Summary
- With the release of Season 02: Reloaded, Modern Warfare II now has a wealth of Party Modes to jump into and play with friends.
- We’ve put together some of our favorite tips to help give you an edge across Infected, Gun Game, Grind, Drop Zone, All or Nothing, and One in the Chamber.
- From March 16 through March 20, 2023, Free Access players can battle across six Multiplayer maps and a variety of game modes alongside the first Co-Op Raid. Details here.
As the seasons begin to usher in change, so too does the latest mid-season drop for Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Today, Season 2: Reloaded is now available bringing with it a new 6v6 Multiplayer map (Himmelmatt Expo), a camo challenge event, and tons of additional content for both Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0. You can get a full breakdown here on the official Call of Duty Blog.
Also, tomorrow kicks off a limited time Free Trial for Modern Warfare II allowing players to jump in and experience one of our favorite multiplayer games on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S from March 16 through March 20, 2023. The Free Access period will feature a limited selection of Multiplayer and Special Ops encounters for non-game owners to experience with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Expect a wide variety of available Game Modes, from squad-based modes like Team Deathmatch and Domination, to a selection of modes that released with Season 02 and Season 02: Reloaded. You can get a full breakdown on the Free Access period here.
Also included with today’s update are three additional Party Modes with Drop Zone, All or Nothing, and One in the Chamber to compliment the already available Infected, Gun Game, and Grind. And now with so many players able to jump in this weekend, we thought it’d be great to offer a bit of a refresher on what these modes are like coupled with some tips to help give you a bit of an edge in your online showdowns.
Note: If these modes are not part of the current rotation in the multiplayer lobby, you can always play them as a Private Match with friends (either by hosting or joining). When setting up your game, you can find these Party Modes listed under Alternate Modes. Pick one and from there you can adjust some of the general rules and map settings, as well as including Bots (and their difficulty level) in the matches if you and your friends don’t have enough warm bodies to fill out your desired game mode. Then all you have to do is ready up and prepare to party!
Infected
If you wanted to get an idea on how well you’d fare during a zombie apocalypse, this one’s for you. Infected pits one player as the “infected” against the larger group of players in an attempt to infect all players on the map before the timer expires. If you’re taken out by an infected, you join the horde and go after the remaining defenders. Here’s a few key tips to keep in mind while playing:
- If you’re on defense, find a good spot to defend from (high ground is ideal) and utilize lethal equipment like mines, claymores, and C4 at chokepoints and doorways.
- Watch. Each. Others. Backs. Pick a spot to be responsible for and glue yourself to it and communicate with your team if you need assistance.
- Speed kills if you’re one of the infected. Use that to your advantage by attacking as a unified group by sprinting in and overwhelming the defender’s location.
Gun Game
Get out of your comfort zone by rotating through a variety of different weapons after you secure an elimination. In any given match, you’ll be navigating through pistols, assault rifles, rocket launchers, and more – the first player to score a kill using each weapon is the winner. It can be great fun; especially how hectic it can be towards the end as you must end the match with a Throwing Knife to secure victory. Here’s a few tips that have helped us get on top:
- Lean in. Make sure you lean into the strengths of each weapon as fast as possible so you can quickly rotate through your arsenal. (e.g., don’t treat a sniper rifle like a shotgun).
- Dots! Keep an eye on that mini-map. When shots are fired, they will appear as red dots giving you some idea on where other players might be located. Go there!
- Stay on the move! You need to get out there and find some targets to take out to keep rotating through your guns; this is not the mode to think about pitching a tent.
Grind
You get a dog tag, and you get a dog tag, and you get a dog tag! Dog tags for everyone! Like Kill Confirmed, this mode requires you to not only secure the dog tag after taking out a player for it to count, but you must take your collection and “cash it in” for a point for your team at a designated location. But be careful if you happen to get knocked out on your way to make bank – you’ll drop every dog tag you’re carrying! Here’s some tips to help you win:
- Don’t get too greedy. If you’ve managed to secure a few kills, go cash them in and then get back there to collect some more.
- Don’t leave your teammates hanging. Make it a habit of covering your squad mates and collecting their dog tags should they have been taken out by enemy fire.
- Anticipate where the enemy team might be heading to cash in their dog tags and bottle up those chokepoints to steal their loot.
Drop Zone
It’s raining Killstreaks! The goal with Drop Zone is to hold and secure the designated area to earn your team points towards their victory total. Keep in mind that things can get hectic quickly because every 15 seconds that a Drop Zone is occupied, Care Packages drop nearby allowing you to secure a Killstreak that can give you a huge edge in taking down the other team. Here’s some tips to consider:
- Perk up! Utilize equipment that works best in defending objectives, like claymores and proximity mines, smoke grenades to mask your team position, and Field Upgrades like Trophy System and Anti-Armor Rounds to counteract some enemy Killstreaks.
- Secure position! When working as a team, if someone is already securing the Care Package, take up a defensive position and help fend off attackers; this rule also applies to watch your teammates back as they are deploying a Killstreak which leaves them vulnerable to attack.
- Don’t forget to breathe! This mode can quickly get out of hand as repeated Killstreaks dunk on your team. Take breath and try to retain your focus back on the objective of securing these Care Packages with your teammates.
All or Nothing
It’s a sprint to 20 eliminations in this fast-moving game mode where each Operator must take out their opponent by only using Throwing Knives. Taking out other players can also earn you some additional Perks to give you a tactical advantage, like silent running. If you’re jumping into this mode, here’s some tips to help:
- Turn up those headsets! You’ll hear footsteps from most of your opponents, giving you an extra split-second you may need to turn around for a chance to stab your would-be attacker.
- Stay nimble! There’s no harm in looking silly while jumping around or sliding all over the place while trying to dodge a knife throw; make yourself as hard a target to hit as possible.
- Check your corners! Swing your knife when entering doorways and coming around blind corners. You just might be able secure a surprise kill.
One in the Chamber
Don’t miss! In this mode you’ll drop into the match with a pistol with one bullet and three lives. It’s free for all as each player fights for themselves, and a single shot to any part of the body earns the elimination, granting the attacker one more bullet to keep going. Check out these tips to help:
- I see more dots! When shots are fired (like in Gun Game), they will appear on the mini-map giving you an idea where other players might be hanging out. Find them!
- Live unconventionally. Climb on rooftops, fire through car windows, get nestled behind a fruit stand. The element of surprise can be a key to success in mode given your limited ammunition and lives.
- Don’t forget your knife! If you’ve spent your round(s), lean into going after your attacker with a melee attack.
If you’re looking for the full rundown of Free Access content, be sure to check out the Call of Duty Blog here to know more about all of the maps and modes available during this period. We’ll have more Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 details to share in the weeks and months ahead, so keep it tuned here to Xbox Wire.
Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II – Vault Edition
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Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II – Cross-Gen Bundle
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Call of Duty®: Warzone™
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