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Ghost Recon Wildlands Adds PvP in Ghost War Open Beta, Starting September 21 on Xbox One

Ghost Recon Wildlands shows that a four-person Ghost fireteam can accomplish just about anything, from stealth to assault to taking down a massive drug cartel. So what happens when two teams of formerly cooperative players draw down on each other? The upcoming Ghost War mode, available in a free update for Ghost Recon Wildlands later this Fall, will answer that question with tense 4v4 multiplayer battles, and Xbox Live Gold members will get an early chance to try it out with an open beta on Xbox One. Better still, you can jump into the beta even if you don’t own Ghost Recon Wildlands.

Ghost Recon Ghost War Screenshot

Beginning Thursday, September 21 at 3 a.m. PDT and running until Monday, September 25 at 3 a.m. PDT (with pre-loading starting at midnight PDT on September 19), the standalone Ghost War open beta introduces tactical team deathmatches for up to eight players. When the beta launches, players will have access to five of the eight distinct maps that will be available in the final Ghost War mode.

Ghost Recon Ghost War Screenshot

With new maps and mechanics tailored for stealth and team play, staying undetected is important, and shooting off a round can instantly give your position away via an on-screen noise marker. Downed teammates can still spectate, tag targets, and be revived at any time — although smart opponents might set up an ambush around your downed buddies. If you’re caught under enemy fire, you might find yourself temporarily suppressed, which partially blinds you and prevents you from fighting back, forcing you to retreat. Capturing a map’s Recon Tower, which turns on partway through each match, lets you temporarily tag the entire opposing team, and if you find yourself the last player on your team, you’ll get an Adrenaline Rush that briefly makes you immune to suppression, with regenerating health, infinite stamina, and a faster revive rate.

Ghost Recon Ghost War Screenshot

Instead of using your Ghosts from the game’s campaign, Ghost War features 12 distinct character classes, six of which are playable in the beta. If you like to creep in and deal damage at medium range, consider the Pointman, who can’t be suppressed by enemy fire, or the armored Tank, who packs extra health and a light machine gun. Playing as a beefy Enforcer gives you a scoped LMG and an Advanced Suppression perk to keep opponents running for cover, while a good Sniper can whittle down the other team’s ranks without ever being spotted. Finally, the Scout can use a drone to tag hostiles from a distance, while the Artillery class’s drone can rain down mortar fire on entrenched opponents.

Ghost Recon Ghost War Screenshot

The full version of Ghost War will arrive as a free update for all Ghost Recon Wildlands players later this Fall. To get an early look at Ghost War ahead of the open beta, tune in to twitch.tv/ubisoft at 9 a.m. PDT on September 19. A four-hour pre-show event with special guests will begin at 5 a.m. PDT, and a rebroadcast of the full program (pre-show included) is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. PDT.