Call of Duty: Mobile's most anticipated new mode is delayed - here's what we know

Call of Duty Zombies
Call of Duty Zombies from Black Ops 4 (Image credit: Activision)

When Call of Duty: Mobile came out in October 2019, the multiplayer and Battle Royale modes were available, but the menu icon for zombies was grayed out. 

This mode was meant to be introduced at midnight PST on November 21 (3AM ET, 8AM GMT on November 22) but that release time came and went without the new mode dropping.

Activision has now confirmed there has been a delay for some "last minute tuning" to the new mode. 

A message from the Call of Duty: Mobile team said, "This is to ensure an optimal experience for all players. Please stay tuned for further news and you’ll be able to experience Season 2 soon.”

There's no clear new release date for the mode, but it may be we hear about it sooner rather than later if it's just for some last minute changes to the game. That may mean it's still available over the weekend of November 22.

Zombies is one of the most popular modes in Call of Duty games, after debuting in World at War in 2008, and popping up in most Treyarch games since. As Call of Duty: Mobile is essentially a 'best of' list of previous Call of Duty games, it makes sense Zombies mode rears its head on the smartphone.

Call of Duty: Zombies is no stranger to smartphones, after a spin-off game based on the zombies mode from Call of Duty: Black Ops and World at War came out in 2011. However this looks startlingly low-res on modern smartphones, so the new Mobile mode will let you fight zombies in higher quality, and with all the maps and weapons of newer Call of Duty games.

How can I download Call of Duty: Mobile zombies mode?

If you already play Call of Duty: Mobile, the patch bringing Zombies mode should be downloaded automatically, if you have Wi-Fi connection and enough storage space on your phone.

Sometimes updates can fail to install for a variety of reasons, so if the mode still isn't available on your device, head to the App Store or Play Store for iOS and Android users respectively, and when you head to the game's homepage, you'll be prompted to updated the game then.

For those that don't play the game already, again you can easily find it on the App Store or Play Store, but bear in mind it's quite a big game, so the download - when it's available - may take a while.

If you've never played Call of Duty Zombies before, its various rules and tricks take a little getting used to, especially since there's no tutorial. But after a few rounds, especially online, you'll pick it up fast.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.


He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.