Activision announced that the preload for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 should be live right now for all platforms. This preload is available for everyone that has pre-ordered the game and for those on Game Pass. The download options include the campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies. Those that pre-ordered Black Ops 6 that already have Call of Duty (HQ) installed should get a Black Ops 6 preload available as an automatic update to their existing install.
Along with today's preload for Black Ops 6, the Call of Duty HQ interface received a redesign. It may be better than what was there previously? I personally think it still could use a lot of work, but to each their own. This new interface will be your first stop on launching into any of your installed Call of Duty experiences, as has been the case for the past several years now.
Today's Call of Duty HQ is apparently just the first phase of the new UI being implemented. Throughout the launch of Black Ops 6, Call of Duty HQ will be updated a couple more times with changed and added functionality.
Phase 1: Pre-Black Ops 6 Launch (October 21 – October 24)
Initially, there will be a transition period from October 21 through 24 when the new UI goes live before Black Ops 6 launches.
During these few days, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone will be the primary Game Tiles on the Home tab and players will cross-launch into those games. Modern Warfare III will retain its legacy UI. Call of Duty: Warzone will retain its legacy UI until the Season 01 update.
The Store tab will direct players into the full Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone in-game stores via cross-launch.
Phase 2: Post-Black Ops 6 Launch (October 25 – )
When Black Ops 6 launches, it will replace Modern Warfare III, making Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone the primary Game Tiles on the Home tab. Players will be able to instantly access Black Ops 6 and cross-launch into Call of Duty: Warzone.
Players who wish to continue playing Modern Warfare III can access it via cross-launch on the All Games tab or the Last Played Tile if that’s the content you’ve played most recently.
For players who have purchased Black Ops 6, the Store tab will now direct you to the full Black Ops 6 in-game store.
Black Ops 6 will have its own individual user interface designed to easily get players into the modes and content they want to play. Players can access Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies from the Black Ops 6 game UI. Look out for new updates to the gunsmith, playlist selection, and social showcase within Black Ops 6!
Phase 3: Season 01 (REDACTED)
When Season 01 begins, the UI will enter its fully realized state. Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone will continue to be the primary Game Tiles on the Home tab and players will be able to instantly access both Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone for a faster, more direct path to gameplay.
The Store tab will now direct all players to the full Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone in-game stores based on what you have installed.
A Battle Pass tab will be introduced in Season 01 with similar functionality as the Store tab, directing players to the full Battle Pass within Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty: Warzone.
With the Season 01 update, Call of Duty: Warzone will also have its own individual user interface with improvements similar to the Black Ops 6 UI.
Initially, there will be a transition period from October 21 through 24 when the new UI goes live before Black Ops 6 launches.
During these few days, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone will be the primary Game Tiles on the Home tab and players will cross-launch into those games. Modern Warfare III will retain its legacy UI. Call of Duty: Warzone will retain its legacy UI until the Season 01 update.
The Store tab will direct players into the full Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone in-game stores via cross-launch.
Phase 2: Post-Black Ops 6 Launch (October 25 – )
When Black Ops 6 launches, it will replace Modern Warfare III, making Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone the primary Game Tiles on the Home tab. Players will be able to instantly access Black Ops 6 and cross-launch into Call of Duty: Warzone.
Players who wish to continue playing Modern Warfare III can access it via cross-launch on the All Games tab or the Last Played Tile if that’s the content you’ve played most recently.
For players who have purchased Black Ops 6, the Store tab will now direct you to the full Black Ops 6 in-game store.
Black Ops 6 will have its own individual user interface designed to easily get players into the modes and content they want to play. Players can access Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies from the Black Ops 6 game UI. Look out for new updates to the gunsmith, playlist selection, and social showcase within Black Ops 6!
Phase 3: Season 01 (REDACTED)
When Season 01 begins, the UI will enter its fully realized state. Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone will continue to be the primary Game Tiles on the Home tab and players will be able to instantly access both Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone for a faster, more direct path to gameplay.
The Store tab will now direct all players to the full Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone in-game stores based on what you have installed.
A Battle Pass tab will be introduced in Season 01 with similar functionality as the Store tab, directing players to the full Battle Pass within Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty: Warzone.
With the Season 01 update, Call of Duty: Warzone will also have its own individual user interface with improvements similar to the Black Ops 6 UI.
Activision also talked a bit about improvements they are making to their Ricochet anti-cheat system for Black Ops 6. The team says they want "to catch and remove cheaters within one hour of them being in their first match."
This metric is called “Time to Action,” and we will be monitoring our progress internally and building technology to drive this number down.(...)
Cheaters were able to complete around 10 multiplayer matches during Weekend One before being removed. After tweaking our systems and deploying new detection methods for Weekend Two, we cut that time in half to 5 matches. That timing achieved our Time to Action goal. In fact, 25% of all Weekend Two bans happened during the first match a cheater ever played.
Cheaters were able to complete around 10 multiplayer matches during Weekend One before being removed. After tweaking our systems and deploying new detection methods for Weekend Two, we cut that time in half to 5 matches. That timing achieved our Time to Action goal. In fact, 25% of all Weekend Two bans happened during the first match a cheater ever played.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 should be live globally at 9PM (PT) on October 24 for those playing on PC, be it on Battle.net or Steam. The console launch on October 24 can range from anywhere from 4AM (PT) to 11PM (PT) depending on your time zone.
