Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Warzone Season Two Reloaded is on the horizon and brings with it not only smaller file sizes, but a whole host of new content for players to enjoy. From new multiplayer maps to a brand new sniper, here is what you can expect with Season Two Reloaded in the upcoming update.
The upcoming update brings with it new maps, new modes, new Zombies content, and so much more. Let's break it down by feature to see what's on the horizon for the online shooter.
The new update goes live today, March 29, at 9 p.m. Pacific for Black Ops Cold War. The new season arrives in Warzone on March 30 at 11 p.m. Pacific the next day.
Miami Strike will feature a much tighter map layout that will be played in the light of day. Unlike its nighttime counterpart, there are a few new additions with the Paramour Hotel being blocked and the area more controlled. For those that just want to take in the sights, there will be a new waterside path also available within this particular map.
Mansion is joining the Gunfight and Face-Off rotation, designed to put players on their toes as they fight across a luscious courtyard that has no idea the kind of chaos that is on the horizon. "The eastern courtyard features palm trees and a gazebo, opposite another with a central statue over a dry fountain," says Activision." Fight in the surrounding arcade among its thick supporting columns or brave it through the middle in a cross-map dash. Look for the center-wrapped room including a small hallway and an exposed balcony for a high risk, high reward power position."
We're heading back to Russian with the Ural Plains location, but there's much more than what meets the eye. We first saw this location within Outbreak, but now Golova will be available across other modes within MP. From churches to gardens, this map is perfect for those that love to snipe.
There are quite a few new modes and features to look forward to, including Multi-Team Hardpoint. For a brief overview, here is what you need t know:
Zombies is getting some much-needed love with a new Outbreak region found in Sanatorium (night). "As the Dark Aether continues to spread, agents of Requiem must expand their search for outbreak sites across the Ural Mountains into a massive new region: Sanatorium Night."
Players loved the more open-world take on Zombies with recent updates, but this one will have players trying to survive under the cover of nightfall. Because fighting zombies wasn't scary enough, let's add restricted vision into the mix.
A new Outbreak Objective is also on the way with Secure, taking players to control Dark Aether in order to analyze, experiment, and ultimately harness the "transformational properties" of this phenomenon.
Zombies will also see new vehicles, more Intel, and the Dead Ops Arcade Player as well in addition to the Arcade Silverback Slidesways Map and a new Apply Blueprint feature that will allow players to apply any Weapon Blueprint in Outbreak.
It wouldn't be a new season without new Operators and Weapons. Wolf (NATO) is joining the fray, bringing with him his skills as a hunter from the Louisiana bayous. Wolf will be joined by Rivas (NATO), a powerful fighter that fought back against the Menendez Cartel's influence in Nicaragua.
As far as weapons go, the new ZRG 20mm Sniper is a seasonal addition that promises impressive velocity and range, making it the ultimate tool for those that love to take a more strategic approach to combat.
Warzone and Black Ops Cold War Season Two Reloaded promises a ton of fun and a lot of new additions to enjoy. You can learn even more about what's on the way with the full patch notes right here.
Tomorrow, 135 new cards enter Hearthstone from the new set, Forged in the Barrens. This Barrens-centric jaunt focuses on the titular World of Warcraft zone, full of animals, raptors, and of course, Mankrik’s wife. Yes, players can now live the meme in Hearthstone by actually finding Mankrik’s wife in the Barrens. At long last!
Click here to watch embedded mediaThe Barrens is just the beginning for this year of Hearthstone as the next few sets will sort of follow the leveling experience from World of Warcraft as players and characters “level up” from the Barrens to a mid-level zone and then to a high-tier one. I do hope the final path takes us somewhere cool with some raid stuff in it. You never know! I’m also really, really interested in the Mercenaries game mode that’s hitting later this year. But for now, let’s focus on the Barrens. There are some new key mechanics in play, and some of them you can even try out before tomorrow if you go play a few rounds in the Duels mode now.
“Scaling spells” change their functionality and power over the course of the game. They might do something small when the game starts, but change their scope at the halfway point and when you have max mana crystals. These will allow players to make important decisions on when to play spells or simply fire them off “on curve” when the situation calls for it. Frenzy effects trigger when a unit survives damage for the first time, making those Whirlwinds and other single point of damage effects more interesting and valuable even when you’re not clearing out small threats.
Other significant changes include cards that work with specific spell schools, something that impacts both Forged in the Barrens and greater Hearthstone moving forward. Old spells have been grouped into their appropriate spell school schools such as nature, shadow, holy, etc and can now be impacted by a variety of cards and effects, including spell power bonuses that only work on certain schools.
Of course, there are a variety of fun one-offs in the set to enjoy as well, I can’t wait to go tinker around building some golems with Kazakus.
Are you looking forward to Forged in the Barrens? Playing any digital card games? Let us know in the comments!
EA has pulled the curtain back on it’s new golf title, EA Sports PGA Tour. The game is billed as a next-gen golf experience and is the result of a new, long-term deal between the publisher and the PGA Tour.
There isn't a ton of info about the title as of yet. The press release does mention features such as building a virtual career and that players will compete on several of the “world’s most famous courses”. Events include The Players Championship and the FedExCup Playoffs.
EA’s Tibruron studio in Orlando, FL is developing EA Sports PGA Tour. The game is being made using the Frostbite engine which will, in EA’s words, offer “stunning fidelity, breathtaking immersive environments, and approachable, dynamic gameplay.”
“EA Sports and the PGA Tour have created some of the most memorable golf video game experiences together, and we couldn’t be more excited to expand our sports portfolio with a new golf title on next-gen hardware,” said Cam Weber, EVP & GM, EA Sports in the press release. “Our team of passionate golf fans is meticulously recreating the world’s top courses such as Pebble Beach, and we can’t wait to give fans the opportunity to compete on some of the most iconic PGA Tour courses and win the FedExCup."
EA promises to share more news, such as a release date, in the coming months.
The game serves as a comeback to the sport for EA. The series began in 1990 before being branded as Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour beginning in 1998. Tiger graced every cover until 2013, when EA ended their partnership with Woods in favor of another top golfer, Rory McIlroy. A single PGA Tour game released under his name launched in 2015 to a tepid reception. Interestingly enough, this new game is the first time the series has lacked the branding of an athlete since PGA Tour 98.
Since Rory McIlroy's PGA Tour launched, 2K Games' The Golf Club franchise eventually morphed into a new PGA Tour Series. The most recent game is PGA Tour 2K21, which launched last fall. One would think that 2K's partnership with the PGA Tour has come to an end with this announcement, but that isn't clear either way. It's especially interesting given that 2K very recently announced a deal with Tiger Woods involving the PGA Tour 2K series. All in all, the news that EA wants another stab at golf is not unlike the one announcing the publisher's return to college football earlier this year (even the promotional art is identical).
What do you make of EA getting back into golf, and what do you want from a new-gen golf experience? Share your thoughts in the comments.