In our previous article, we detailed game modes in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare that Call of Duty® fans might be familiar with.

During that same Multiplayer reveal livestream, we saw a fresh take on a tactical game mode in Cyber Attack, the massive battles that can happen in Ground War, as well as Night variants of maps and Realism game rules.

Here’s our official breakdown of the new and revamped parts of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Multiplayer experience as these modes appear in the Beta.

Cyber Attack

“Retrieve the enemy EMP device and plant it near the enemy’s Data Center.”

The Basics:

Two teams spawn on opposite sides of the map and are tasked at picking up an EMP device to plant it at the opposing team’s data center.

Should a team plant the EMP device, the opposing team has the chance to defuse it before it explodes.

Players only have one life per round but can be revived by a teammate after being knocked down to 0 health.

A team wins the round when either the EMP device goes off at the enemy base, or if all players on the other team are eliminated.

The first team to win five rounds wins the match.

Gameplay Notes:

In Cyber Attack, spawn locations for both teams and the EMP device change from round-to-round.

The EMP device has a built-in Heartbeat Monitor, which can help you spot enemies for your team. It can also be swapped out with a weapon and still be carried on your soldier as you fight through to the enemy’s data center.

Planting and defusing the EMP device are fairly quick tasks; by default, planting or defusing only lasts a second or two.

Reviving a player on the other hand takes a bit longer, and if a player is left in a down state for a short period of time, they will be eliminated for the round.

Additional Intel:

Cyber Attack may feel familiar to those who have played Search & Destroy, another game mode that involves limited lives and a plant/defuse mechanic. However, unlike that game mode, Cyber Attack introduces some additional mechanics with the ability to revive players and spawn rotations.

Reviving a teammate in Cyber Attack could be a risk-reward decision; going for the revive might leave you vulnerable to an enemy attack, but getting a player back in the game could sway the tide of battle. 

Night Maps (NVG Mode)

“Going dark…”

The Basics:

Multiple maps within the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Multiplayer map pool have Night variants.

While the map design for these locales are the same, the variant version of these maps requires the use of Night Vision Goggles – NVGs – to see in the dark.

Gameplay Notes:

Night variants of maps can appear in all playlists, so pay attention when voting on maps and loading into a new lobby.

Upon spawning into the game on a Night map, your Night Vision Goggles will automatically activate.

Although it is possible to take off these goggles, it usually is not the wisest move given that these maps have limited light sources in otherwise total darkness… except in some cases:

Additional Intel:

Bright light sources will blind anyone wearing Night Vision Goggles, and as Geoff Smith explains, some maps have interactive features that can turn gunfights into a cat-and-mouse game with light sources.

“Because we’ve done so much work with NVGs, we wanted to make it play well,” Smith said. “You pretty much have to use night vision, but there are some locations where you can turn on a light switch and blind a guy wearing NVGs.”

Outside of existing light sources on the map, Laser Sights on weapons can also cut through darkness.

Whether you choose to put a Laser Sight on your weapon or not, most weapons – save for a few – will have a visual laser sight that will activate when trying to aim down sights while your NVGs are on.

You aren’t the only one who can see this laser, however; friendly and hostile soldiers can also see this light as it leads back to your weapon.

Realism

“Realism strips down the interface for a more immersive experience.”

The Basics:

Take in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in its purest form with Realism game rules.

Available on designated playlists, Realism turns off most assist features to fully immerse you inside the game’s universe.

Here, you must truly rely on your natural senses to seek and destroy the enemy, whether it’s in Team Deathmatch, the lone Realism game mode planned for the Beta, or any game mode with the Realism ruleset in the game’s full release.

Gameplay Notes:

There are three main rule changes that define Realism mode, which is slightly similar, but not equal to, Hardcore mode in previous Call of Duty games.

The first is the complete lack of a heads-up-display. There is no bullet counter, no killstreak meter, no compass, not even an on-screen reticle that shows where you are aiming.

The second is how damage is calculated compared to core game modes. Weapons deal more damage in Realism playlists, making every engagement even faster than the already quick pace that Call of Duty is known for.

Finally, in a similar fashion to the regular ruleset, Friendly Fire is disabled. This means you can fully immerse yourself within Call of Duty: Modern Warfare without having to worry about a troll ruining the fun.

Additional Intel:

Realism gives you the opportunity to truly explore the finer details that Infinity Ward put into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare through photogrammetry.

As Infinity Ward Art Director Joel Emslie described in our feature for this design technique, these environments will have intimate details as you get up close and explore every fiber of them within Multiplayer, whether you play in a Realism playlist or not.

“You get really close to walls, and when you see things up close, [you’re seeing] this detailed tiling technique where you can really notice the detail. You’re probably familiar with 16 or 32 pixels per inch; this will be 64 pixels per inch; almost as real as it gets.”

Realism playlists will exist separate to regular modes within Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®’s Multiplayer, so there is no need to shift gears within regular playlists to prepare for Realism game rules.

Pre-Launch Intel: Additional Information and Content

Check back at the Activision Games Blog throughout the coming days and weeks for further intel. Check the Related Articles for further Call of Duty: Modern Warfare information.

Pre-orders at participating retailers are available now, or at CallofDuty.com.

For more information and the latest intel on Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty and follow @InfinityWard and @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.

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