Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout battle royale mode gameplay

Published , by Charles Singletary Jr

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta is live once again, this time giving players an early look at the Blackout battle royale mode. The mode is a first-person-only take on the wildly popular PvP mode, adding a layer of uniqueness to it by including assets ripped from Call of Duty: Black Ops' history. Many are wondering just how Blackout will compete with similar experiences, so we got some Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 gameplay capture for you all to check out and discuss.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout Gameplay

Exploring Blackout on land and sea vehicles

Wingsuit diving on Nuketown Island in Blackout


In these first experiences with Blackout, I feel that this further establishes that battle royale modes are here to stay. Taking that statement further, they're a great addition to the modes like team deathmatch and king of the hill that have thrived ever since their initial arrivals. This is battle royale, sure, but it doesn't feel like a major departure from the Call of Duty model. It fits snug into the Black Ops style of play, but the mode itself could attract new fans while giving old ones another way to engage.

The beta version of Blackout already features solo, duo, and four-man squad play. There's a lot to the inventory system, though it does feel like it takes too long to pick up weapons and open doors. Vehicles control well also, but, I noticed that the ATV I drove started smoking after only a couple collisions. If that's the case for most vehicles, their fragility will probably have to be addressed at launch. Otherwise, the mode feels like a lot of fun.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launches October 12, 2018 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Stay tuned to Shacknews for additional updates and be sure ot subscribe to the official Shacknews and GamehubTV YouTube channels for gameplay, interview, and more.