Continuing a years-old tradition that pisses off PlayStation owners every time it’s rubbed in their face, Activision will release the next batch of COD DLC on an Xbox platform first. The latest entry is Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion, which will see a June 3 release date on Xbox One and Xbox 360.
All other platforms — PS4, PS3, and even PC — will have to wait four to six weeks to see a Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion release date on their system.
Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion is the third DLC pack for COD Ghosts. Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion includes four new multiplayer maps and “Episode 3: Awakening,” the next chapter in Extinction’s four-part episodic narrative.
COD: Ghosts Invasion will be available on its own for $14.99, or as part of the $49.99 Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC Season Pass, which gives fans access to all four Ghosts DLC Packs set to release in 2014 (Onslaught, Devastation, Invasion and Nemesis).
Invasion’s four new small-to-medium-sized multiplayer maps each have a distinct look, feel and unique killstreak. Departed is a medium-sized map set in a rural Mexican town during the Dia de los Muertos celebration. The colorfully decorated streets, vendor carts and storefronts provide ample cover for run-and-gunners, and players that complete the map’s unique Field Order will unlock the Death Mariachi killstreak. Armed with dual-wielding pistols, the Death Mariachi settles scores, with each kill turning enemy players into another member of the band, and a temporary squad mate.
The second new map, Pharaoh, is the abandoned archeological site of an ancient Egyptian palace. Players will have to be on the lookout for collapsing monuments and urns full of flesh-eating scarabs, among other surprises in this multi-level map. Inside the palace, gamers will battle through multiple chambers ideal for close-quarters combat and short-range weapons, all under the watchful eye of Anubis, the half-jackal/half-human, protector of the dead, who will handsomely reward players who unlock this map’s Field Order.
The third map in Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion is called Mutiny. As you might gather from the title, the map takes place on a remote Caribbean island harboring an eerie pirate hideout, complete with abandoned trading posts and prison cells. Speed and stealth are a must as players navigate the narrow and intertwining pathways. However, the pirate ship moored in the center of the map will become vulnerable to enemy fire from the numerous flanking routes created by the map’s horseshoe shaped dock. Players that unlock Mutiny’s Field Order will find themselves escorted by two ethereal ghost pirates, who will happily send enemy combatants down to Davey Jones’ locker on their behalf.
Invasion’s fourth multiplayer map is a refreshed version of Favela from Modern Warfare 2. Since its original release, the Brazilian shantytown has seen substantial change. Buildings once under construction are now complete, while others have crumbled into a state of disrepair. Players must avoid falling to their death as they traverse the map from one building to the next, with ramshackle scaffolding creating varied pathways between structures, and enemy snipers taking advantage of the long sightlines. Players who complete the Field Order in “Favela” will be able to call in heavy air support from a nearby Y-8 Gunship to bring the rain with a 105mm cannon, a 40mm auto-cannon and a 25mm cannon.
Finally, the Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion DLC pack includes Extinction’s Episode 3: Awakening. In Awakening, the team descends into the perilous alien underworld to strike at the subterranean fortress of the Ancestors – the mysterious puppet-masters behind the Cryptid invasion. Armed with a range of new hi-tech weapons and equipment, the team must penetrate a series of defensive barriers to reach the Ark and unlock the secrets of the Ancestors’ psychic powers. As the final battle draws closer, the fate of the Earth and the future of the human race hang in the balance.
Again, the Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion release date is June 3 for Xbox One and Xbox 360 alone. A PS4, PS3 and Windows PC version of Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion is likely four to six weeks away.