Tencent and Activision jointly launched Call of Duty Mobile in China on December 25th, 2020. The much popular Call of Duty Mobile title received a license to launch in China in August 2020, with the game officially releasing on December 25th, 2020. The game, developed by Tencent’s TiMi Studio, had 60million+ pre-registrations ahead of the launch and debuted at no.1 game on the iOS games chart. This article on COD Mobile Global vs China vs Garena version analyzes how is the Chinese version different from the Global version and the Garena version and which one is better to play. We will be looking into the basic features and aspects of these versions to know all about them.
Assessing the basic features of China, Global and Garena versions of COD Mobile
1. Game Setup
Starting with the Login method, the COD Mobile Global version supports Guest, Activision, and Facebook login.
However, the Chinese version only supports Guest, WeChat, and QQ login. Moreover, you must use your Chinese ID to enter the game as per their government’s guidelines. If you are a foreigner, Taiwanese, or a Hong Konger residing in China, then you need to contact Tencent’s customer service, send your passport copy/resident status, and wait for their approval.
When it comes to game settings, COD Mobile China has one simple mode and two kinds of Advanced Modes. The second one is 1 tap ADS combined with Auto firing. The game recognizes and embraces 3 distinct player types: casual mid-core and hard-core by effectively reducing the cognitive load. They keep the funnel wide by having a mode which keeps the cognitive loads low, and they have a mode where pro players can have all the control they want.
2. Game Modes, Maps and Weapon upgradation System
While the global version is in its 13th Season, the Chinese one starts with Season 1 but the game modes are quite different from COD Mobile Global Season 1. Season 1 of the Chinese version has all weapons separated into different types with each having a different XP system. In the past, different skins for the same weapon had to be upgraded separately. The highest level any variant of your weapon currently has will become the level of that entire type. This was updated in Season 9 of the Global version with the release of Gunsmith.
Multiplayer mode in Season 1 of COD Mobile global version included 7 maps spanning the Call of Duty franchise and several core gameplay modes, including team deathmatch, domination, and search-and-destroy. You can play the matches either in normal or ranked mode, with ranked providing the opportunity to earn additional cosmetics each season. The Chinese version, on the other hand, has a special Map exclusive to this version in China – Oasis Map.
The Ranked mode in Multiplayer had 4 gameplay modes – Team Death Match, Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, Domination. The Chinese version has the Hardpoint replaced by Frontline. The Battle Royale is the same for both as it was in the first season of COD Mobile global version with the Classic Map.
3. Core Gameplay
Even though it is exclusive to China region, the game is very identical to the COD Mobile global version when it comes to the core concept or gameplay, here are some noted differences between them:
- COD Mobile China is not as smooth as the Global or Garena version when playing at higher FPS. The game freezes for a split second while trying the ADS. However, this is only the first season here, and it is expected to be more smooth and stable in the future updates.
- The combat effect is crisp in terms of blood and sound effects. The Chinese version has a light and smoke effect when being hit, making it impossible to recreate that FPS gaming experience. This was also noticed in Peacekeeper Elite Championship in Game For Peace (Chinese version of PUBG) because bloodshed in games is banned in China.
4. Commercialisation of the Game
- Call of Duty Points (CP): When it comes to driving revenue, Chinese devs/publishers take it to another level investing heavily in marketing the game. Jay Chou (famous Taiwanese pop star) starred in Chinese Codm’s trailer video, which has already amassed huge popularity.
The Battle Pass in COD Mobile Global version costs 560 CP, with the Premium Pass costing 1280 CP, where 1 CP is equivalent to $0.012. However, in COD Mobile China, the Battle Pass costs 388 CP, and the Premium Pass costs 888 CP, where 1 CP is equivalent to 0.1 CNY ($0.015).
However, the purchase of bundles in COD Mobile China is quite different from that of the Global version. The minimum spending on the global version is $0.99 that gives you 80 CP, but the minimum spending in the Chinese version is 1 CNY ($0.15) that gives you 10 CP. Smart move by Tencent, considering when ARPPU in China reached an all-time high in 2020. Completing 50 tiers gives you the required CP for next season’s battle pass in both the Chinese and Global versions.
- Character and Gun Skins: Chinese games are all about events and promotions. The more you engage yourself, the more you receive as 福利(in-game welfare). There are plenty of benefits just by playing the game. You could get a gun skin or a crate to by completing almost every other match.
You could add that up by following COD Mobile’s official WeChat account. This was much higher compared to season 1 of COD Mobile global.
COD Mobile Global vs China vs Garena: Which version is Better to play?
The gameplay of COD Mobile Global and Garena versions are exactly similar keeping aside the fact that the Garena version is for Southeast Asian players only (except Vietnam). The Global version can be played by players in all other regions except Vietnam, Belgium, and China. The matchmaking for both versions is different as well due to server differences.
In terms of gameplay experience, COD Mobile Global and Garena versions get the edge over Call of Duty Mobile China. The Chinese people are fixed to their strict and identity protection policies, making it way harder to verify your identity. They have their own server, which restricts the use of the VPN as well. The language is a huge obstacle for non-Chinese speakers. However, there is nothing wrong with downloading the Chinese version and giving it a try just for the sake of experiencing with Chinese players and accumulating loads of character and gun skins on the go.
How to download COD Mobile China on your devices?
Downloading the Chinese version is a tough task to accomplish as it is only available on the Chinese version of Google play store and Apple AppStore. But TapTap has got you covered. You can download the game from TapTap and play it on your devices. Follow these steps to complete downloading Call of Duty Mobile China on your devices.
- Download the game from TapTap.
- Register using WeChat or QQ account. However, if both are banned in your country then register as a Guest.
- Contact Tencent Customer service to help you get your identity verified by sending them your passport details. The process may take hours to some days to get approved.
- Play the game on your devices as soon as it gets approved.
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