
The only Fireteam game available during the beta is Dirty Bomb, but it showcases Fireteam's immense potential. Fireteam involves 10 teams of four battling it out on giant, Fireteam only maps. The most notable addition to Black Ops' multiplayer is a new mode variant called Fireteam. VIP Escort plays a lot like Search and Destroy but with humans rather than bombs and makes for compelling skirmishes on intimate maps. The mode has no respawns and players must be executed in order to be killed, so it requires some tactical planning. Another new mode is VIP Escort, a mode where one team tries to escort a player to an extraction point while the other team attempts to assassinate said player. The first, Combined Arms, is a mode variant that doubles team sizes from 6 to 12 and can be applied to base modes, though only Combined Arms: Domination and Assault are currently playable. There are eight game modes on offer during the beta, but only three of them are new. Related: Why COD Black Ops Cold War Is Changing Killstreaks Those who dominated before still dominate now, but less skilled players who contribute to their team are now appropriately rewarded as well.

Scorestreaks require high scores to unlock, those who get them deserve them, and killing multiple enemies in one life provides significant point boosts that makes the process easier. Some players expressed worry that the system, which emphasizes score over kills and carries overs after death, would reward bad players but, after spending time with the game, that is not the case. The new Black Ops Cold War scorestreak system promotes this balance without detracting from individual skill.

However, like other equipment, the mic can be spotted through walls by the Engineer perk, potentially giving away their exact location. For instance, Field Mic, a new field upgrade, goes perfectly with the Paranoia perk as it allows players to cover their flank with a microphone, alerting the player to approaching enemies. Like the best Call of Duty games, perks, equipment, and streaks do an excellent job of complementing and countering one another. One area where Black Ops Cold War excels is balance.
