Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is introducing a new game mode called Collateral, which borrows heavily from the tactical shooter genre, most notably Counter-Strike and Valorant. This mode aims to provide a more restrictive and economy-focused experience compared to the series' traditional offerings.
Collateral functions as a more disciplined version of Search and Destroy. It disables pre-made loadouts, starting all players with the same amount of cash and a basic pistol. Teams will alternate between attacking and defending two bomb sites. Success in rounds earns cash, which is then used to purchase weapons and equipment between rounds. Crucially, weapons and equipment are lost upon death, mirroring a core mechanic in Counter-Strike.
Further differentiating itself from typical Call of Duty gameplay, Collateral disables automatic health regeneration and respawning. Killstreaks are also largely absent, with the UAV being the only exception, available only as a team purchase and not for individual acquisition. While perks are accessible, they are limited and must be bought with earned cash, forcing strategic decisions about resource allocation.
The in-game store offers a familiar array of choices for players experienced with tactical shooters. Available purchases include armor and perks such as Armor Vest, Battle Hardened, Lethal Reach, Fast Hands, and Ghost. Equipment options range from grenades and Molotov cocktails to stims and smoke walls. A selection of pistols, standard issue weapons like shotguns and SMGs, and more advanced Tier 1 weapons such as semi-auto, high-damage, burst, silenced, and sniper rifles can also be acquired. The sole team buy option is the UAV.
The announcement of Collateral was somewhat understated, appearing late in a blog post detailing Modern Warfare 4's PC version features. However, there is no indication that the mode will be exclusive to PC.
This reveal follows recent news aimed at re-engaging players, including the introduction of a skin toggle for Warzone and a change to Double XP tokens to ensure they count down during matches rather than in real-time. Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled for release on October 23rd for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.