Call of Duty NEXT 2024 Showcase Recap – New Details on Black Ops 6 Warzone, Zombies, Multiplayer, and More

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Call of Duty NEXT 2024 Showcase Recap – New Details on Black Ops 6 Warzone, Zombies, Multiplayer, and More

Summary

  • Call of Duty NEXT 2024 brought fresh details across all the new gameplay systems and more for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
  • We got new details on Zombies, Warzone, Multiplayer, and a whole lot more that we’ve recapped for you below.
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches October 25, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and day one with Game Pass.

If you’re looking for the latest news and intel for all things Call of Duty, then the annual Call of Duty NEXT broadcast is for you. And this year is no different with tons of new details on the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Warzone changes, Call of Duty Mobile, and more. We’ve condensed some of the highlights below, but if you want an even deeper dive into every new feature offering, be sure to check out the official Call of Duty Blog which breaks down everything from Omnimovement to Zombies to Mastery Camos to Multiplayer and more!

Multiplayer Intel

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer is going to launch with an incredible collection of 16 brand-new maps that will drive home some of the new features like Omnimovement (more on that in a bit), providing plenty of fast-paced action. As with earlier Call of Duty games, expect to encounter meticulously designed maps that will highlight what it’s like to engage in combat in Black Ops 6’s era with gorgeous set pieces, close quarter encounters, and ample cover opportunities to deliver an unmatched multiplayer experience.

The new Multiplayer maps are split into two main categories: 12 brand-new Core 6v6 maps and four compact-sized Strike maps designed to be played in either 6v6 Faceoff or 2v2 configurations. Those of you who have access to the upcoming Closed Beta will get a chance to dive in and experience Babylon, Derelict, Rewind, Scud, Skyline, Gala, Pit, and Stakeout.

And what good are maps without a ton of games modes to play them on? And it’s not just about simply adding classic modes like Team Deathmatch, Gunfight, Domination, or Hardpoint. We’re told Treyarch have spent a significant amount of time looking at all the core modes and adjusting to suit the unique Black Ops 6 style of play.

This will also include a brand-new game mode that you can take for a spin when the Beta kicks off on August 30: Kill Order. The component behind Kill Order is protecting your team’s High Value Target (HVT), while trying to eliminate your enemy’s HVT. It features two teams of six, where teams score points for all eliminations, but taking out a HVT will yield a larger number of points. Sounds chaotic; can’t wait!

Other tweaks that have taken place are Time to Kill (TTK) being tuned to be a little bit faster than the previous Black Ops game, various settings for your in-game HUD, a variety of audio improvements, and slide canceling. You can get a full breakdown on all the Multiplayer features here on the official Call of Duty Blog which also details features like Loadouts, Combat Specialties, and more.

Global Gameplay Systems Intel

Omnimovement, Gunsmith changes, Global Weapon Builds, Classic Prestige, and Mastery Camos will be some of the primary innovations you can look forward to across Multiplayer Zombies, and Warzone modes, but perhaps none will be as game changing as Omnimovement.

The way it works is this: Omnimovement will let you chain combat maneuvers together, like sliding, sprinting, and diving, all with a full 360 degrees range of motion (the upcoming Closed Beta will be a great chance for you to try this in action). It’s basically giving you all the tools to be a full-blown action hero, like shooting while diving forward, sideways, or backwards. Or pulling off combat dives off the edge of a building, rotating yourself in mid-air to face an enemy, and opening fire — there’s going to be a lot of incredible ways for you engage opponents.

Black Ops 6 is also going to feature Intelligent Movement, allowing you to customize how Operatives move through the field. These include Sprint Assist (auto-applies your preferred Sprint); Mantle Assist (auto mantle over objects); Crouch Assist (crouching while moving through a usable opening); Corner Slice (sloping your weapon when moving around corners).

You can get a full rundown on all the other Gameplay Systems on the official Call of Duty Blog that will cover things like the new Gunsmith system, Reticle challenges, Weapon and Mastery camos, and much more. Read about it here.

Warzone Integrations

We also got a look at the first gameplay of the new Area 99 Resurgence Map coming later this year to Warzone, as part of Season 1. Set within the Nevada desert, Area 99 was a secret government site built in the late 1940s, hidden just out of sight from the Nuketown testing site. Designed for radiation testing, this region was abandoned shortly after a reactor leak, and all work was erased by the government. Taking inspiration from the classic Multiplayer map Nuketown, Treyarch analyzed what makes that map so special, then building out its lore and implementing new Warzone mechanics with a variety of challenging and compact locations throughout.

There are several unique locations to explore here, each having a dash of retrofuturism behind them. Some notable ones include Reactor, which is focused on a massive reactor tower that is slowly leaking radiation; Nuketown Shipping that is highlighted by a shipping yard and gigantic crane; and the Mannequin Assembly plant which features (you guessed it) a factory full of creepy mannequins.

Also, while it was great to learn more about what’s going to be new for Warzone like Omnimovement integration, it was equally great to hear that Warzone will support Carry Forward Content. That means the weapons, blueprints, Operators and Skins, and many cosmetics from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Modern Warfare III, can be carried over, as well as full integration into the gameplay and cosmetic content of Black Ops 6.

There will also be some other larger changes based on Raven’s learnings from the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare era of Warzone, all the way back to the original map, Verdansk, and working to focus this iteration for Warzone on more simplicity. One of these will be an effort to make setting your non-Loadout inventory a bit easier by removing backpacks, with a series of inventory slots for items like Gas Masks, Killstreaks, Armor Plates, and more. You can learn more about this feature and all the other changes for Warzone by checking out the Call of Duty Blog’s deep dive on everything from Perks to Vehicles to Warzone Mobile and more here.

Zombies Intel

Coming out of Call of Duty: NEXT, we’re excited to share even more details regarding Round-Based Zombies in Black Ops 6, including information on Liberty Falls, Story Mode, Wonder Weapons, and more.

First up is Liberty Falls, the second “medium-sized” Zombies map that will be available at launch for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Liberty Falls was once an idyllic town in West Virgina; now it has been consumed by this bloody outbreak of Zombies. Here you’ll navigate its narrow streets and do battle at various landmarks like churches, banks, and even a comics store to give this a true hometown-gone-wrong feeling, complimented by undead cheerleaders, deputies, and other townsfolk covered in tattered plaid.

We also got confirmation that every Zombies map coming to Black Ops 6 will include a “multi-stage Main Quest,” with Treyarch assuring us that they will be involved, difficult, and entertaining with plenty of awards being handed out for completing them. There will also be Directed Mode, which is great for new players to jump in and get a feel for this unique gaming world, allowing them more assistance in completing the Main Quest.

When traversing Liberty Falls, you’ll also be able to get your hands on some Perks to help with your battle against the undead. Some notable Perks that caught our attention were the Deadshot Daiquiri, that helps your aim of sight to target critical locations on enemies; Elemental Pop, which gives a small chance of a random Ammo Mod effect to every bullet you fire; and Jugger-Nog, which can increase your max health by 100. Learn more about Perks as well as Augments and how GobbleGum works here on the official Call of Duty Blog.

You can try out some of these features starting soon by pre-ordering Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on the Microsoft Store or subscribe to select Game Pass plans to get early access to the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Open Beta which kicks off August 30, 2024. This is your first chance to go hands on with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and provide essential feedback to help ensure the best day one experience possible. Learn more here.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is currently available for pre-order on the Microsoft Store and will launch October 25, 2024, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and will be available day one with Game Pass.

Xbox Live

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 – Vault Edition

Activision Publishing Inc.


1198

$99.99

Pre-order any digital edition and receive:

– Early access to the Open Beta*
— Early Access is August 30 – September 4
— Open Beta access is available for all players from September 6 – September 9
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III, Call of Duty®: Warzone™ and Call of Duty®: Warzone™ Mobile**:
— Woods Operator Pack – unlock the Classic Woods Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Zombie Woods and Numbers Woods Skins
— Reflect 115 Camo Pack – unlock the Reflect 115 Weapon Camo. Plus, get access to 9 acquisitions for Modern Warfare® Zombies

The Vault Edition includes:

– Cross Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6
— Includes Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game
– Hunters vs. Hunted Operator Pack
— 4 Operator Skins: Adler, Park, Brutus and Klaus
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– BlackCell (1 Season)***
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 12 GobbleGums of high rarities

Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6.

Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.

The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.

In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.

Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.

*Actual launch date(s) and platform availability of MP Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required.

**Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone™ on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by October 25th, 2025.

***Battle Pass, BlackCell an Tier Skips will be accessible in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 once the Season 1 Battle Pass is made available in game. Battle Pass / BlackCell redemption applies to one Season of Black Ops 6 Battle Pass only.

Activision may modify or discontinue online service in the future, which may impact the continued availability of online gameplay. Online services may be discontinued due to factors including number of players.

Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.

© 2024 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE and MODERN WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2024 Id Software, Inc.

Xbox Live

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle

Activision Publishing Inc.


4489

$69.99

Pre-order any digital edition or subscribe to select Game Pass plans* and receive:

– Early access to the Open Beta**
— Early Access is August 30 – September 4
— Open Beta access is available for all players from September 6 – September 9
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III, Call of Duty®: Warzone™ and Call of Duty®: Warzone™ Mobile***:
— Woods Operator Pack – unlock the Classic Woods Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Zombie Woods and Numbers Woods Skins.
— Reflect 115 Camo Pack – unlock the Reflect 115 Weapon Camo. Plus, get access to 9 acquisitions for Modern Warfare® Zombies.

Includes:

– Cross Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6
— Includes Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game

Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6.

Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.

The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.

In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.

Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.

*Requires active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Console. Subscribers must login to Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone™ on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S by October 25th, 2024 to redeem the Woods Operator Pack and Reflect 115 Camo Pack.

**Actual launch date(s) and platform availability of MP Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required.

***Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone™ on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by October 25, 2025.

Activision may modify or discontinue online service in the future, which may impact the continued availability of online gameplay. Online services may be discontinued due to factors including number of players.

Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.

© 2024 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE and MODERN WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2024 Id Software, Inc.

Xbox Live

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 – Vault Edition Upgrade

Activision Publishing Inc.


4783

$30

Upgrade to the Vault Edition and receive the following bonus content*:

– Hunters vs. Hunted Operator Pack
— 4 Operator Skins: Adler, Park, Brutus and Klaus
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– BlackCell (1 Season)**
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 12 GobbleGums of high rarities

*Requires existing ownership of the digital version of the Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S (sold separately), or active subscription to select Game Pass plans (Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Console).

**Battle Pass, BlackCell and Tier Skips will be accessible in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 once the Season 1 Battle Pass is made available in game. Battle Pass / BlackCell redemption applies to one Season of Black Ops 6 Battle Pass only.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.

© 2024 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY and CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2024 Id Software, Inc.

The post Call of Duty NEXT 2024 Showcase Recap – New Details on Black Ops 6 Warzone, Zombies, Multiplayer, and More appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Full details on the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta, live August 30

Everything you need to know about the Black Ops 6 beta and more, straight from Call of Duty: Next.

For Black Ops 6, Treyarch revisited the standard Multiplayer core modes, added key improvements for Domination and Hardpoint, and the brand-new Kill Order mode you can play during the Beta. Let’s get into all the Multiplayer beta information, plus new gameplay details for round-based Zombies and Warzone.

Black Ops 6 Beta dates


Full details on the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta, live August 30

Weekend one: August 30 – September 4  

Weekend one is available to players who have pre-ordered the game and starts on August 30 at 10am PT, ending September 4 at 10am PT.

Weekend two: September 6 – 9  

The second Beta weekend is available to all players and is scheduled to begin on September 6 at 10am PT, ending on September 9 at 10am PT.

Black Ops 6 Beta rewards

Earn cosmetic rewards by reaching Player Level milestones throughout the Multiplayer Open Beta that persist through the launch of Black Ops 6 when it releases on October 25***.  

Pre-order digitally and get the Reflect 115 Camo Pack

Pre-order Black Ops 6 and you’ll receive a variety of pre-order benefits, including the brand-new Reflect 115 Camo Pack for Modern Warfare III, Call of Duty: Warzone.

Pre-order the Digital Edition to receive the following:

  • Reflect 115 Camo Pack
  • Woods Operator Pack*
  • Early Access to the Open Beta**

Pre-order the Vault Edition and receive the previous rewards as well as the following:

  • Hunters Vs. Hunted Operator Pack
  • BlackCell Season 1
  • Mastercraft Weapon Collection
  • GobbleGum Pack

Players who pre-ordered the Vault Edition can gain access to the Hunters Vs. Hunted Operator Pack, as well as the Mastercraft Weapon Collection, during the Black Ops 6 Beta.

The Reflect 115 Camo Pack includes the Reflect 115 Mastery Camo, usable in Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone. In addition, you receive three Flawless Aetherium Crystals, three Legendary Aether Tools, and three Ray Gun Weapon Cases for immediate use in Modern Warfare Zombies. 

COD Next gameplay details 

Omnimovement

Treyarch boosts player mobility options across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone with new Omnimovement mechanics. The new feature allows players to seamlessly chain combat maneuvers together, like sliding, diving, and a newly enhanced supine prone, all with a full 360-degree range of motion.

Black Ops 6 Zombies


Full details on the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta, live August 30

Every Zombies map coming to Black Ops 6 – including Terminus and Liberty Falls at launch and additional maps throughout upcoming Seasons – includes a multi-stage Main Quest. Whether you’re hunting through the Liberty Lanes bowling alley for a delicious can of Stamin-Up or visiting Olley’s Comics for a Quick Revive (as well as the exciting first issue of the Aetherella graphic novel), you’ll have access to the same thirst-quenching Perks found in Terminus at launch.

Call of Duty: Warzone – Area 99 Resurgence map

Welcome to the birth of Nuketown. Call of Duty: Next brought the very first live gameplay of the all-new Warzone map, Area 99, coming to Season 1 later this year. Designed by Treyarch to optimize movement flow and visibility, let’s take a closer look at a Resurgence Map set firmly in the Call of Duty: Black Ops world.

Set against the unrelenting heat of the Nevada desert, Area 99 – or more specifically, the Echo Ridge Weapons Station – was a top-secret government site constructed in the 1950s, concealed from the public just miles away from the original Nuketown testing site. Designed to push the bounds of radiation testing, Area 99 was subsequently abandoned and erased from government records after an unfortunate reactor leak.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches on PS5 and PS4 on October 25. The Truth Lies.

*Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III / Call of Duty: Warzone on the pre-ordered platform required to redeem Woods Operator Pack and Reflect 115 Camo Pack. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by October 25, 2025.

**Actual launch date(s) and platform availability of Open Beta subject to change. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required. PlayStation Plus subscription may be required for MP Beta.

***Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 required to redeem. Sold separately.

Verdansk Is Finally Returning to Call of Duty Warzone, and Fans are Delighted

Call of Duty Warzone is bringing back the map that started it all: Verdansk.

Activision confirmed the return of what might be the most beloved open-world map in Warzone history as part of COD: Next, today, celebrating the news with a special post that made its way to X/Twitter. The announcement marks the end of rumors that the map would be making a comeback for months.

Now we know that Verdansk – along with iconic points of interest like Stadium, the Train Station, and Superstore – will finally return in spring 2025. It’s unclear if it will be altered in any way or if it will be just as players remember it when it eventually drops in Warzone. A specific release date has also not yet been revealed.

Verdansk first debuted alongside the launch of Call of Duty Warzone in March 2020. It was a momentous occasion for Call of Duty players that coincided with COVID-19 lockdowns, giving fans ample time to fully explore the map in what has evolved into a worthy standalone battle royale mode. However, as Activision continued to release additional installments in its first-person shooter series, Verdansk was phased out in 2021 in favor of new maps like Urzikstan, Vondel, and Al Mazrah. While fresh maps shook up gameplay with new areas to fight through, many have argued that no Warzone map has come close to matching Verdansk’s highs.

The location did eventually return as a playable map in Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, but those on console have been without it since 2021. That will change early next year. News that Activision is bringing back the first Warzone map has players excited, with many taking to X to celebrate what might be the mode’s biggest reveal in years.

Meanwhile, COD: Next has featured a crate full of other announcements related to Warzone, zombies, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in general. One reveal showed off another new Warzone map known as Area 99, the birthplace of the iconic multiplayer map, Nuketown. This new Resurgence location will arrive alongside Season 1.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will help with the wait for Verdansk when it launches October 25, 2024. A closed multiplayer beta will take place this weekend, with an open beta set to follow in early September.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Marathon Director Was Fired Following Misconduct Investigation at Bungie – Report

Marathon director Chris Barrett was fired after an internal misconduct investigation at Bungie, according to a new Bloomberg report citing sources within the studio, who say that at least eight women came forward saying that Barrett behaved inappropriately toward them.

The new report says that Barrett “called lower-level female employees attractive, asked them to play truth-or-dare and made references to his wealth and power within the studio, suggesting that he could help advance their careers.” Barrett also allegedly befriended women in various department and sent them a “barrage of text messages that blurred the lines between professional and personal.”

Internally, Bloomberg reports that Bungie employees weren’t told about the circumstances behind Barrett’s firing, believing that he was on sabbatical. Later, some discovered that his accounts had been disabled.

Barrett said in a statement to Bloomberg, “I feel that I have always conducted myself with integrity and been respectful and supportive of my colleagues, many of whom I consider my closest friends. I never understood my communications to be unwanted and I would have never thought they could possibly have made anyone feel uncomfortable. If anyone ever felt that way about their interaction with me, I am truly sorry.”

A Sony Interactive Entertainment spokesperson said the company takes “all complaints of misconduct very seriously. It is our policy and practice to investigate every complaint promptly and take action based on the findings of our investigation.”

IGN broke the news of Barrett being replaced as Marathon director by former Valorant director Joe Ziegler back in March. The report also detailed how Bungie was “pouring resources into getting Marathon out the door,” with the direction shifting under Ziegler from custom player characters to a selectable cast of heroes. Prior to that, IGN delved into Bungie’s struggle to address issues with crunch and workplace misconduct.

Since then, Bungie has been rocked by major layoffs impacting some 200 workers, or about 17 percent of the studio’s workforce. It’s part of an industry-wide upheaval that has impacted publishers including Xbox, Sony, EA, and more.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Escape Room Madness: Which Mad Experiments Game is for You?

If you like escape rooms, puzzle games or enjoy delving into a dark and twisted story, you’re in for a treat. That’s because these Xbox games have just been released: Mad Experiments: Escape Room and Mad Experiments 2: Escape Room. However, with two of them to pick from, where do you get started? Well, let’s discuss what it is that makes each game special as well as why one may be better than the other—or perhaps we should say why you will end up playing both anyway.

Mad Experiments screenshot

Choose Your Challenge: Classic Puzzles or Story-Driven Mystery?

Both games throw players into the unsettling world created by Professor Cheshire where escaping requires smartness. Nevertheless, they offer different flavors of escape room gameplay:

  • Mad Experiments: Escape Room is for the classic puzzle enthusiasts. It’s all about the thrill of discovery—finding hidden objects, piecing together clues, and solving increasingly complex puzzles. Each of the three chapters—The Mansion Lab, Memory Loss, and Lost Childhood—presents its own set of challenges. This game is perfect if you love the satisfaction of cracking a tough puzzle and want to immerse yourself in a dark, atmospheric setting.
  • Mad Experiments 2: Escape Room, on the other hand, takes the puzzle formula you loved in the first game and layers in a more complex, story-driven experience. Here, you’re not just escaping rooms; you’re uncovering the full, twisted story of Professor Cheshire and his daughter, Hildegarde. From the eerie Library to the dangerous Greenhouse and the suspenseful Train, each room tells a piece of the story. This sequel is ideal for players who want their puzzle-solving wrapped in a rich, narrative-driven package.
Mad Experiments screenshot

Solo or Squad: Play the Way you Want

Another key difference lies in how you approach these games:

  • Solo Puzzlers: Both games can be tackled on your own, but the first game’s straightforward puzzle design might appeal more to solo players who want to solve at their own pace.
  • Team Players: Mad Experiments 2 shines in multiplayer. With its deeper story and more elaborate puzzles, having a team of up to five friends can make the experience even more engaging. You’ll need to work together, communicate, and share your findings to unravel the mysteries of the Cheshire Institute.
Mad Experiments screenshot

What Makes Each Game Special?

If you’re on the fence, here’s a quick rundown of what each game brings to the table:

  • Mad Experiments: Escape Room:
    • Classic Escape Room Vibes: Perfect for players who want a pure escape room experience with tight puzzles and a dark atmosphere.
    • Three Unique Chapters: Each with its own set of challenges and a glimpse into the sinister mind of Professor Cheshire.
    • Replayability: Whether you’re speedrunning or taking your time, the game offers a different experience every time you play.
  • Mad Experiments 2: Escape Room:
    • Narrative Depth: Unravel the full story behind Professor Cheshire’s madness and his desperate attempts to save his daughter.
    • Four Intricate Rooms: From the knowledge-packed Library to the life-or-death stakes of the Greenhouse, each room is a puzzle and a story in itself.
    • Enhanced Multiplayer: Team up with friends to solve the puzzles faster—or struggle together as you get deeper into the mystery.
Mad Experiments screenshot

Ready to Dive In?

Whether you’re in it for the puzzles or the story, the Mad Experiments series has something to offer every escape room fan. If you crave the challenge of tight, intricate puzzles, start with Mad Experiments: Escape Room. But if you want a richer, more narrative-driven experience, Mad Experiments 2: Escape Room will be your go-to.

Why choose? Go ahead and play both of them – therefore getting a taste of all stages that constitute Professor Cheshire’s universe of madness. Each game offers different kind of thrill and they altogether form one entity— a complete journey into dark puzzling universe.

So, which one will you dive into first?

Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

Mad Experiments: Escape Room

Nejcraft

$14.99

Award-nominated cross-platform escape game. Alone or with up to 5 players, explore 3 unique rooms, solve mind-bending puzzles, and unravel the dark secrets of the Professor Cheshire and his experiments.

ESCAPE WITH FRIENDS
Play alone or in a team of up to 6 players. In first-person view, explore and gather clues that will help you to solve the puzzles of the room. As you solve puzzles, you unravel story bits and gets closer from the exit. Challenge yourself with time limit, or take your time and play in Relax mode with unlimited time!

FIND CLUES AND UNRAVEL A DARK STORY
Interact and examine with dozens of objects to uncover the secrets of the rooms and understand why the Professor does all this.

Chapter 1: The Mansion Lab
You have been “invited” by Professor Cheshire and his assistant Hildegarde to try their new experiments. They are obsessed with people’s minds and want to see how you react to their tests.

Chapter 2: Memory Loss
Cheshire’s experimentations damaged your brain and you are now in a coma. Hildegarde wants to help you to wake up by recovering your memory…

Chapter 3: Lost Childhood
You will keep diving into the past of Hildegarde. In her child room, you will witness what her daily life looked like when she got into Cheshire’s lab.

The post Escape Room Madness: Which Mad Experiments Game is for You? appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Call of Duty Warzone’s Next Map Is Area 99, the ‘Birthplace’ of Nuketown

Activision has revealed fresh details on the next map coming to battle royale Warzone, and it’ll be familiar to fans of Call of Duty multiplayer.

Wazone is getting a new Resurgence map in Season 1 called Area 99, which is described as the “birthplace” of Nuketown. Check it out in the trailer below.

Set in a U.S. fake town used for nuclear tests, Nuketown is one of the most famous and popular recurring maps in the Call of Duty series. It’s tiny, which makes for fast and often chaotic gameplay, perfect for players who are on the Call of Duty grind and want to level up weapons, unlock attachments, or complete challenges.

Area 99, developed by Black Ops 6 studio Treyarch with support from Warzone custodian Raven Software (union staff from which recently filed a ‘bad faith bargaining’ complaint against Activision and parent company Microsoft), includes 10 unique POIs (points of interest), each fleshing out the Nuketown we know from Black Ops.

POIs include Reactor, which powers the covert base that surrounds it, Manufacturing, which is home to Nuketown houses in varying states of construction, Mannequin Assembly, which does exactly what you’d imagine, and Pods, where abandoned Echo Ridge Weapons Station employee housing is stacked vertically.

Elsewhere, for the first time, Classic Prestige, a dedicated Mastery Camo track, and Dark Ops Challenges will be coming to Warzone in Season 1. Players can also return to the classic in-game inventory system with easily accessible, dedicated slots for items and equipment.

There is no word, however, on the return of Verdansk to Warzone. Verdansk, the map that kicked off Warzone back in 2020, is reportedly set to hit Warzone once again at some point in 2025.

Warzone Season 1, meanwhile, launches following the release of Black Ops 6 on October 25, 2024. We’ve already seen the world first Black Ops 6 nuke achieved, before the beta even launches.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

World First Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Nuke Achieved Before the Beta Even Launches

We’re still a couple days away from the release of the Black Ops 6 beta release date, but one streamer has already managed to pull the notable feat of dropping the game’s first nuke.

Streamer JustHazzardous, who claims to have pulled off a similar achievement in Modern Warfare 3, posted a clip of what looks like Black Ops 6’s very first nuke, which he recorded live from Activision’s Call of Duty NEXT event. While it’s unconfirmed how many kills it takes to reach a nuke in Black Ops 6, nukes can typically be achieved after gaining 25 kills without dying.

The imagery of the nuke is as intense as you’d expect, with even the player character catching fire and burning up, Terminator 2-style, in a brand new animation ahead of a massive fireball. You can watch the video of Black Ops 6’s first nuke in the video embedded above.

Treyard Studios acknowledge the achievement on its own social media account, congratulating JustHazzardous on getting Black Ops 6’s first nuke.

It’s all part of Call of Duty NEXT, which has seen Activision fully take the wraps off Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s multiplayer mode ahead of the beta. You can find out more info about Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s beta right here.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest entry in Treyarch’s long-running subseries, shifting the timeline to around the original Gulf War in the early 1990s. It is set to release on October 25 on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation, and will have the distinction of being the first Call of Duty available Day 1 on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Stay tuned for all the rest of IGN’s coverage of the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 event, and make sure to check out all the rest of the biggest games releasing in 2024.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

The Witcher 4 Entering Full Production ‘Very Soon’

The next mainline Witcher game, currently in development at CD Projekt under the codename Polaris, is entering full production “very soon.”

Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski said during CD Projekt’s latest earnings call that, while the Polaris team has only grown from 407 members as of April 30, 2024 to 410 members as of July 31, 2024, its presence as the majority of overall staff members (410 of 639) means it’s in a good place to begin proper work on the new Witcher game.

“The Polaris team is maintaining the right scale to enter the production stage very soon,” Nowakowski said.

The Polaris team is maintaining the right scale to enter the production stage very soon.

When Polaris was announced in October 2022, CD Projekt said it wouldn’t be released until 2025 at the earliest. As time goes on, however, and next year grows closer and closer, it seems increasingly unlikely Polaris will be released in 2025.

Details are therefore still slim on the new game, but Geralt of Rivia voice actor Doug Cockle has revealed the White Wolf will star in Polaris, but not as the main character.

Developer CD Projekt has long made clear that Geralt’s saga has come to an end, meaning a new protagonist was fully expected for Polaris, but this was the first confirmation he’ll be in the next game at all — and fuels some rampant fan theories.

Only a single teaser image has otherwise been revealed for Polaris, but it was enough to fuel fan theories, which suggest Ciri will be the next mainline Witcher game’s protagonist. What’s considered the “true” ending of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, thanks to its story being continued in comics considered canon to CD Projekt’s universe, sees her become a witcher herself.

The teaser image also showed a medallion of a lynx, and while this is a brand new witcher school not mentioned previously in the books, games, comics, or wherever else, Ciri wore a School of the Cat medallion in the books and its philosophy matches her nimble fighting style.

CD Projekt is plenty busy even outside of Polaris, of course, as it’s currently setting up a new studio in the U.S. to develop a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel codenamed Orion. Even in The Witcher universe, one of its subsidiary studios is developing a multiplayer game and partner studio Fool’s Theory is working on a remake of the original game.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Review: Crypt Custodian (Switch) – A Charismatic Kitty Cleans Up In This Metroidvania

Not one to throw out.

Metroidvanias are a dime a dozen in 2024. In a genre so flooded with games, several releases each week, charm and a unique setting are what can help your game stand out. Thankfully, Crypt Custodian isn’t going to end up swept away by the competition, as it has just that.

You play as Pluto, a cat beloved by their family. However, you have just died. After a terrible meeting with the Afterlife Guardian, Kendra, in the Afterlife Palace, you are banished from a divine death and sentenced to sweep and tidy up the underworld forever.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com