Modern Warfare II’s first raid launches Dec. 14

Infinity Ward announced raids with Modern Warfare II earlier this year just prior to the game’s closed beta, and today it gives a little more detail on the first-ever raid for a Call Of Duty game, Atomgrad. The raid will be part of the Spec Ops mode where you squad up with two other players and take on waves of enemies. Though with Atomgrad you’ll be facing more challenging trials.

There are also requirements to get into the raid. You’d think it would be immediately available, but that isn’t the case. To play it you will need to acquire a raid key, which can be obtained in a few different ways. The easiest method seems to be completing a specific daily challenge in either multiplayer or Spec Ops.

The second method is to extract from the FINAL helicopter in DMZ with at least $30,000 in cash. Lastly you can be one of the top 20 players in any Warzone 2.0 playlist match. Completing any one of these requirements will give you a raid key. It will then last for a week so you can attempt the raid as much as you want within that time.

Those who acquire the key can also choose to bring in anyone they want. As for rewards, completing the raid gives you a “familiar face” as an operator skin, while found intel can unlock additional cosmetic items. Likely weapon blueprints, emblems, and calling cards.

Here’s how to prepare for the first raid in Modern Warfare II

Aside from acquiring the key, Infinity Ward recommends trying to prepare for the raid with some warmup activities. Suggestions include digging into Spec Ops missions to get in the swing of things, and obtaining high-tier kits.

Atomgrad will utilize the kit system that Spec Ops uses. Which means you’ll be limited to whatever kits you’ve unlocked for that mode. So the goal, if you want a better chance of survival and completing the raid, is to unlock the high-tier kits. These will have better perks and other loadout elements. And although probably not necessary for raid completion, it will make things much easier.

In addition to the raids, the new multiplayer map Shipment is arriving the same day. There will even be a limit-time holiday version of Shipment arriving in the game on December 21. You can read the full details on Atomgrad and the changes coming with Season 01 Reloaded here.