Now that’s Prestige
This past week has been one of the biggest in the history of theCall of Dutyseries. Activision’s legendary franchise, which remains the standard-bearer for the shooter genre (at least from a branding and success standpoint), has been dropping explosive headlines daily.
Most of the excitement has been centered around the popular battle royale titleCall of Duty: Warzone, which dropped aliteralbomb on the multiplayer locale of Verdansk. After the recent zombie infestation became too much to contain, some shady authority decided to go allReturn of the Living Deadon us, hitting the big red button and leveling the entire district. In the blast’s aftermath, the retro-themed “Verdansk ’84” has risen, signifying the merging ofCoD: WarzonewithCoD: Black Ops: Cold War.
Speaking ofBlack Ops Cold War,the 2020 release hasjust kicked off its third seasonof content, bringing with it several new maps, weapons, modes, scorestreaks, and operators — includingMortal Kombat-looking assassin Wraith andModern Warfareguest star Captain Price. Over in Zombies, the region of Duka has been added to the excellent Outbreak mode, while a new Field Upgrade has arrived in the form of “Toxic Growth.” A brand new Battle Pass is also live, ready to grind out all over again.
Of course, all of these additions pale in comparison to the arrival of the expensive “Stoner’s Delight” bundle. (And yes, I’ve already seen atonof people running around wearing this shit.)
Away from the battlefield, Activision has proudly announced that theCall of Dutyfranchise hashit a double milestone.This month seesCall of Duty: Warzonehit 100 million players, a little over a year after its initial launch, while theCall of Dutyfranchise as a whole has now sold an incredible400 milliongames since the series debut way back in 2003. When you look at everything the franchise has become today — what with its esports scene, Zombie invasions, and time-hopping narrative, not to mention the litany of lawsuits — those humble “Finest Hour” days certainly seem several lifetimes ago.
