Call of Duty HQ Optimization Updates to Reduce File Sizes Announced, Here’s the Roadmap Schedule

There’s no denying that Call of Duty has been a massive space eater when it comes to disk space, and every year that gets even more bloated with each new version of Call of Duty. Thankfully, Activision is aware of this annoying issue, and have outlined a Call of Duty HQ optimization initiative which will come in the form of updates.

Players will be able to download patches leading up to the Black Ops 6 beta, with the goal of:

• A new streamlined interface

• Direct access to games

• More control over your downloads, including Call of Duty: Warzone™ content

• Expanded streaming technology to reduce file sizes

After these large initial updates, Activision says that these will enable future Call of Duty downloads to be smaller in file size. Players can expect the first of these optimization updates next week when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Season 5 Reloaded launches on August 21.

Following these updates and optimizations, future Call of Duty download sizes will decrease. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be a smaller download than Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III at launch.

In addition to regular season releases, the calendar of updates are as follows:

• Reorganizing Game Content, Part of the Season 5 Reloaded Update (August 21)

• Black Ops 6 Open Beta (August 30)

• New User Interface (Mid-October)

• Black Ops 6 Launch (October 25)

• Season 1

First Major Update for August 21:

Paving the way for these benefits requires a large initial update set to release alongside the launch of Season 5 Reloaded on August 21, introducing:

• Game file reorganization

• Separating Call of Duty: Warzone from the default download for annual titles

• Implementing new texture streaming tech

Activision is also implementing something I’ve longed for all these years, and that’s de-coupling the Warzone file download with the other Call of Duty games. When players purchase a new Call of Duty title, you will only be required to download files for that game by default (hell yes!).

Players can opt-in to get Call of Duty Warzone when they are downloading a new annual Call of Duty release or choose to download it at a later date.

Expanded Texture Streaming Tech

Starting with the Season 5 Reloaded patch, Activision will be expanding their usage of texture streaming. Here’s the explanation from the company:

With these capabilities, we can cycle content that is less frequently used by players to a streaming cache, avoiding the need to download it directly to your device’s storage. Going forward, more content will be included in this cache.

With this change, you may see older content that briefly appears at a lower quality until the streaming cache has fully loaded. The resolution of content streamed from the cache will depend on what setting you select for this feature.

To capture this change and give players more control over their content streaming experience, we are updating the current “On-Demand Texture Streaming” setting to “On-Demand High Quality Streaming” and offering two options:

• Optimized (Default) – content appears at a high-fidelity graphical quality; increased internet bandwidth usage

• Minimal – content appears at reduced graphical quality; lower internet bandwidth usage

Expect the August 21 download to be a “big one” according to Activision, but this massive download now will pave the way over the next several weeks and will lead to a better experience when Black Ops 6 launches.

This initial download will not permanently add the stated file size to the storage space that Call of Duty takes up on your device. The update is reorganizing game files and adding new tech to prep the way for the full player interface arriving in October. Once complete, Call of Duty’s footprint will decrease due to these file optimizations.

PlayStation® 5 players will acquire this update via four separate downloads. The initial download will be similar to other updates that are needed before booting up Call of Duty. The next update will be triggered within the Call of Duty experience – a download when first accessing Modern Warfare III or Call of Duty: Warzone. After the second update is completed, there will be another download when accessing Modern Warfare III and a final download when accessing Call of Duty: Warzone.

The PS5 requires split downloads due to differences in file organization. The initial download may be larger in size for players who also have Modern Warfare II content installed.

Players on other platforms will acquire the entire update via a single download, similar to other updates that are needed before booting up Call of Duty.

As a thank you to players, Activision is giving out Community Packs for completing the download. Players will be getting a pack of Battle Token Tier Skips and 2XP Tokens just by logging in the start of Season 5 Reloaded (August 21) until the end of Season 5. For those who complete the download, you’ll be getting:

• 10 1-Hour Double Player XP Tokens (10 Hours Total)
• 10 1-Hour Double Weapon XP Tokens (10 Hours Total)
• 10 Battle Pass Token Tier Skips

These tier skips and tokens will be delivered when you first log into Call of Duty after the Season 5 Reloaded update.

New User Interface (Mid-October)

Get your hands on the improved menu and navigation experience when the new user interface arrives in mid-October. We are still putting the finishing touches on the new interface and will follow up with the exact date of the transition in the weeks ahead. However, we’re excited to give players a preview of where we’re headed for the launch of Black Ops 6 (work-in-progress pre-release video, final product may vary):

The new user interface will introduce a Call of Duty landing zone where top content will be visible on one clean page without needing to scroll. The landing page’s main focus is on games, and gives players the ability to directly access those games.

The new landing page will feature our most recent annual title and Call of Duty: Warzone for ease of access. Other Call of Duty titles can be accessed via your games library or the “Last Played” tile if that is the game you played last.

The user interface and landing page will evolve over several initial stages:

Before the Launch of Black Ops 6 (Mid-October)

When Black Ops 6 launches, it will replace Modern Warfare III, making Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone the featured titles. Players will be able to instantly launch Black Ops 6 and cross-launch into Call of Duty: Warzone.

Season 1 of Black Ops 6:

At Season 1, Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone will remain the featured titles, but players will be able to instantly launch into both Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone.

We will follow up with the associated download sizes for this update and more details around the new user interface before it goes live in October.

Thanks to these updates, Activision notes that Black Ops 6 will be a smaller download at launch than Modern Warfare 3. Important to note that players with previous updates installed who purchase BO6 will automatically download the title as an update to their existing install. New or returning players without Call of Duty installed can download Black Ops 6 from their platform storefront.

Starting with Black Ops 6. the games will have their own individual user interfaces designed to get players as quick and easily into the modes and content they want to play, which is a stark contrast now where players need to wade in through various menus to even access the multiplayer.

More Call of Duty Reading:

• Report: Call of Duty Gifting Bundles Feature Returning in Black Ops 6 Per Datamine
• Report: Black Ops 6 Leaks Stemmed From COD Patch; “Human Meat Shield” Mechanic Footage Surfaces
• One of the Biggest Call of Duty Cheat Providers Is Shutting Down Thanks to Activision

Source: Call of Duty

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