Call of Duty: Mobile is a 2019 first-person shooter video game developed by TiMi Studio Group and published by Activision for Android and iOS. Released as a free-to-play title, it was one of the largest mobile game launches in history, generating over US$480 million with 270 million downloads within a year. Call of Duty: Mobile was published in other regions by Garena, Tencent Games, VNG Corporation and TiMi Studio Group.
Call of Duty: Mobile | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | TiMi Studio Group |
Publisher(s) | Activision |
Writer(s) | Brian Bloom |
Series | Call of Duty |
Engine | Unity |
Platform(s) | Android iOS |
Release | October 1, 2019 |
Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
Gameplay
editPlayers can choose to play ranked or non-ranked matches in multiplayer mode. It has two types of in-game currencies: "Credits", which are earned through playing the game, and "COD Points", which are bought with real-world money. It is possible to play the full game without paying, though some exclusive character and weapon skins can only be bought with COD Points. Apart from standard matchmaking, a private room for both the multiplayer and battle royale modes can also be accessed where players can invite and battle with their in-game friends.
Multiplayer
editThe multiplayer mode is a first-person shooter similar to previous Call of Duty games. The game also has "Scorestreaks", which are special weapons that are available as the player reaches certain times and points. The primary modes which the game features include Team Deathmatch, Frontline, Domination, Hardpoint, Search and Destroy and Kill Confirmed. Additionally, the game features special and limited multiplayer modes that last for varying lengths of time. These include: Prop Hunt,[1] Rapid Fire, Sticks and Stones,[2] 2v2,[3] Capture the Flag,[4] One Shot One Kill,[5] Snipers Only,[6] and Gun Game,[7] and Attack of the Undead among others.
Battle Royale
editThe game also includes battle royale modes featuring up to 100 players. A player can choose to play alone, on a two-man team, or in a four-man squad. At the start of a game, all players choose an ability from healing to making a launch pad. Once all 100 people are ready, they get aboard a plane that flies in a straight line over the map. This flight path changes every game. Every team is automatically given a jump leader who decides when and where the team will land, however the players can choose not to follow the jump leader and jump on their own if they wish.[8] At the beginning of the game, each player carries only a knife. The map has weapons, vehicles, and items which players can find and use to improve their chances of killing enemies while staying alive themselves. The mode has high tier loot zones (marked in yellow on the map) that provide players with better items. The safe zone on the map shrinks as the game progresses, with players who remain outside the safe zone being killed if they stay outside for too long. A player or team wins the game if they are the last one remaining. Particularly, battle royale also has limited modes like Sniper Challenge, Battle Royale Alcatraz, Battle Royale Blackout, 20v20 Warfare, and Battle Royale Blitz. The game also features a MP/BR hybrid mode known as Ground War: Skirmish.
Zombies
editA Zombies mode was added in November 2019. It featured one map called Shi No Numa. It placed teams of players against zombies that attacked in waves. It was playable in Endless Survival Mode, which ran like the classic Zombies experience, and Raid Mode, which threw a set number of waves at the players before transitioning to a boss encounter. The players could choose whether to play it on Normal or Heroic difficulty.[9] The mode was removed in March 2020 due to it not reaching the desired level of quality.[10][11] Undead Siege, a zombie survival mode, was added into the game in August 2021. In it, a team of four players have to survive and protect their teleportation device from continuous waves of zombies. During the day, players have to collect supplies which would be used during the night to survive against a horde of zombies.[12] In addition, players during the day also take part in Daytime Side Missions, which include the Butcher, breaking the Aether Crystal Cluster, feeding 10 zombies to Cerberus and helping transport a big Aether Crystal. The mode has 3 difficulties - Casual, Hardcore and Nightmare. In casual, the team only has to survive for 3 nights while in other difficulties, the team has to survive for 5 nights. The Classic Zombies mode was added back to the game in October 2022, again only featuring the Shi No Numa map. [13]
Development and release
editCall of Duty: Mobile was announced in March 2019, with TiMi-J3, itself a TiMi Studio Group division, which is a subsidiary of Tencent Games, leading development. Many of the game's features were revealed at this announcement, promising a familiar experience for fans of the console games. The aim of the game was to take familiar aspects from the franchise's previous games and allow users to access them from their mobile devices.[14][15] It features two in-game currencies, as well as a battle pass.[16] The initial release was in Australia on June 15, 2019, following the soft-launches in Australia, Canada and Peru.[17][18][19] Garena released the game in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan & Thailand on September 29, 2019. The game was released in Europe, North America and Latin America by Activision on September 30, 2019, and by Tencent Games in South Korea on October 1, 2019.[20][21] VNG Games released the game after the worldwide release in partnership with Activision and TiMi Studios in Vietnam on April 20, 2020.[22][23] Tencent Games published the game for Mainland China on December 24, 2020.[24]
Call of Duty: Mobile features many playable characters, maps, and game modes from previous games in the series.[25] Different control settings were included to cater to player's preferences.[26] A "zombies" game mode was added to the game in November 2019. This game mode followed the classic Call of Duty zombies "survival" formula where the player fights off endless waves of zombies, aiming to survive as long as possible. A "Raid" mode was also included where the player had to defeat a set amount of waves of zombies before encountering one of two final bosses.[27] Call of Duty: Mobile Zombies mode was removed on March 25, 2020, due to the game mode not meeting Activision's standards.[28]
Esports
editThe Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship 2020 Tournament was a partnership between Activision Blizzard and Sony Mobile Communications, and marks the game's entry into the top tier of esports.[29] It featured more than $1 million in total prizes, which include both cash and in-game cosmetics.[30] Competing teams were drawn directly from the game's community through four open online qualifiers from April 20 to May 24, 2020. Eligible players ranked veteran or higher have the chance to play.[31] The 2021 tournament featured a $2 million prize pool.[citation needed]
Reception
editAggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | 81/100[32] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
4Players | 60/100[36] |
Destructoid | 8.5/10[37] |
Eurogamer | 8/10[38] |
GameSpot | 8/10[34] |
Gamezebo | [35] |
IGN | 7.7/10[33] |
Jeuxvideo.com | 16/20[39] |
Call of Duty: Mobile received "generally favorable reviews", according to the review aggregator Metacritic.[32] IGN wrote that the game “represents the best the juggernaut franchise has ever been on a handheld platform. The leveling path is rewarding, even without spending money, and there are lots of modes to jump around between, including an impressive battle royale mode.”[33] GameSpot says “beyond its messy micro-transaction menus and the slight time-saving purchases, there's not much else in Call of Duty: Mobile that detracts from its faithful recreation of the exhilarating and fast-paced multiplayer action of the core series.”[34] Polygon also praised the game stating, “Call of Duty: Mobile doesn’t come across like a deeply compromised or watered-down rendition of the age-old multiplayer format; it just feels like Call of Duty.”[40]
In the first month, the game had over 148 million downloads and generated nearly US$54 million in revenue, making it the largest mobile game launch in history.[41] By June 2020, the game had seen over 250 million downloads, generating over $327 million in revenue.[42][43][44] By October 2020, that figure had risen to over $480 million with 270 million downloads.[45] As of February 2022, the game has generated over $1.5 billion globally in revenue from in-game spending and microtransactions,[46] with the game having seen over 500 million downloads by May 2021.[47]
Accolades
editYear | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Song/Score - Mobile Video Game | Nominated | [48] |
The Game Awards 2019 | Best Mobile Game | Won | [49] | |
2020 | 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Portable Game of the Year | Nominated | [50] |
Game Developers Choice Awards | Best Mobile Game | Nominated | [51] | |
SXSW Gaming Awards | Mobile Game of the Year | Nominated | [52] | |
16th British Academy Games Awards | Mobile Game of the Year | Won | [53] | |
The Game Awards 2020 | Best Mobile Game | Nominated | [54] |
References
edit- ^ Ahmed, Wasif (December 12, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile is getting a prop hunt mode". Dot Esports. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Winslow, Jeremy. "CoD Mobile Update Adds Rapid Fire, Sticks And Stones Modes". GameSpot. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Martin, Liam (April 2020). "Call of Duty Mobile Season 5 release date LIVE, update patch notes, 2v2 Showdown and MORE". Express UK. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Watts, Steve. "Call Of Duty Mobile Update Adds Maps, Modes, And Rewards". GameSpot. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Glover, Stephanie. "Mode Intel: One Shot, One Kill - Activision Games Blog". Activision Games Blog. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Ahmed, Wasif (October 18, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile adds sniper-only game mode". Dot Esports. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Ahmed, Wasif (October 14, 2019). "Gun Game has arrived in Call of Duty: Mobile". Dot Esports. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Saurbh, Utkarsh (October 14, 2019). "Call of Duty Mobile battle royale gameplay guide : Fly helicopters, be a Ninja, battle monsters". Times of India. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Sheridan, Connor. "Call of Duty: Mobile Zombies mode is live, here's how it works". GamesRadar+. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Bedford, Tom (July 27, 2021). "Call of Duty: Mobile zombies is returning, but not as you remember it". TechRadar. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ^ "When is Zombies returning to Call of Duty Mobile?". Dexerto. February 10, 2021. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ^ Good, Owen (March 4, 2020). "Call of Duty Mobile axes Zombies mode in next update". Polygon. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ "Announcing Call of Duty®: Mobile Season 9 — Zombies Are Back". www.callofduty.com. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Machkovech, Sam (March 19, 2019). "Call of Duty Mobile announced for iOS, Android, made by China's Tencent". Ars Technica. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- ^ Mukherjee, Amritanshu (May 24, 2019). "Call of Duty Mobile: Here's how you can download it on your Android and iOS smartphone". India Today. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
- ^ Morgans, Matt (July 20, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile Will Feature Two Currencies and a Battle Pass". VGR. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
- ^ "Call of Duty®: Mobile - Overview - Apple App Store - Australia". Sensor Tower. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Call of Duty®: Mobile - Overview - Apple App Store - Canada". Sensor Tower. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Call of Duty®: Mobile - Overview - Apple App Store - Peru". Sensor Tower. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Call of Duty®: Mobile - Overview - Google Play Store - US". Sensor Tower. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "드디어 한국 상륙!". www.codm.kr. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Chào mừng đến với Call of Duty: Mobile VN!". codm.zing.vn. VNG Games. March 1, 2020. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "10:00 Ngày 20/04/2020 | Call of Duty: Mobile VN Chính Thức Ra Mắt". codm.zing.vn. VNG Games. April 16, 2020. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "《使命召唤手游》上线倒计时4天,KPL现场发布国服CG". Tencent Games & TiMi Studios. December 20, 2020. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ Avard, Alex (May 22, 2019). "Call of Duty Mobile: Battle Royale includes third-person mode, classes, 100 player matches, and more". gamesradar. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
- ^ "Call of Duty®: Mobile: Fresh Intel – A Preview of What's to Come". blog.activision.com. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ May 2020, Leon Hurley 06 (May 6, 2020). "Wondering how to play Call of Duty Mobile Zombies? We've some good news and bad". gamesradar. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Call of Duty: Mobile's Zombies Mode Being Removed as It's Not Good Enough - IGN, March 4, 2020, retrieved July 30, 2020
- ^ Handrahan, Matthew (April 23, 2020). "Call of Duty: Mobile esports tournament gets $1m prize pool". Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ Webster, Andrew (April 22, 2020). "Call of Duty: Mobile is getting an esports tournament with $1 million in prizes". The Verge. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ James, Ford (April 28, 2020). "Call of Duty Mobile World Championship 2020: Sign up, dates, qualifiers, and more". GamesRadar+. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "Call of Duty Mobile for iOS Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
- ^ a b Hilliard, Kyle (October 9, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile Review". IGN. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ a b Barbosa, Alessandro. "Call Of Duty Mobile Review - Boots On The Go". GAMESPOT. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
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- ^ Santangelo, Manuel (October 10, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile - recensione". Eurogamer.it. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Test : Call of Duty Mobile : Simple, complet et efficace !". Jeuxvideo.com. October 4, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ Hayward, Andrew (October 18, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile is the perfect complement to the console and PC versions". Polygon. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ Williams, Kate (November 8, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile Has Second Largest Launch Month Ever With 148 Million Downloads". Sensor Tower. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ "Call of Duty: Mobile Hits 250 Million Downloads: Sensor Tower". NDTV Gadgets 360. June 24, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ Partleton, Kayleigh; Writer, Staff (June 24, 2020). "Call of Duty: Mobile shoots through 250 million downloads". pocketgamer.biz. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ "Call of Duty: Mobile has reportedly topped 250 million downloads". VGC. June 24, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ Kayleigh, Partleton (October 5, 2020). "Call of Duty: Mobile nears $500 million in revenue". pocketgamer.biz. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Call of Duty: Mobile Shoots Past $1.5 Billion in Lifetime Player Spending". SensorTower. February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ "Call Of Duty Mobile Has Been Downloaded 500 Million Times And Made A Ton Of Money". Gamespot. May 5, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ "Hollywood Music In Media Awards Announces Nominees". Shoot. November 4, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
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