Call of Duty's NieR: Automata Crossover Explained

Call of Duty: Mobile isn't talked about much in mainstream gaming circles, but it's quietly become one of Activision's biggest money printers. Released on iOS, iPad, and Android in 2019, the game is a direct adaptation of the online Call of Duty experience, complete with multiplayer, battle royale, and Zombies modes. Although Call of Duty: Mobile is free-to-play, unlike the mainline entries in the series, it was able to generate almost $54 million in revenue in its first month through battle passes and microtransactions. Plus, according to Activision, the game was downloaded over 500 million times across all platforms by May 2021.

A few days ago, Activision launched the latest seasonal update for Call of Duty: Mobile, titled Season 5 - Primal Reckoning. The update introduced a bunch of notable features, such as a Zoo Multiplayer map, a VMP SMG, some Combat Axe and Smoke Grenade skins, and an all-new battle pass. Arguably the biggest addition in Season 5, though, is the NieR: Automata crossover event, which brought many of Yoko Taro's iconic characters to the world of Call of Duty. This event may seem kind of gimmicky, but it actually contains a sizable amount of new content.

new call of duty mobile games reportedly in development

New Call of Duty Mobile Games Could Be in Development

Activision explores the development of several Call of Duty games for mobile devices to continue expanding the franchise's reach.

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By Max Candelarezi

A NieR: Automata Collaboration Event Was Just Added to Call of Duty: Mobile

Call of Duty: Mobile Players Can Unlock Several New NieR-Themed Cosmetics and Weapons

Like most collaborations in Call of Duty: Mobile, the NieR: Automata event features a bunch of new cosmetics, both free and paid. Players can choose from a total of three new NieR skins, each of which can only be worn by specific characters. These include a 9S skin for Ryotaro "Kui Ji" Nagoshima, a 2B costume for Lizbeth "Kestral" Warnholdt, and a Commander White outfit for Fiona St. George. It's worth noting that the 9S skin is the only one that's available for free. In order to obtain the 2B and Commander White outfits, players have to receive them through their respective Draw banners.

The 2B and Commander White skins come with their own themed weapons. 2B features a PP19 Bizon – Morph Symphony, while Commander White has an AK-47 – Final Apocalypact.

Call of Duty: Mobile's latest season contains a handful of weapons from NieR: Automata, as well, many of which can be acquired for free. Players who play the game while this NieR event is still live can obtain a Virtuous Contract, an EM2: Initieno Atonement, a Virtuous Treaty, a Cruel Oath, and a Cruel Blood Oath, as well as a Machine Lifeform-inspired Smoke Grenade skin. Each of the NieR: Automata Draw banners (namely the ones for 2B and Commander White) also feature two unique melee weapons, though Activision didn't specify what these weapons were in the announcement post for Season 5.

The CoD x NieR: Automata Collab Also Features Its Own Limited-Time Game Mode

Cosmetics and weapons aren't the only things that Call of Duty: Mobile's NieR: Automata collaboration event features. It also has a limited-time game mode, which puts players into the shoes of the elite YorHa Unit, as they launch an attack against the Machine Lifeforms. In this mode, Activision says that players can "complete objectives to earn action points," which they can spend to move through a branching path. By reaching checkpoints, acquiring Skill Chips, and traversing through counterattack routes, players can unlock new exclusive routes. Those who complete this mode can earn rewards like the aforementioned 9S skin for Kui Ji.

Square Enix Could Be Preparing to Announce a New NieR Game in the Future

The NieR: Automata collaboration event has been launched at a very interesting time for both NieR and the Call of Duty franchise. Call of Duty: Mobile is no stranger to weird crossovers like this, but this NieR one is particularly unusual due to the fact that the series has been dormant for quite a while (although it's been collaborating with IPs like Stellar Blade as well). While this is admittedly a bit of a stretch, maybe this Call of Duty: Mobile event is a sign that Square Enix is gearing up to announce a new NieR game in the near future.