Hello, I currently have a Niagara system setup that allows for some blood decals to be spawned in the world when the particles collide with something but, the particles obviously have a lifetime to them and don’t persist infinitely. How would I go about doing this? I guessed spawning decals with a blueprint actor but I honestly have no idea where to start.

Location: Remote (Based in Colombia – Medellín or Bogotá preferred)Company: Fusing Marketing / Fusing Education – U.S.-based branding & design agency specializing in K–12 educationJob Type: Full-time (Contract or Payroll depending on candidate)Compensation: Competitive salary in USD or COP (based on experience and location)🎯 About the RoleWe’re hiring a Creative Project Manager to join our international team and help bring school campuses to life through powerful visual branding. In this role, you'll lead the client relationship, gather branding input, and guide our Colombia-based design team as they create large-format graphics like wall wraps, door decals, and murals for U.S. schools.You’ll act as the bridge between U.S. clients and our internal team — ensuring ideas are captured clearly, timelines are met, and all files are delivered ready for print.This is a remote position ideal for a native English speaker currently living in Colombia, especially someone with strong communication skills, a creative mindset, and the ability to manage multiple fast-paced projects at once.💼 ResponsibilitiesLead client onboarding and branding discovery conversationsCapture the client’s creative vision and translate it into clear direction for the Colombia-based graphic design teamManage project timelines using TrelloCoordinate feedback, revisions, and approvals across multiple projectsOffer professional communication via email, video calls (Zoom), and written follow-upsEnsure final designs are production-ready for printing and installationUse Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive) for day-to-day communication and file sharingOversee 10–12 active client projects per month, particularly during high-volume periods✅ Ideal QualificationsNative English speaker (must be comfortable writing and speaking professionally)Currently living in Colombia (Medellín or Bogotá preferred, but remote possible)1–4 years of experience in project coordination, account management, or creative productionStrong organizational and multitasking skillsFamiliar with basic design concepts (you won’t be designing, but should understand file formats, resolution, and scale)Comfortable using Trello and Google WorkspaceSpanish proficiency is a plus (to communicate with the design team)🌎 Why Work With Us?Collaborate with a tight-knit team across the U.S. and ColombiaHelp beautify and inspire schools through meaningful visual storytellingGain experience with large-format printing and branding for real-world environmentsFlexible remote work aligned with U.S. time zonesPotential for long-term growth into strategy, operations, or creative leadership📩 How to ApplyPlease send the following to [email protected]:Resume or LinkedIn profileA brief note (2–3 paragraphs) about why you’re a strong fit and where you’re located in Colombia(Optional) Any samples of past creative or client-focused work

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As Codemasters and EA get ready for the upcoming F1 25, senior creative director Lee Mather, creative director Gavin Cooper and producer Si Lumb answered some of our burning questions, including about improvements to visuals and racing physics thanks to the studio’s use of LiDAR technology to scan race tracks. To begin with, what are the biggest changes that are coming to F1 25? Gavin: There are lots of big changes coming to F1 25 that we’re very excited to share with our players, starting with fan-favorite My Team mode receiving its largest update since its introduction, My Team now invites players to take control as the Owner of their Formula One team, placing more emphasis on managing the fates of both drivers in the team, alongside the team itself. Braking Point is also back, with Konnersport returning as an established team on the grid and battling for championships. For the first time, players can extend their Konnersport experience through other game modes. Once they’ve finished Braking Point, they can also take the team into Driver Career or My Team. Iconic Edition players can also experience post-launch gameplay chapters inspired by the film, featuring the APXGP team from the upcoming movie, F1. We’ve also incorporated LIDAR technology to more circuits to enhance authenticity and realism. In a first for the official F1 games, players can also race around Silverstone, Zandvoort, and the Red Bull Ring in a reverse track layout adding a new dimension to the racing experience. "Braking Point is also back, with Konnersport returning as an established team on the grid and battling for championships." How much will the LiDAR scanning of tracks affect the second-to-second driving gameplay? Lee: LIDAR-scanned circuits offer clear benefits to players of all skill levels. For those who are detail-oriented and appreciate the intricacies and nuances of a race track, LIDAR provides an unprecedented level of accuracy in track ribbon and curb placement. But the advantages go beyond that. All players benefit from the precise recreation of the environment surrounding the track. From grandstands to terrain, whatever players see in real life and on TV is faithfully represented in-game. What sets our LIDAR circuits apart is that the data is captured during an actual F1 race weekend, ensuring the most accurate and up-to-date representation possible. How will the latest chapter of Braking Point tie in to the stories we’ve seen in the previous games? Gavin: The latest chapter of Braking Point will tie into the previous chapters, as we continue to follow the Konnersport Team featuring Aiden Jackson, Devon Butler, and Callie Mayer. Braking Point, first introduced in 2021, centered around Aiden Jackson, a rookie determined to make a name for himself while facing off against the ruthless Devon Butler, a driver willing to do whatever it took to succeed. The story continued in F1 23, with the debut of the fictional team Konnersport and the introduction of Callie Mayer, the first woman to win the F2 Championship. In this sequel, the once-feared Devon Butler saw his perspective on the sport shift, creating an opportunity for Callie to break into F1. After two tough seasons, the team made significant progress, improving their position in the sport and setting the stage for the upcoming F1 25. Nonetheless, players will be able to enjoy the story and have a complete experience regardless of whether they have played the previous games. What kind of features and enhancements can one expect in My Team? Gavin: My Team sees a host of new features and improvements this year, with one of the most significant changes being a shift in how roles are defined. Previously, players took on the dual responsibilities of both Team Owner and Driver, a setup that isn’t typical of the sport. To reflect the real-world structure more accurately, the mode has been reimagined so that players now focus solely on the responsibilities of being a Team Owner. This revamped approach brings a greater emphasis on managing both of the team’s drivers. During race weekends, players can now choose which driver to put on the track. The progression system has also been refined — Owners will work to boost their team’s Fan Rating by meeting objectives and winning high-stakes Rivalries against competing teams. Off the track, team operations are now run from a completely redesigned Team HQ — a dynamic environment that expands in size, staff, and activity as the team’s reputation grows. Decisions around workforce size, development expenses, and facility upkeep will be crucial, with owners needing to carefully manage resources to stay within the cost cap. Additionally, Research and Development have been split into distinct branches, giving players more strategic freedom over part production and deployment. For example, producing just one part from a new upgrade package is quicker, but choosing which driver receives it first can impact their morale and influence future contract negotiations. "To reflect the real-world structure more accurately, [My Team] has been reimagined so that players now focus solely on the responsibilities of being a Team Owner." How much will the new sponsor decals feature affect income in My Team? Gavin: In My Team you’re limited in terms of how many sponsor decals you can put on your car. That limit is based on your Fan Rating, so as you increase your Fan Rating (by completing team accolades, winning rivalries with competitor teams, or performing at GP weekends), your team will become more prestigious and be able to get more sponsorship – so more decals on your car. Each decal slot you fill earns you cash, but there is a drop-off in effectiveness as you add more. We devised a system to push you to wanting more decals on your car, especially as a fledgling team struggling to stay afloat. But as your livery gets more and more populated, we didn’t want to stomp all over players’ creativity by essentially forcing them to stick a new decal on every time a slot unlocked. Those later slots won’t earn you as much as your earlier ones, and if you would rather retain your design, the extra income you miss out on won’t be game-breaking. At the start of the game, you’ll only have access to a limited range of sponsors, but you can unlock more by scheduling the sponsor discovery activity between race weekends. All of this is separate to your title sponsor, which works quite differently. Your title sponsor is signed for an entire season and represents a significant chunk of your income. That sponsor is inherently displayed on the car, and building a relationship with that sponsor can, over time, unlock further decal variants and even a special car livery designed around that sponsor. Figuring out how to balance the decision between sticking with a title sponsor you have loyalty to versus jumping to a new sponsor that may be more lucrative is just a part of what you’ll have to do as Team Owner. Are interviews coming back in F1 25? Gavin: Interviews are making a return in Braking Point, where the fictional characters like Aiden and Callie allow us to deliver fully voiced, context-specific responses that feel authentic and well-integrated with the story. The storyline allows us to create tailored interviews based on whether the driver suffered a crash, a win or a key moment between rivals. Thanks to new tech like Nvidia’s Audio2Face, these interviews also now look more lifelike, much closer to what you’d expect from a real TV broadcast. Career Mode presents a tougher challenge. With so many possible outcomes and storylines, it’s hard to craft interviews that feel personal and meaningful. Figuring out what’s relevant in any given moment, not just in a race, but across an evolving season is a complex task. And without voice acting for official drivers, responses would lose the impact that makes interviews worthwhile. So while interviews won’t feature in Career Mode this time, we’re keeping the door open for the future, ensuring the mode evolves in a way that supports them properly. "The storyline allows us to create tailored interviews based on whether the driver suffered a crash, a win or a key moment between rivals." Are there any plans to bring classic F1 cars? Lee: While they are not in this year’s game, it is always an ongoing conversation. The return of Braking Point 3, My Team, the LIDAR updated and reverse tracks have been the focus areas for this year’s game. What kind of improvements have you made to the handling and physics this time around? Lee: A number of changes have been made to how cars feel in F1 25. The core handling model was developed using player feedback from F1 23 and F1 24. We invited sim racers and content creators to the studio in November to play an early build and refine the model to create a balanced and stable platform with reduced understeer and a more compliant rear under acceleration. Some of the main improvements include: Balancing the transition between mechanical and aero balance to ensure the cars feel exciting and dynamic across all speeds. Updating the gearbox and transmission to deliver seamless gear changes that don’t upset the car’s balance. Applying insights from the F1 Sim Racing tournament to fine-tune ERS, DRS, and slipstream behaviour, promoting effective overtaking in both single and multiplayer racing. Modifying tyre wear values to enable more varied tyre strategies, offering teams greater flexibility in how they run their race. With the wide range of setup options in F1 25, players can also fine-tune the car to match their driving style. Can you talk us through the various customization options available as far as car set up goes? Lee: Car setup in F1 25 offers advanced players the opportunity to tailor the car’s feel and performance to better suit their preferences. Creating a fast car isn’t just about raw performance; it’s also about player confidence and the ability to drive and race consistently. Players can adjust a wide range of setup areas to impact the car’s feel and performance. Fuel load can be adjusted, which directly impacts the car’s weight. Aerodynamics can be fine-tuned, but players should be mindful of how these adjustments affect ride height and suspension setup, which can also be modified. Additionally, transmission, brakes, and tyre pressures are open for adjustment, providing players with the tools they need to find those vital tenths of a second. With Path Tracing, how big of a leap in visuals can we expect in F1 25 over 24? Lee: Path Tracing in F1 25 significantly improves realism, offering more accurate reflections, shadows, and ambient lighting for supported PCs. Thanks to Path Tracing, the light now follows every bounced path, including that from indirect lighting and multiple reflections. Shade, light, and colours dynamically shift as they would in real-life, whether you’re racing under the thousands of lights in Bahrain or navigating the castle section in Baku at sunset. If you have a PC capable of experiencing it, Path Tracing is the most realistic simulation of light on track that we’ve ever delivered. With it, everything looks exactly like it would on the track, making the venue feel more authentic. This is particularly important for true-to-life realism in sports games. Outside of Path Tracing, we have made tonemapping improvements to create a more dramatic effect across all weather conditions throughout the game, and the track surface shader has been updated to more accurately reflect the real-life circuits. Off the asphalt, LIDAR has also helped in making trees and foliage better match the type, size and shape of their real-life counterparts, with new additions such as cherry blossom added to the track in Suzuka. "If you have a PC capable of experiencing it, Path Tracing is the most realistic simulation of light on track that we’ve ever delivered." When it comes to the console versions, will there be enhancements exclusive to the PS5 Pro? Lee: F1 25 benefits from all the technical enhancements that elevate visual quality, gameplay, and player immersion we delivered when the PlayStation®5 Pro was released last November. This includes: Upgraded Quality Mode, now featuring on-track Ray Tracing using PSSR. We leveraged Sony’s PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) to include more Ray Traced techniques on track for increased photorealism while maintaining the 4K/60Hz target. Performance Mode now runs at 4K (on 120Hz screens only). Players choosing this high frame rate will enjoy a crisp, smooth experience and extra clarity from the increased resolution. A new Resolution Mode delivers 8K/60Hz (on 8K screens only). Resolution mode also features Ray Traced Dynamic Diffuse Global Illumination (DDGI) on track. EGO’s full suite of RT DDGI, AO, reflection and shadow effects are enabled in 8K/30Hz for cutscenes, replay Flashback and photo modes. We’re always exploring new ways to optimise and innovate on all platforms, and our commitment to delivering the best possible experience for our console players remains as strong as ever – and this year for F1 25, we have included splitscreen mode running at double the frame rate, so couch competitors get that Codemasters 60 Hz signature without compromise. Are there any plans to bring the F1 series to the Nintendo Switch 2? Lee: There are no plans at the moment to bring F1 25 to the Nintendo Switch. How vital will technologies like PSSR play in pushing visual fidelity further on PS5 Pro? Si: We were delighted that the PlayStation®5 Pro featured such a well-tuned upscaler in PSSR. For a while in graphics technologies, the upscalers have allowed rendering engines to push more fidelity into a lower resolution “input” image, and then benefit from the AI models to take those to incredible looking large resolution frames, upon which we can then apply post effects and tuning. For PS5 Pro, we originally weren’t going to use PSSR on F1 24, as we were trying to de-risk our approach. However, when testing it, it was so good at transforming from the input to high resolution output that we could actually use double resolution Ray Traced reflections as input and rely on the AI to give us a much higher quality image. It’s something we couldn’t have done with our own TAA upscaler. As we go into F1 25 with broadly the same solution as F1 24, we get the benefit of that same quality, just with far more LIDAR tracks to see the increased density and uplift that the Quality mode provides. Moving forward, and without anything specific to announce, we look forward to exploring what other areas of our title we can leverage technologies like PSSR to achieve new targets of visual quality on console hardware.

The bare walls of my bedroom—bedecked as they are with sporadic small prints but devoid of lights—demand I add some flair to my usually nerdy living space. The Govee Gaming Pixel Light seemed to fit the bill a little too well when I saw it back at CES 2025. The specialized display doesn’t support enough colors to show all my favorite 8- or 16-bit artwork at their best quality, and it won’t produce strong enough audio for anything more complicated than classic chiptunes. If the digital art and speaker for my desk didn’t sport cringey decals and a frame that would make visitors assume I chugged Mountain Dew Game Fuel for breakfast, it would be the perfect antidote to my dull apartment. Govee sent me a pair of pre-release Gaming Pixel Lights long before the company finally made them available on May 19. It sat on my desk for ages, showing me a 32-pixel version of Samus from Super Metroid. Her staunch, visored visage helped me get through the hectic days. Both the $120 32×32 and $140 52×32 pixel frames don’t take much effort to set up, though the digital wall or desk art lacks a battery and needs to be plugged into an outlet. Once it’s connected through the Govee Home app, you’ll have a wide variety of default and user-made effects to add to the screen. Yes, you can stick a static image on the screen, but the real fun comes from displaying GIFs of scenes from your favorite 8-, 16-, or perhaps a few 32-bit retro games. Govee Gaming Pixel Light It does what it needs to do, but limited colors limits what it can show. Pros Cons Depending on how complicated your image is, the pixel light may have a harder time displaying every pixel with perfect color accuracy. The smaller device contains 1,024 lights, while the 52×32 version sports 1,664. The $155 Divoom Pixoo-64—a competing pixel light with a 64×64 pixel field—supports 4,096. Considering the limited lights, a 32×32 pixel image of ET might look great on the smaller Pixel Light, but a fan-made 8-bit portrait of Arielle from The Little Mermaid that appears fine on my phone lacked the color definition necessary to show fine features on her nose or hair. The more stark the colors, the better each image or GIF will appear. The screen is bright enough on its highest settings, but you can set it to dim or turn off on a timer if you want to sleep without a rainbow of pixelated light shining at you. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo Images look marginally better on the larger display thanks to its wider range of colors, but you’ll still need to try out various images until you find one that fits your style. You can also upload your own artwork to the Govee app, though any of your photos you take from your phone will turn out splotchy and incoherent on the Pixel Light. You may find that uploading your own pixel art could produce mixed results. I had to try several different versions of Samus before I found a Metroid image that didn’t look half bad. The GIFs play at 30 fps, which made a GIF of Sonic’s classic spinning leg running animation look extra smooth. Divoom’s similar offering runs at 24 fps. The device includes a rear 3W DSP speaker made for pairing your favorite chiptunes with this artwork. The built-in speakers aren’t enough to fill a room with sound, but even without much bass, it’s just enough to offer a retro feel, as if I was listening to a game on the age-old mono Game Boy speaker. The device itself has a single button for controlling volume and no physical mute button, which means you’re forced to load into the app just to adjust your sound. All this meant I was more likely to eschew music entirely. After all, if you’re planning to use your Govee Pixel Light to spruce up your gaming room, you’ll end up listening to the game you’re playing anyway. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo If you’re the type to pick up a brush, you could create your own art and animated GIFs with the sketch mode. It’s certainly easier to use with a stylus, but I don’t have the time, patience, or ability to sketch something that will look any nicer than the artists who do pixel art for a living. The device has almost too many modes, from a clock feature to a stock ticker. There’s even a counter to tell you the current price of bitcoin, as if you really need to pay attention to crypto prices on your fun, cute pixel monitor. The Pixel Light seems to think gamers want a very specific aesthetic, one full of cyberpunk-esque hard-edged contours with decals reading “loading” and “game.” A black frame is all I really need. The art is the reason you buy Govee’s first real gamer product. But damn me if I enjoy it blaring the Magmar Caverns theme from my desktop, as if my bedroom had any more need for even more Metroid artwork.

It’s been two years since we’ve hosted a Unite event to gather with our amazing community of game developers. Thanks to you, this year’s Unite is on track to become our most attended ever. If you haven’t had the chance to watch the keynote yet, we’ve got you covered with this spotlight on what was shared.“When we say the world is a better place with more creators in it, we mean that literally,” shared CEO John Riccitiello. “Because creators bring people together. Because we know the joy of creating, and we want more people to experience this joy.”“Now, we know creation is hard,” he continued. “Game creation is especially hard because it involves so many disciplines – from programming to design, art to lighting, character creation to animation, and some serious mastery of technology. Our role at Unity is to make the tools that make it easier for you, as creators, to realize your vision.”Bringing our community together to offer updates and insights into what we’re working on is so important to us. Today’s hybrid event – both virtual and in person within our local communities in Austin, Brighton, Copenhagen, Montréal, and San Francisco – is also an opportunity for us to listen to your feedback so we can ensure we’re building tools and features that meet your needs.Watch the full keynote, or keep reading for a recap of highlights from key areas of focus as we continue to heavily invest in our game engine to help you build, scale, and grow incredible games.DOTS, an acronym for Data-Oriented Technology Stack, is composed of three parts: Entity Component System (or ECS for short), Burst compiler, and the C# Job System. If your game requires massive scale, DOTS is a great alternative to an object-oriented coding framework because it lets you write safe, multithreaded code that can deliver performance gains. Simply put, DOTS enables you to build vast, complex worlds and deliver incredible experiences to your players.As Laurent Gibert, who oversees the development of DOTS and multiplayer technology at Unity, announced, “ECS is finally leaving its experimental phase. That means that with the coming 2022.2 Tech Stream – like any other feature – ECS will be supported for your projects.”Gibert emphasized that you don’t have to choose between data- and object-oriented development: The two can coexist. This means you can solve hard scaling problems while relying on your traditional workflows for everything else.To help you scale up your DOTS skill set more quickly, ECS will include graphics packages, physics capabilities, and Netcode, as well as full documentation, samples, and tutorials.“ECS is finally leaving its experimental phase. That means that with the coming 2022.2 Tech Stream – like any other feature – ECS will be supported for your projects.”Creating great visuals is time consuming, so our team spotlighted a few updates to help you achieve your vision more efficiently in both Universal Render Pipeline (URP) and High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP).“We know that it’s hard to choose a rendering pipeline early in a project,” said Nancy LaRue, a marketing manager for technical artistry tools. “And it can be complicated to switch later on. So we’re working on modifying the render workflow so you’ll be able to use both URP and HDRP in the same project.”The segment highlighted some new tools for URP, including Forward+ rendering and a new Decals offering, that achieve parity and even eclipse what you could achieve with the Built-in Render Pipeline. To highlight URP tools’ effectiveness in production, Hannah Kennedy, art director from Obsidian Entertainment, took to the stage to talk about the studio’s new game Pentiment, launching November 15. Hannah’s team chose Unity and URP to deliver on their project because they needed a flexible approach, right from the start.“We were also able to use URP’s wide range of direct and indirect lighting solutions to quickly achieve the mood and enhance the dramatization of the game,” she said.Next, a demo illustrated an HDRP workflow to help you create dynamic environments using Physically Based Sky, Cloud Layers, Volumetric Fog, Adaptive Probe Volumes, the Volume System, and our incredible new Water System.We closed the graphics segment by celebrating some of the inspiring and jaw-droppingly gorgeous games that you’ve brought to life with Unity over the last few months. Catch the full sizzle below.“We’re working toward an end-to-end solution that covers every aspect of your multiplayer game – from creation to ongoing management of a live experience,” explained senior technical product manager Kiki Saintonge. She also shared what’s upcoming for multiplayer services.Developing and operating multiplayer games is incredibly challenging. We want to make it easier for you to design innovative multiplayer experiences, so we’re improving our Netcode solutions and bringing services like matchmaking and game hosting right into the Editor.To showcase what’s possible, Timothy “Timo” Vanherberghen, founder and CEO of Triangle Factory, joined us onstage. He spoke about the studio’s multiplayer VR games, Hyper Dash and Breachers, both of which leverage our Matchmaker and Game Server Hosting solutions.Timo had this to say about why his studio chose to select services from UGS: “We could have built a solution ourselves, but that would mean spending a lot of time building and maintaining features that have nothing to do with our core gameplay. We’re in this industry to build games, not the systems around them.”Triangle Factory’s next game, Breachers, will be in open alpha later this month.“We’re in this industry to build games, not the systems around them.”Today’s keynote also gave a preview of how we’re simplifying VR development with the XR Interaction Toolkit, including an example from Vinci Games in Blacktop Hoops. We shared the ways we’re making it easier for you to customize your Editor with updates to the UI Toolkit, which is now at full feature parity with IMGUI. The keynote even provided insight into how you can continuously fine-tune and test your live game content from a single platform to boost player satisfaction and reduce churn.Next, we announced the arrival of DirectX 12 in the upcoming Tech Stream 2022.2, as well as the work we’re doing to make our suite of art and VFX tools – including our digital human package, hair system, and puppet-based animation – widely available to you in real-time, so you can use these tools in your games.Unite 2022 continues for the remainder of today, with technical sessions, roadmap deep dives, and more. This content will also be available on-demand later this year, and you can watch the full keynote address below. Last but not least, we hope you’ll join us tomorrow for Unity for Humanity Summit 2022, an inspiring look at how creators are using real-time 3D technology to make the world a better place.

Game Asset Developer BUKKBEEK has released a large, low-poly stylized VFX pack designed to meet a variety of needs. This Godot-native collection for version 4 and above requires no plug-ins and features organized folders along with ready-to-use scenes.Here's what it includes:Fire & Smoke:Fire x3 (small, big, magic)Smoke x3 (small, big, poison)FireballsFlamethrowerCombat:Muzzle Flash x3 (texture, smoke, sparks)Bullets x2 (single, burst)Explosion x3 (small, big, electric)Impact x8 (dust, sci-fi, sword)Energy & Electricity:Energy Beams x3 (laser, plasma, electric)Electric Sparks x2Lightning/Lightning BallMagic & Stylized:SparklesFireworksSci-fi PortalStylized ShaderHologram ShaderNature & Ambience:Vegetation Shader & Grass (with day-night cycle)Falling LeavesRainDustFirefliesGodraysBirdsWater:Water Shader & Effects x2 (ripples, long ripples)Ground Effects x10:Pickup, Loot, Heal, Arrows, Power Up, etc.Decals:Blood Splash x2Bullet Holes x3Slime x2Cracks x3Footprints x2 (blood, mud)Handprints x2 (blood, dust)Tire SkidClaw MarkYou can use this pack in commercial and non-commercial projects. However, resale or redistribution, whether original or modified, is strictly prohibited.In addition, BUKKBEEK has included a free icon expansion pack designed to complement impact and loot drop effects or serve as UI icons. You can also submit your own icon ideas for the developer to consider adding to the pack.Purchase Godot Visual Effects Pack here and join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.

I’m delighted to share that the 2022.2 Tech Stream, our final release of the year, is available for download.Tech Stream releases allow you to go hands-on with early access to the latest features. It’s also an opportunity to share your feedback on how we can build even better tools to power your creativity.Most recently at Unite, we gathered with our community of game developers to share some of these updates on topics like DOTS, rendering, multiplayer development, and XR, and we celebrated Made with Unity games like V Rising, Pentiment, Breachers, and many more. The dialogue online from over 9,000 Discord messages and countless in-person conversations was invaluable to shaping the future of Unity.Coupled with the 1,470 new forum threads where we discussed product feedback with you since the 2022.1 Tech Stream arrived and the 3,080 new notes on the Unity Platform roadmap, this feedback helped us get to today’s release. We couldn’t have done it without you and are excited to get that work in your hands. To learn more about how your feedback drives product development, check out this blog post.Together with the first Tech Stream, today’s 2022.2 completes this year’s cycle. Join us and explore what’s in store ahead of the LTS release in 2023. For even more on where Unity is heading, I encourage you to read our Games Focus blog series.In this post, I’ll be sharing a few highlights from this release, but you can always get more details in the official release notes.A frequent request we receive is to give you the ability to create more engaging gaming experiences, deeply immersive worlds, and to do so with more objects and characters than ever before.Unity 2022.2 includesECS for Unity (Entity Component System), a data-oriented framework that empowers you to build more ambitious games with an unprecedented level of control and determinism. ECS and a data-oriented approach to development put complex gameplay mechanics and rich, dynamic environments at your fingertips. Starting with Unity 2022.2, ECS for Unity is fully supported for production, so you can get even more out of ECS through support channels and success plans.ECS for Unity includes the Entities package, along with ECS-compatible packages for Netcode, Graphics, and Physics. If you’re already familiar with Unity’s GameObject architecture and scripting standards, ECS for Unity is fully compatible with GameObjects, so you’ll find a familiar authoring experience and streamlined workflows. This gives you the capability to leverage your existing skill set and leverage ECS only where it will best benefit your game experience.We’re already seeing some great games running on ECS for Unity, such as Stunlock Studios’s V Rising. Because they turned to ECS, they were able to vastly increase the number of in-game interactable assets to more than 160,000 across a 5km2 map, with more than 350,000 server-side entities powering the experience.If you’re looking for help, want to provide feedback, discuss best practices, or show off your projects, you can join a thriving community on our forums and Discord. Our teams regularly engage in these channels and keep a close eye on your feedback. Join us on December 8, 2022 for our Dev Blitz Day dedicated to DOTS, when we’ll be spending an entire day trying to answer all your ECS questions.The last 18 months have seen an explosion of multiplayer experiences being built with Unity, and we hear that many of you want to add multiplayer access to your games but aren’t sure where to start.Alongside Unity 2022.2, we’re highlighting Netcode for GameObjects, a package that simplifies the implementation of multiplayer capability to your project in a number of scenarios such as couch cooperative play. The package works with familiar GameObject-based programming techniques, and it abstracts away low-level functionality so you can write less code while creating the multiplayer experience you envision.For more demanding, large-scale games, you can harness the power of ECS with Netcode for Entities. Netcode for Entities can enable you to increase your game world size, player counts, and complex network interactions without the performance sacrifices developers have traditionally had to deal with.We also recently announced the launch of self-serve capabilities in our Multiplayer Solutions suite within Unity Gaming Services (UGS), which helps you to operate your multiplayer games with hosting, communications, and more. Learn more about the latest developments for this tech in this Games Focus blog, or take a deeper look at the UGS Multiplayer suite in this UGS video, produced in collaboration with Tarodev.Multiplatform scalability and high-fidelity graphics continue to be our focus for rendering. In our Games Focus blog “Rendering that scales with your needs,” we covered our dedication to delivering features that allow you to scale with confidence while tapping into an even broader range of tools that provides the best possible visual quality and performance.We continue to bring the Universal Render Pipeline (URP) closer to feature parity with Built-in Render Pipeline through more streamlined and scalable workflows. We worked on key tools such asForward+, which provides functional parity with Forward path in Built-in Render Pipeline, eliminating the light limit count so you can scale with quality across platforms.Another key feature is Decal Layers,which allow you to filter and configure how different objects are affected by Decal Projectors in a scene. Decals are useful for adding extra texture details to a scene, especially to break the repetitiveness of materials and their detail patterns.Other special URP enhancements include LOD crossfade for smoother transitions and Built-in Converter improvements that provide you with tools to upgrade your existing projects from the Built-in Render Pipeline to URP. You can also personalize your rendering experience with Shader Graph Full Screen Master Node and Custom Post Processing across both renderers.Diving into High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP), we’ve made enhancements that help you create even more beautiful physically based environments and detailed characters. You can scale high-fidelity environments with the new HDRP Water System to render oceans, rivers, and underwater effects, and use Volumetric Material to create procedural local fog using Shader Graph. Create even more realistic skies with improved Cloud Layers dynamic lighting, and you can even blend between different Volumetric Cloud conditions.You can also take your cinematic renders further to render realistic characters with Eye Cinematic with Caustics and PCSS shadows. HDRP Path Tracing Denoising provides you the choice between NVIDIA Optix™ AI accelerated denoiser and Intel® Open Image.Watch our latest Unite 2022 session on Lighting Environments in Unity to discover some key tips to get you started with our latest HDRP environment tools.Creative endeavors are never linear, and we understand that rapid iteration is part of the journey. This release includes new authoring features and workflow improvements to help speed up your productivity.For example, the Prefab system sees a number of upgrades, including the ability to quickly replace a Prefab Asset for a Prefab instance in a scene or nested inside other Prefabs. Read our latest blog on this topic for more information.For faster environments, the Paint Detail brush in the Terrain Tools package now allows you to simultaneously scatter multiple types of details with per-detail-type density settings available. Additionally, detail density and a few other Terrain settings are now overridable in the Quality settings to help you achieve platform performance targets.You can also use improved tooling and API features for Splines to help draw paths in your environments with greater precision. This means you can build out rivers, roads, camera tracks, and other path-related features and tools more efficiently. Thank you to all who engaged with us in the worldbuilding forums in the last couple months to help us finalize this delivery. For more on the API features, check out the documentation.Finally, the AI Navigation package is now available for you to quickly add intelligence to 3D characters and move in game worlds without needing to code rules manually. It also ships with samples to help you get started. See the forum for more details, and check out what’s next on the roadmap.In 2022.2, UI Toolkit is reaching parity with IMGUI for customizing the Editor and is the recommended solution for Editor tools. This means better separation of concerns, more flexible layouts, and advanced stylings. With updates like default inspectors generated with UI Toolkit, ported common built-in Property Drawers, TreeView controls with multicolumn support, and a new vector-drawing API, this release not only helps us reach parity with IMGUI but also supports runtime use cases as well.If you want to learn more about the current state of runtime, we recently released a new project demonstrating a full-feature interface with UI Toolkit based on your feedback for more samples. Check that out here.To help you get started, watch the recent Unite session illustrating a step-by-step example of how to build custom tools with UI Toolkit. Plus, visit the recently released Editor Design system for guidance on how to build intuitive experiences.After extensive work, testing, and listening to a lot of community feedback, DirectX 12 is out of an experimental state with the release of 2022.2. Depending on the project, you can now expect performance on par or greater than DX11, especially in draw call-heavy scenes.This is a result of significant investment into performance and stability, making DX12 the recommended graphics API for Windows and Xbox development. Additionally, DX12 lays the foundation for more advanced graphics features, such as real-time ray tracing, which is now available for Xbox game development. We couldn’t be more excited and thankful to you all for helping us get DX12 across the finish line and look forward to the great games you’ll be creating.We continue to hear that you not only want us to support new platforms, but also where we can simplify and improve development when targeting devices. If you haven’t already, check out the Games Focus blog “Reach more players over multiple platforms and form factors,” where we dive into both what is here now and what will be available in the near future.We’re making cross-device XR creation simpler with Unity XR Interaction toolkit (XRI). XRI provides a framework for common interactions that work across various controllers, such as grab, hover, select, visual feedback to indicate possible interactions on objects, and more. XRI is now in version 2.2, which adds multi-grab support, new locomotion methods, and a collection of ready-to-go Prefabs in our Starter Assets sample package.We recently invited the creators of Blacktop Hoops, a VR basketball game, to talk about how they used XRI as the base for their input controls during the Unite 2022 Keynote. Check out the XR segment for more information.We’ve also updated AR Foundation to version 5.0. This update brings two key features to reduce development time. The first is simulation, allowing you to test your AR app in the Editor using Play mode, an update that addresses a common AR developer frustration in the past. We’ve also added the AR Debug Menu as a new Prefab that you can use to view available configurations on your device and visualize AR subsystem data such as planes and point cloud positions.Finally, we’re continuing to add key platform support to the Editor with Meta Quest Pro, PlayStation®VR2 and Magic Leap 2.To read more about the 2022.2 Tech Stream, check out the release notes for a comprehensive list of features and the Unity Manual for documentation. As you dive in, keep in mind that while each Tech Stream release is supported with weekly updates until the next one, there is no guarantee for long-term support for new features and remember to always back up your work prior to upgrading to a new version. The upgrade guide can also assist with this. For projects in production, we recommend using Unity Long Term Release for stability and support.Each Tech Stream is an opportunity to not only get early access to new features, but also to shape the development of future tech through your feedback. We want to hear how we can best serve you and your projects. Let us know how we’re doing on the forums, or share feedback directly with our product team through the Unity Platform Roadmap. You can also follow us on Twitter and catch our latest Unity Twitch Roundtable, covering 2022.2, on demand.This release completes our 2022 development cycle. We have ambitious goals for next year, which you can read about in our Games Focus series or watch in the recent Unite Roadmap session. Thank you for all your support, and we look forward to partnering with you every step of the way.

Old Enemies, New Alliances: Black Ops 6 Season 04 is Here! Though he once had the chance to end Vikhor “Stitch” Kuzmin’s reign of terror, Adler spared his nemesis after they met at the culmination of Black Ops Cold War. Latest intel reveals Kuzmin was later captured and locked up in an Icelandic CIA black site until he might prove useful. Following the events and evidence uncovered by the deceased CIA Agent Jason Hudson, that day has come, and in an unlikely team up, Adler and team have broken Stitch out from his confinement, seeking his help to crack the codenames needed to find the Pantheon moles. With Verdansk once again an area of operations for deployment, what other plans might Stitch have in store? For now, Adler needs him to complete the mission at hand.  To succeed, the two must put their past behind them in pursuit of a new goal. Get in on the action when this stacked offering of free and premium content comes to Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6, launching in Season 04 on Thursday, May 29 at 9AM PT across all platforms. Nomenclature Note: Throughout the blog, you’ll see references to when gameplay content launches. Here are what these various suffixes mean: “Launch”: Expect to access this content immediately at the Season launch “Launch Window”: Expect to access this content between launch and up to 72 hours after launch.  “In Season”: Expect to access this content during the season, but before either the mid-season or next season arrives. “Mid-Season”: Expect to access this content at Mid-Season or later. All content timing may be subject to change. Multiplayer Content Summary Five MP Maps: Drop into Icelandic AOs with three new maps at launch including the Shutdown and Fugitive 6v6 Core maps and the Blitz Strike map. In the mid-season, party it up in Eclipse and play a reimagined Fringe. New and Returning Modes: Pick up dog tags to drain the enemy’s reserves in Team Elimination, a fun new twist on the Kill Confirmed formula. Make every bullet count with the return of One in the Chamber and get festive in the Party Ops Limited-Time Mode. Additional Equipment: The Grim Reaper Scorestreak returns from the original Black Ops, offering an explosive payload that’s guaranteed to blow the competition sky high. Season 04 Ranked Play: Challenge the best of the best, get those wins, and climb the Ranks in a new season of Multiplayer Ranked Play, with all-new rewards and bragging rights. Shutdown (Launch) Brand-New, Core, 6v6, Small-Sized Before breaking out Stitch, Adler and team first need to cut off the power to the black site prison, bringing them to a hydroelectric plant built on the rugged volcanic terrain of Iceland. Fight in and around the central building housing the now wrecked Turbine or dive down the Sluice into the Lake, its waters hugging the plant’s south end by the Transformers. Jump up by the red container to target enemies from far out or swim back onshore to reach the Atrium and Parking. Head to the north side to fight in the rugged Yard, away from the shoreline and bookended by the Pumphouse and Canteen. It’s a quick run to the Turbine from here, giving you good map coverage down the middle. If things get too hot, you can always drop down the Chute and swim your way to safety.  Fugitive (Launch) Brand-New, Core, 6v6, Medium-Sized Deploy to a secret CIA black site in a remote part of Iceland, the very location where Stitch has been imprisoned until Adler brings him in as an unlikely ally for an urgent operation. With the power out, Adler and his crew seize their chance to infiltrate the prison, climbing, zipping, and battling their way through the frozen compound. Upon reaching their target, Adler and Stitch strike a deal. Following the jailbreak, the alarms are blaring and warnings of a power failure light up the Cell Block. Though the area may appear smaller than expected when first glancing at the minimap, the prison’s intricate layout presents multiple levels and shortcuts to the various outside areas including the Checkpoint, Courtyard, and Recreation Yard. In the upper Cell Block, newly opened cells present the danger of ambush. Be on guard and look for ziplines for quick access to your next target. Blitz (Launch) Brand-New, Strike, 6v6/2v2, Small-Sized Traffic comes to a halt as Pantheon reinforcements race toward the prison but get ambushed by the Rogue team. Leave the road and seek out targets over the rugged terrain of the Cliffside or move inland, ambushing enemies at the Waterfall. To approach the battle head on, move down the central Bridge, using the scattered convoy for cover. Jump down from the center to move underneath the Bridge, a great means of pivoting to a new location. Though a small map overall, Blitz’s long lanes leave room for marksmen to shine. Eclipse (Mid-Season) Brand-New, Strike, 6v6/2v2, Small-Sized Stitch and the team arrive in Avalon, slipping into the shadows of an underground nightclub to discuss business. The neon lights flicker as they form a plan to break the Pantheon codenames, but the meeting is cut short when Pantheon agents storm in. Show off your best moves on the dance floor, dodging shots and flanking targets down the sides where seating offers party goers a chance to rest and order a drink from the bar. Ambush passing enemies from the DJ booth and then break through the broken façades on the walls, escaping into the halls. Fringe (Mid-Season) Remaster, Core, 6v6, Medium-Sized Revisit Fringe from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, reimagined for the first time ever in Black Ops 6. Attend the grand opening of the Rolling Hills distillery, established in an idyllic setting with several navigable buildings and the surrounding grounds. Battle along the main Road or dive into the Bar for a closer fight. Watch for sharpshooters in the upper Barn and along the Bridge and relive the thrill of trying to make it out alive through the narrow Loading route. The first half of Season 04 brings two exciting Multiplayer modes: Team Elimination and One in the Chamber. In the mid-season, loosen up in the Party Ops Limited Time Mode. Team Elimination (Launch) In this twist on Kill Confirmed, two teams are given a limited amount of lives each round as they fight to be the last surviving team. Players drop a dog tag on death that can be picked up by the enemy to confirm the kill or by a teammate to deny the opposing team. Survive longer than the other team or hold the most remaining lives when the timer ends to win the round. Balance aggression and defense as you seek out enemy dog tags while preserving your life. Dig in with your teammates to counter enemy attacks and then ask for cover while you collect the droppings. Picking up tags is a great way to earn your next Scorestreak, so stay aggressive and keep up the momentum. Once your team’s life pool is drained, your remaining teammates can still revive you where you were last killed in a last-ditch effort to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. One in the Chamber (In-Season) Another Black Ops fan-favorite mode returns as One in the Chamber shows up in Season 04! In this free-for-all mode, each Operator is given one pistol, one bullet, a knife, and three lives. Precision is king, as bullets always eliminate on impact and the only way to earn another bullet is to get an elimination. Stay cool, aim true, and preserve your lives while aiming for the highest score. UAV scans keep the action moving, so don’t try to hide. At the end of the match, the top three scoring Operators will step up to the Winner’s Circle. Party Ops (Mid-Season) Get the party started with a new Limited-Time Mode arriving later in the season: Compete in a randomized set of party themed minigames. The player with the highest score at the end of the match wins it all. The devastating Grim Reaper Scorestreak is back from the original Black Ops, unleashing massive hits on other Operators and Scorestreaks alike. New Scorestreak Scorestreak: Grim Reaper (In-Season) Type: Lethal Score: 725 Mastery Badges: Yes Powerful semi-automatic launcher that can fire up to four rockets in one load. Wield the Grim Reaper, a quad tube loaded Launcher capable of inflicting heavy damage on enemies. Whether targeting Operators or locking on to enemy Scorestreaks, the Grim Reaper’s payload delivers a huge explosion. The weapon is lost if you’re taken out, so save it for the right moment and bring backup to ensure you have the protection needed to unleash havoc.  Season 04 Ranked Play Overview Prove you’re the very best by dedicating your Multiplayer match time to Ranked Play, using the same settings, maps, modes, and weapon restrictions used by the Call of Duty League™. Win matches to earn SR (Skill Rating) and progress through the Ranks while earning career rewards like Rank Skins and Win Challenge rewards. As usual, match wins ensure you progress through the Ranks throughout Season 04 to earn new seasonal rewards like a new Pro Issue Weapon Blueprint, Rank-themed Calling Cards, Ranked Charms, and more: Season 04 Ranked Play Rewards Get 10 Wins: “Pro Reissue AMES 85” AMES 85 Weapon Blueprint Get 100 Wins: “Ranked Season 4 – 100 Wins” Large Decal Silver: “Ranked Season 4 – Silver” Calling Card Gold: “Ranked Season 4 – Gold” Calling Card and Charm Platinum: “Ranked Season 4 – Platinum” Calling Card and Charm Diamond: “Ranked Season 4 – Diamond” Calling Card and Charm Crimson: “Ranked Season 4 – Crimson” Calling Card and Charm Iridescent: “Ranked Season 4 – Iridescent” Calling Card and Charm Top 250: “Ranked Season 4 – Top 250” Calling Card and Charm Season 04 Champion: “Ranked Season 4 – Top 250 Champion” Calling Card Note: Multiplayer Events: Check the General section later in this blog to uncover the full complement of events for this mode across Season 04. Zombies Content Summary Grief Returns! Drop into this epic 4v4 competitive battle on all maps, outlasting the opposition while securing Capture Zones to debuff and Grief your opponents. The last team still standing wins! Additional Gameplay Content: Crack open the armored undead and create area-of-effect explosions with the Shatter Blast Ammo Mod, chew over the impressive effects of three new GobbleGums, and create even bigger explosions with the Grim Reaper Support launcher. New Modes and More: Unlock hidden rewards with more Dark Ops Challenges, then prepare to face down a powered-up Abomination, survive as long as you can in the Starting Room LTM, and prove your Leaderboard worth by zombie slaying for bragging rights and rewards! 4v4 competitive mode where two teams outwit and outlast each other. Capture zones to debuff enemies. No damage against other players. Respawns every third round. Available Maps: Liberty Falls, Terminus, Citadelle des Morts, The Tomb, Shattered Veil. Restricted: Wonder Weapons, GobbleGums: Exit Strategy, Idle Eyes, Wonderbar!, Time Out, and Flavor Hex (Season 04 GobbleGum).  Not seen since Black Ops 2, Grief returns to Zombies! This fan-favorite mode pits two teams of four against each other, with both sides vying to out-survive the other. As the battlelines are drawn between S.A.M. and Director Richtofen, each team pledges their support to one of these rivals at the start of a match, subsequently receiving handler comms support from one of them throughout the ensuing chaos. Indirect PvP Combat The action is almost immediate as both teams drop into either side of the same Grief Arena within the chosen Zombies map, and indirect PvP combat comes into effect: The two teams of four players can’t outright kill members of the enemy team, but can interact with them by body-blocking, or slowing them  by using melee, bullet-based weapons, or projectiles.  Victory Conditions: The winning team is the one that manages to “Grief” their rivals into being killed or entering a downed state. As long as one or more team members are upright, the match continues! Grief Arena Features The action is constant and can get incredibly chaotic, due in part to your proximity to your opponents and the hordes of undead encroaching on your team, thanks to the Arena being a sub-section of the main Zombies map. These are known as “Grief Arenas.” Within a Grief Arena are a variety of features: An Open Environment: Grief Arenas are clearly defined areas where any critical doors have already been opened, and the power will already have been turned on. All other Door Buys are inactive. Both teams spawn on opposite sides of the Arena, each in a group of four. Player Respawning: Any team members that are downed – provided one or more of their team are still alive – can be revived at any time, though rival teams, undead enemies, and Shock Charges can hamper this action! Additionally, a Wave Respawner triggers every third round, automatically reviving any eliminated teammates from both teams. Join In Progress: Any player not in the game can join up until Round 10 has been completed and has a small grace period to orient themselves before they’re swarmed by zombies. Additionally, if a team has won back-to-back Capture Zones (see below), join-in-progress is not available. Essence and Salvage: Unlike in Standard playlists, Salvage pickups in Grief are worth 100 Salvage, visible to all players, and can only be picked up by the first player to grab it. Zombies: Rounds will progress faster than usual and the amount of zombies per round has been increased to account for 8 players! All undead entities – except for bosses – are to be expected. If players fail to kill zombies, the round will turn. Core Mechanics: The Arsenal, Pack-a-Punch, Mystery Box, Crafting Tables, Perk machines, GobbleGum machine (with Exit Strategy, Idle Eyes, Wonderbar!, Time Out, and Flavor Hex restricted), Armor Wall Buys, and Der Wunderfizz machine are available in a Grief Arena where they normally reside, or in a new location if they don’t normally exist in this portion of their respective maps. Note: While the current GobbleGum restrictions are in place to keep matches dynamic yet balanced, additional restrictions may be made in the future as the developers keep an eye on game balance, similar to Ranked Play. Capture Zones: Appearing at a regular cadence during a match, these are smaller areas within a Grief Arena where players are required to stand and earn specific types of kills to trigger a Grief  on the opposing team. Plan A: Survive! Plan B: Capture Zones! Keeping your team upright and focused on undead slaying for longer than your rivals is the main plan in this mode. However, there’s an important secondary focus you need to plan for: Capturing zones and “Griefing” your rival team! Capture Zones appear at regular intervals throughout a match, and after stepping through the glowing perimeter, you and your team can secure the Zone by staying inside it and dispatching zombies. Beckon your crew into a Zone to quicken the zombie slaying, and once your kill count meets the requirement, a Grief is triggered on the opposition. Note that if neither team reaches this requirement within the countdown inside a Capture Zone, the Grief is applied to both teams. What is a Grief? It’s a temporary debuff, penalty, or negative gameplay mechanic that you can inflict on your rival team at a Capture Zone. The type of Grief is shown at the objective tracker within a Capture Zone. Here are the possible Griefs you’re aiming to inflict on your foes: Weapon Nerf: The affected players inflict considerably reduced damage to zombie enemies. Ammo Drain: All ammo-based weapons, including those stowed, receive an ammo drain with bullets or shells being removed constantly while the Grief is active. Zombie Ambush: An Elite zombie is summoned, and it solely focuses its killing power on the enemy team until either the Elite or the team are defeated, or the timer runs out. Weapon Carousel: The rival players’ weapons are randomly swapped every few seconds. Frozen: This Grief reduces the enemy players’ movement, along with frost and ice coating the characters. Griefs and Capture Zones also introduce new score types, including: Capture Zone Kill: Awarded to a player who defeated a zombie type during a successful Capture Zone completion. Capture Zone Win: Awarded to all players on a team who successfully commandeer a Capture Zone. Capture Zone Elite Kill: Awarded to a player who slays an Elite spawned in a Capture Zone. Available Grief Arenas (11 Arenas, Launch) A total of 11 different Grief Arenas are available in this mode. Here’s a list along with a brief description of the points of interest within each one: Liberty Falls Arena 1: Pump & Pay, Motor Lodge, and Fuller’s Liberty Lanes Liberty Falls Arena 2: Dark Aether Church, Cemetery, Hilltop Terminus Arena 1: Bio Lab Terminus Arena 2: Crab Island  Citadelle des Morts Arena: Courtyard, Ramparts, and Entrance Hall The Tomb Arena 1: Dig Site, Mausoleum The Tomb Arena 2: Dark Aether Nexus Shattered Veil Arena 1: Garden Pond, Lower Terrace Shattered Veil Arena 2: Upper Terrace, Shem’s Henge, Motor Court Shattered Veil Arena 3: Mansion Foyer, Overlook, East Foyer, Library Shattered Veil Arena 4: West Hallways, Southwest Balcony, Bottlery Access the following new content within all five Zombies Maps (unless otherwise stated) throughout Season 04: Dark Ops Challenges (Launch) A mysterious new set of hidden Calling Cards and bounteous amounts of XP are available at the start of Season 04, thanks to a fresh drop of Zombies Dark Ops Challenges. Who knows... maybe there’s even one for Grief. All further information is [[REDACTED]]. New LTM: Starting Room (Mid-Season) Inspired by the starting room in the classic “Moon” Zombies map, drop in with up to three of your Zombies crew into a more straightforward but challenging experience where you’re locked into the first zone of a map. Raptor One is gone, and those undead hordes are only getting stronger, but all doors in the initial zone are locked. Survive to the highest round you can! New LTM: Abomination Challenge (Mid-Season) Enter a warped version of Liberty Falls during this new Mid-Season Event, and hunt down an ultra-powered-up Abomination. Perhaps it’s wise to bring backup. Wreck even the most battle-hardened undead threat with the explosive power of the Shatter Blast Ammo Mod, then drop even more devastating firepower on the hordes with the Grim Reaper Support launcher. There’s three new chewables, too! Ammo Mod: Shatter Blast (Launch) Available: Augments Menu, and In-Game (Pause Menu) “Bullets deal explosive damage. Each bullet has a chance to create an explosion that destroys armor.” Modify your ammunition to explode the toughened armor of certain normal and Special undead enemies. This mod also has a second benefit, creating an area-of-effect blast radius at the same time, whether any armor is shattered or not.  Due to the somewhat chaotic nature of this modification, there is a random chance of the Shatter Blast effect triggering, and it won’t happen every time you fire. Also expect a cooldown period after the effect. Note that Shatter Blast doesn’t directly affect Elite enemies (pending some Augment research!), but area-of-effect explosions can still damage them. You are wise to wrangle your undead into hordes so they’re near each other, to really inflict some damage! Shatter Blast: Major Augments Research the following Augments to further customize this Ammo Mod. Big Game Shatter Blast can be used against Elite enemies. Expect an impressively sized explosion. Blast Chain On explosion, three additional explosions occur in rapid succession. Blast Repair For every enemy that has its armor destroyed by Shatter Blast, armor health will be restored for the player. Shatter Blast: Minor Augments Blast Zone Increase the size of the explosion. Blast Boost Increase the explosion damage. Blast Wave Normal enemies are knocked down by the explosion. New GobbleGums (Launch) Crack your teeth on three new GobbleGums, available across all maps once you earn or unlock them and equip them in your GobbleGum Loadout Pack. Explosive Flourish (Epic): Reloading your weapon creates an explosion around you. GobbleGum lasts 2 minutes. Flavor Hex (Legendary): Activates a random Ultra GobbleGum. Rainburps (Whimsical): Zombies killed belch sparkly rainbow bubbles. Lasts 3 minutes. Additional Support Weapon: Grim Reaper (In-Season) Available: Rivals Event reward Salvage: 2000 Hammer away at the Crafting Table and assemble a powerful semi-automatic launcher known as the Grim Reaper, which deals out lethal damage to the undead with up to a quartet of missiles fired in one load. With a capacity to carry up to a dozen rockets, and the ability to fire them individually or as a quartet of devastation, this can level a courtyard of undead with a single launch! Unlock this Support weapon once you’ve earned it via the Rivals Event. Note: Zombies Events: Check the General section later in this blog to uncover a first look at events for this mode across Season 04, including the King of the Dead Leaderboard challenge! Call of Duty: Warzone Content Summary New Point of Interest: The towering skyscraper known as The Overlook comes to Downtown Verdansk, with ziplines, cranes, and an impressive interior to explore. New and Limited Time Modes: Clash mode – the massive 52v52 Verdansk Deathmatch – is back! Join 51 other Operators in a chaotic firefight to claim domination points and defeat foes. Then compete in a specially themed area of Verdansk in a match with rule-bending modifiers in Havoc Royale. And drop into Rebirth Island for a spot of Resurgence Casual human and bot combat. Doubling Down on Ranked Play: Call of Duty: Warzone doubles down – literally – with two separate Ranked Play modes; Battle Royale: Ranked (Verdansk) at launch running throughout the entire season, and the return of Ranked Play to Rebirth Island at Mid-season. New Features: Cranes and horizontal ziplines Downtown. Lobby Lockdown in The Overlook. Look up and look out!  Dominate foes with a gigantic new skyscraper point of interest, available to Operators within the vicinity of Downtown! The old tenement blocks, Burger Town, and SKN Comm tower have been demolished, and construction crews are finalizing a sprawling skyscraper that dominates the landscape! Look for a full recon tour below. Recon Tour: The Overlook As construction nears completion on this behemoth of a skyscraper (more than twice the height of any previous building within the Verdansk conurbation), it’s worth gaining a tactical advantage on this monolithic new point of interest. The Overlook Footprint: The “Diamond” and Perimeter Security Checkpoints Drop into the grounds of The Overlook, and you’ll immediately see the grounds of the new skyscraper under construction stretch in a rough diamond shape around the location of the old SKN Comm Tower. Flanked by two massive cranes, the building plot perimeter runs from the corner of the main bank, clockwise past the Post Office, passing the Rothwynn Donna building, northeast to the Museum/Art Gallery, and follows the road around to City Hall.  All the older structures (the Burger Town, low-rise tenement blocks, the building site, and the small coffee shop and bar across from the Museum) have been bulldozed in the name of progress! Perimeter Security Checkpoints Military-style security checkpoints have been set up on the corners and roads of the plot of land within the footprint of the structure. Most aren’t secure enough to impede vehicular progress, and some have ramps to allow airborne access. These serve as helpful visual cues that you’re entering the new POI, The Overlook.  Ground Level: Construction Sites Most of the groundwork around the skyscraper is in its final stages of completion, but there are plenty of barriers, fencing, canopies, and containers to use as cover in the area below each of the two giant cranes north and south of the structure. Ground Level: Restaurants Burger Town: Fans of the famous Burger Town Double Cheeseburger will be thrilled to know the fast-food chain has relocated a few meters further down the road from its previous location and is contained within the massive footprint of The Overlook. This outlet also serves as a lower entrance into the grand foyer interior of the building. Sushi Bar: Diagonally opposite the Burger Town, on the northwest side of the POI, is a small Sushi bar, within the footprint of the tower itself. Nestled in the stepped courtyard, you can quickly advance to the north crane or main lobby entrance. It’s also worth pointing out that the sight lines around this POI have significantly changed since Season 03, with much greater visibility across familiar POIs within Downtown and the surrounding districts. North and South Cranes Two huge cranes flank the north and south side of the monolith and are another way to traverse into The Overlook at great height. With five separate platforms attached to the mast to land on (two at ground, and three at height), use the vertical Ascender built into the crane’s mast and take an eight-second ascent to a platform just below the jib that extends out to the main winch, and the hoist allowing a jump to The Overlook roof. Operators who aren’t challenged by vertigo will have wild and panoramic views that extend to all of Verdansk’s POIs (except Quarry)! Both cranes are also functional, and providing you’ve found the necessary controls in the vicinity (both on and off the cranes’ superstructures), cargo on the hook block and hoist can be summoned and moved to various locations around the tower and nearby Downtown buildings, in case you or your team needs a daring lift! Zip Lines and Additional Rooftop Cover Increasing the ways you can quickly traverse and gain (or lose) great height in your tactical positioning near The Overlook exterior, zip-lines provide a diagonal route to and from the surrounding Downtown building rooftops.  Each also has a small billboard or other protective cover as you reach the zipline mechanism. Access to and from Overlook at the following locations: South: Post Office rooftop to Skydeck. West: Rothwynn Donna building rooftop to Skydeck. Northeast: Art Gallery/Museum rooftop to Skydeck. East: City Hall dome rooftop to Skydeck.  The Overlook: Entrance and Lobby Lockdown The Overlook has a substantial exterior and interior presence, mainly tiered fountains, planting, and stairs up to forecourts and shuttered entrances to the north, east, south, and west, all leading to a central interior lobby. If you find the main entrances shuttered, it means the lobby is experiencing a lockdown. Perhaps there’s a way to breach this security? Are there other ways to get in? The interior lobby has a coffee shop, mezzanine office, stairs, a variety of cover options, and other areas to investigate, not least the marginally terrifying 18-storey elevator ascenders to the northeast and southwest, and even those only get you halfway up the inside of the tower. The Overlook: Atrium and Skydeck (Interior, Exterior) Just above the midway point within The Overlook tower is a five-floor interior with exterior Skydeck. Depending on your use of ziplines, you’re able to access a large Atrium with concrete tile and planters and an abundance of plant life. Around the perimeter are rooms, stairwells, and two new elevator shafts, all enabling you to reach the exterior Skydeck. Known by some locals as the “cyclops” tower, due to this large central upper opening you can fly a helicopter through, the Skydeck features a small glass pyramid, some windswept seating, and infiltration to the floors above.  The large, rectangular holes on all four sides provide zipline access around Downtown, as well as daring helicopter maneuvers through the gaps. The ascent doesn’t end here; enter any of the four pillars holding up the roof of the skyscraper for another elevator ascender ride. The Overlook: Penthouse (Interior), Roof (Exterior) The remaining upper floors of The Overlook are nearing completion, meaning health and safety rules aren’t being observed as stringently as you’d like. Top floors up from the Skydeck is the roof. Missing windows, exterior gantries without railings, and exposed exterior ladders mean you’ll be thankful for your parachute.  Depending on which of the tower corners you’re fighting through, this offers another five floors to investigate, including rooms that are fully furnished.  These include a security and server room, a two-floor penthouse level with opulent bedroom, kitchen, and games area, and that’s before the more perturbed of Operators learn the secrets of the [[REDACTED]] room!  As well as the usual Battle Royale and Resurgence playlists across Verdansk and Rebirth Island, major modes – Clash and Battle Royale: Ranked Play – return to the game, with the intriguing Havoc Royale and the arrival of Resurgence: Ranked Play on Rebirth Island at mid-season! Clash LTM (Launch) 104 players (52v52), 15-minute matches 52v52 Team Deathmatch chaos is back in Call of Duty: Warzone! First introduced into Call of Duty: Warzone during Season Five of Black Ops Cold War back in September 2021 as a revamped version of the original “Rumble” mode, Clash is back, bigger than ever, and now includes some impressive, game-changing equipment and power-ups only available in this mode. But what is Clash Mode? This is Team Deathmatch and Domination on a massive scale! Overview, Win Conditions, and Scoring This action-packed team-based mode takes place in and around a specific POI within Verdansk, and pits two teams of 52 players (divided into 13 Quad Squads per side) against each other. With no Circle Collapse, no last stand benefit for the Survivor Perk, and your Loadouts available immediately, the plan is simple; your side needs to acquire 500 points by the end of the 15-minute time limit. These are mainly gained by slaying enemies (sometimes aided with power ups you can acquire within a match), completing contracts, and participating in the in-game Public Events, as well as the following: Scoring: 1 point per enemy elimination 2 points per enemy elimination with Double Down Power Up 5 points per Contract completed 10 points for capturing a Domination Point (Flag) 10 points for capturing a Bonus Crate or a Cash Crate Clash: Available Locations Expect Clash matches to occur across a sub-section of the main Verdansk map, incorporating several adjacent areas around the following POIs: Quarry Boneyard Farmland Promenade (East) Clash: Available Vehicles With the impetus to reach the enemy forces never more important, expect heavy use of vehicles throughout a Clash Match. The full complement of currently available ground and air vehicles are as follows: Heli Cargo Truck LTV (Light Tactical Vehicle) Polaris RZR Pro R 4 Available Contracts There are three available Contracts to complete in Clash Mode: Scavenger Search and Destroy Recon The Scavenger and Recon Contracts work in the same way as they do in Battle Royale Matches. In addition to the usual rewards and in-game cash, you receive five team points for each Contract completed. Search and Destroy Contracts (Clash Mode Only): Everything must go with this new contract, where one team plants a bomb on a Buy Station, and on detonation, they can earn impressive rarity weapons and items from the Buy Stations’ inventory. The other teams can defuse the bomb to earn a Fire Sale for a major discount from the Buy Stations.  Expect the Search and Destroy Contract to be available in Battle Royale, Resurgence, and Plunder Modes, at Mid-Season. In-Match Events and Domination Points During a Clash match, expect several in-match Events to occur. These are like those in Battle Royale Matches, though Clash Events are timed throughout the match rather than related to the Circle Collapse. The available Events are: Domination Points Bonus Points Crates Clash Firesale Cash Crates Power Surge Domination Points Event: Up to three single capture Dom Points (flags) appear on the map, and these respawn throughout the match. Much like the Multiplayer Mode of the same name, a team that reaches and captures one of the Dom Points receives a reward; in this case, 10 team points. Bonus Points Crates Event: A cargo plane flies across the center of the map, and up to four crates are dropped. Teams are likely to head to the crates as they float to the ground, as capturing a crate awards you with 10 team points. Clash Firesale Event: For the next two minutes, all players can take advantage of a Firesale as two Portable Buy Stations are dropped into the backfield of each team (a total of four). Additionally, all loot crates are restocked and cash found in crates is also increased.  Cash Crates: Capture one (or more) of the three Cash Crates that drop during this event also nets you 10 team points. Power Surge Event: For the next two minutes, there’s an increased drop rate of Power Ups when you dispatch an enemy player or loot any ground caches. Clash Mode Gameplay Features As well as the previously mentioned new Search and Destroy Contract, Clash comes loaded with features unique to the mode. Here’s the full run-down of what to expect: Buy Stations (Clash Mode only): Expect Buy Stations to be scattered across a Clash map and roughly split between each team’s area of operations. Portable Buy Stations are also available during the Firesale In-Match Event. Here’s what you can purchase: Armor Plate: $500 Munitions Box: $1,000 Trophy System: $1,500 Counter UAV: $3,000 Sentry Turret: $3,000 Hand Cannon: $4,000 Bunker Buster: $4,000 Cluster Strike: $4,000 Precision Airstrike: $6,000 Specialist Perk: $10,000 New Field Upgrade: Door Barricade (Clash Mode at Season Launch): Control access points more easily during mid or close-quarter combat scenarios and delay enemy incursions with the Door Barricade. Fit a barricade to a close single or double door, and a heavy-duty lock attaches to (and is visible on) both sides, preventing the opening or access through the door. This is until the barricade is either removed (only by the Operator or squadmates who fitted it), or destroyed, usually by using explosives, though gunfire and melee equipment is also an option. Expect the Door Barricade to be loot in Battle Royale and Battle Royale Casual Modes, via the new Care Package Killstreak, all coming at Mid-Season. New Killstreak: Hand Cannon (Clash Mode at Season Launch): This high-powered pistol Killstreak, originally available in Multiplayer during Season 01, is available in ground cache as rare loot. Expect a slow rate of fire and finite ammunition, but good handling, and improved hip fire accuracy with faster hip-fire shooting speed. Expect the Hand Cannon to be rare loot in Battle Royale, Battle Royale Casual, Resurgence, and Plunder Modes, via the new Care Package Killstreak, all coming at Mid-Season. Feature: SAM Turrets (Clash Mode only): Chopper and drone pilots take note; Clash mode maps feature SAM Turrets in various tactical positions across the environment. Spend $1,500 of in-match cash to activate these anti-air missile batteries and use them up to four times to target any aircraft and drones in the area. If you’re flying in the Heli on the receiving end of a SAM barrage, now’s the time to utilize flares to counter the incoming missiles! Train (Clash Mode only): If a Clash map features a portion of the large, circular railroad track that the train travels along, then this hulking engine and loot-filled carriages are parked and available to use as added cover and looting opportunities. UAV Towers (Clash Mode only): Providing you have the $2,000 in-match cash to activate them, teams can head to and capture a few scattered UAV Towers, allowing pinging of enemy movement across the local area. Clash Mode Powerups  Clash Mode features five differently hued in-match Powerups that are automatically used when found. Available as a possible loot drop or sometimes appearing as dropped loot near the body of an eliminated enemy Operator, these Powerups are color-coded and offer temporary benefits to the Operator who grabs them. All five can be obtained in a single match and expect the frequency of available Powerups to be significantly increased if the in-match Power Surge Event activates (usually in the final stages of a match). Here’s what each of the five Clash Powerups grant you: Hunter (Red Aura): Highlights enemies and allies in red and blue respectively. Allies are visible through walls. Applies Tracker and High Alert Perks. Speed Boost (Yellow Aura): Prevents fall damage and provides approximately 20 percent speed boost to your movement. Regeneration Aura (Green Aura): Refills your health and armor at roughly 20 percent per second. Allies within a small radius around you also receive this benefit. The effect does not stack. Double Down (Blue Aura): Grants you two points per enemy Operator elimination instead of one. Kill Mag (Purple Aura): Refills your active weapon magazine after a kill and quickens your reload. Havoc Royale LTM (Mid-Season) 44 players (Quads), 15-minute matches Compete in a Call of Duty: Warzone match like no other, where rule bending modifiers twist the realities of the usual Resurgence gameplay in chaotic and game-changing ways.  Drop into a specially themed area of Verdansk with your Loadout. Every new gas circle activates a different modifier. Adapt fast to sudden changes as Havoc modifiers may impact you, the environment, and even the gameplay rules. Survive the Havoc, be the last team standing, and claim victory! Expect a full rundown of this game mode in the Season 04 Reloaded blog, just prior to Mid-season. Resurgence Casual (Mid-Season) 44 Players, Players & Bots Infil into Rebirth Island with your squad and commit to winning using the regular Resurgence ruleset, but with one important twist; some of your adversaries aren’t human! Whether facing down a bot or not, Resurgence Casual is a great mode to drop into whether you’re warming up, teaching a new player about the game, or you’re wanting a Resurgence match that isn’t quite as extreme as normal. As with Battle Royale Casual or Call of Duty: Warzone Bootcamp, game progression is limited in this mode and results will not count towards or against your stats. This mode also doesn’t count towards your eligibility to accessing Resurgence Ranked Play when it arrives at Mid-Season. Grind your way towards a coveted position in the Top 250 as Battle Royale: Ranked Play becomes the first of two Ranked Play variants to drop in Season 04 within Call of Duty: Warzone. Harness the competitive spirit and earn new rewards for ranking up and advancing through the Skill Divisions, unlocking the following rewards as you go: Season 04 BR Ranked Play Rewards First Season Win: Weapon Charm Get 25 Eliminations: Elimination Sticker Get 100 Eliminations: Elimination Weapon Camo Get 250 Eliminations: Elimination LR 7.62 Weapon Blueprint Silver: “Ranked Season 4 – Silver” Emblem Gold: “Ranked Season 4 – Gold” Emblem and Decal Platinum: “Ranked Season 4 – Platinum” Emblem and Decal Diamond: “Ranked Season 4 – Diamond” Emblem and Decal Crimson: “Ranked Season 4 – Crimson” Emblem and Decal Iridescent: “Ranked Season 4 – Iridescent” Emblem and Decal Top 250: “Ranked Season 4 – Top 250” Emblem and Decal Season 04 Champion: “Ranked Season 4 – Top 250 Champion” Emblem Ranked Play: Resurgence (Mid-Season) Trios, Rebirth Island Craving some real competition on Rebirth Island? Then squad up with your winning Trio, and attempt dominance over the very best players as Resurgence Ranked Play makes its triumphant return! Expect the same rules set you remember during the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare® III era, and an expanded look at this returning, fan-favorite mode in the Season 04 Reloaded blog, just prior to Mid-season. Ranked Play Notes: Battle Royale: Ranked Play (Verdansk) runs from Launch Window throughout the entirety of Season 04. Resurgence: Ranked Play (Rebirth Island) begins at Mid-Season, and runs alongside Battle Royale: Ranked Play, meaning you can play one or both Modes when they are active. The ranking is separate from Battle Royale: Ranked Play. A new Contract, Field Upgrade, Killstreak, Perk, and ATV are all set to drop into Verdansk during Season 04: Clash Mode Features Expansion (Mid-Season) After an evaluation period in Call of Duty: Warzone’s Clash Mode, expect the following new equipment to become available across additional modes at mid-season. Here’s what to expect: Contract: Search & Destroy: Battle Royale, Resurgence, Plunder. Field Upgrade: Door Barricade: Battle Royale, Battle Royale Casual Modes. Available via Care Package. Killstreak: Hand Cannon: Battle Royale, Battle Royale Casual, and Plunder Modes. Available via Care Package. Killstreak: Care Package (Mid-Season) Open ground loot caches for a rare chance to obtain the Care Package, a throwable Killstreak that, when lobbed, explodes into trail of smoke, after which a loadout-sized crate falls from the skies. Open this crate for a chance to obtain rare loot including rare equipment, the Specialist Perk, and more. New Perk: Loot Master (Mid-Season) Available only as Ground Loot during Resurgence and Plunder matches, the Loot Master Perk allows you to maximize your scavenging potential and gear up faster by increasing the amount of loot you find while opening caches. Gain the early advantage or sustain yourself during prolonged engagements. Expect an increased drop rate for equipped weapon ammo, a higher chance to find tacticals and lethals, more cash, and a greater chance at field upgrades, killstreaks, and other high-tier gear. ATV: Polaris Sportsman XP 1000 (Launch) Added to the vehicle pool is the Polaris Sportsman XP 1000, a real wild ride allowing you to hit the Verdansk goat trails in comfort with legendary suspension, great clearance and traction, and versatility for positioning up to three Operators on the surface of the vehicle. Compared to the current ATV, the wheelbase and size of the Sportsman XP 1000 offers more stability than ever before.  Note: Call of Duty: Warzone Events: Check the General section later in this blog to uncover the full complement of events for this mode across Season 04. General Content (MP, ZM, WZ) Call of Duty: General Content Summary (All Modes and Games) Weapons Detail: Five new weapons arrive in Season 04, including two at launch: the LC10 SMG and FFAR 1 Assault Rifle. Later in the season, get your hands on the , Essex Model 07 Marksman Rifle, Olympia Special weapon and Pickaxe Melee weapon, and change up your playstyle with new attachments. The Events Horizon: Season 04 is packed with Events, including Rivals, Ballerina (From the World of John Wick), and even more coming mid-season.. Plus, prove your worth across the Zombies leaderboards and become King of the Dead! Battle Pass and BlackCell: The Season 04 Battle Pass brings Stitch and brutal BlackCell Operator Omen to the forefront alongside new Weapon Blueprints, Operator Skins, Calling Cards, Finishing Moves, Emotes, and more in a mix of free and premium tiers. Free tiers include two new base weapons and the G-Grip Tactical Foregrip. Season 04 Operators: Stitch returns after being freed from prison, headlining the new Battle Pass next to the sinister Omen leading BlackCell. Plus, deploy as assassin Eve Macarro in a collaboration with Ballerina, followed by much more at the mid-season. CDL Announcements: Major IV is almost here! Find out where to watch, plus the in-game rewards you can unlock, just for tuning in! Primary Weapon: LC10 (Launch) SMG, Battle Pass Page 3, Page 14 Battle Pass Blueprint Levels: 38 MAGS: 4 MAG SIZE: 34 Mastery Badges: Yes Attachments: Optic, Muzzle, Barrel, Underbarrel, Magazine, Rear Grip, Stock, Laser, Fire Mods Customize Options: Skins, Camos and Reticle Unlocks (MP, ZM, WZ), Accessories (1), Decals (1), Stickers (3). Full-auto submachine gun. Excellent accuracy and range, with a moderate rate of fire. Average mobility and very slow handling for its class. Returning after its debut in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the LC10 SMG spits out rounds fast coupled with good accuracy and range, moderate damage, and a quick reload to get you back into the fight. The weapon performs well off the hip or down sights, with 34 rounds in the base magazine for a hefty ammo supply. Via Gunsmith, equip a variety of improvements such as a Laser for improved hipfire spread and an updated Barrel to further extend the weapon’s respectable damage range. Primary Weapon: FFAR 1 (Launch) Assault Rifle, Battle Pass Page 6, Page 11 HVT Tier Battle Pass Blueprint Levels: 42 MAGS: 3 MAG SIZE: 30 Mastery Badges: Yes Attachments: Optic, Muzzle, Barrel, Underbarrel, Magazine, Rear Grip, Stock, Laser, Fire Mods Customize Options: Skins, Camo and Reticle Unlocks (MP, ZM, WZ), Accessories (1), Decals (1), Stickers (3).  Full-auto assault rifle. Very high rate of fire and excellent CQB power, but slower handling and mobility. Boasting a blazing fast fire rate that rivals the SMG weapon class, this bullpup Assault Rifle is designed for taking down targets fast. The somewhat unpredictable recoil favors burst fire when tackling distant targets, but once you’re locked on it’s all over for them. Supporting a variety of Underbarrel Launcher attachments, use Gunsmith to add greater versatility to the weapon. Running low on ammo? Grab an Extended Mag while you’re at it. Primary Weapon: Essex Model 07 (In-Season) Marksman Rifle, Event Reward Levels: 38 MAGS: 3 MAG SIZE: 8 Mastery Badges: Yes Attachments: Optic, Muzzle, Barrel, Underbarrel, Magazine, Lever, Stock, Laser, Fire Mods Customize Options: Skins, Camo and Reticle Unlocks (MP, ZM, WZ), Accessories (1), Decals (1), Stickers (3). Lever-action marksman rifle. High damage potential. Balanced by slower rate of fire and handling. Inflict heavy critical point damage with this lever-action tactical rifle. An ideal tool for the new sheriff in town, this classic armament offers smooth handling with shots that quickly recenter after kicking up. Choose from a variety of Levers to further customize the weapon’s action, improving ADS speed, sprint to fire speed, and other movement abilities.  Special Weapon: Olympia (Mid-Season) Special, Event Reward Levels: 30 MAGS: 8 MAG SIZE: 2 Mastery Badges: Yes Attachments: Barrel, Stock Customize Options: Skins, Camos (MP, ZM, WZ), Accessories (1), Decals (1), Stickers (3). Double-barrel shotgun. Very high damage and respectable range but requires frequent reloading. The double-barrel Olympia – not seen since Black Ops 3 – makes its debut in Black Ops 6, returning as a Special Weapon that makes for the perfect backup when entering tight spaces. The Olympia holds two shots at a time, each spraying multiple pellets when your Operator pulls the trigger. Light customization via the Short Barrel and Cut-Off Stock attachments gives you some control over the weapon’s playstyle, but the fundamentals remain the same: get up close and make your shots count. Fire down the sight for a tighter pellet spread or shoot off the hip to inflict damage over a wider area. Melee Weapon: Pickaxe (Mid-Season) Melee, Event Reward Levels: 30 Mastery Badges: Yes Attachments: None Customize Options: Skins. One-hit kill. Medium attack speed. Short range. Without a Pickaxe, you’ll be lost in the tundra. Bring the right tool for the job when deploying to Iceland in Season 04’s Multiplayer maps, starting with this deadly Melee weapon that downs unarmored enemies with brutal severity. Though its range is short, the Pickaxe’s combination of rapid slashes and overhead swipes will keep enemies frozen in their tracks. Close the distance and say farewell. G-Grip (Launch) SMGs (except PP-19), Assault Rifles, Battle Pass Page 7 Reward Vertical foregrip with integrated laser for improved firing stability, horizontal recoil control, and tightened spread when transitioning between hipfire and aiming down sights. Beam: Blue. Blocks Laser attachments. Stryder .22 3-Round Burst Mod (Launch) Stryder .22 Pistol, Event Reward Convert the Stryder .22 into a 3-round burst. Drastically improves fire rate and maintains manageable gun kick but alters the weapon’s damage profile outside of the effective range. SVD Full Auto Mod (In-Season) SVD Sniper Rifle, Event Reward Convert the SVD from semi-auto to full-auto functionality, ramping up the speed of your damage output and drastically improving recoil and handling. TR2 CQB Auto Conversion (In-Season) TR2 Marksman Rifle, Event Reward Alter the TR2 Marksman Rifle to fire handgun caliber rounds, resulting in a Marksman Rifle with a compact frame and fully automatic capabilities that rival fire rates of an SMG! Stitch Returns to Action in the Season 04 Battle Pass Stitch returns to the fray, leading this season’s Battle Pass content in a shocking team up with Adler. Purchase the Season 04 Battle Pass for 1,100 COD Points or the Season 04 Battle Pass Bundle for 2,400 COD Points to immediately unlock the Instant Rewards Page of the Battle Pass, including the following items: 10% Battle Pass XP Boost The new “Supermax” Stitch Operator and “Supermax BlackCell” Stitch Operator Skin for those who purchase BlackCell The “Lock Up” Legendary Blueprint for the Feng 82 LMG The “Try Me!” Emote The “Untamable” Large Decal Start to unlock up to 1,100 COD Points as you progress through the Battle Pass The Season 04 Battle Pass includes over 110 pieces of unlockable content (excluding BlackCell) including two new Base Weapons, the G-Grip Tactical Foregrip Attachment, and several unlockable mil-sim style skins for Bailey, Payne, Grey, Caine, Brutus, Toro, Adler, Nazir, and Marshall. Stay tuned for the BlackCell, Battle Pass and Store Bundles blog prior to Season 04 launch for more details. BlackCell Offerings When the job needs to get done, summon Omen, the otherworldly Operator leading BlackCell content in Season 04. The menacing Operator and his three-headed guard dog are joined by a cast of infected, black and purple-hued Operator Skins and Weapon Blueprints earned exclusively through BlackCell. BlackCell owners can access the Season 04 Battle Pass via the exclusive BlackCell Page, instantly unlocking the following items: The “Omen” BlackCell Operator and Skin 10% XP Boost 1,100 COD Points The “Guard Dog” Companion Finishing Move The “Hellblock” Mastercraft Blueprint for the Ladra SMG The “Kill Tally” Gun Screen The “BlackCell” Clan Tag (showcased in Lobbies and Winner’s Circles) BlackCell owners get access to page after page of additional exclusive rewards within the Season 04 Battle Pass, including: Seven BlackCell-exclusive skins for Stitch (two skins), Bailey, Payne, Caine, Brutus, and Adler.  Seven BlackCell-exclusive Weapon Blueprints for the Krig C (Assault Rifle), XMG (LMG), SWAT 5.56 (Marksman Rifle), ASG-98 (Shotgun), FFAR 1 (Assault Rifle), Model L (Assault Rifle), LC10 (SMG) Over 130 item rewards (Battle Pass and BlackCell related) for those who fully complete the Season 04 BlackCell Battle Pass. As usual, players who upgrade to BlackCell after purchasing the Battle Pass will also receive back the COD Points they spent. BlackCell Daily Challenges: Players with BlackCell will receive additional Daily Challenges throughout Season 04 for Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone, giving even more chances to rake in the XP during your play sessions! BlackCell Loyalty Bonus: Players who purchased BlackCell in a previous Black Ops 6season and go on to purchase Season 04 BlackCell will earn a permanent 10% Player and Weapon XP Loyalty Bonus, up to 30% for players who purchased Season 01, Season 02, and Season 03 BlackCell! The return of Stitch signals a shift in the battles ahead, requiring new Operators to meet the demands of the intensifying conflict. Predict a swift demise for your opponents with Omen leading BlackCell, joined by Stitch at the head of the Battle Pass plus a special appearance by Eve Macarro from Ballerina. Omen (BlackCell, Crimson One, Launch) “Omen” Operator: BlackCell Instant Reward Page It’s time for lockdown. Omen is a presence who strikes fear even in the world’s most dangerous criminals, with an almost preternatural ability to keep even the most sinister prisoners in line. Stitch (Battle Pass, Rogue Black Ops, Launch) “Supermax” and “Yard Dog” Skins: Battle Pass Instant Reward Page, Battle Pass Completion Page Until recently, Stitch was assumed dead. Instead of eliminating his enemy, however, Adler sent him off to a black site prison. Now the time has come, and following a daring jailbreak, Stitch is once again free. Adler needs his help cracking the codenames that will finally lead to the Pantheon moles, but at what cost? Ballerina (Bundle, Crimson One, In-Season) Store Bundle Seeking revenge for her slain father, Eve Macarro embarks on a relentless mission against the High Table’s most feared opponents in Ballerina, the highly anticipated new action film from the World of John Wick. Deploy as the elite assassin in one of two looks in the Ballerina Bundle arriving in Season 04. Participate in a new round of scheduled Events across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone. Earn rewards like new weapons, special attachments, and more. Here’s a first look at the Events to come (with more announcements in the Season 04 Reloaded blog): Event: Ballerina (MP, ZM, WZ, In-Season) Activation Dates: June 5 to June 12 Total Rewards: 10 (+ One BlackCell reward) Enter the world of John Wick with the new Ballerina Event. Prove your capabilities as a supreme assassin by slaying your way across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone. Rewards include the new Essex Model 07 Marksman Rifle and a Ballerina-themed Nunchuck Melee Blueprint for BlackCell Owners. Event: Rivals (MP, ZM, WZ, In-Season) Activation Dates: June 12 to June 26 Total Rewards: 15 (+ One BlackCell reward) Enemies become allies in the Rivals Event, when Stitch brings his code-cracking expertise to help uncover the real names of the final Pantheon moles in the CIA. The goal is simple; prove you’re the most proficient Operator by earning XP across all game modes and unlock a plethora of impressive free items. Dominate your enemies to become the first to unlock rewards including the Stryder .22 3-Round Burst Mod (Attachment) and Grim Reaper (Scorestreak). Events: King of the Dead, Master of Grief (Zombies, Mid-Season) Activation Dates (King of the Dead): June 26 to July 3 Activation Dates (Master of Grief): July 10 to July 17 King of the Dead: “Eliminate zombies in any Zombie mode to earn points to climb the leaderboard.” Master of Grief: “Collect Essence in Grief to earn points to climb the leaderboard.” Earn points by slaying all types of undead! As you’d expect, you receive more points for dispatching the harder zombie types. This, in turn, causes you to climb the Zombies leaderboard, and once the Event is over, rewards will be granted based on your leaderboard position. Everyone receives some kind of reward, but to obtain the really good stuff, it’s time to perfect your Special and Elite Zombies slaying!  Season 04 brings new Bundles to the Store, including a special crossover event with Ballerina. Get more intel in the Season 04 BlackCell, Battle Pass, and Bundles blog arriving before launch. Tracer Pack: Ballerina Choose one of two Operator Skins for Eve, a red sequin dress as “Eve Macarro” or a sleek black professional fit as the “Ruska Rogue.” Bring light to the darkness with three Legendary Weapon Blueprints featuring High Table Coin Tracers and High Table Coin Death FX: the “Relevé” AK-74 Assault Rifle, “Plié” Saug SMG, and the “Arabesque” 9MM PM Pistol. For a snazzier elimination, take them out with the “Dance With Death” Finishing Move. Balance lethality and elegance with additional Ballerina themed content, including the “Pirouette” Emote, “Keepsake” Weapon Charm, animated “Caged Grace” Emblem, animated “Pas de Duex Calling Card, and the “Take a Bow” Loading Screen. Tracer Pack: Ink and Smoke Reactive Ultra Skin Add some class to your deployments with the cel-shaded, black and greyscale “Hardboiled” Ultra Operator Skin for Weaver, accompanied by the Reactive “Lethal Inspection” AMES 85 Assault Rifle and “Personal Detective” ASG-89 Shotgun Weapon Blueprints, both featuring Noir Tracers and Ink Annihilation Death FX. For a closer finish, leap for their throats using the “Wire Cut” Finishing Move. When taking on the undead, equip the “Search Engine” Wonder Weapon skin for the Thrustodyne M23 and show off your Zombies credentials with the “Sidepiece” Weapon Charm, “Dead Noir” Weapon Sticker, “Evidence” Spray, “Greyscale” Loading Screen, and the consumable Time Out GobbleGum. Other Incoming Bundles There’s plenty more awesome new content arriving in the Season 04 Store, including the “Tracer Pack: Olympus Bolt Mastercraft Ultra Skin” Bundle, featuring an electrifying Mastercraft Weapon Blueprint for the new LC10 SMG alongside a divine Ultra Operator Skin for Caine. Also incoming is the “Tracer Pack: System Breach” Bundle, and the “Tracer Pack: The Goat Ultra Skin” Bundle with a Goat Companion Finishing Move. See more of the season’s upcoming Bundles and more in the Season 04 BlackCell, Battle Pass, and Store Bundle blog. Call of Duty League, the pinnacle of competitive Call of Duty, is bringing its fourth and final Major of the season to the DreamHack Dallas show floor. Guests with a CDL add-on ticket can watch Major IV live, where the 12 Call of Duty League teams will battle it out for the final CDL points to qualify for 2025 Call of Duty League Championship in June. Ensure you get into the action by tuning in and watching Major IV live on YouTube. Be sure to link your YouTube account with your Activision ID Account to earn some special viewership rewards (shown above). Click here for more intel. The event starts at 10:300 AM PT Friday, May 23, and continuing at 10:30 AM PT Saturday May 24 with the Finals beginning at 10:30 AM PT Sunday May 25.  Black Ops 6 is available now, and now’s definitely the time to experience the spy action thriller Campaign, the in-depth tactical chaos of best-in-class Multiplayer, and to soak in the gory glory of an incredible round-based Zombies experience with five maps and the brand-new Grief mode! Click here to Purchase Black Ops 6. © 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, MODERN WARFARE, CALL OF DUTY LEAGUE, and CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com and www.youtube.com/callofduty, and follow @Activision and @CallofDuty on X, Instagram, and Facebook. For Call of Duty Updates, follow @CODUpdates on X. ®, TM & © 2025 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. and related companies. All Rights Reserved.

Behind REALTIME’s visual effects for ‘Lockerbie: A Search for Truth’. In Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, a Sky & Peacock Original limited series, we witness the demise of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town in 1988 after a terrorist bomb attack. Pieces of the exploded plane first fall onto the streets of the town, culminating in a massive ground fireball and crater as the main fuselage hits. These harrowing moments, and others in the film, were realized with the aid of visual effects from REALTIME, led by visual effects supervisor Sue Land. “The range of our work was quite wide,” Land tells befores & afters. “It went straight from full-on CG for replicating the incident, all the way through to the aftermath, and then courtroom scenes where we were reproducing environments and doing a little bit of greenscreen work.” To help visualize the locales of the series, including surrounding Lockerbie and General Muammar Gaddafi’s palace in Morocco, REALTIME developed a virtual production tool for scouting and previsualizing locations. “Our director Otto Bathurst came to us right at the very beginning of the project and said one of the things they were struggling with when they were looking for locations was actually visualizing where the town of Lockerbie would be in relationship to those locations,” says Land. “Because of some of the things people had to see, it was no good if the bit that you think should be there isn’t going to be there. He said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could have something I could just run around and hold up and it shows me where it would be and that’s what it would look like.’” “So,” continues Land, “we started work on a virtual production tool with the idea of being able to achieve something like that. We managed to get something roughly working using Unreal Engine. We did that on a laptop, using an iPad as the camera. That could take any of the camera backs and lenses that our DP was going to use. We were running behind with a very big battery pack, which was hysterical, but it did prove that potentially this thing could work.” The first episode of the series sees the result of the bomb depicted first as a bunch of falling pieces of debris from the plane. “Our remit was, wherever possible it should be real,” recounts Land. “Obviously, dropping things comes with a load of issues. So our rule of thumb for every sequence was that if you see it falling, it’s CG. Once it’s on the floor, it’s real. We would film a scene without the piece in, then place it in the scene, and connect it with visual effects. Very often the piece would hit and we knew Otto would want to cut quite quickly because he wanted to give it impact. So, we knew we weren’t necessarily going to be lingering on a shot, you’re talking maybe 12 or 14 frames. That meant we knew that our things had to come down and lock into the ground. The process for that was to scan the objects beforehand.” For one moment in which a plane object hits a police car, the original intention was for that object to be a drinks or food trolley. “But,” says Land, “when we looked at the implosion that SFX had done, we realized that it was going to look a bit lame just putting the trolley on. So, at some very early time in the morning, we chose a piece that we thought would work instead. While we were carrying it into position, we were photographing it, we were very quickly scanning it to make sure we could put that piece on and we could make it as accurate as it needed to be.” A huge explosion marks the time that a large part of the crashing fuselage of the plane hits the ground and ultimately causes a massive crater to appear. The SFX team provided a large practical explosion at the shooting location. REALTIME’s FX team then replicated the explosion and added a number of elements to it, including providing what Land says were pieces that gave the fireball more dimension. “It can be strange how walls of flame to a degree suddenly flatten an image. We wanted to get that idea that if you were standing witness in this, at what point did you think you were safe and at what point would you not? So we wanted it to feel a little like it was coming towards you.” The aftermath of the crash involved seeing shots of the crater and a streetscape littered with debris. The art department dressed the set, with REALTIME fleshing out the environment further. “It was quite a sight to walk down that street when it was all dressed in,” remarks Land. “Initially we did think we might have to do some stuff deep in the background. In actual fact, by the time SFX had put all the smoke and everything in there, we had to do very little. Even in the aftermath when all the fire’s gone down, there wasn’t a huge amount we had to do. We did have to do quite a bit of clean-up for a drone shot because there was all the SFX rigging to take out, and the crater to put in. It’s always very difficult to make something look deep when you’re actually bird’s eye on it. This is why it was great having police cars and things like that, to help you with scale.” Lockerbie: A Search for Truth’s principal visual effects were in the crash moment and immediate aftermath, but a number of shots also included invisible effects, such as the decals on the Pan Am jetliner prior to take-off. “For the jet itself,” notes Land, “we were fortunate in the fact that we did get some reference of her at Heathrow Airport a few months before the disaster. The one we were filming with had been modified for a film previously. It actually had a pair of twin engines that were together rather than separated, and it had a pod on the end. So, we had to take those off for a start. Our saving grace was, it was white.” For Land, the series was a chance to help tell a powerful story with powerful, but also subtle, effects. “We set out to never be sensational,” she says. “I think we achieved that very well. It felt very grounded. We weren’t making something too overly and unnecessarily dramatic. It is a dramatic enough thing in its own right.” The post VFX in support of the truth of a terrorist attack appeared first on befores & afters.