Call of Duty has become one of the biggest franchises in gaming history. With a new release every year and millions of units sold across several platforms, each release is consistently one of the most hyped and highly anticipated releases of the year.

With that said, as we move towards the halfway point of the year, we’re hearing more and more info about the latest Call of Duty. Following on from Infinite Warfare, we’ll be getting CoD: World War II.

Call of Duty is making a return to its roots in a big way, with it being set during World War II. In the latest iterations, the game has been in a future setting, which may have disenfranchised a few long term fans, with this being a very welcome return.

Aside from the setting, what else do we know about CoD: WWII? Well, the full bells and whistles won’t be showcased until E3 in June, but here’s the latest on what has been announced so far.

When Will CoD: WWII Be Released?

The game will be released on November 3 2017 across Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC. In terms of early access, those who have preordered the game will gain access to a multiplayer beta, set to initially launch on the PS4 before also being available on Xbox One.

What Will The Story Be?

As mentioned earlier, the most recent Call of Duty games have been in a far more futuristic setting, with Infinite Warfare actually taking place in outer space.

That won’t exactly be the case with this game; it’s unlikely there’ll be any jetpacks knocking around.

It has been made in a setting which the developers have described as “authentic”, complete with “intense, visceral, boots on the ground gameplay.” In terms of the general story of the game, it will mainly take place through the eyes of 19-year-old Ronald 'Red' Daniels, with action taking place in many of the key settings of World War II, including the D-Day landings in Normandy, as well as Battle of the Bulge.

One interesting item to note is that the game will aim to address more social issues as well as the standard run-and-gun fare that we all know and love. The developers have said that issues such as racism, religious persecution, and sexism will all be a part of the story, going towards the general change towards a more realistic, brutal depiction of the game’s surroundings.

It seems that Sledgehammer, the developers of CoD:WWII, will be going for a far more authentic feel for the game - they’ve also been working with noted historian Martin Morgan to ensure that each detail is described perfectly. It’s highly interesting that a game as big as this will be taking such a big step in a different direction, with the game seeing its biggest refresh in almost a decade.

What Gameplay Changes Have Been Announced?

As mentioned earlier, the full reveal won’t really take place until June when the game is showcased at E3. That being said, there have already been a few rumblings and announcements with regards to features and how the game will work.

On the note of the authentic feel that is being aimed for, one key feature that has been announced so far is that there will be no automatic health regeneration. Usually in CoD, if you take a hit, you just go prone behind some cover and regain your health, ready to get back in the action.

In CoD:WWII, if you’re hit, you’re in trouble. In order to regain your health, you’ll need some help from a medic; a very familiar feature for Battlefield players.

Also, if you’re out of ammo, you’ll need to claim some from a teammate, another familiar concept.

Multiplayer

The real cornerstone of any Call of Duty game is the multiplayer. While the story is great, with some missions continuing to live in infamy such as the closing scene of CoD 4 and the accompanying Mile High Club achievement, most people pick the game up for the multiplayer.

As previously mentioned, some more long term players have been left somewhat disenfranchised with the recent editions of the game, with them being set in space and featuring a futuristic set of weaponry and superhero-like abilities.

Knowing what we know so far, the multiplayer aspect of CoD:WWII will be much grittier, and possibly more challenging with the lack of auto health regeneration.

During the recent livestream reveal, a new multiplayer addition was announced: Headquarters. This is actually a social space, which may be able to support up to 48 players at a time. The intention is to create a hub for players to hang out essentially, similar to Destiny’s Tower. More will be announced as time goes on,

Another multiplayer game mode will be entitled “War”. Seems fairly straightforward, the game mode will aim to immerse the player in the various battles that took place during World War II. In a team-based environment, you’ll have the choice between Allied and Axis, in a seemingly objective-set game mode. Bagsy Allied, of course.

Another key part of the multiplayer aspect of any Call of Duty game is the Zombies mode. Becoming a real staple of the game, only a single image has been teased for the game mode, but that’s enough to get people talking and imaginations running. In terms of the enemies, it seems as there’ll be a return for Nazi Zombies, an incredibly popular iteration from the Black Ops days.

So far, that’s essentially what you need to know about CoD:WWII. As we learn more and more, we’ll have more info for you here - so keep up with our blog!