Call of Duty takes on Fortnite with Black Ops 4 battle royale mode

The latest title in the multimillion-selling Call of Duty series will abandon the once-staple single-player Campaign and add a Fortnite-style battle royale mode, Activision has revealed. At a unveiling event in Los Angeles on Thursday, the company showed off Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 for the first time, promising major changes to the franchise, now in its 15th year. The latest title in the Cold War conspiracy-fuelled Black Ops series will lose the futuristic elements of its predecessor with no wall-running or jetpacks, returning – like last year's Call of Duty: WWII – to "boots on the ground" combat. The major revelation, however, is that there will be no narrative-based single-player campaign. Clearly inspired by the modern and hugely successful shooter Overwatch, the emphasis will be on social play, teaming up with friends and competing online.