Good morning!

If you tuned into last night’s Periscope broadcast, you’ll know that we’ve got a few surprises in store for you today.

For starters, we’re upping the level cap to Major (Level 34). Gating progression like this has helped glean invaluable information about how people progress through the game and how we should fine-tune our balancing, so thank you!

Also, while we see that you’ve been having a good time with Combine, Hunted and Evac, we feel that it’s time to add something new to the mix. That’s why we’re introducing a new map into the rotation: Stronghold. Welcome to your very own high-tech Swiss chateau in the frozen, mountainous Alps. It features an asymmetrical design with a mix of exposed sightlines and tight, close quarters.

What goes great with your own Swiss chateau? Why a robot whose arm can transform into a mini-gun, of course! Today, we’ll introduce you to Reaper – here’s what you need to know:

• Real Name: Experimental War Robot (EWR)
• Bio: Started as an expensive military R&D project to supplement Special Operations soldiers in the field, the EWR was a cutting-edge prototype combat robot, the most advanced in the world at the time. Budget overruns and embarrassing political incidents left the project all but a resource for scrap metal, except for the one prototype that remained.
• Weapon: Scythe – Robotic arm that transforms into a high power Mini-Gun.
• Ability: Psychosis – Infiltrate enemy DNI systems to simulate three decoy clones.

One final addition today – and one that we know that many of you will appreciate – is the introduction of the game mode, Uplink. This is where players face off in an effort to send a satellite careening into an enemy’s goal. We hope that you enjoy our take on this fan favorite.

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: this Beta is a work-in-progress and a development tool that will ultimately help us fashion a better Day One experience. Keep your feedback coming and of course, enjoy yourself along the way!

Treyarch