We’re about two weeks out from Call of Duty Black Ops 4’s launch and already the game has started evolving. Treyarch has been diligent in its efforts to squash bugs and correct major issues, much to the appreciation of players. However, there’s a lot more that fans of Black Ops 4 have to look forward to. Naturally there will be new DLC maps and other content additions, but how else might Treyarch improve the base game?
Blackout Improvements
Black Ops 4’s Blackout battle royale mode really has no equal when it comes to production value. That being said, the mode also isn’t very friendly towards more casual players. Blackout’s Echelon Ranks progression system can be a painfully slow grind, especially for those who don’t have serious FPS skills.
One way Treyarch can improve Blackout’s Echelon Ranks system is by adding in daily and weekly missions. These missions would take a page out of PUBG’s and Fortnite’s playbooks by offering curated tasks with Echelon Merit rewards. Such missions would also give casual players additional incentives for logging in and playing a match or two.
Another potential Blackout improvement would be an expansion of the custom characters system. I understand most players would rather play as their favorite Black Ops icons, but I prefer the customizable default avatars. Both PUBG and Fortnite allow players to customize their character with skins and clothing items. I’d love to see a similar system come to Blackout.
Game Mode Cross-Pollination
This is more of a personal preference, but I don’t enjoy how segregated each Black Ops 4 game mode feels. Sure, there are periphery story elements linking multiplayer, Zombies, and Blackout together, but that’s about it. I’m not saying Treyarch should completely overhaul the game’s progression systems, but more interconnectivity would be nice.
The recently implemented Black Market is a good start. However, I’d be very happy to see a global progression track which counted efforts made in all three core modes. Currently, it just feels more daunting than compelling trying to maintain separate progression efforts across three separate gameplay experiences.
All of this is, of course, just my personal opinion. How would you want Black Ops 4 to be improved in the future? Sound off in the comments below.