Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has three game modes — Blackout, which is the franchise’s take on Fortnite and PUBG; Zombies, which is the traditional Call of Duty cooperative experience; and the tried and test multiplayer mode that’s been a series mainstay. With Blackout being the brand new addition to Call of Duty with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, it’s new ground even for long-term fans of the franchise. Here’s what you need to know to get ahead in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout when it’s out on October 12 as a part of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, priced at $60 in the US and Rs. 4,699 in India.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout gameplay
The core gameplay loop of Blackout is not too dissimilar to PUBG and Fortnite minus its building mechanics. When a match begins, all players will drop down in wingsuits from an aerial transport. When on the ground, the objective is to be the last player — or Duo or Quad— alive. You’ll drop with nothing and must scavenge for guns and gear. And yes, the map will shrink over time.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout player count
In Blackout, the player count is capped at 88 when you’re playing alone (Solos as the game calls it) or when you’re teaming up with a friend (Duos). If you and three other friends are in a squad or Quad as it’s known, the player count is increased to a 100.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout map
Here’s what you need know about each area in the Blackout map in Black Ops 4.
- Nuketown Island — the remnants of this former nuclear testing site, which features boarded-up homes, and an abandoned bunker.
- Firing Range — a classified military training base tucked away in the woods. Close-range encounters are common in this combat arena.
- River Town — a countryside peninsula town with small houses, diners, farms and even a granary. River Town is full of places to gear up and engage in close-to-mid-range firefights.
- Array — consisting of warehouses in the shadow of three giant satellites, this area has vantage points and plenty of opportunities to find gear.
- Estates — inspired by Raid from Black Ops 2 and Stronghold from Black Ops 3. The buildings are full of rooms and garages strewn with weapons and loot.
- Asylum — based on the classic Zombies map Verruckt, this is a deserted asylum with burned-out walls and busted windows. There’s a a sprawling maze on the asylum grounds.
- Hydro Facility — a giant hydroelectric dam, inspired by Hydro from Black Ops 2, this is a massive water plant on the northeast area of the map. You can go through the central offices and command center or swim out to explore nearby water tanks.
- Train Station — this train station consists of a parking lot, outdoor waiting area and small central building.
- Construction Site — an unfinished skyscraper, complete with an elevator, helipad and tons of areas to pick up gear. Finding a grapple gun would be an efficient way to traverse the location quickly.
- Cargo Docks — based on Cargo from Black Ops 2, located in the southwest area of the map, the Cargo Docks feature flat, open spaces with massive shipping containers for cover.
How to get the best guns and gear
Compared to other battle royale games, you’re more likely to find the best guns and gear where they would be placed logically instead of them lying out in the open. You’re most likely to find what you need inside of buildings such as towers having sniper rifles and clinics having health packs. Explore every floor, room, closet, basement, and roof as you could potentially land equipment that ensures you survive till the very end.
Cover is important in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout
The Blackout map is deceiving. Its wide open spaces lure you into a sense of safety, allowing you to believe that running out in the open over long distances is a viable strategy. This is far from the case. Thanks to snipers that could be hiding from your field of view to vehicles like rafts, ATVs, trucks, and helicopters that can cover ground in moments make staying in cover more important than you think. So move under the cover of tall grass or buildings where possible.
How to get intel on your enemies
The easiest way to know what you’re up against is using a scoped weapon to get a view of a distant area. Or if you have the RC-XD remote controlled car, you can use it to infiltrate locations to get an idea of what your foes are doing. In fact you can combine the use of a sensor dart on the RC-XD to have your opponents show up on the mini-map.
Do you plan on checking out Blackout in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4? Or are you tired of the battle royale genre? Let us know in the comments.
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