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A new multiplayer mode for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War called Double Agent has been announced, and its hidden traitor elements make it very similar to the popular indie game Among Us. It will be introduced to BOCW as part of Season Five.
Season Five is scheduled to begin on August 12th, according to a roadmap released by the company. Among the changes and new content teased were two new game modes. One of the game modes, Demolition, returns from the previous Call of Duty installments. However, one appeared to be brand new. Initially, this information was extremely limited, with only a name and a single screenshot to go off of. The same roadmap also revealed new multiplayer maps and several changes to the extremely popular Zombies game mode.
The newest game mode, Double Agent, is detailed in a post on the Call of Duty website. The mode is for ten players, who each assume one of three roles: the titular Double Agent, the Investigator, and Operatives. The Double Agent must either take out the other players or set off explosives placed throughout the map. Operatives are tasked with finding the Double Agents before they're defeated. Lastly, the Investigator is able to find clues and label suspected Double Agents as Wanted.
Everyone begins with only a pistol, with additional weapons being found during the preparation stage. Double Agents and Investigators also have access to exclusive abilities and equipment. Investigators, for example, can see footprints when examining a dead body. They can also utilize Call of Duty's extremely powerful hand cannons and stimshots. Double Agents, meanwhile, are immune to poison released by their own explosives. They also have attack helicopters and combat bows at their disposal. Voice chat is heavily encouraged for cooperative play.
If all of this sounds familiar, it's probably because the mode is eerily reminiscent of Among Us. Even the emphasis on voice chat seems to be lifted wholesale from the indie title. However, Among Us' concept is not entirely original either. The gameplay is essentially a digital, online version of the card game "Mafia." (Or "Werewolf," in some cases.) Black Ops' Investigator role also does not have a public Among Us equivalent as of this writing. Mafia, however, has a Detective that behaves very similarly.
Whether the similarities between Double Agent and Among Us are intentional or not is unknown. Given how popular Among Us is, though, it's hard to not draw comparisons. But the concept remains as solid as ever. Time will tell if Call of Duty's new mode gets picked up by the fans or marked as just another Impostor.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Source: Call of Duty, Call of Duty/Twitter