Predicting The Game Of The Year Shortlist For 2018

You may question why Call Of Duty, a franchise many see as slowly growing stagnant, could be on a shortlist for the best titles of 2018. The answer is simple. Call Of Duty Black Ops 4 has its own battle royale mode and it's pretty damn awesome.

Merging the slick, buttery smooth framerate and electric first-person shooting of Call Of Duty with the frantic, dynamic storytelling of a battle royale game, Blackout kickstarts a whole new era for the franchise. It's no doubt going to attract a giant player base in the coming months, combining both the regular Call Of Duty annual buyers and a wealth of new players looking for their next battle royale fix.

If the beta's anything to go on, Black Ops 4 has potentially one of the most well-crafted versions of the game mode as well. Both players lucky enough to try the mode out and press who got codes to trial the game type have unanimously sung its praises, commenting on how the mode's lack of building and focus on fun combat give it an edge above its competition.

Call Of Duty will always have its critics, but this new notch in the franchise's bow has refreshed its core identity. It's only fair to consider it in the running for 2018's best titles.