We’re barely a week on from launch and yet Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 is already almost upon us. The first big update for Infinity Ward’s latest multiplayer game is surprisingly packed, with a whole heap of additions dropping on our heads from Friday November 6. The list includes more maps, modes, and weapons for the new Call of Duty, alongside two operators and a bunch of extra cosmetics to unlock – but even before that all begins, there are a couple of Halloween events to tide us over.
Kicking off the Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 roadmap is a pair of Halloween game modes. Newcomer Possession arrives on Thursday October 29, and is described as a “fast, visceral party-mode moshpit” where killing enemies causes you to immediately (and unavoidably) be transported to the location they were standing. That lets you zoom straight onto objectives, but be wary of your surroundings when you arrive. On Friday October 30 it’s followed by the return of Infected, where zombified players must take out survivors to bring them into their ranks.
Once Season 1 proper arrives, there will be three new medium-sized additions to the regular multiplayer map pool: Backstab has you fighting through a war-torn town, Canyon’s towering rocks force you through narrow corridors, and Shoot House transports the familiar layout of old to a North Korean setting. Look forward to the addition of multiple more maps when the mid-season reloaded update lands, including Ministry (a fight at the Global Peace Summit), and Overflow (a factory with surrounding farmland).
Season 1 will also bring Kill Block to Crash, with three static slabs that will remain the same between rounds, “hand-picked by Infinity Ward based on the most popular combinations from the MW4 beta.” In case you haven’t been keeping up, ultra-cramped favorite Shipment is back too, and you can jump into that one right now.
Three new game modes will be available during Season 1. Grind returns, where you must collect Dog Tags from fallen foes and deposit them into one of two banks to score. Also back is Drop Zone, where you’ll fight to hold control of a regularly shifting point that will occasionally drop killstreak packages down to help give you an edge. Finally, Gauntlet 1v1 is “the ultimate confrontation,” where winners stay on and you can wager your trophies on each round. IW promises even more with the mid-season update, including Counter Attack.
For DMZ, there are two new operators to watch out for, XERO and Blix. North Korean forces have set up shop in an old Russian weapons facility designated X01 on the fringes of Hajin’s borders. There will be plenty of fresh gear and equipment to discover, but it’s all classified at first. Warzone, meanwhile, will be introducing both Hajin and Zodiac, along with the return of Verdansk and Rebirth Island – but we’ll have to wait until Monday November 2 for a full rundown of what this mode has in store.
MW4 Season 1 also promises plenty of events. First up is Wager Match, which is where you’ll find the Gauntlet 1v1 game mode, and can put your trophies on the line to earn a range of rewards including several weapon attachments. As the season rolls on, Infinity Ward teases further features such as Joint Fire, where you’ll get a major bonus to XP if you bring a squad along to play.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 begins on Friday November 6. The battle pass includes a 100-tier track, and Infinity Ward promises an all-new catch-up system guaranteeing at least 50 rewards from the premium pass for anyone who buys it.