-aircraft guns are shooting down allied planes. To stop them, they climb to the top of the bell tower. Down below, the war-ravaged city billows smoke and gunfire. Now the squad must clear out the Axis soldiers defending the AA guns. Red acts as a sniper, while a fellow team member spots targets, changing their colors for easy pickings.

The team succeeds at helping to disable the anti-aircraft weapons, but their troubles aren't over. A flak cannon targets the team atop the tower, blowing away most of the top half of a soldier. The remaining squadmates quickly rush for the stairs, but getting down is no easy feat, because the cannon fire decimates the tower. Red scrambles for the ground and just barely avoids being crushed by the bell as it crashes down beside him.

Finally, the survivors regain their footing on ground level, running and jumping over debris within the church as they head for an exit. As they finally emerge outside, the remains of the tower itself crash down beside them. A squadmate calls out to Daniels and the demo ends, leaving us wanting more.

More warfare to come

The Call of Duty games always enjoy lavish production values and copious amounts of action, but never have they been as gritty and grounded as Call of Duty: WWII promises to be. The small portion we saw was incredibly dramatic and filled with amazing set pieces that almost defy belief. Hopefully the rest of the game (and the new and enhanced multiplayer modes) can deliver on the vertical slice that Activision shared with us at E3.

Hands on with Call of Duty: WWII's dramatic multiplayer War mode

Call of Duty: WWII is expected to come to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows on November 3 for $59.99.

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Despite an increased focus on historical accuracy, the game will have playable female characters in multiplayer. And that's a good thing.

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Women in the military during World War II

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Before we address arguments for and against playable females in this Call of Duty title, let's establish why the issue is up for debate: Very few women served in combat roles during World War II. It was a different time, with women in Allied countries like the U.S. not having fully attained some of the rights they have today. In fact, it wasn't until 2016 that all U.S. military combat jobs opened up to women.

That's not to say that women didn't serve in the army during World War II, though. According to History.com, more than 350,000 women joined the military during the second World War. Although their jobs did not involve combat during that time period, female military members still served in roles like ferrying planes and transporting cargo. Still, several hundred military women were killed during the war, 16 of them by enemy fire, according to Wikipedia.

Other women served in the resistances of Poland, Italy and France. Women performed combat roles in the Soviet Union, perhaps making up the largest percentage of female military during that time. And even in Germany, women served in both combat and non-combat roles. So women did fight in World War II, albeit a limited number.

Arguments for women in multiplayer

Activision and developer Sledgehammer haven't revealed what role women will play in Call of Duty: World War II's campaign, if any. Because Call of Duty campaigns typically involve multiple playable characters, there's a chance that you might play as a female resistance member or even a civilian at some point. But we do know that both male and female soldiers will be playable in multiplayer mode, which is separate from the story-based campaign.

Playable females have several advantages. For starters, female character models add visual variety to multiplayer games. Considering how many hours a typical Call of Duty enthusiast spends in the game's competitive modes, a little visual variety goes a long way. The days of two teams of identical character models facing off against each other are long gone.

Speaking of changing standards, female soldiers have been playable in Call of Duty multiplayer since 2013's Call of Duty: Ghosts – the first entry for the current generation of consoles. Not the most popular Call of Duty, but it did establish a multiplayer standard for nearly every sequel to follow. With three games already including women soldiers (Infinite Warfare inexplicably lacks them), it would be a step back to exclude them from Call of Duty: WWII for the sake of realism.

Indeed, millions of gamers have come to expect playable females in Call of Duty – and many of those players happen to be female. People are naturally drawn to characters they identify with, often of the same gender, skin color, or body type.

White men don't have to worry about character appearance so much, because white male protagonists are still the default – the most common form of playable character. We white dudes (or even just dudes in general) don't face the limited selection of characters that look like us that female gamers endure. Muster some empathy, and you'll see that women being able to enjoy Call of Duty multiplayer in the same way you do is a good thing.

The presence of female players in online Call of Duty games actually benefits non-female gamers, too. More lady players means more ladies to game with. Playing online with female gamers is a cool chance to enjoy their company for a little while ... and maybe practice social interaction, if you need to.

No, that doesn't mean you should come on to girl players or harass them. They want to be treated the same way you do, or maybe even more politely than you expect people to treat you. And while I've geared this point towards men who are attracted to women, it also applies to people who aren't. Whatever you're into, interacting with different kinds of people is good for you. The more things we have in common – such as games – the better.

Finally, playable females have one obvious benefit for Activision, the company that publishes Call of Duty: increased sales. Corporations aren't generally altruistic in nature. Most of the decisions they make are based on profitability rather than a desire to do good (with some exceptions). The increasing level of diversity in videogames, much as in movies and television, is driven by financial realities.

The more women that can be played in games, the more those games will sell to women. Excluding playable female soldiers from Call of Duty: WWII's multiplayer just to increase historical realism would be leaving money on the table. Playable women means that Activision will sell more copies of the game.

Arguments against women in multiplayer

There are really only two arguments against allowing gamers to play as women in Call of Duty: WWII's multiplayer. The big one that pops up in practically every online discussion is that of historical accuracy. As we've established, very few women saw combat during World War II, especially as infantry. So, yes, players running around as lady soldiers in multiplayer is different from what actually happened.

But who cares? We play the Call of Duty campaign for realism, not multiplayer. The goal in competitive battles in this series isn't to recreate actual events, it's to have fun. Should Axis players automatically lose a battle because that's what really happened more than 70 years ago? Nobody would want to play that game.

I haven't even mentioned the countless other concessions to reality that Call of Duty: WWII must make, such as allowing players to survive severe wounds without loss of limbs or life simply by using health packs. Call of Duty is not a simulation game, so the developers take numerous liberties in the name of fun.

Besides, the biggest argument against limiting Call of Duty games to historically accurate scenarios is actually one of the series's most popular modes: Zombies! The cooperative Zombies mode first appeared in Call of Duty: World at War, an installment based on World War II. Call of Duty: WWII will continue the tradition by including its own new take on Zombies mode.

If players can handle the presence of a historically inaccurate mode in which allied soldiers battle against Nazi zombies, surely the presence of playable women in the competitive multiplayer mode won't cause a stir. Or are women scarier than zombies to some gamers?

That's the only other possible argument against playable female soldiers in Call of Duty: WWII – women have cooties. Nobody literally thinks that, but an unfortunate vocal minority of gamers just doesn't want women around. Whether it's sexually harassing female players, or uglier actions like threatening and doxing female developers and critics, the gaming industry is no stranger to the ugliness of chauvinism, misogyny, and sociopathy.

Let them play games

Frankly, we can't do anything to convince people who just won't want women around (or think of them as less than full people) that attracting a female audience to Call of Duty: WWII (or any game) is a good idea. Their attitudes come from antipathy and xenophobia, not a place of logic and reason. Most people, thankfully, have some measure of empathy and some tolerance for people who are different from them

In any case – like it or not – female soldiers will be playable in Call of Duty: WWII. With so many strong reasons for them to be in the game, we all need to make peace with that. Historical accuracy is a fine thing, and the story-based campaign mode will certainly strive to achieve it. Multiplayer, as ever, will focus on competition and fun instead.

Call of Duty: WWII arrives on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows on November 3, and it will cost $59.99.

Preorder on the Xbox Store

Lead image source: Brick's History

It's official: Call of Duty will dip its toes back into World War II this November. Activision and Sledgehammer Games revealed today that Call of Duty: WWII will officially launch on November 3.

Alongside a livestream reveal, Activision gave us a taste of what the game's story has in store:

Sledgehammer and Activision are promising a grounded experience that returns to the series' roots. That follows on from last year's Infinite Warfare, which failed to garner the same excitement as previous entries in the series with its futuristic combat. Call of Duty: WWII will represent the franchise's first steps back into the second World War since 2008's World at War.

Call of Duty: WWII is up for pre-order now, and Activision is promising private multiplayer beta access to anyone who orders early. And speaking of multiplayer, more information will be revealed at this year's E3.

Updated April 26, 2017: If there was any suspicion that a trip back to World War 2 would mean no zombies, you can also put those worries to rest.

See at the Xbox Store

What once was only a rumor is now confirmed: Call of Duty is going back to World War II. The official Call of Duty Twitter account confirmed the next release's setting today, teasing the title ahead of a full reveal live stream on April 26.

This marks the Call of Duty franchise's first move back to a World War II setting since 2008, lining up with comments made during an Activision earnings call earlier this year in which the company confirmed the series would be going "back to its roots" in 2017. This year's Call of Duty will be handled by Sledgehammer Games, whose last Call of Duty title was 2014's Advanced Warfare.

Given the tepid reaction to the futuristic combat of 2016's Infinite Warfare, a return to World War II could prove successful for the franchise. In any case, we'll know much more about the title after its full reveal on April 26.

The next Call of Duty game is well into its development cycle and is expected to hit stores later this year, according to Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. The game is being developed by COD veteran Treyarch, who was behind the best-selling titles in the franchise, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2.

The franchise that is Call of Duty is certainly a strong selling IP, but the games have come under fire as of late. Hirshberg states the next title will "be loaded with innovation," something that's believed to be the result of the new three-year, three-developer strategy.

We'll hopefully have more details on the next release soon. What would you like to see in the new Call of Duty game?

Source: Polygon