Amidst an array of uncertain rumors and weeks of anticipation, it has finally been confirmed by Activision that Call of Duty's entry for 2018 will be Black Ops 4. The game will be released for PC, PS4, and Xbox One on October 12th.

While Call of Duty traditionally blesses us with releases in November, this will be the first time in a decade that a game is released earlier in the fall, standing mysteriously neck to neck with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 later in October.

Earlier this week, James Harden of the Houston Rockets was caught casually sporting a baseball cap featuring a modified logo of the Black Ops numerals -- which, for the record, does not signify the actual Roman numeral of the number four (IV) but rather added an extra notch to the number three (III). 

The Beard has arrived, and he's ready for battle with the Thunder. pic.twitter.com/ky3E8TK9Hy

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 7, 2018

At first, there was no telling that "IIII" would be the official logo of the release, but sources have confirmed that indeed Harden was nonchalantly leaking the news before anyone else got the chance.

Activision will be revealing Black Ops 4 (sorry, IIII) at a special event on May 17. Things are going way faster than we usually expect them to, and that's greatbecause who doesn't want another Black Ops binge? 

That said, Black Ops 3 had just received a surprising update, which could possibly be teasing players with what is to come with the fourth installment of the sub-series. Activision loves to pull its subliminal marketing campaign this early in the wake of a release and has done the same thing with Black Ops 2 and 3.

After tons of rumors and some leaked artwork suggesting that the next Call of Duty game would be set in World War II, developer Sledgehammer Games has confirmed that speculation with an official trailer for the upcoming Call of Duty: WWII. 

Marketed as an authentic reimagining of World War II, this is the first Call of Duty game in a long time that won't be featuring futuristic warfare. It's set in the European Theater from 1944-1945, and will have you playing a young private who is green on the battlefield and getting his first taste of "real action" during the Battle of Normandy. 

The trailer above teases several other features alongside the main campaign -- including a co-op Zombie mode, an Axis vs. Allies multiplayer mode, and a social lobby that looks a lot like what you'd find in Destiny. 

Call of Duty: WWII will be released on November 3 for PC, Xbox One, and PS4. There will also be a closed beta available later this year, but there aren't further details on that just yet. 

About a year ago, Activision Blizzard announced their plans to release multiple films based on the Call of Duty franchise. According to Activision, the first film based on the game franchise could come out as early as 2018. I don't know when we ever asked for a CoD movie, and I don't think we need one.

Just... why?

Through the years, we've seen video game franchises expand to film with varying degrees of success and failure. If we've learned one thing from these narratives it's that a good video game does not always make a good movie. While variables like acting, directing, and sheer timing have an effect on the prosperity of a film, there are a few things that are crucial in making a solid video game movie. Plot, character development, and originality are just a few. We've seen from failures like the Assassin's Creed movie that an amazing game with an interesting plot does not promise a favorable outcome for the film.

Don't get me wrong, I have thoroughly enjoyed many of the CoD games throughout the years, but that doesn't mean I want to watch it in theaters. Frankly, I don't feel that CoD has the features necessary to translate to a watchable film that would remain true to the franchise.

1. You're not the main character anymore

Part of the reason we're invested in the CoD campaigns is that they are mission based. At least for me, the plot is secondary. It is more important that a campaign have well-crafted missions than a riveting narrative. Don't get me wrong, there's suspense and action at every turn, but will an audience be as drawn into a story where they don't actually get to play? When you look at the different campaigns we've seen from the Activision franchise over the years, are there any stories you'd actually want to watch as a film if you didn't actually get to shoot anyone? For me, the answer is a resounding "no."

2. It probably wouldn't be for gamers

Films like J.J. Abram's Star Trek appeal to a wider base with sexy leads and big-budget special effects, and rely less on the original characters and story. The first Star Trek was an enjoyable movie, but personally I felt like it lacked the nuance of the original television show. I feel like this will be the fate of the CoD movies. I don't see the same depth in the CoD franchise that Star Trek has.

CoD film makers would likely have to develop a character based plot line into the story and risk pulling the film away from the things that players love about CoD. There is a very high likelihood that the film would be loosely based on the games, with a generic Hollywood storyline inserted in. If the storyline doesn't have the right blend of exposition, character development, and violence while staying true enough to the franchise, it will fail. I don't know about you, but I don't really want to watch a film that abandons the idiosyncrasies of a game in order to widen the franchise's fan base.

3. It would be every other bad war movie

There are a lot of war movies, and not all of them are good. How many worthy action movies about war have you heard about in recent years? Now out of those, how many of them were more about the action and fighting than they were about the story of the people behind the guns? There are only so many epic explosions and realistic gory scenes you can watch before you ask, "okay, this is cool, but what's the point?"

In order to make a good war movie, the characters and their motivations must be primary, putting the action secondary. This sentiment is opposite to the CoD franchise. Perhaps it would be possible to take its characters and storylines and turn them into a decent movie, but at that point it would bear little to no resemblance of the franchise. It's a paradox, because if CoD wants to be a well-made action movie about war, it can't be a movie about CoD.

4. CoD is not Marvel, and will never be Marvel

Activision has said that they want the CoD movie franchise to resemble that of Marvel. I have so many issues with this, the first being that videogames are not comic books. Activision will never be Marvel, and CoD will never be any series of graphic novels. Ever. CoD games generally do not follow the dramatic structure that makes comics and graphic novels work in film adaptations. Marvel comics generally follow the typical "hero's journey" story arc (graphic representation below, as the full explanation may be a little long).

Most graphic novels and comics generally follow this arc or some sort of variation of it. The CoD series focus mainly on the "tests, allies, and enemies" portion of this structure, making it mostly action based. In order for Activision to make the CoD film franchise "Marvel-esque," it would have to develop and follow a story arc similar to this. Seeing as Marvel became a successful film franchise because they had a universe and characters that had proven themselves for generations, it was not a far step to turn their characters' stories into films.

The CoD universe, on the other hand, does not have this same luxury. They would essentially be starting from scratch and venturing into unknown territory. While this risk could prove fruitful, there is also the very real chance that it will not go well for them. Gamers are some of the harshest critics out there, and if Activision isn't able to create a compelling story that bears the defining characteristics of the franchise, there will be intense backlash from fans.

Some things just should not be done

Maybe I'm just cynical, but I don't really understand why acclaimed video game franchises feel the need to expand to the world of cinema. While there are plenty of successful film adaptations of books and graphic novels, video games generally do not make exceptional movies. As we've seen in the past, many video games try to translate into films that appeal to their fans, but ultimately fail.

Just because a video game is wildly popular, this does not necessarily mean that the storyline of the game is strong enough to captivate an audience without the actual gameplay. Cool costume design and big explosions do not necessarily mean a movie will be popular, and it definitely does not mean that it will satisfy existing or prospective fans of the franchise. The stars will have to align and Activision will have to do everything right in order to make CoD into a satisfying movie, and frankly I just don't think they will be able to hit the mark. In this case, the risk is not worth the reward.

Do you want to see a Call of Duty movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

After Activision announced to investors that the next Call of Duty would return “back to its roots.” Since the news broke in February, the internet has been buzzing over the possible homecoming of the franchise back to a World War II setting.

A recent video by YouTuber “TheFamilyVideoGamers” appears to show leaked images of CoD 2017 concept art that may be promotional artwork for the new game to be developed by Sledgehammer Games. The leaked images feature images portraying 1940’s inspired images that appear to be depictions of the Allies landing at Normandy with the title “Call of Duty: WWII.”

Publisher Activision has not confirmed if this artwork is, in fact, leaked marketing material. However, there have been hints in the past that Activision may be interested in returning the franchise to WWII. Michael Condrey, Studio Head of Sledgehammer Games, said previously that he was interested in seeing other WWII setting for a new CoD game.

“I think a next generation game with the latest production values and robustness in a World War II setting like Band of Brothers would be amazing,” Condrey stated in 2014.

Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg later said in a 2015 interview that the idea is “certainly possible” and that:

"There’s definitely a chasing of innovation and new ideas within a well-worn genre that lead people to similar conclusions like changing time periods. And of course I think that opens up the opportunity for what is old is new again.”

Do you think the artwork is legitimate? Are you interested in seeing another WWII CoD game? Let us know in the comments below!

As you may already be aware of, sales for the Call of Duty franchise have been slipping, specifically those for the series’ latest installment, Infinite Warfare. In my opinion, this has been a long time coming. With yearly iterations and gameplay “enhancements” like exoskeletons and boost jumps, the simplicity of the series’ early games, like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, has gotten lost in the constant push for innovation and profit.

Because of this, and the recent release of a remastered Modern Warfare, I hope that we’ll soon get a remastered version of Modern Warfare 2, a game that, for me, was possibly one of the absolute best games in the series. A game that I know many gamers would love to play on current-gen consoles right now.

Not only would it be a treat to get a remastered version of the game, but one that also brought along with it new content and additions, like new multiplayer maps, weapons, and maybe even new multiplayer killstreaks.

Modern Warfare 2 was a great game because the content was always fun to play -- and it still is today.

I often catch myself booting up my Xbox 360 just to play Modern Warfare 2. From the campaign to the multiplayer and spec ops missions, nearly everything about this installment was engaging and fun to play with friends and foes alike. The graphics were pretty good, too -- for the time. But the in-depth, detailed, and open level design made both the single player and multiplayer experience all the more harrowing -- and all the more fun for run-and-gunners and snipers, too. In fact, many of the levels represented real-world locales, like the Favela, which can be found in Brazil.

But when exoskeleton suits and boost jumps started showing up in the franchise, I started to lose interest. And, as the series began to venture into more futuristic settings, the controls grew more advanced and cumbersome. I felt at a disadvantage to those who had Scuff Controllers or any controller that allowed paddles on the back for increased speed and fidelity.

Modern Warfare 2 will be a great game remastered. I'm sure the community would love to go back refill the excitement that this game used to bring. From quick scoping noobs from across the map to playing for hours in hopes to earn a 25-Killstreak tactical nuke. The game had a broad variety of different types of enjoyment that came with it. Also, the simplicity of controls complimented the game greatly. Once this game gets remastered, does it open the door for a master collection of other Call of Duty games? Stay tuned.

It would be great to hear some feedback from the community and I would love to hear your opinions on this topic. Feel free to comment below!

Remember the days of racing home from school to play Donkey Kong on the Super Nintendo with your best friend in your basement? You didn't need two consoles. You didn't need two TV's. And you certainly didn't need to set up some complicated LAN system to play the game. What happened to this simplistic and accessible style of gaming? One word explains everything: Internet.

You didn't need two consoles. You didn't need two TV's. And you certainly didn't need to set up some complicated LAN system to play the game.

In this vast world of instant connectivity, it is easy to forget the convenience of split-screen games since we have traded tangible friends for those of the social media variety. Recently, I realized that the split-screen gaming option has become more of a distant memory than ever before. I moved to a very rural area that did not have any options for internet and learned very quickly that my game choices were extremely limited. I updated my PS4 for the last time using a WiFi connection at work and realized that half the games I owned, I couldn't play any longer! Also, I did not want to drop $60 on a new game that had its best features explored through the multiplayer forum. Destiny, Call of Duty, and many more of my favorite games suddenly become obsolete in my new reality. 

As I adjusted to this "analog" world, my boyfriend and I found ourselves missing out on one of our favorite hobbies. We had to take turns?!?! Who does that? So began our hunt for games that were split-screen friendly. 

Needless to say, there aren't many new couch co-op games being released to capitalize on the features of the current generation of pricey consoles. There are plenty of older split-screen options, but definitely not enough variety to keep a couple of game-obsessed DINK's (double-income, no kids) occupied for very long. 

We did stumble across a few great classics. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection has certainly done a great job of keeping us entertained as we can each participate in the game simultaneously. We can count on at least 6 hours of split-screen gameplay from the perpetual Call of Duty franchise; or at least however long we can replay the zombies feature before I start blaming him for our constant failure. Thank god that Redbox does game rentals now! But we are still lacking an option that provides a high level of graphics and gameplay experience equal to the single player options currently available. 

As we continue to see the world of video games evolve and transform, I petition developers to reconsider the world of couch co-op play. Only half of the world has internet access, so only developing internet-reliant multiplayer experiences quite literally excludes billions of people from playing your game. Revolutionizing this gameplay experience could be very lucrative for the right developer; as displayed by the success of games such as Borderlands!

What do you think about the disappearance of split-screen gaming? Will you miss it or is it unimportant? Let us know in the comments below!

Interested in playing the latest Call of Duty installment, but not convinced it'll be good or varied enough to pay the price? Worry not, because the PS4 version will be available to trial from December 15th until the 20th.

All three game modes have limited access in this trial. This includes the first two levels of the single player campaign, multiplayer access with a Level Cap of 15, and the Zombies in Spaceland mode with a Level Cap of 3.

In order to access the trial, all you need to do is open up the PlayStation Store and search for "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Free Trial." Alternatively, you can access this through the Demos category on the Infinite Warfare page.

Please be advised that you will need an active PlayStation Plus account in order to access the multiplayer and Zombies features. You can, however, play the single player levels without.

In addition, it's worth noting that a fairly hefty 60GB download is required, as the trial is effectively the full game but with content gating. The caveat is that purchasing the game after the trial will not require a second download, but all progress for both single and multiplayer modes will be retained.

Whether this is an honest marketing move in celebration of the holiday season or a sign of comparatively low sales is anyone's guess. But hey, a free game is a free game, so if Infinite Warfare sounds like your thing, now's the time to try. Be sure to check out our review of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare for more information.

What are your thoughts on Infinite Warfare thus far? Still on board the Call of Duty train or have you jumped to other shooters? Let us know in the comments!

'Tis the season for giving, getting, and aiming down the sights at some twelve year old with a microphone.

With the holidays upon us, Activision has made it clear that Call of Duty players -- both those on Infinite Warfare and the Remastered edition of Modern Warfare -- won't have to pay a single cent for their gifts this month. 

In an email released to the media on Thursday, Activison confirmed the long-awaited 'missing' maps for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered: 

"On December 13 players who own Modern Warfare Remastered will receive the remaining six remastered multiplayer maps: Bloc, Countdown, Pipeline, Showdown, Strike, and Wet Work, along with the Hardpoint and Gun Game modes being made available in Modern Warfare Remastered for the first time."

This is welcome news for players who have had the game since day one, and those who have been waiting for a more 'complete' version before buying. When the game first released last month, the available maps were the Ambush, Backlot, Bog, Crash, Crossfire, District, Downpour, Overgrown, Shipment, and Vacant.

[Image via Activision]

Unfortunately, there is still no word on the Broadcast and Chinatown maps, which served as DLC for the original game. But Activision did announce the return of the 'Winter Crash' map, which is seen in a trailer below.

Snow maps are always fun, and it's really great to see how much effort went into these newer maps. Like with the rest of Modern Warfare Remastered, it would have been so easy just to do a basic port -- but Activision and Raven went in, cleaned everything up, and gave fans the best remastered version of a game we've seen so far.

In a separate blog post, Activision's Kevin Kelly teased:

"We’ll be running a 24/7 Winter Crash playlist beginning on December 20 that will last through the holidays, and we’ll have more details soon."

Also in that blog post was news about the following:

Shoot 'Em Up

Players that have clocked in time on both Infinite Warfare and last year's Black Ops III will receive a new gun: the prototype Hailstorm – Thunder pistol. 

"The Hailstorm – Thunder is extremely shiny (and deadly), and features a three-round burst along with two perks: Whirlwind, which is a fast cycling auto burst that increases recoil, and Focus to reduce idle sway while aiming down sights," Kelly explains. "So, jump in the game today and equip it in your loadout to show some pride."

It is unclear if those who played Black Ops III on a previous generation console will be treated to the perk as well. More info on how to obtain the gun is coming in a few paragraphs. 

This gun sounds absolutely fantastic, with the whirlwind feature especially standing out. When you're playing, however, look for many players to try testing it out in their first few sessions, leaving them wide open for a nice headshot.

As harsh as taking advantage of players who are testing their new weapon out may sound, the battlefield is a time where being harsh matters. That is especially true in times of warfare...Infinite Warfare.

[GIF via FOX]

 Activision explains that in order to get the Hailstorm pistol, "players who own both Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Call of Duty: Black Ops III and have logged into Black Ops III with a live internet connection and played Infinite Warfare during the offer period."

What's interesting about the wording here is that the system is actually checking to see that you've logged into both rather than simply going off system data and cloud saves. If you're someone who traded in Black Ops III recently, then you may be in a bit of trouble...

'Tis The Season

[Image via Activision]

In addition to the new gun, all Infinite Warfare players also will have access to a new map: Genesis. Well, technically the map is a new-look one, as Genesis (or the Headquarters for the Division of Mechanical Evolution) is getting a 'festive new look.'

Kelly also wrote:

"There will be a 24/7 Genesis Holiday playlist, ready to spread cheer, goodwill, and high KDRs."

The high KDRs are a must, really.

On another note, I was admittedly surprised at first that we're not getting any 'new' maps for Infinite Warfare. With how many maps that are being added to Modern Warfare Remastered, however, only getting one revised map makes sense. 

[Image via Jake Elman]

But Wait, There's More

In addition to everything else, Activision is promising gifts for all players who log in right around the time of Christmas. It's a twelve day streak of gifts, in fact.

"These freebies range from big Salvage and Key bonuses, to winter-themed personalization items, and even winter-themed Common, Rare, and Legendary prototypes! Twelve Days, twelve awesome gifts for free, just for logging into the game. Just remember to log in every day from December 21 through January 1 to get that day’s bonus."

With the update coming on December 13, I fully expected them to do a 12 day streak starting that day so it would end on Christmas. But, at the same time, I do like the idea of ending it at the start of the new year. 

What You Need To Know

First off, major props has to go to Activision for giving fans -- regardless of what version of the game they bought -- all of this free stuff, even those who may have only bought the standard edition. 

Speaking of the standard edition, I need to emphasize this because it will get lost in the holiday fever. Just buying the standard edition of Infinite Warfare is not going to land you the remastered version of Modern Warfare. You need to purchase the Legacy or Deluxe Editions and have the physical copy of Infinite Warfare inside your system to play Modern Warfare Remastered.

The hopes people had of Activision releasing Modern Warfare Remastered as a standalone game for the holiday season seem to be on hold for now, though it is certainly possible that we could see the legendary game show up on the PlayStation Store right around Christmas.

With Activision having the exclusive rights deal with Sony and PlayStation, I would not be surprised in the least bit if PS4 users got a notification one day saying that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered was available for download. How much the game would cost, however, is a different story. 

[Image via Activision]

As you might expect, these bonuses are all valid through 11:59 P.M. PST (as Activision operates out of California). While there is no confirmation yet that Activision may do something similar to what Rockstar Games does with their 'holiday updates' on Grand Theft Auto Online and keep them running into the new year, expect that date to remain firm until told otherwise. 

Players are also encouraged to use the hashtag #TisTheSeason on social media. Who knows, maybe using that will lead to a perk or two of its own...

To keep up to date with the latest Call of Duty news, make sure to follow @CallofDuty, @InfinityWard, and @RavenSoftware, 

The first game of the Call of Duty franchise took the world by storm when it was released back in 2003. The original game allowed players to experience World War II first hand, and that visceral war experience helped the series gather a passionate following. But eventually it became a victim of its own success.

Players asked for more and more games. Multiple developers promptly answered their request -- and year after year, another entry in the series was released. After so many titles, the franchise lost its essence (and the passion of many fans) somewhere along the way. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is living proof that.

With sales approximately 50% down from Call of Duty: Blacks Ops III, many passionate fans have moved away to other franchises like Battlefield. If you too are disappointed with the direction the series took this time around, and want to try a new experience, here are five underrated first-person shooters that will give you just that. Each entry on this list is a great FPS game in its own right, and deserves more attention than it got upon launch. 

Insurgency

PC (Windows/Linux/Mac)

You may excel in the multiplayer mode of Call of Duty, but how would you perform on a real combat? You have probably asked yourself this question in the past -- and now you can know the answer.

Released by New World Interactive in 2014, this game focuses on realism, as players fight through Middle Eastern locations in Counter Strike fashion. Every element of this game was designed to replicate real life, and its developers used the smallest details to craft a more realistic and tense play experience.

The best example is the bullet counter -- or the lack thereof, to be more precise. Gamers may have a hard time conceiving this, but real soldiers do not have a floating interface telling them exactly how many bullets they have left. They must count each shot they fire, in order to keep track of how many projectiles are still available.

This is the case in Insurgency, as players do not have a HUD displaying their bullets. They must count each shot in order to know when to reload. If a player forgets to count one bullet, it can mean difference between reloading at the right time or running out of projectiles at the wrong moment.

This leads to nerve-wracking moments, as players must survive in battle and keep track of their inventory at the same time.

Another element of this game that adds to the realism is its ambience. In contrast to frenetic games like Call of Duty, Insurgency can have calm moments where being aware of your surroundings will be key for your survival. Players must use their senses to get a drop on the enemy. For example, it's possible to hear footsteps from a distance as an enemy player draws near.

Because players need to manage their inventory, pay close attention to their surroundings when the action ceases, and think strategically, this game offers the hardcore experience Call of Duty lacks. And if you think you are up to the task, you must enlist today and join the fight.

Dirty Bomb

PC (Windows)

What happens when you mix Call of Duty and Overwatch? This game is the closest you will get. Unlike the strategic and slow pace of Insurgency, Dirty Bomb is all about how fast you can react.

Choose your side as you either fight to protect London, or join the opposition in order to destroy it. As you rush through the streets, enemies will pop in front of you and your reflexes will dictate who must live and who must die.

Despite its chaotic premise, knowing how to cooperate with other players will be fundamental for your survival -- and most importantly, picking the right character will be essential for your success.

You have 19 different mercenaries to choose from, each with their own specs so you may choose one that fits your play style. In addition, this variety allows to try out different characters and skills -- prolonging the novelty of the game and adding a replayability factor.

Considering that this game has a vast roster of mercenaries to choose from and features frantic action, it gives to players the opportunity to immerse themselves in an environment that offers an element Call of Duty does not -- a sense of novelty which persists even after dedicating several hours to the game.   

Time Clickers

Android, PC (Windows)

When people think of first-person shooters, the thought of blood and gore likely crosses their minds. But not every shooting game needs to feature intense violence. Time Clickers is one of these exceptions.

With gameplay that consists of shooting down enemies built from blocks, players will test their sharp reflexes as they aim to reach maximum efficiency and get a higher score -- which they can use to unlock and purchase new skills or upgrade their weapon.

Are you tired of the visceral violence depicted in games as Call of Duty, but do not want to let go of the tension or skillshot action they provide? If you answered “yes”, then Time Clickers is the perfect game for you to test your skills.

Super Hot

Xbox One, PC (Windows/Linux/Mac)

When playing action-packed first person shooters, it is normal to wish you could slow time down in order to get an upper hand on your enemies. But what if you actually could?

Super Hot allows players to dive into a red and white universe where they will die instantly if hit by a single bullet. Thriving under this circumstance may seem nearly impossible; however, there is something to help players: time will only move if the player does. You can stop time to plan actions, then watch that plan unfold in real time. 

As the developers described:

"See the bullets crawling towards you as you carefully plan your steps and aim your gun. Enjoy the mayhem that is unleashed as you put that plan into motion."

You start alone, unarmed, and must use your ability to stop time to use your fists and get your first gun. From there on out, it's heart-stopping (and time-stopping) action.

With an audacious art style and innovative gameplay mechanics, Super Hot invites players to join an adventure they have never encountered before.

Warface

Xbox 360 and PC (Windows)

Responsible for the Crysis franchise, Crytek earned its spot as one of the top developers in the world. But apart from this renowned series, the studio has also developed another first-person shooter that doesn't get nearly enough credit.

Warface is Crytek’s weapon in the free-to-play gaming market. Featuring the graphics of CryEngine 3, it provides to players a visually dazzling experience -- and its gameplay mechanics are not far behind.

Despite not presenting players with a shooting mechanic that we can regard as “innovative”, the cooperation this game allows makes it shine. Developers added certain actions to the maps that can only be performed when two players join forces, and these have a meaningful impact on how the game flows.

Players can ask a peer to boost them up in order to reach a ledge and go to higher ground. Or they may cooperate to push a car out of the road and clear a path. This element adds depth to the experience, as it increases the number of variables in the game, which includes versus and co-op modes.

Looking to other players for actual help is a far cry from a game like Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, which encourages independence and provides resources (like jetpacks) that will simply let the user do whatever they need on their own. On that front, Warface is the better experience -- there's certainly more depth, given that you can decide whether you want to cooperate with your team or leave them high and dry. 

Conclusion

If you are a Call of Duty fan, but the direction the franchise took did not please you, and you aren't looking to enlist in Battlefield 1, there are many other games for you to explore.

From the realism of Insurgency to the innovation of Super Hot, there are other productions outside the Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises that will keep any first-person shooter fan entertained. Let us know in the comments if you've played any of these games or plan to try them out.

Happy shooting!

Hordes of shambling undead make their triumphant Call Of Duty return in Infinite Warfare with the Zombies In Spaceland mode, which is packed to the gills with unlockable areas and hidden equipment.

While fending off a wave of zombies you may run across souvenir machines inside the Spaceland park that require special colored coins. Unlike with the tickets at the arcade, there's no real indication at first of how you get these Souvenir Coins or what can be bought at the machines.

Below we cover everything you need to know about collecting Zombies In Spaceland Souvenir Coins, and the different combinations available for buying new equipment.

 Red Souvenir Coin

Need even more Infinite Warfare help? Be sure to also check out:

• Armory weapon upgrade locations
• Easter eggs guide: recruiting David Hasselhoff
• Easter eggs guide: Pack-A-Punch
• Zombies guide: unlocking the Shredder 
• Redeeming Bullethawk Codes
• Fixing frame rate issues and bugs
• Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare vs. Battlefield 1 analysis

Infinite Warfare Souvenir Coin Collecting

Unfortunately there's no special location to farm Souvenir Coins, as they are simply dropped randomly as you kill zombies in each wave. No one single weapon or number of kills seems to cause these Coins to drop more frequently.

Each player can only hold a single Coin at a time, meaning solo players will have a harder time unlocking equipment than a full group of four players cooperating online.

Grabbing a new Coin swaps out the current Souvenir Coin in your inventory, so you need to place them in the machines strategically to ensure you get the final result you are looking for.

Keep in mind before dropping a Coin into a machine, the power in that area must first be turned on, so be on the lookout for power switches if you haven't flipped them all already!

 Spaceland Souvenir Machine

Zombie Souvenir Coin Combos

Here are all the combinations we've discovered so far in getting rewards from the souvenir machines!

Let us know if you find any other uses for the Souvenir Coins or manage to get any different combinations going at specific machines!

The quest to create the paralysis cure in Chapter 2 of Dragon Quest Builders stumped me for quite some time. Mostly because it required a Cod fish, when it seemed like every fishing spot I went to only offered up Sardines. It's almost like they didn't exist. What gives?

Do Cods have a super low catch rate? Can they only be caught at night? Where can we catch them? Are Cods even in Dragon Quest Builders? Is Square Enix trolling us?

Hold your horses, Builder, don't over-complicate it. The only thing that affects what fish you will catch is where you decide to cast out your rod. In the Beginner's Guide, we mentioned that you only need to cast your fishing rod a few times to figure out what kind of fish you'll discover in that spot. You're not going to magically find a Cod after fishing 50 Sardines out of the ocean near Base. You need to take a trek.

To find Cod, head through the Blue Teleportal and climb up the cliff to your left. Continue on in that direction until you come across a river. Wade through the current to the other side, where the killerpillers roam. Find a safe spot near a lake or the sea and cast out your rod.

Make sure you press 'X' when you notice the splash, otherwise your fish will get away. You can catch both Sardines and Cods on this island.

Once you've caught as much Cod as you desire (1 will actually make 3 paralysis cures), return to base to heal up your patients.

If you ever need to make another Cod run after the Red Teleportal is open, you can head to the back of that area to find all manner of tasty swimmers. Might as well pick up some Red Snappers and Tuna fish while you're at it. You can never have enough food.

To get there, simply wade through the swamp past the Red Teleportal until you reach the brick area with skeletons and casters. Then find a safe spot to cast out your line and enjoy.

How are you enjoying Dragon Quest Builders so far? Got any other quests you're stuck on? Leave your questions in the comments below!

 It's been a while since Infinity Ward revealed the zombie mode, titled "Zombies in Spaceland", for its upcoming first person shooter Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Fans were rather curious about this, because Treyarch mastered the zombie mode, while Infinity Ward just gave players a strange alien mode.

But this time, Infinity Ward will be giving players a more quirky and comedic sort of zombie mode, rather than a horrific one. It will be four player co-op like before, but this mode will have an 80's theme to it, and it will take players to a zombie-infested amusement park.

This zombie mode will also have a bit of a story to it, where four characters were invited to a movie audition, but get transported to an amusement park, where they meet hordes of zombies. Players will have four characters to choose from: the jock, the rapper, the nerd, and the valley girl. The players will be guided by the Spaceland DJ, who will be played by David Hasselhoff.

The DJ will help players throughout their journey -- and if they die, they will be sent to another mode called "Afterlife Arcade". In this mode, players will play more classic games such as Pitfall 2 -- and if they score high enough, they can respawn and get back into the game.

This will definitely be different from the zombie modes of the previous games, but players still need to wait and see if this will be good. It will either be an improvement or it will be a disappointment. 

Activision has announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops III will release its "Descent" DLC pack on July 12. There's a catch, though: This initial release will be for PlayStation 4 only, with other releases to follow at a later time.

The pack features four new multiplayer maps. Empire is a re-imagining of Black Ops 2 map Raid as a Roman villa, while Cryogen takes place in a prison filled with frozen criminals off the coast of the Dead Sea. Berserk is a Viking village frozen in time, and Rumble features huge mechanical warriors who might just get in the players' way as they battle it out.

Players also enter the Soviet Union in the 1940s in Gorod Krovi, the latest chapter of the Zombies story. Waiting for them will be mechanized zombies and fire-breathing dragons as they attempt to navigate Stalingrad's remains.

Treyarch Studio Head Mark Lamia spoke about the latest Black Ops III DLC:

"One of the things I love most about Treyarch is that team just keeps going for it. Descent doesn’t take its foot off the gas, serving up a flat-out scorching Zombies experience, as well as multiplayer map designs and gameplay opportunities that we think our fans are going to love.”

Those who purchased the Call of Duty: Black Ops III season pass for PS4 can now pre-order "Descent" at a discount.

Which aspect of "Descent" are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

Call of Duty has often been criticized for not doing enough to freshen up the series. Perhaps that is true, but if the reveal trailer for Infinite Warfare released today has anything to say about the latest entry, it's that it will have at least one interesting experiment: space battles.

That's right. In wake of the absence of craft-to-craft combat in Star Wars: Battlefront, Infinity Ward appears to want to take on space battle in the upcoming Call of Duty installment: Infinite Warfare.

Taking a look at the footage in the header (or on YouTube), we can assume at the very least that there will be space battles in the single-player campaign. Whether this will be an on-rails segment like many previous vehicle segments in Call of Duty games is unclear based upon the trailer itself. We can assume, however, that if it does become a part of the multiplayer we may be up for some serious overhaul of the Call of Duty formula.

Fans of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare can also look forward to a remaster of the original game that served as a template for every Call of Duty afterward. Both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Remastered and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will be launched on November 4th, 2016. Anyone who preorders Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition will receive both games.

Call of Duty: Black OPs Eclipse DLC is available now for a discounted rate through the Season Pass, and contains four new multiplayer maps, as well as a continuation the zombies origin storyline. 

The four maps featured are: 

Knockout

• Retro Shaolin Temple
• Mid-sized map
• Exhibits a sharp contrast between the tight quarters within the building and those mid-range elements outside. 

Spire

• A futuristic sub-orbital airport terminal that lays among the clouds
• Includes multiple floors and open areas promoting mid-range combat
• large map

Rift

• Takes place in a harsh futuristic military complex above an active caldera
• This map is perfect for close combat and good maneuverability
• There is only one way out, forward
• Small

Verge

• Call of Duty's World at War map, Banzai, just got an upgrade. Here you will be dropped in the middle of a post-apocalyptic active war zone. 
• Your goals are to take control over the major elements of the field, the bridge, the fortress, the tunnel systems, and the waterfalls
• Mid-sized

The highly-anticipated Zombies experience: Zetsubou No Shima, serves as the second stop in the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies storyline that takes place across four different DLC map Packs coming out this year. Our main characters will be stuck on a remote Pacific island which hosts a secret biological research lab, which originated the disease that's now spreading through the human race. Zetsubou No Shima includes new zombie enemies, transport mechanics, traps, and classic Zombies side quests.

There was a live stream of the content done by Ali-A which you can find it here or search the YouTube channel. Alia-A will be talking us through some of the new features along with Jason Blundell.  

This DLC in available for PS4. Sadly it is not available for either PS3 or Xbox 360.  

Eclipse, Call of Duty: Black Ops III's second DLC pack, is set for an April 19 release, first on PlayStation 4 and on other next-gen consoles later. 

Treyarch's studio head, Mark Lamia, said that DLC packs like Eclipse are made possible due to the engagement and passion of their fans. 

"Eclipse continues to demonstrate our commitment to delivering the most exciting gameplay experiences possible with each DLC pack. We are pushing ourselves at every turn to craft new and unique ways to play."

Eclipse comes with four new multiplayer maps, and the highly-anticipated next chapter in the Black Ops III Zombie chapter: Zetsubou No Shima (Island of Despair). 

Fight through a high-tech airport terminal floating among the clouds in the Spire map. Fight through a maddening military complex located above a volcanic crater in the Rift map. Battle in a traditional Shaolin Temple with a retro element at play in the Knockout map. And participate in combat missions in a re-imagining of the classic Call of Duty: World at War map, Banzai -- here called Verge. 

The characters from Origins also make a return, in the continuation to the Zombie storyline: Zetsubou No Shima, where they face new threats on a Pacific island in the WWII era. The island is home to a facility known as Division 9, whose experiments with Element 115 have spawned monstrosities from human, plant and animal biology. 

The Eclipse DLC pack is available at a discount as part of the Call of Duty: Black Ops III DLC Season Pass, priced at $49.99. 

Individual map packs are priced at $15.

Neither the Eclipse nor the Season Pass content will be playable on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. 

The Locus Sniper Rifle

Last but not least, the Locus. I could broaden this entry by saying sniper rifles, sniper rifles equipped with suppressors, quickscopers, or any variation of those things, but I'd like to really narrow in on the Locus this time around. 

I don't know what it is about this sniper rifle, but EVERYONE is using it all of a sudden. Did it get a buff? Is there a small amount of auto-aim on it now? I don't know, but the snipers are driving me crazy nowadays. 

Every time I turn around - BAM! Sniped again. The scariest part is that everyone using the sniper is good with it. The Locus is one of the sniper rifles that doesn't have auto-aim, so unless there's been a patch, people are just getting extremely good at sniping - and that's terrifying.

What's currently killing you in Black Ops 3? Let me know in the comments!

Sound and UAV Whores

Excuse the French, but this is the only way to describe these players -- not to mention, it's how the community describes them.

You've probably noticed that in some killcams, the enemy player was just nonchalantly minding his own business, totally looking the other way, when - BAM! He spins around and adds twenty-five holes to your face before you can even say, "Boo!" He could be one of two people: a sound whore, or a UAV whore.

Sound whores will use a high end headset with the Awareness and Dead Silence perks. This will allow them to hear your footsteps almost halfway across the map. There's no way you can get close to them.

On the other end of the spectrum is the UAV whore. This person will use UAVs like they are going out of style, then sit and analyse them. The only time they'll come out of their hidey-hole is when their UAVs catch a glimpse of you.

Both of these people are hard to get around but using the Ghost and Dead Silence perks are a good start.

Trip Mines

When I first saw that a Bouncing Betty variant would be available as a lethal in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 I laughed -- I thought it was a joke. But it turns out that Treyarch really does hate us after all. 

The Trip Mine can be placed on any surface at any orientation. This means that you'll find the damn things on the ceilings, walls, underwater, and just about anywhere else you could imagine.

The mines shoot about five feet out of the base before exploding so you can't just duck to avoid them. You'll need to jump, dive, duck, sidestep... you'd be surprised what you'll do to avoid them, but more often than not: splat.

The Suppressed KN-44 Assault Rifle

Suppressors in Call of Duty negatively effect a weapon's range. Black Ops 3 being the hardest on the suppressor in the history of the series, almost every weapon was unusable with a suppressor attached. Except the KN-44.

For reasons beyond me, the KN-44 saw the same penalty as the SMGs (rather than the other assault rifles) when it came to suppressor usage. From launch, the KN-44 only had a 40% decrease in range, making it one of the most effective suppressed weapons in the game. 

A recent buff has made this weapon even more powerful, dropping the range decrease to a mere 23%. If I make it out of a game without seeing at least three people using the suppressed KN-44, I'm lucky.

Spectre's Ripper

Call me a hypocrite. I love the Spectre's specialist weapon: the Ripper. This is the best thing since sliced bread, which ironically could be sliced with the Ripper itself. Essentially the return of the commando lunge from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, this weapon obliterates anyone that gets close to you.

The only specialist power that provides targeting assistance, the Ripper locks on to close-by enemies, and its use will suck the player towards them, blade first. It makes for an amazing tactical choice in stealth situations. Tack on the fact that it's the fastest charging specialist in the game and retains any charge if you die while using it, and this thing is unstoppable.

Any Weapon With An ELO Sight

It's rare that any sight is used in a Call of Duty game more than the red dot or iron sights themselves. Black Ops 3 serves as the outlier to this claim. Every single guy that kills me has an ELO sight. ELOs on their assault rifles, ELOs on their pistols, ELOs on their sniper rifles, SMGs, LMGs, shotguns -- if there was a way to put the ELO on a rocket launcher, I'm sure people would. 

Despite my outrage, I must admit that the ELO is one of the nicest sights we've seen in Call of Duty history. A floating dot with no top bar enclosing the optic makes for a very clear view.

The M8A7 Assault Rifle

This burst fire assault rifle is unlocked at the very last level, so you would think that not a lot of people use it. WRONG. This might be the most used assault rifle in Black Ops 3 multiplayer. The weapon is easy to use, making it favorable among less experienced players.

A four-round burst weapon that generally kills in four rounds, this weapon is highly accurate and has a half decent fire rate. Upon my first use of it, I found it less than desirable. It wasn't until I equipped the ELO sight and Rapid Fire that I changed my mind. Speaking of which...

The Wraith Automated Gunship

Second only to the UAV, the Wraith has made quite the rise on my "banes of my existence" list. An AI controlled gunship with the ability to massacre dozens of enemies in a single use, this chopper is not to be trifled with.

Costing just 1100 score to produce, the Wraith can easily be brought to the battlefield (especially if players use the Hellstorm missile as a scorestreak first). When placed strategically, the Wraith is an absolute beast and can be tricky to shoot down, or avoid in general. 

Many a time have I been killed by a Wraith and spawned back in to get insta-melted by its guns again.

 The Hellstorm Missile

Available to equip at level one and every subsequent prestige's level one, the Hellstorm missile is one of the most effective scorestreaks in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3.

With the meager cost of 800 score to earn, this streak provides quite a bit of bang for your buck, and can slaughter up to 8 people at once (and that's just from personal experience)! 

However, something that a lot of players don't know can turn the tables. The Hellstorm missile can easily be shot down with any regular bullet weapon! As long as the missile is in full form (pre-cluster strike) a bullet or two will take it out, providing the scorestreak killer with a ton of points.

The Man-O-War Assault Rifle

Much like Hawksaw and Red Death appearing on my Top 10 things currently killing me in Destiny article, the Man-O-War seems to have appeared on this list only to spite me. 

On a First Look Camo YouTube video last November, I questioned if this assault rifle was still competitive after being nerfed from the time of the beta to the game's release. Apparently it is! I can barely go a single game without being massacred at least once by this machine.

One of the most powerful assault rifles to choose from, the Man-O-War is capable of a three shot kill at considerable distances.

The recent addition of "Specialists" in Call of Duty multiplayer has introduced more ways to die than ever before. Be it scorestreaks, lethals, tacticals, specialist weapons and abilities, or just plain old guns, Black Ops 3 is a veritable death trap waiting to gobble up the untrained. 

Though it may be uncomfortable to die with the shrapnel from a Hellstorm missile lodged in the side of your skull, it brings great comfort to know that the Call of Duty community never changes. Every single person that picks up a controller eventually gravitates towards the same loadout.

Here are the top 10 things currently killing me the most in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 multiplayer. 

The story continues for the popular Call of Duty franchise. Treyarch, the team responsible for Call of Duty Black Ops 3's Zombie mode, has released the Prologue for the new Zombies: Shadows of Evil mode on YouTube.

The prologue shows our new team's backgrounds and personalities: corrupt officer, a dancer, a fighter, and a failed magician with deadly ambition are the newest victims of the series. Celebrity voice actors Jeff Goldblum, Heather Graham, Neal McDonough, and Ron Perlman are all part of this new team.

A shadowy figure narrates near the end of the video. He has observed the new characters, and takes interest in their motives. This figure is giving the challenges to the new characters, but his goals are yet unclear. He will likely act as the new level announcer, a role filled by different characters in past games.

The trailer had no new gameplay footage. The story takes place in a 1940's Style city with a film-noir vibe. So far, no gameplay footage of the new combat movement mechanic has been released. It is unclear whether it will appear as of now. Similar mechanics are given as a power up in previous levels; it would be no surprise if it makes it into the level.

Call of Duty Black Ops 3's release date is November 6th of this year. Pre-order now to receive free access to the Nuk3 Town DLC map.

Call of Duty's blockbuster release Black Ops III will be releasing this November. With it will come one of the hardest achievements we've seen in a long time.

In an interview with Xbox Achievements, Jason Blundell, Director of the campaign for Black Ops III, says there will be a brand new difficulty added to the game. This new difficulty, called "Realistic", is exactlywhat you'd expect. Blundell said:

"..you have one point of life, so if you're shot once you're dead."

Soloing this new difficulty will be close to impossible. You'll have to survive in groups, which is what Treyarch planned for.

"You end up respecting the level in a completely different way, and once gunfire opens up, everyone just drops to the ground, because if any one bullet hits you or a grenade goes off near you, you're dead."

If you end up beating this brutal difficulty, you will get an achievement (or trophy) happily named "No One Will Believe You". This new difficulty has been something many fans wanted, and now we can finally get to test how good we actually are. Hopefully, Realistic mode will carry over to future Call of Duty games, as it brings a new way to play the games. 

Do you think you will be able to beat it? Tell me what you think about this new addition in the comments below and make sure to check back at GameSkinny for more news on Black Ops III. 

Today Treyarch and Activision dumped a plethora of details about the upcoming about the upcoming Call of Duty multiplayer beta. This includes not only game modes but also the release date! In new trailer that was released we have these details about what to expect in the upcoming beta.

• Unlock weapons, perks, equipment, and Scorestreaks
• Over 7 multiplayer modes
• Over 3 maps
• 8 multiplayer specialists
• Weapon customization
• Paintshop
  

This sounds like quite a bit for a multiplayer beta. I'm not sure if they are looking to test weapon and game mode balance, use it as a marketing ploy to boost up preorders, or to test to make sure that the servers will be able to handle the huge influx of players on the first day. I wouldn't be too surprised if it's the last as it seems that every game launched this generation has had a rocky start when it comes to server stability.

All of these will be accessible in the beta for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. However it will be the PlayStation 4 that gets the beta first as they revealed that it will be available beginning August 19th.