Call of Duty: WWII Gameplay Reveal and Information Blowout!

The official gameplay reveal for Call of Duty: WWII was unveiled to the world and to say its left many fans hyped, is an understatement.  This is the game that so many fans have been calling for, for quite some time and it looks like developers Sledgehammer Games are going to deliver and then some.

The gameplay trailer itself looks stunning (as seen below), but with Sledgehammer Co-Founders and Chief’s; Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey in attendance, they teased that the multiplayer will be a game changer for the series and that the additional Nazi Zombies campaign will be a pure horror co-op experience (so perhaps less tongue-in-cheek?) with an original standalone story.

The singleplayer campaign will be focused on the horror of war as well as the importance of brotherhood and sacrifice, and the developers promise that it will be an emotional experience that will have us feeling attached to its cast of characters and they have also stated that this is the best game that they’ve ever worked on (so no pressure then).

 

Our main protagonist will be Ronald “Red” Daniels, a young US Army Private, as he and his squad, the “legendary” US First Infantry Division fight across harrowing locations within Europe during the war, such as the UK, France, the beaches of Normandy including the D-DAY Invasion and the Battle of the Bulge, Germany and more.  The story promises to be “gritty authenticity and cinematic intensity of WWII combat, honouring the unforgettable heroism of the Fighting First.”

Expressing his excitement on working on Call of Duty: WWII, Sledgehammer Games Michael Condrey had this to say:

Call of Duty: WWII has been a journey of inspiration and passion for everyone at Sledgehammer Games. The team is dedicated to delivering on the intense nature of war that focuses on the heroism and sacrifice of soldiers in WWII. Our rich narrative driven, action-packed campaign, and engaging and innovative multiplayer experience immerse players into the boots of a soldier fighting for freedom in a world on the brink of tyranny.  And, our co-operative mode delivers a unique storyline that’s an all-new take on Nazi Zombies that we think fans are going to love,

Sharing the same level of enthusiasm, Glen Schofield said

The story we’re telling is unlike anything that we’ve tackled before.  It’s such an amazing journey of common everyday people who became heroes. We want to respect this great generation of soldiers, tell a realistic story set in a true inflection point in human history, and deliver the best experience of our careers.

The decision to take the series back to its roots was also emphasised by Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg:

More than two and a-half years ago we made the decision to return this franchise to its roots, and Call of Duty: WWII does so in epic fashion. The team at Sledgehammer Games is delivering an authentic, gritty, cinematic experience that honours both the epic scale, and the human struggle of the greatest war the world has ever known.  This game will let long-time fans experience World War II like never before, and will introduce this historic conflict to a whole new generation of gamers in the process.

However, while we got to see none of its multiplayer modes (other than a 8 second clip and a close-up image of a Zombie seen below), Activision has released some details on what to expect with Call of Duty: WWII’s multiplayer.  Obviously with us going back to World War 2, they’ll be no jetpacks and double jumps, so combat will be on the ground, as well as being up-close and personal (though I hope that we’ll see the return of vehicles in multiplayer).  The multiplayer maps will be situated within iconic locations from the era, as well as the use of authentic weapons and equipment.

The character and create-a-class element has also apparently been improved upon with a feature known as Divisions.  The multiplayer will have a narrative with a mode simply called War and Headquarters will offer “a first of its kind for the Call of Duty social community, designed for players to interact and socialise with friends.”

Headquarters in my opinion, sounds much like the social spaces seen in Destiny and in the clip seen below, it seems like that social space is on show with more than 40 players rummaging around on a war hit beach.  You can also see a glorious close-up image of a Nazi Zombie.

 

Details on just some of the various multiplayer modes and features available can be found below courtesy of the official press release.

HEADQUARTERS

Offering a robust social space dedicated to engagement off the frontlines, Headquarters paves the way for all-new avenues of Multiplayer interaction, recognition and awards unlike anything experienced in the franchise to date.

DIVISIONS

A new way to engage in a player’s Multiplayer career – Divisions immerses players in the heroic journey of enlisting in the world’s most historic war. Choose from a variety of Divisions, including Infantry and Armoured Divisions.

WAR MODE

A new Multiplayer experience that immerses players in iconic World War II battles, where Allied and Axis clash in team-driven gameplay in the fight for strategic objectives.

BOOTS ON THE GROUND GAMEPLAY

CO-OPERATIVE MODE

Call of Duty®: WWII’s co-operative mode unleashes a new and original story, in this next-level standalone game experience full of unexpected, adrenaline-pumping moments.

Further details on the multiplayer and Nazi Zombies are expected to be shared during E3 this coming June.  For those that pre-order Call of Duty: WWII will gain access to the Private Multiplayer Beta, which will arrive first on PS4.  Dates including other formats for the beta are yet to be announced.

For launch, you will be able to pick-up the standard editions both in physical and digital forms (digital £54.99 includes exclusive on PS4), as well as a Pro Edition (£79.99) which includes a season pass, SteelBook and more.  A Digital Deluxe Edition (£84.99) will also be available which includes the season pass as well as other DLC bonuses (exclusive theme on PS4).  All versions will also include beta access.

Call of Duty: WWII will release for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on Friday November 3^rd 2017.