Call Of Duty: WWII’s live action trailers are here, and they don’t focus on the gameplay or set pieces we’re used to. In a big push for multiplayer nostalgia, the game’s pre-release ads simply tell players to get their old squads back together.
While the embedded clip is the one that will be shown across the U.S. and most other territories, the “Reassemble” ad campaign actually has three separate commercials for U.K., French and global audiences. It’s not the kind of video that needs a frame-by-frame analysis, so we’ll just fill you in on the basic idea.
Even though the game itself focuses primarily on the history of World War II, the trailers deviate from discussing that weighty subject, opting instead for a more modern spin. In a style that calls back to the opening scenes of The Hangover, normal people go about their day when a friend suddenly shows up at work to remind them that this year’s Call Of Duty title takes the series back to its roots. In an effort to "get the band back together," friends travel through subways, butcher shops, hotels, courtrooms and nightclubs to make the eager pitch. As expected, these guys and gals are more than ready to relive that lost part of their youth.
While fairly similar in overall format, Call Of Duty: WWII’s live action trailer is a lot simpler in its messaging than the one we saw for Infinite Warfare in 2016. In that case there was actual footage of teams fighting off intergalactic foes with a little help from U.S. Olympian Michael Phelps. For WWII’s campaign, the rowdiest the commercial gets is a brief bar fight.
Possibly spurred on by Infinite Warfare’s comparatively poor audience reception, the ads suggest Activision is trying a new marketing strategy. It’s obvious this ad is targeted to lapsed and more mature Call Of Duty fans. Especially with the series’ refocus on boots-on-the-ground combat, it's probably a smart move.
The choice to not show any World War II imagery is also quite unique. It doesn’t tell viewers anything about the product, but the Call Of Duty: WWII name might do enough of that already. The game’s creators have previously said they want multiplayer to occupy a more relaxed space than the emotionally-weighted single-player campaign. As a result, online modes will take some historical liberties by adding female soldier avatars and cutting Nazi-inspired visuals. In other words, the goal of Call Of Duty: WWII’s online modes is to have fun with friends. That’s precisely what’s implied by these global and international trailers.
This live action representation likely won’t be the only ad run to promote Call Of Duty: WWII. Those hoping to see more gameplay will likely get tons of it in a launch trailer likely to surface closer to the game’s release date.
Call Of Duty: WWII comes to PS4, Xbox One and PC Nov. 3.
What do you think of these live action trailers? Do they say enough about Call Of Duty: WWII to make you excited for the game? Tell us in the comments section!
- Action-packed campaign
- Traditional multiplayer at its best
- A more welcoming Zombies mode
- Predictable story
- Small multiplayer maps
- Post-launch server issues
