Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Multiplayer Preview

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare drops on November 4, but ComingSoon.net got a chance to check it out early at the press day for this weekend’s Call of Duty XP event at the Forum in Inglewood, California yesterday. The multiplayer mode was unveiled at the event, and we’ve got all the info for you. You can watch the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare multiplayer reveal trailer and play the multiplayer beta, playable first on PlayStation 4, on October 14.

As you know, this one is set in the near future and has some pretty great tech, new maps and the ability to craft base and prototype weapons for the first time ever. We heard from Dave Stohl, Studio Lead at Infinity Ward and Joe Cecot, the multiplayer designer, who gave us an in-depth look at all the new combat rigs, maps, weapons and mechanics, as well as a detailed video with all the stats. We’ll break each part of the presentation down for you.

“Infinite Warfare multiplayer combines a fluid momentum-based movement system, player-focused map design, deep customization and a brand-new combat system to create an intense gameplay experience where every second counts. With a focus on rewarding different play styles, allowing players to earn and craft unique weapons and outfit themselves with all-new tech and equipment. Infinite Warfare offers the player more choices and more freedom than ever before.”

This was the focus of what we were told. Players are given a huge number of choices before you even start the game in terms of their combat rig, weapons and boosts to help them take over the maps. We’ll get into the specifics.

“At the center of it all is the all-new combat rig, built around six distinct styles of play. Each rig is outfitted with three distinct payloads, designed to boost player effectiveness and lethality in combat, as well as three unique, persistent perks called ‘traits.’ Players will select one payload and one trait to use in combination to create different play styles to bring into the fight.”

Players can choose from six combat rigs (view images in the gallery below). Merc is about defense and heavy suppression. FTL is about experimental tech, built around guerrilla tactics. Stryker is for squad support. Warfighter is about a mobile mid-range style of combat. (They talked about the Warfighter as the typical Call of Duty warrior.) Phantom specializes in concealment and long range engagement. Synoptic is optimized for speed and close quarter combat.

Here are the payloads (one weapon and two abilities) and traits for each one, though we don’t know what all of them do yet:

Merc payloads are Steel Dragon, Bull Charge and Reactive Armor. Merc traits are Infusion, Man-at-Arms and Shockwave.

FTL payloads are Eraser, FTL Jump and Phase Shift. FTL traits are Supercharge, Perception and Power Slide.

Stryker payloads are Gravity Vortex, Micro Turret and Centurion (which lets you send out a robot to help you out). Stryker traits are Relay, Trophy Drone and Hardened.

Warfighter payloads are The Claw, Overdrive and Combat Focus. Warfighter traits are Ping, Persistence and Resupply

Phantom payloads are Ballista EM3, Arctic Camo and Pulsar. Phantom traits are Marked Target, Rearguard and Heightened Senses.

Synoptic payloads are Equalizer, Reaper and Rewind. Synoptic traits are Rush Down, Propulsion and Combat Burst.

In the video, we got a little more in terms of specifics for three of the rigs.

“Designed for a mid-range assault-style player, equip the Warfighter to support the team by getting fast kills, quickly getting to an objective, and always being on the offensive. Warfighter’s powerful Claw payload is a rapid fire, spread shot firearm with ricochet ballistic rounds designed to take out enemies in front of you and around blind corners. You can pair that up with the Persistence trait, where score streaks no longer reset when you die, but take higher point values to obtain.”

The Claw definitely got a huge cheer from the crowd as the rounds spray to the sides, allowing you to take out enemies not in your direct line of sight. There are also Bio-Spikes that do this by spraying shrapnel outside the blast zone, wounding anyone close by.

“For the player who prefers to hold down an area, there’s the Merc rig. This imposing suit is equipped with payload options designed to clear enemy threats quickly and with authority. The Bull Charge payload equips you with an armored riot shield to penetrate enemy defenses or quickly take on opponents who stand in your way. Stay in the fight longer by equipping the Infusion trait which regenerates your health faster after taking damage. Stand your ground in a fire fight as you continue to defend your team and your objective.”

From the trailer and the gameplay later in the day, we can say that that riot shield is definitely something you’re going to want to try out. You’re like a bull in a china shop, ramming your way through enemies.

“Speed kills with the FTL combat filled with experimental military tech, FTL is the evolution in covert guerrilla ops. Equip the Eraser payload, a compact, energy-based handgun to incinerate enemies who are slow to the draw. Load out with the Power Slide trait to enhance sliding capabilities like speed, distance and ability to slide while aiming down sights.”

That Power Slide makes you look like a badass. It’s the rockstar move of the game, at least from what we saw. The Eraser got the biggest reaction as we watched a player blow up rival player’s heads. It looks pretty darn cool.

All of these options add up to over 50 combinations for players. We got so check some of them out during gameplay, but you’ll likely be hearing about people’s favorites as the weekend event progresses.

Now, onto the weapons.

“Weapons and weapon variety have always been a core staple of Call of Duty multiplayer and that couldn’t be more true with Infinite Warfare. The diverse weapons lineup consists of primary and secondary weapons with modern design elements and aesthetics, as well as new weapons that provide all-new functionalities for the player. While players will still be able to rank up and prestige their weapons, for the first time ever, players will also be able to craft base weapons and prototype weapons. Prototype weapons come in four rarity levels and have special gun perks that modify their functionality.”

The rarity levels are Common, Rare, Legendary and Epic. As you can see below, you can upgrade and unlock these weapons by gaining salvage, something familiar to players of Destiny. We got a look at one of these in each of its forms in the video.

“By collecting and redeeming salvage, the game’s crafting currency, players will be able to unlock specific prototype weapons to compliment their load out. Salvage can be earned by playing the game, so the more you play, the more prototypes you can go after and earn. For example, let’s take a look at the EVR-800. The common mode of this hybrid sniper rifle comes with the gun perk Stockpile which grants increased amo. The rare model of the weapon comes with Jackpot, which gives you a bonus 10% additional score for all kills, plus readiness for faster reloads. The legendary model comes equipped with the atomizer strike gun perk, which gives you a tactical nuke after a 25-player kill streak and the stability gun perk which reduces recoil. And finally, the Osiris, the epic version of the EVR-800, comes loaded with Hunter/Killer, where low-health enemies become highlighted. Plus Sharp Shooter, which increases damage at range.

“This new system extends to secondary weapons as well, leading to hundreds of potential weapons to get your hands on, each with unique functionality in the form of gun perks.”

In terms of equipment, we’re getting a lot of new stuff as well.

“Bio-Spikes not only not only kill enemies, they also send out a cloud of shrapnel to wound anyone in the area. And when deployed, the Black Hole Projector will pull enemies from cover and suck them into deadly vortex. In addition to tactical and lethals, Score Streaks reward players for a wide range of actions, including kills, assists and points caps. Included in this devastating line of combat support is Thor, a hovering missile platform with rapid launch capabilities that can unleash a hailstorm of explosive fire power. Or, call in an RC-8, and remotely take a fight to the enemy. This heavily-armored robot can watch your back via sentry mode, or you can jack into his feed and manually lay waste to your toughest competition.”

The equipment was definitely the most exciting part of the presentation. That RC-8 looked awesome, though we didn’t see it in gameplay. The Black Hole Projector was all over what we saw, and reminded us of a few moves from Mortal Kombat X. In addition, before the video, we learned about a grenade that locks onto you and kind of blows up your face, as well as one that sort of works like a drone. Though you can control it, enemy players can snipe it out of the sky, something Cecot said was his favorite thing to do in the game.

Then there are the maps, and we’re getting all-new ones.

“Each combat space in Infinite Warfare has been meticulously crafted, featuring never-before-seen environments. At the same time, fan-favorite Call of Duty map design elements like medium to small-sized maps and three lane map layouts combine to bring more high octane, in-your-face multiplayer action than ever before. Building upon Black Ops III momentum-based movement system, lanes and wall runs are precisely designed to encourage combat engagement while rewarding flank opportunities.”

One of the maps we saw looked like a town in the ‘50s, complete with bowling alley, but if you looked up, you could see that this was a tourist area for space travelers. In some of the space maps, when you die, you float up because of the zero gravity.

Then we have the gameplay modes, including fan favorites and new modes.

“With a variety of gameplay modes to choose from, such as fan favorites like Team Death Match and Kill Confirmed, to objective-based modes such as Domination, Hard Point and Search and Destroy, players will have a ton of content to get their hands on. In addition, Infinite Warfare will introduce players to a number of new modes, such as Defender, a high stakes game of keep away. The objective is simple. Your team must collect a drone and hold it as long as they can. The team that controls the drones gets a steady increase in points until the drone resets itself, starting the cycle all over again. Teamwork is your best strategy with Defender. Communicate and protect the carrier when your team is in control of the drone. Coordinate and hunt down the enemy carrier when the enemies have control.”

The big focus here seemed to be rewarding different play styles, so your favorite doesn’t get lost in the mix, giving the player more choices and new, futuristic weapons and tech. At the end of the video, however, they made a point to say that this is still old school Call of Duty, perhaps addressing some fans’ issues with the big change.

Does the new info about what’s coming in the multiplayer mode have you psyched for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare? If you weren’t a fan of the single player mode trailer, has this changed your mind? What special feature are you most excited for when the game launches on November 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Fun fact: We got to check out gameplay alongside Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar, Fast and Furious), who’s Twitter you can check for event pics this weekend.