This article was published on KaijuRamenMedia.com on May 17, 2022. To read the original, click here
A few weeks ago, the Kaiju community was alerted to a potential crossover with the free-to-play video game, Call of Duty: Warzone. The teaser featured three characters in World War II discovering a device that emitted the sound of the Orcha from Godzilla: King of the Monsters. At the end of the teaser, a familiar roar could be heard. It wasn’t long before it was confirmed that Godzilla and Kong would be making an appearance in the upcoming season of Call of Duty: Warzone.
Call of Duty: Warzone is a free-to-play battle royale-type video game that was launched on March 10, 2020. The game was developed by Infinity Ward and Raven Software and published by Activision, the rights holder of the Call of Duty franchise. It’s notable for having tied into three of the major Call of Duty games of the last few years: 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, 2020’s Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War, and 2021’s Call of Duty: Vanguard. They have also had a number of crossovers during its seasons, like Scream, Attack on Titan, and Die Hard. Legendary’s MonsterVerse is just another crossover to add to the list, but that doesn’t make it any less exciting. For example, Bear McCreary is the main composer of the game, so this gave him a chance to compose music for Godzilla again. After his incredible score for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the chance for more McCreary Godzilla music is enough to get anyone excited.
The main trailer for the event impressed Kaiju fans across the internet. While none of it was in-game footage, it was quite impressive to see these two titans duke it out again. The care taken to bring the Titans to life, such as bringing back the motion-capture performers was already on display. Some in the community were eager to point out how the look of the trailer was reminiscent of what Gareth Edwards could have done with Godzilla vs. Kong, had he continued to work within the MonsterVerse. The game puts players on an Island known as Caldera, where German forces have accidentally angered and awakened the two Titans. Players will have to survive the constant attacks from either Godzilla or Kong while also trying to finish the battle royale on top.
Sadly players can’t play as Godzilla or Kong, but they can unlock special skins to represent either Team Kong or Team Godzilla. There will even be skins for those looking to emulate MechaGodzilla, the main foe from Godzilla vs. Kong, but this skin will only be available for a limited time. While the game is the normal battle royale that Call of Duty: Warzone players have come to rely on, they will have the added struggle of surviving targeted attacks from Godzilla and Kong. Certain collectibles on the map will give players access to Monarch’s special Titan S.C.R.E.A.M. (Titan Sonic Communication Radar and Echolocation Array Module) Device, allowing players to target Godzilla’s atomic breath on their enemies. Fans of the MonsterVerse will recognize S.C.R.E.A.M. as a stand-in for Dr. Russel’s Orcha device which played a crucial role in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
The Operation Monarch crossover launched on May 11th and the reception from Kaiju fans has been pretty fairly positive. A number of fans who jumped on for the event have been pleased with it, while some have lamented how low-budget the two Titans look. While it is undoubtedly cool to see Godzilla and Kong together again, they don’t interact with each other, which can only feel like a missed opportunity. On the other hand, Since Godzilla and Kong are constant threats to the players on the island, some have expressed a desire for a survival game set in the MonsterVerse with a similar foundation to Operation Monarch. The generally positive reception of the crossover event could lead to Legendary Pictures exploring that option, perhaps finally delivering a satisfying Godzilla game after so many years.
The map is filled with tons of MonsterVerse easter eggs for fans to look out for. It’s even possible, since Legendary had a creative hand in “Operation Monarch”, that there could be some easter eggs that hint at the future of the franchise. The ramp-up for Godzilla vs. Kong made some feel like it was going to be the end for the MonsterVerse, but it’s clear that Legendary Pictures are not willing to let the journeys of Kong and Godzilla end. With three new projects on the horizon and this crossover event, it certainly isn’t a bad time to be a MonsterVerse fan.