The Call of Duty fanbase is used to the habit of a new game reveal early in the year, usually through a trailer that airs during an NBA game. For whatever reason, developer Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has had a belated and stretched-out reveal through Call of Duty: Warzone and a viral marketing website.
After many teases and a title confirmation, Call of Duty fans will get their first taste of gameplay and story through a Warzone in-game event. Whatever this event will entail, this will be a novel and unprecedented moment for Warzone.
When is the reveal event?
Treyarch and the Call of Duty Twitter account are telling fans to swing by Verdansk, the Warzone map, on Wednesday, August 26. This reveal will occur on that day at 10:30 AM PT (1:30 PM ET). You’ll likely want to log into Warzone shortly before.
Where is the reveal event?
Verdansk is a fairly large map, so where exactly should players drop for the reveal? Prolific leaker @ModernWarzone seems to have an idea. The leaker’s cryptic August 8 tweet simply stated “Zeus Reveal Gulag Area,” clarifying in another tweet that “Zeus” is the codename for the next Call of Duty game.
Warzone players will know the Gulag as the location where fallen players can engage in a one-on-one gunfight for the chance to respawn. And those who “know their history” are aware that the term and concept of the “Gulag” are associated with the Soviet Union, the superpower that came at odds with the United States during the Cold War era.
What will the reveal event show?
Players of Warzone haven’t seen an event like this within the game, and Treyarch’s modus operandi for the espionage-themed Black Ops Cold War marketing has been based in mystery. Battle royale veterans have games like Fortnite as a point of reference for big events.
Could this be like a movie screening where they show a standard cinematic trailer? Or will this be an interactive experience like a Fortnite concert where players can move freely? Will in-game characters in the Gulag have a Vietnam flashback and go through a short gameplay demo?
Whatever the case, Gamescom Opening Night Live will have a “world premiere new look” for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on the following day, August 27 at 11 AM PT (2 PM ET). Fans will likely see more of a deep dive into gameplay and story at that time. Finally, this National Treasure-like marketing campaign can come to an end.
