Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout gets respawn mode for the first time

This week's shaping up to be a great one for those hoping to try Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Today marks the start of Blackout's first 7-day free trial - and along with this, the advent of the battle royale mode's first limited time mode with respawning. This should certainly help if you're new.

The aptly-named Down But Not Out mode, which is currently a squads-only LTM, allows players to respawn their fallen comrades after each "new collapse" (that's when the circle moves to a new area). The catch is at least one squad member needs to stay alive for this to happen. Time to start practising those bush-hiding skills.

Down But Not Out is already live on the PlayStation 4 version of the game, with PC and Xbox One set to follow shortly. You'll have until 30th January to try this one, so make those days count.

The idea of limited time modes with respawning - separate to the main version of a battle royale game - is hardly new. Fortnite, for instance, regularly features a respawn LTM called Team Rumble, which gives players infinite respawns and allows them to focus on kills rather than survival. It's a popular mode and a great way to practise, as players don't have to waste time queuing in lobbies after every death. Which happens a lot in battle royales, funnily enough.

In theory, Blackout's Down But Not Out playlist should similarly inspire aggressive play, create hectic final circles, and provide a more forgiving mode for new players. Bravo.