The Activision Call of Duty XP event in Los Angeles featured some exciting games. We competed in Infinite Warfare multiplayer, teamed up in Zombies in Spaceland, and tested Modern Warfare Remastered. But the most amazing thing could be the Infinite Warfare VR experience for PlayStation VR.
Setting up VR Call of Duty XP
Call of Duty Call of Duty XP World Championship
The first Call of Duty XP took place five years ago. This year’s event is the second iteration of the festival, so there was a big break between them. Last year, Activision launched the Call of Duty World League and a major esports initiative, so it’s time for a second XP.
Call of Duty XP is the culmination of a year-long competitive season that sees teams of the best Call of Duty players from around the world compete for prizes. However, the event caters for more than just esports competitions. In addition to the Call of Duty themed events, attendees got the chance to play a range of upcoming Call of Duty games, including the Infinite Warfare VR experience.
The VR experience was created in a huge shipping container with multiple compartments. Before we could play the game, we entered the training room. Inside, a fake marine was barking orders while an in-universe training video taught us the ins and outs of piloting a jackal. The «Jackal» is an aircraft/ship capable of flying both in the atmosphere and in space. In the futuristic setting of Infinity War, this is the main fighter of SATO (Solar Energy Treaty Organization).
Inside the main compartment, Activision has set up several PlayStation VR stations. Each station had a main monitor on which spectators could watch the player’s game session, as well as a number of decorative side monitors. Under the chairs was a device that gave a rumble and a sense of movement that created an incredible VR experience. I want one!
Call of Duty VR
An endless virtual war experience takes place in the jackal’s cockpit. Looking around, you can observe the controls in the cockpit, your pilot’s hands on a pair of flying sticks, and his feet in the seat. You play this VR demo with a DualShock 4 controller, using the analog sticks to control the ship. By moving the thumb, the pilot’s hands move accordingly in VR. Pretty cool to see /
Our Jackal was originally loaded into the launch bay of the Retribution, a UNSA (United Nations Space Alliance) aircraft carrier that was used to transport dozens of jackals and thousands of military personnel through space. Finally, we take off into the vastness of space, where many additional ships and ships surround Retribution.
Our first task is to fly around the aircraft carrier, inspect the faulty radar antenna. The collision with space debris has damaged the dishes, the repair of which begins automatically when we enter its vicinity. But a few pieces of detritus continue to float around the ship, and our task is to eliminate them.
