“There’s a simplicity to war. Attacking is the only secret.” – Captain Price, Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®3

Get Infected. 

As a part of Season One, Infected is now live! This fun game of elimination is an all-out fight to the last person (Survivor or Infected) standing. If you’re new to Call of Duty®, or need a quick refresher, continue reading our Infected guide to get a grip on this fun and frenzied mode.

Start an Infected match and you’ll soon realize that not all is well. Specifically, one player is very not well: they are Infected. Struck with a curious illness, the first Infected player can infect healthy players to place them on the Infected team. Spread the infection and grow your ranks to defeat the other team.

Armed with extra-fast feet and a powerful one-hit melee weapon, this “Patient Zero”-like player is primed to catch up with even the quickest players. It will take precise aim to keep the Infected at a distance. If an infected player gets too close, it could be too late.

Manage to become Infected and your objective changes. Your goal is to infect all healthy players, so your team is the last one standing. 

Eliminate. Dominate.

At the beginning of a match, a countdown timer will display on the HUD counting down the seconds to the “outbreak”. When the timer ends, one player will be randomly chosen to be “patient zero” aka infected. From there patient zero will have the remaining time on the clock (2 minutes and thirty seconds) to hunt down the Survivors and spread the disease. 

For each successful infection thirty seconds are added to the timer. The Survivors will battle until the time runs out to win or the Infected will spread to all the players in the game giving the Infected team the victory. 

If you are the last player standing, a radar sweep will occur periodically, adding intel by exposing player location and more tension into this already high-stakes mode.

Usually an Infected match has an early outbreak where patient zero quickly attacks players out in the open or players running in open spaces on the map. Afterwards, the Infected and Survivors typically band together to mount an assault or defense against the other team. Regardless of what side you are on joining ranks with your fellow healthy or infected soldiers is never a bad strategy and a good way to help you earn points. 

You can earn points throughout the match by eliminating an Infected player or successfully spreading the infection to a Survivor. You also earn points by surviving each “wave” of the infection; a new wave occurs every time a player is added to the ranks of the Infected. Points help give you additional XP and place you higher in the match leaderboard.

Put Infected on the map.

This fast and infectious mode is a riot no matter the map. But, the tactics you use to avoid the Infected – and survive until the end – can change depending on the layout of the land. Get an overview of what to expect in various maps below.

Hackney Yard

The buildings and tight turns of Hackney Yard leave plenty of spaces for the Infected to hide. For the Survivors, check your corners when entering a building and find high ground like in the Warehouse or at the Tire Shop. For Infected players anticipate players at high position and aim your Throwing Knife accordingly. If anyone is out alone in the wild, attack and infect!

Rammaza

Although a large map, Rammaza has multiple buildings that favor close quarters combat which can be a death sentence in Infected. For Survivors close the doors and keep an eye on them to limit the directions you can be attacked from. For the Infected use interior spaces to pounce on unsuspecting Survivors.

Crash

The verticality of Crash and its rundown areas give the Infected the ability to blend in with surroundings. Keep your eyes peeled wherever you’re walking and use the roofs to your advantage. For Infected players sprint together and keep those Throwing Knives ready. 

Key tactics for Infected.

Don’t know if you can avoid the Infected like the plague? Here’s some tips to surviving this mode. 

1.  Keep it Quick: If you have to go out in the open, move quickly. Staying in places without cover, high ground, and visibility on all angles can be a dangerous strategy in Infected. Wherever you are going in this game mode, get there quick and watch your six. 

2.  Check your Corners: Infected players will likely be masters of the melee, so entering buildings without checking corners is a risky move. Look before you leap and be ready to fire, lest you join the ranks of the infected. 

3.  Use Equipment: Survival in this mode requires use of your entire loadout.  For Survivors, your loadout will be pre-selected, and you will have Specialists streaks equipped. Consider taking along Restock to constantly charge your equipment, Double Time to increase your Tactical Sprint, and Tune Up to faster charge Field Upgrades. 

4.  Spread Out: When the game begins any player can become the first infected, even you. To avoid a quick death, use the initial countdown to get away from all players, just in case. Once you determine who is and isn’t infected then you can begin a team strategy. 

5.    Group Up: While it is possible to survive playing as a lone wolf, the odds increase by playing with your teammates. Decide on a location or a strategy to keep the infected at bay and communicate when foes enter your line of sight. 

We hope you survive or enjoy taking down the Survivors in Infected.

Stay Frosty and see you online. 

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

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