Call of Duty: Mobile E3 2019 Preview

A look at Call of Duty: Mobile after spending a little time with the game at E3 2019.

Call of Duty: Mobile is an upcoming free-to-play game that will be available on both Android and iOS devices and that will provide cross-platform multiplayer shooter gameplay. Accessibility is one of the core tenets of the game, and it will be playable on 3G and support older devices, iPhone 6 and Android 1.5 or later. A skill-based player matching system will ensure that gamers will be facing the appropriate level of competition and avoid the frustration of serving as padding from a high-level player’s K/D ratio.

The game will draw maps and modes from across the Call of Duty series, so Call of Duty gamers will see a lot of familiar places in the game. Matches will support 5-on-5 gameplay, except for the game’s battle royale mode which will support 100 simultaneous players playing as individuals or as squads of two or four. I was able to get a glimpse of the battle royale gameplay at E3, but not any hands-on time with it. I can tell you that the map has been created especially for the mobile version of the game, and the gameplay looks identical to that of Black Ops 4 battle royale mode with the exception that players will select from one of six classes when entering a match, each of which has its own special abilities: Defender, Mechanic, Scout, Clown, Medic, and Ninja. The Defender can place a shield, the Mechanic has an EMP drone, the Scout has a sensor dart tracker, the Clown can summon zombies with a toy bomb, the Medic can heal, and the Ninja wields a grapple hook. You can freely move between the modes without having to worry about leveling up in a new mode from scratch because Call of Duty: Mobile will feature a progression system that is tied across all modes that will allow you to unlock new weapons, skins, score streaks, and more.

I was able to get some hands-on time in a couple of 5-on-5 matches in the game. The two maps were very close recreations of Hijacked, which takes place on a large yacht, and Nuketown, which features a couple of homes on a street with alleyways running behind them. You have the option of playing from a first or third person perspective, and the control scheme is highly customizable so you can set the fire control layout to something that you find intuitive. You can also configure the game to snap-and-shoot or to sight your weapon before firing. After a very brief adjustment period, I was quickly able to pick up the controls and stop thinking about the control scheme and start thinking about taking out the enemy. Control was smooth and responsive and I was able to hold my own in a match against some fellow journalists and a few of the game’s devs. I found the matches enjoyable enough that I will definitely want to have this game on my phone so that I can jump into some Call of Duty multiplayer action when I’m away from home.

As mentioned, the game is free-to-play, but there will be season and battle passes available for purchase. No word on pricing and what is included in these yet, though. There will be daily and special events accessible to all players as well. The game is currently undergoing closed beta testing in markets around the world, but a release date has not been announced.