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The Call of Duty franchise has had to tread a thin line in recent years, with a player base constantly pulling the development teams in conflicting directions. Among the divisive topics is the annual map rotation.
The question of whether or not Call of Duty should launch with remastered maps from yesteryear or the number of maps that are available regularly dominates the conversation around a new launch.
While last year’s Black Ops 7 launched with a robust map rotation that featured some remasters of nostalgic offerings from the past, this year’s Call of Duty title from Infinity Ward has forgone the remastered maps at launch strategy and is instead swinging out of the gate with all-new, never-before-seen maps.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 — Confirmed multiplayer maps
Here are the maps confirmed to be coming to Modern Warfare 4’s multiplayer mode at launch:
- Silkworm
- Reactor J92
- Rooftop
- Mumbai
- Lithium
- Munition
- Caschette
- Nautical
- Lotus
- Sentry
- Coal
- Transit 23
- Korean Nuclear Reactor (KNR)
- Kill Block
In an interview prior to the reveal of Modern Warfare 4, Infinity Ward’s multiplayer team confirmed that many of the maps coming at launch were based on locations and events from the campaign. Specifically, the maps were approached as if they were “2 blocks down” from the campaign events, with a separate fire team engaging in combat parallel to the events of the campaign.
The first to come to life under that concept was Silkworm, which — in combination with the upcoming map of a coastal Korean town, Lotus — afforded the team the opportunity to generate rural and urban assets of South Korean towns that could be used logistically throughout both the campaign, multiplayer, and DMZ.
During a prebriefing with press, studio and multiplayer leads spoke candidly about the map design process and the importance of making sure that each map feels distinct, with its own personality and flair.
The team emphasized the importance of clearer sight lines, reduced visual clutter, and more intentional engagements to ensure that players were taking on human opponents rather than fighting the environment.
However, one map does throw a wrench into the game. Kill Block is specifically designed to be a dynamic map that changes with each round of a match. Studio Multiplayer Creative Director Geoff Smith was inspired to design Kill Block based on the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. This unique stadium has a retractable pitch, which allows its playing field to be rotated out to meet various event needs via a complicated underground system.
To create Kill Block, the team reimagined the battlefield as three separate slabs. The center slab is called the hero slab and serves as the anchor, but the layout of Kill Block updates live throughout round-based matches. This randomized rotation ensures that no two matches ever feel the same.
Smith has confirmed in a devlog that the team has enough assets to potentially generate over 900 slab combinations for Kill Block. However, at launch, the team is aiming for 500 live combinations — with more coming post-launch, including possible throwbacks to recognizable locations from past Modern Warfare titles.
Kill Block’s footprint is the same as that of the former fan-favorite, Shoot House. From experience playing it during an early preview, the map scratched the itch for those of us looking for quick, risky engagements and some good, old small map mayhem. Kill Block will support all core multiplayer modes at launch.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 — Confirmed multiplayer modes
Some game modes are just destined to be in a Call of Duty title, but there’s always the potential for a new mode to become a beloved addition to the rotation, as well. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is confirmed to launch with the following modes:
- Team Deathmatch
- Domination
- Hardpoint
- Kill Confirmed
- Counter Attack
- Inflation
- Hijack
- Gunfight 10v10
- Party modes
- Gun Game
- Drop Zone
- Big War
- Combat Outposts
- Frontal Assault
Team Deathmatch, forever a staple of Call of Duty’s multiplayer playlist roster, is expected to return, but the team at Infinity Ward has taken a little creative liberty with the TDM spinoff mode Inflation. Inflation will challenge teams of six players to take each other out, but with the added risk and reward of a bounty.
Taking out a player drops cash on the ground, which can be picked up to add to the team’s tally. Players carrying high amounts of cash on their person become high-value targets for an extra challenge. The team holding the most cash at the end of the match runs away with the victory.
The popular Gunfight mode has also gotten some tweaks for Modern Warfare 4. Each match will be be roundbased, with each player assigned a randomized loadout. But the randomization doesn’t stop there. Gunfight 10v10 will pit two teams of ten players each against each other on the new Kill Block map, which also randomizes each round. It’s every bit as hectic as it sounds, but a word of warning for the run-and-gunners: tread lightly or spend the entire match spectating your teammates!
Following the first reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Infinity Ward has been surprisingly forthcoming with additional details about what players can look forward to during the game’s launch window.
However, there is still plenty left to learn as we wait for the game’s release on October 23. If you’re already sold on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 with the info that is already out there, though, you can go ahead and preorder both the standard edition and the Vault Edition now.
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