Call of Duty: Ghosts devs discuss new alien-fighting Extinction mode

A new dev diary for Call of Duty: Ghosts features the game’s developers discussing the newly-revealed Extinction mode, which pits players against waves of deadly alien invaders.

The design team wanted Extinction to feature more three-dimensional gameplay than typically found in a Call of Duty title with enemies crawling on walls and ceilings and leaping at the player. However, the engine and systems didn’t support that functionality at all, says Brian Bright, the project director at co-developer Neversoft; it took months to get the tech right before design even started.

The majority of time went into developing gameplay, says Infinity Ward executive director Mark Rubin. Initially, the team just wanted to have something on the screen that jumped around: It didn’t have to be an alien, it could just be a box. The focal point of Extinction developed as base defense, says Bright, alongside survival and scavenging for equipment and ammo.

The video examines these systems more in-depth and also looks at the mode’s unique classes and advancement systems.

Call of Duty: Ghosts hits current-gen platforms on Nov. 5 and will be a launch title for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.