Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode is getting a new map, and it should offer a fairly major change of pace for fans of Treyarch’s take on battle royale. Unlike the original Blackout map, which is a sprawling Fortnite-like battleground with various different zones and features, the new Alcatraz map is relatively small and consistent in tone. You can check out a trailer for Alcatraz, below.
Here’s Treyarch’s basic description of the new Blackout map:
“The new Blackout Alcatraz map is set in a fog-filled island boasting a variety of environments that all lead up to the big cellhouse atop the hill. Requiring new strategies and tactics, players will drop in, gear up and fight through both close-quarters combat and long-range exterior firefights as they battle to be the last squad standing.”
Once it launches, players will be able to choose from the original Blackout map or Alcatraz before hopping into a game. There’s still a fair amount we don’t know about the new map, including the number of players it will support, but it feels like a test case for Treyarch. While initial response to Blackout was fairly positive, enthusiasm for the mode has waned, particularly following the release of the super-popular Apex Legends. Could smaller, more intense maps be what sets Blackout apart from the competition? Seems like a bit of a stretch, but Blackout definitely needs to differentiate itself in some way.
In other Blackout news, Activision will be offering free access to the battle royale mode for nearly a month, from April 2 to April 30. Will Blackout eventually go fully free-to-play? It kind of seems inevitable.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. The Blackout Alcatraz map arrives tomorrow (April 2) on PS4. PC and Xbox One players will have to wait an extra week. What do you think? Interested in battling it out on The Rock?
