Sharpen your senses, warriors – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is just around the corner.
Let’s dive into more details about a new Special Operator waiting for its launch on October 28 (MWII Campaign Early Access* also available from October 20 for those who pre-order digitally).
Announced during last month’s Call of Duty: Next event, PlayStation players who pre-order any digital edition of the game from the PlayStation Store will receive the Oni Operator Pack** when Modern Warfare II launches, which includes the operator Hiro “Oni” Watanabe as well as a high-end weapon blueprint playable in multiplayer, Special Ops, as well as the upcoming launch of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0.
It wasn’t just creativity that drove the development of this special Operator, it was a great sense of collaboration between Infinity Ward and PlayStation to develop an Operator that PlayStation gamers will want to make their primary from day one. Below are some details about Oni’s birth.
Hiro “Oni” Watanabe
One concept that stood out early on was the idea of creating a samurai-inspired operator. One name that stuck with the Infinity Ward team was ‘Oni’, which means ‘Demon’, and it helped launch a unique narrative around the Operator.
When developing Oni’s narrative background, it was important for the Infinity Ward narrative team to develop a unique character story that they could continue into the future.
Oni descends from an ancient clan of samurai, who were highly respected and lived by a code of honor. As the decades passed and the samurai disbanded, Oni’s family fell on hard times. These hardships eventually forced them to live by less than honorable means. By the time Oni was born, her father was already well established in the criminal underworld.
Yet Oni’s grandfather went out of his way to remind him that his family was not always involved in this criminal enterprise. Oni learned that his family had a very high reputation within the community and bore a noble name.
To escape his father’s path, Oni left home and joined the army. He was very capable, rising through the ranks quickly and even earning a place in an elite multinational special forces unit with missions around the world. He learned to protect himself and to handle weapons effectively.
In time, he returned home, eager to return to Japan and do what his ancestors had done all those years ago – protect and combat threats on the home front – while trying to restore the reputation of his family.
By this point, Oni’s father had become a fixture in the underworld. He exploited his corrupt influence to get Oni fired from the military.
Now, Oni acts like a gun for hire, vowing to continue the fight against her father and anyone who should break the samurai code.
behind the mask
With a solid narrative background in place, Oni’s design work began. When designing Oni, the teams at Infinity Ward worked towards a plausible aesthetic that felt contemporary but with the aura of a dignified warrior tied to lore.
To make Oni feel true to form, the team dove into the meaning of the Oni name, its etymology, culture, mythology, and whatever else they could find. The goal was to make Oni stand out from other operators in Modern Warfare II.
Oni’s armor was an important design element for success, so Infinity Ward started there. The Operator wears polished, reflective armor, almost iridescent in places, but with the noticeable wear and tear you’d expect from a sniper warrior.
The operator’s helmet and ballistic mask have also been carefully considered, modified to resemble the silhouette of a samurai’s helmet. Oni’s headgear is inspired by feudal warriors who would wear similar-looking traditional armor. That said, the night vision goggles atop his helmet make it clear that Oni is a modern warrior despite his traditional ethos.
The unique Oni mask features a striking demonic design tied to the cultural lineage of the name “Oni”. He also strikes fear into his enemies in a visceral and immediate way.
Finally, the blades attached to Oni’s back are reminiscent of the daisho blades of ancient samurai warriors. The Operator wields these swords with violent force in a final move that PlayStation gamers should look forward to at launch.
Oni’s future
Part of the excitement around an Operator like this is the opportunity to leverage the robust backstory and design elements to iterate on it more. This launch version of Oni is available for PlayStation digital pre-order players, but players will see different iterations of Oni in Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 Battle Packs available for free to PlayStation Plus members starting in Season 01 of Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0.
Get ready for launch
There’s other exciting news beyond Oni’s debut. The new era of Call of Duty begins on October 20, with PlayStation players who digitally pre-ordered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II gaining early access to the game’s Campaign mode ahead of its official launch on October 28.
Take the entire Early Access period of the campaign to learn more about Task Force 141, its ties to Mexican Special Forces, and the overall foundational narrative of the next chapter in Modern Warfare history.
Get off to a good start at launch with the new Campaign Completion unlocks. Complete the campaign to earn a weapon blueprint, four base operators, and cosmetic items for multiplayer and special ops.
Modern Warfare II Multiplayer defines emergent gameplay with an emphasis on variety. On day one, there will be 12 unique multiplayer modes: 10 traditional modes on base maps and two ground war modes on combat maps. Multiplayer will also come with new features such as a new Gunsmith, a new Firing Range, and new maps and modes ready for newcomers and fierce competitors. Along with signature multiplayer combat, Modern Warfare II will feature an evolution of the Special Ops mode from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019).
For added benefits, get the Vault Edition to receive the Red Team 141 Operator Pack, the FJX Cinder Weapon Vault***, and a Season of the Battle Pass plus 55 Tier Skips. ****
See you on October 28.
*One week based on estimated access; Actual game time subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences.
**PS players receive a selection of bonus content not available on other platforms until October. 27 2023. PS Plus required for online multiplayer. Content also available for retail pre-order in Japan only.
***FJX Cinder Weapon Vault and Red Team 141 Operator Pack content requires purchase of Modern Warfare II Vault Edition.
****Battle Pass and Tier Skips, or equivalents, will be accessible in Modern Warfare II once the Season 1 Battle Pass, or equivalent system, becomes available in-game. applies to one season of Modern Warfare II Battle Pass, or equivalent system only. For more information, visit www.callofduty.com.
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