Black Ops Cold War dev reveals major changes to flinch in multiplayer

[jwplayer br5AuoVJ]

Damage flinch has been a controversial aspect in many Call of Duty multiplayers and Treyarch appears acutely aware of that, as the developers have revealed that the mechanic is redesigned in Black Ops Cold War.

Many Call of Duty titles in the past, including 2019’s Modern Warfare, have featured a mechanic called flinching, which causes a player’s aim to be impacted while taking damage.

The effect essentially causes players’ crosshairs to bump upward when being hit with bullets, but it appears that the impact of that flinch has been greatly reduced for Black Ops Cold War.

The flinch initially seems like a detriment to the person impacted, as one could aim for a headshot, only to be shot and have their crosshair bump upward, entirely missing their enemy. But it also leads to “flinch headshots,” where someone aiming at the chest would stutter into a deadly headshot.

Tony Flame, one of the game designers who worked on Black Ops Cold War, revealed that, following the redesign, “flinch is now primarily a feedback mechanism to help you understand you’re taking damage.” As a consequence, your crosshairs should remain where you intended them to be and there should be “no more flinch headshots.”

The reactions to his tweet are fairly unanimous, with professional players like Dillon ‘Attach’ Price, Anthony ‘Methodz’ Zinni, and Doug ‘Censor’ Martin responding very enthusiastically. Former CoD World Champion Christopher ‘Parasite’ Duarte said, “thank you. Finally, toughness is built-in … Visual clarity seems like it took a huge step forward this title.”

• Read more: Treyarch respond to “unbreakable” tank concerns in Black Ops Cold War

Demonstrating the redesigned flinch mechanic, content creator ‘Xclusive Ace,’ who got to play the game’s alpha build, showed in slow motion that, despite taking damage, a player’s crosshair barely moves outside of its normal recoil. This means that your ability to shoot enemies is dictated solely by your aim and not any other factor.

At the moment, it’s unclear whether or not the mechanic impacts various guns differently, a question many have with regards to snipers. Similarly, people will be curious to find out if Warzone’s mechanics will be adjusted as well when the new multiplayer title releases. 

• Read more: Black Ops Cold War rumors claim Warzone won’t change from Modern Warfare

As Black Ops Cold War nears its October 8 PS4 Open Beta and November 13 release date, more specific details are sure to be revealed.