Publisher Activision Blizzard, responsible for the game this article refers to, is currently embroiled in ongoing litigation in regards to claims reporting a workplace culture that allegedly enabled acts of sexual harassment, abuse and discrimination. Read our Activision Blizzard lawsuit timeline of events for ongoing coverage of the events.
Call of Duty: Mobile's regular seasonal updates have a tendency to whisk players through time and across the world, and the latest adventure – Season 5 – is no different.
Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5 dropped at the end of June alongside a substantial in-game update, switching up the popular mobile shooter with new playlists, modes, seasonal challenges and events.
Here, we break down everything you need to know about Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5, from how much it costs to play to what to expect from its run-and-gun gameplay.
- Best gaming phones of 2021
- New Call of Duty 2021 release date, news and rumors
- Call of Duty: Warzone Season 3 – everything we know so far
When does Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5 start?
Officially titled Season 5: In Deep Water, Call of Duty: Mobile’s latest update released on June 28 for Android and iOS devices at 5pm PT (June 29, 1am BST / 10am AEST).
🌊 Season 5: In Deep Water⚓🤿 Lower your anchors and get ready to dive into the new season!🔍 More intel here 👉 https://t.co/yzpP0kkhHU🆕 New season is deploying to #CODMobile early next week, but check in-game now for the return of a legend 😎! pic.twitter.com/FKRwPCC6KcJune 25, 2021
It replaced Season 4 of the game and therefore the entire roster of seasonal challenges steadily introduced since its release back in May. In that respect, the slate was wiped clean for the new season, which sees players immersed in a nautical-themed game world.
What’s included in Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5?
Season 5: In Deep Water brings with it a host of new maps, playlists, weapons and events – but perhaps most exciting is its two new game modes.
The first is Cranked: Confirmed, a mix of Cranked and Kill Confirmed. In this mode, players enter the cranked state for a combat boost and must keep the timer from running out by getting eliminations or collecting dog tags.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Sure, this one doesn't sound as original as previous Activision efforts – but when you've run out of ideas for new game modes, combine two existing ones, right?
Cranked: Confirmed will become playable in "early July" for Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5, and is expected to run until it's replaced by the next new mode in Season 5 – or the next new season, at least.
The second new mode from Call of Duty: Mobile's latest season takes clear inspiration from one of the most popular modes of games gone by.
Ground Mission will "bring Domination to the big stage," developer Activision says, and see players fight for five capture points in large 10v10 matches. The mode is set to arrive in "mid July", which we presume to mean it will be playable alongside Cranked: Confirmed.
As mentioned, Season 5: In Deep Water will also bring a host of new maps and weapons to Call of Duty: Mobile.
Docks makes a return to the franchise in "early July", having first debuted in Modern Warfare, while new weapons and operator skills including the CR-56 AMAX, Kilo Bolt-Action and K9 Unit are now available to unlock and use.
💥 Deploy a new ally to guide & help you in the fight!🐕 New Operator Skill, K9 Unit available in the Season 5 Battle Pass.🔜 Launching tomorrow at 5PM PT! pic.twitter.com/Kv2yYyynF8June 28, 2021
Docks, a small, symmetrical map, takes the fight to a familiar shipyard on the River Thames. It will see Operators battle it out across duplex buildings, small platforms and a central bridge, providing lots of opportunities to fight inside or out in the open. Gunfight will be supported for Docks, too.
Also arriving is Suldal Harbor, a medium-sized map located on the edge of the Black Sea. It's made up of shipping crates, narrow alleyways and close-quarter interiors, and will support 5v5 and 10v10 play. Suldal Harbor became playable at Season 5's launch.
Finally, there's Aniyah Incursion, a larger map centred around an Asian palace arriving in "late July". This one also first appeared in Modern Warfare, and will see players fight through bombed-out interiors or wide open palace grounds. Aniyah Incursion will support 10v10, Attack of the Undead and the new Ground Mission mode.
Check out the tweet below, which details what to expect from each new map arriving in Season 5.
🗺 New location intel has been identified!📍 Suldal Harbor📍 Docks📍 Aniyah Incursion✔ Destinations incoming to #CODMobile in the next season! pic.twitter.com/yJW9Txbjy0June 24, 2021
Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5 also introduces new perks like Gung-Ho, a speed boost that lets you hip-fire, throw grenades and reload while sprinting, alongside a new Time Traveler class in Battle Royale, which allows players to glitch back in time, in addition to adding higher resistance to explosives.
New themed events have arrived, too. Sticking with the nautical theme, Sea of Steel sees players race to capture territory and earn rewards for completing various daily tasks. The faction with the most map nodes at the end of the event – either the Ghosts or the Federation – will win.
As usual, Season 5 drops new Operator skins into the fray, too, including Call of Duty Ghost's Merrick and Rorke.
How much is the Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5 Battle Pass?
Many of these updates come as part of the free version of the Call of Duty: Mobile Season 5 Battle Pass – including basic variants of new weapons like the CR-56 AMAX and the brand new K9 Unit Operator Skill – but lots of content still remains locked behind Activision’s paid package.
Put simply, the Call of Duty: Mobile Battle Pass costs the same every time: that’s 800 COD Points ($9.99 / £9.99). A premium pass is also available, which automatically unlocks the first 25 tiers of the pass for 2000 COD Points ($24.99 / £24.99) and gives you some additional unique items (including epic weapon skins, XP boosts and those aforementioned new Operator skins).
As with all versions of Call of Duty across every platform, microtransactions give some players access to more content than others – that’s not to say you need to fork out for the Battle Pass to enjoy the Call of Duty: Mobile experience, but it’s certainly the best way to access everything Season 5: In Deep Water has to offer.
Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.