Ubisoft has added loot box-style Battle Crates and a new PvP mode with two new maps to Ghost Recon: Wildlands. The expansion Extended Ops is now available for Xbox One, PS4 and PC, weighing 8 GB on Steam and 14 GB on Uplay. Console players will need to download a 13.5 GB update.
The new PvP mode is called Extraction where one team must locate and extract two High Value Targets. The second team must prevent them from doing so and the mode can be played in two new maps – Institute and Garage. Players can also look forward to a few changes like the Predator’s HP bonus being removed and an overall reduction to the HP gained from Adrenaline Rush.
As for the Battle Crates, they allow players to earn new Epic and Exotic weapons, vehicles and other assorted cosmetic items. Divided into two categories – Spec Ops Crates for the campaign and Ghost War Crates for PvP – the Battle Crates can be purchased for 400 Store Credits in-game. Ubisoft has assured players that these items are purely cosmetic but we’ll see how that pans out in the long run. Check out some of the patch notes below.
FULL CHANGES LIST – Ghost War
Classes
- Sentinel & Pathfinder: Fixed an issue where the Sentinel and Pathfinder firing shot sound was not heard by teammates and enemies.
- Artillery: Fixed an issue where by launching a mortar strike, the player’s position would be revealed on the tacmap.
- Predator: We have removed the Predator’s Assault-specific HP bonus and reduced the HP gain when activating Adrenaline Rush. The Predator will now be more vulnerable, while still remaining extremely lethal and versatile.
- Medic: The Medic’s drone will now be marked for the enemy 1 second after being launched, instead of the 6 seconds that the other drones get. This will give enemy teams more time to react to a Medic’s revive attempt and try to counter it.
Maps
- Warehouse: We fixed an exploit which allowed players to rush to the top of the building and gain an unfair advantage on the enemy team.
- Jungle base: We blocked off the upper area of the main building to avoid camping and negative gameplay experiences.
- Urban Incursion: We’ve moved the Uplink location in order to focus the gameplay in a more open area.
- Fixed several map level design issues.
Ranked
Please have a look at our Ranked Mode FAQ for more information about the Ranked mode. All Ranked changes will be applied at the start of the second season, start of February.
- Player Rating: The Matchmaking Rating (MMR) is now calculated at the end of a match, instead of the end of a round. This way we avoid frustrating situations where players would win the match, but decrease in rank because they have lost one or two rounds against a lower rated team. This also means that the placement rounds will be removed and replaced by placement matches.
- Matchmaking: Because we now take into account full match outcomes when calculating ratings, players will not be able to join ongoing matches anymore, because it would be unfair to join a match where the enemy team is already leading. Also, when completing a Ranked match, players will not be dropped to the Menus anymore. Instead, they will keep being engaged in the matchmaking process in order to let them play consecutive matches without having to restart matchmaking each time they finish a match.
- Penalties: Leaving penalties are now more severe in Ranked Mode, in order to discourage and punish players from leaving an ongoing match as this will have a much bigger impact on the game. Quickplay penalties have not been changed.
- Fixed an issue where an incorrect warning message was displayed on the Ranked button for the case where the next strike would grant a penalty.
Prestige
Fixed an issue where the Prestige points were not displayed on the end screen results page, when ranking up.
Custom games
Fixed an issue where, in Custom Match sessions with players in only one team, would end right after player’s spawn.
Uplink
Fixed an issue where a wrong sound bark was played if the round was won by eliminating the enemy team in Uplink game mode.
User Interface
- A compass has been added at the top of the in-match HUD screen so players can use it either for callouts or to better navigate the map.
- Added Colorblind mode
PC
Fixed an issue where the Scope category items would remain set if they were highlighted with the mouse and not selected.
Store:
Added Ghost War Crates. For more information, please read our FAQ.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed an issue where the Player could holster the weapon by canceling the capture of recon tower or Uplink, right before it begins.
- Fixed an issue where you could see the drone’s rotor blades while spectating a player.
- Fixed an issue related to character collision and throw-able items on some body parts.
- Fixed an issue where downed players that were inside a mine radius could not be revived after the mine has exploded.
- Fixed an issue where a mine could be triggered by the player if the mine was placed above ground, on an object, and the player would step on the ground next to the mine.
- Fixed several HUD display issues.
- Fixed several text issues.
- Fixed an issue where the Uplay Rewards popups were displayed each time you enter Ghost War (the issue only impacted some accounts).