So you think you’re destined for battle royale royalty. Guess again. Just because you’ve tasted the winningest chicken or experienced victory royale, doesn’t mean you’re ready to conquer Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s battle royale mode, Blackout. In short, Blackout ain’t your average battle royale clone. Lock and load these explosive-tipped tricks to be the last player standing.
RUN AND GUN, DASH AND SMASH
Remember, this is Call of Duty. Fast-paced action is at the heart of Blackout. Where you’re aiming is where your shots will land. This means there’s no need to stand still, crouch or prone into your best snake impersonation. You can pop heads while dodging, sprinting, strafe jumping or even leaping off buildings.
And you can do more than just frag while on the move. You can, and absolutely should, heal while moving and loot dead players while sidestep shuffling. Speaking of looting, hold the interact button and line up an item on the ground while sprinting to snatch it up.
FULLY ARMED AND OPERATIONAL
Given the longer ranges of Blackout compared to your average CoD map, you need to take bullet speed and drop into account. Sniper rifles, DMRs and assault rifles are better suited to long-range kills. SMGs, shotguns, and pistols are best used up close. When snagging a new shooter, nab the ammo first and the gun second to avoid having to wait for the gun-loading animation before you can loot again.
Unless you’re being chased. Then snatch up that gun post haste and make your pursuer post life. Speaking of ammo, grab it in stacks. Ammo doesn’t take up core inventory space, which means you can carry a bunch of each type.
PERKY DISPOSITION
One of the big game-changers in Blackout is Perks. These core CoD buffs can offer a hell of an advantage if used correctly. That said, they’re not shares, so there’s no need to hold off cashing them in early on in case a better time rolls around. You might be dead before that happens.
Instead, pop them early to get an edge. It’s best to match Perks to your preferred play style. Like playing it ninja and sniping? Skulker is perfect for faster slinking and Iron Lungs lets you hold your breath for longer when lining up that clip-worthy, long-range headshot.
Prefer your combat in closer quarters? Pop Mobility to close the gap. Use Awareness to hear enemies before they hear you. If RNGesus is on your side and you score the Holy close-quarters Trinity, stack Dead Silence on top of Mobility and Awareness to mute your footsteps for stealthy frags.
GEARING FOR THE WIN
Wrap your head around Blackout’s gear to score frags or enhance survivability. Concussion grenades or, better still, 9-Bangs blind and slow enemies to a crawl. Frag grenades, Molotovs and Cluster Grenades make short work of bunched-up baddies.
To dodge your own explosive demise, drop a Trophy System to grenade-proof your territory. If you’re holding a house, Barricades block bullets and slow home invaders, while Razor Wire deters uninvited guests. Chuck a well-placed Mesh Mine in there to let intruders know that you’re not home alone.
If you’re coming up against Kevin McCallister wannabes, use a Sensor Dart to see who’s at home or a Recon Car to plan your approach. Pitted against a level-three-armoured juggernaut? Introduce them to a Combat Axe and slice through that armour for a satisfying instakill. You can even use the Grapple Gun to Batman your way to hard-to-reach heights or quickly close the gap between you and your next kill.
HIDE AND SHRIEK
Ultimately, Blackout is battle royale. The winner isn’t the leaderboard MVP with the most kills; it’s the last player to survive. This means there’s nothing wrong with avoiding fights to reach that ‘Victory’ screen. In fact, you should and only start fights you can win.
Stalk or push enemies to battle you on your terms. If you’re lucky and have peak hide-and-seek skills, you only need to deal with one enemy: the one that’ll come second when you frag them.
Move from cover to cover. Clear the edge of the circle first. If the circle gods favour you, stay out of sight in the main circle for as long as possible. If you have to relocate, move as late as possible. Follow these rules to be the player, Duo or Quad that tastes delicious Blackout victory.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
