Check out the trailer for ‘CODumentary,’ the unofficial Call of Duty documentary

By Mark Austin Published August 18, 2017

Devolver Digital films has released a trailer and announced a release date for CODumentary, a self-described “unofficial” documentary detailing the evolution of the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise over the past 15 years. The 93-minute feature will be available worldwide on Video On Demand and Steam on September 19, shortly followed by releases on iTunes, Xbox, Playstation, Google Play, MGo, TubiTV, Indie Reign, and the Indie Rights Vimeo Channel. Blu-Ray and DVD releases are also planned in the future.

The documentary was created in the U.K. by indie publisher Devolver Digital and helmed by producer and industry veteran Jonathan Beales. It was filmed across the United States and Europe over several years, and it even includes footage from the D-Day beaches. The film features interviews and recollections from fans, developers, pro gamers, and industry experts.

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In a press release, Beales detailed some of the experiences he went through while writing, producing, and directing the film: “It’s been a great five-year journey and even though the documentary is centered on video games, the story is always about the human input and endeavor involved. The rich experiences of developing games, playing them, or waiting in line to buy them will always remain center stage.”

The series began in 2003 with Call of Duty, a World War II shooter released in a rather crowded field of similar games, but it soon ballooned into a juggernaut. To say the franchise has been a blockbuster moneymaker since that time is an understatement. With total sales exceeding $15 billion, there have been more than 25 games released, spanning 18 different platforms, and more than 250 million copies sold.

The series has lagged behind competitors as of late, but after excursions with black ops, zombies, and even a foray into outer space, the franchise will return to its roots in November 2017 with Call of Duty: WWII. If you want more details on the new game, here’s everything we know so far.

It’s not clear whether the film will delve into some of the many controversies that have swirled around the series over the past 15 years. Activision is not involved in the production at all, however, so let’s hope this upcoming documentary will examine the good, the bad, and the ugly of this landmark video game franchise.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Mark’s first encounter with high-tech was a TRS-80. He spent 20 years working for Nintendo and Xbox as a writer and…

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Black Ops 6 might be the biggest Call of Duty release ever

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is on track to be the most successful Call of Duty release in the franchise's history thanks to a record-breaking launch, according to Activision and Microsoft.

The companies revealed that Black Ops 6 had the biggest three-day opening for the series by many metrics. It had the most players, most hours played, and the most total matches, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter). The game also got a shout-out during Microsoft's quarterly earnings call on Wednesday.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies: tips and tricks for beginners

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After the backlash surrounding the Zombies mode in Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has returned to the round-based roots we all know and love. Well, the structure might be familiar, but this mode has more than its fair share of new tricks that will see you getting swarmed in seconds if you can't learn to adapt. If you're familiar with how Call of Duty handles its Zombies mode, you will know that there's a lot more you need to know besides just shooting zombies if you want to make it to the later rounds. If you want to survive as long as possible, we have the key tips and tricks to withstand the zombie horde in Black Ops 6.
The basics still apply

There are a few tips from past Zombies games that will serve you well here in Black Ops 6 that are worth a quick reminder. Starting off with the need to conserve ammo in the early game. Zombies are weakest in the first handful of rounds, but ammo is incredibly scarce. You can't count on getting more when you need it, so save as much as possible and try to melee as many zombies as possible. Only shoot if you get swarmed, need to save a teammate, or when a boss or elite shows up.

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The best Wildcards in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Kill Order gameplay in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

The concept of a Wildcard might sound like a risky endeavor in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, but this part of your loadout isn't random at all. We haven't seen this system since Cold War, and even those who remember it from that game will need to learn all the new cards there are in Black Ops 6. You can only equip a single Wildcard on your loadout, but they are powerful enough to completely redefine your playstyle. So far, there are only six to unlock while grinding through the levels with your friends, but picking just one is still a tough choice, especially if you want to use a permanent unlock on one after hitting Prestige. We've ranked all the Wildcards in Black Ops 6 so you can always have the winning hand.
All Black Ops 6 Wildcards, ranked

There is a level of personal preference in which Wildcard you will find better than others, but in most cases, the ones we've ranked as the best will help every player gain an edge in online matches. Here's our ranking of each Wildcard from best to worst, along with what level you unlock them at.
Perk Greed - Level 54
The last Wildcard you unlock is easily the most powerful. Perk Greed lets you unlock a fourth Perk to your loadout instead of being limited to three, which can borderline break the game if you choose the right set of Perks. It is also the most versatile of the Wildcards since it gives you the most options to play with instead of a specific bonus you may not find useful. It can also more easily unlock the special bonus buff you get for equipping three Perks from the same category.
Gunfighter - Level 33
Right in the middle of the unlock list, Gunfighter is one Wildcard you could easily make a case for over Perk Greed in some situations. This one increases your attachment points for your primary weapon by three. If you're rocking a top-tier weapon already, this Wildcard can let you tweak its stats even higher. We rank it second because it only applies to one weapon and thus is a bit more limiting.
Overkill - Level 24
For such an early Wildcard, Overkill is quite a powerful choice. This card lets you equip any weapon (except melee weapons) in your Primary and Secondary slots instead of the ones typically reserved for each. That means you can build a loadout with two Primary weapons and be far more versatile on the battlefield. Instead of having to trade off range, damage, rate of fire, mobility, or any other aspect of your game, you can cover almost all your bases by picking two Primary weapons that cover each other's weaknesses.
Prepper - Level 45
Field upgrades are powerful, don't get us wrong, but having two instead of one isn't always that much of a game-changer. It's a bit less useful than Gunfighter only because field upgrades are more situational and require more attention to use to their full potential. If that's you, then this is a great choice.
Danger Close - Level 38
Who doesn't want another grenade, Molotov, or combat axe? Is getting a second Lethal worth the Wildcard slot, though? Not in our opinion. Most of the time, Lethals are used in desperation or as a way to deny enemy movement for a time, and even then, they are risky because of how vulnerable you are while using them.
Tactical Expert - Level 15
The first Wildcard you get is better than nothing, but only just. It's exactly like Danger Close, only you can hold two Tacticals instead of Lethals. This is, by nature, a little worse since Tacticals don't have the ability to kill an enemy (unless you get super lucky and you directly hit an enemy with one who is on low HP). You can get some use out of them, but you're better off upgrading as soon as you have another option.