How to Play Call of Duty Ghosts Multiplayer

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 21, 2023

Call of Duty Ghosts introduces several new game modes, variations to the rank system and introduces the ability to create your own soldier. Even if you have not played a Call of Duty game before, you can easily jump in and learn the core mechanics of the game. Once you have an understanding of the overwhelming amount of features and setup you will be able to start playing the game with others online.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing for Multiplayer

1
Customize your squad member and your loadout. You will be able to unlock up to ten squad members who are allowed six loadout sets in the Create A Soldier menu which can be found when choosing "Online" or "Xbox Live" from the main "Multiplayer" menu. You will only be able to choose from a small selection of weapons and attributes when you first begin playing. When you complete a match you will earn experience points and rank up. Advancing in rank will gain access to more loadouts, weapons, appearance customization and earn you squad points. Squad points are currency used to primarily unlock guns, gun attachments and to unlock perks early.
- You can share squad points with other squad members, however points that are spent to unlock weapons, attachments or perks will only be unlocked for that squad member and cannot be traded.
- Appearance unlocks are entirely cosmetic and do not affect the gameplay, but allows you to personalize your squad member’s look for others to see.
2
Create a loadout for your squad member. You will start with basic loadout configurations for sniper rifles, shotguns and automatic rifles. Each loadout allows you to equip a primary and secondary weapon, attachments for both weapons, a lethal accessory, a tactical accessory, a set of perks and a strike package. The more effective your load out is, the more experience you will be able to gain that will allow you to unlock more weapons. You will not be able to change what each loadout has equipped in-game.
- A secondary weapon can come in handy if you run out of ammunition in the middle of gunfire which allows you to fight back.
- Both your primary and secondary weapons can be equipped with attachments such as scopes and additional magazine clips. These also cost squad points.
- You can also equip a tactical accessory and a lethal accessory which are handheld weapons or benefits such as grenades. If you do not equip a tactical or lethal accessory, you are granted additional perks.
- Perks allow you to utilize specific attributes that make specific actions quicker and more effective. Perks can cost between one to four points and you can use a total of eight points.^{[1]
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3
Choose your strike package to map your killstreak rewards. Strike packages determine the killstreaks that you earn. Killstreaks are earned by consecutively killing opponents. There are three types you can equip.
- The assault package rewards lethal killstreaks after three kills in a row without dying.
- The support package is less effective but is beneficial to the team and does not reset upon death.
- The specialist package simply rewards additional perks.
4
Study the maps. There are fourteen multiplayer maps, which does not include purchasable Downloadable Content (DLC) maps. Each map is designed specifically that will emphasize high action or high defense in certain areas. Learning about each area will give a tactical advantage on where to take cover and to find the best use for your loadouts.
- Some maps also feature environmental events that can interfere with combat, such as water and earthquakes.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Setting Up a Multiplayer Game

1
Connect to the online servers. If you feel you are ready to play online, you can start the multiplayer mode from the main menu. Choose “Multiplayer” from the main menu. Choose “Online” or “Xbox Live” depending on your game system to play over the internet. To start looking for a match to join, choose “Find Match.”
- An online subscription is required for Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 game consoles to play online.
2
Set the difficulty of multiplayer. You will find three categories that change the core mechanics.
- Standard mode contains all the regular multiplayer modes to play online. This is the best method to play multiplayer if this is your first time playing.
- Hardcore mode is designed to be more unforgiving by granting less health to players, limiting Heads Up Display (HUD) markers by not highlighting team members, disabling the mini-map and allowing friendly fire which makes for a more realistic scenarios of ground warfare. Playing on hardcore mode on certain match types allows for more squad points, but involves a higher risk.
- Clan VS. Clan requires you to join a clan before you can use this mode. Joining a clan will put you in a dedicated team of players which will allow you to play against other clans.
3
Find a game mode to play. You have several choices of game types to play on. Most game types involve team play.
- There are several returning game modes seen in previous Call of Duty titles such as Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All and Kill Confirmed. These traditional game modes allow for a better understanding of the rules for the game and are most popular among players.
- There are new game modes introduced to the Call of Duty series such as Cranked and Blitz. These game modes are variations on older game modes and make for a nice change of pace, however are generally tougher to learn the rules of the game.
4
Work with your team. Proper communication is key for playing well on team modes which requires you to be able to talk with others using a headset or microphone. Be sure to plug one in before starting a game.
- Play the game with friends online or bring in a friend via split screen on consoles and work with each other.
- Free-for-All does not feature team-based play.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Playing Multiplayer Against Others

1
Play with a style that works best for you. The more you play, the more squad points that you earn. Try creating different load outs that let you create unique soldiers. Each loadout has its strengths and weaknesses which are determined by a weapon’s range, rate of fire and accuracy. Change to a different loadout that would work against specific enemy players.
- You can change your loadout during a game. While you are dead you can bring up your “Options” menu by pressing the Start, Option or Menu button on your controller or the Esc key on the PC version then choose “Change Loadout” and select from your preset loadouts.
2
Read and understand the markers on the mini-map. In the corner of the screen, the mini-map will show locations that indicate the positions of other players as well as provide a tactical view of the map you are playing on. The location of enemy players will change based on the sights of your team if they are able to see opposing players. This can be useful to flank other players by approaching them from a different path.
- In tactical game modes, it will also show the location of domination points, flags or other targets that are important to the game mode.
- By taking advantage of the Sat COMs perk, you can instantly reveal the location of opposing players within a certain range. However the enemy team can also make use of perks such as the Wiretap to hijack your Sat COMs to work in their favor.
3
Avoid excessively sprinting around the map. While it is useful to cover ground as quickly as possible, it does reduce your ability to ready a shot or melee attack an opposing player, leaving you vulnerable to attack. Run in short spurts and avoid running around corners.^{[2]
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4
Look for opportunities to take cover. Line up to the sides of a wall or behind a barrier to avoid being left in the open as this makes it easy for other players to target you, especially those on higher ground.
5
Avoid staying in the same spot. This is commonly referred to as camping. It is possible to line up shots easily by sitting in one spot and waiting for unsuspecting players, especially for players using sniper rifles. Players will be alerted to your position once they are killed in one of several ways, for example a downed player will witness their Killcam after their death which shows how they were killed by another player. Be prepared to move to a new location. If playing in team games, stay with your team as close as you can.
6
Spend squad points wisely. Choose to unlock perks and equipment that works with one of your loadout sets. Squad points are earned universally but can only be spent on one squad member.
7
Invest your time in playing. The more you play, the more loadouts, perks and other equipment you will be able to unlock. Time and skill are two things that counterbalance each other when it comes to unlocking more abilities.
- You can earn killstreaks faster by obtaining and completing field orders. Field orders are given by obtaining a briefcase dropped by a downed player. You are then given a challenge to complete a specific task that involves defeating other players, without dying, to earn a killstreak quickly.
- You are limited to how much XP you earn when playing matches offline.
- You can rank your squad member up to level 60. This rank level is known as a “Prestige” rank. Unlike in previous Call of Duty games, you keep all of your unlocks and upgrades and you unlock an emblem that simply shows your dedication for playing the game.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Learning the COD Controls

1
Play the campaign. If you have never played a Call of Duty game before or have never played a shooter before, this will be the best place to start. You can choose “Campaign” from the main menu. You will be given live tutorials while playing the game. The campaign does not give the same experience of playing against a live opponent and does not have any multiplayer capabilities, but you will see the difference once you are able to understand how the controls work.
- You can change the difficulty of the campaign before you play. You won’t need to complete the campaign in order to prepare yourself, but it will at least provide the basics on how the game plays overall.
2
Play Extinction Mode. If you want to play team based games, Extinction mode is a survival mini game that can be played with three other players. Choose “Extinction” from the main menu. You can choose to play online by choosing “Online” or “Xbox Live.” You can also play with a friend in split-screen multiplayer by choosing “Local Play.” Work with others and communicate with team members to defeat hordes of enemies.
3
Master the controls. Each Call of Duty game plays similar to one another, but will feature a few changes to make it easier to play the game compared to previous iterations.
- If you have played a Call of Duty game before, you can easily understand the basics of movement, how to run, aim down your sights and activating streak rewards.
- If there are actions you would feel more comfortable with a different button or if you want to adjust your turning speed, you can adjust these under the “Control Options” in the “Options” menu.
- There are a few changes to how the game plays, such as the dolphin-dive move from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, now known as the run and slide. Initiate a sprint then press the crouch button to slide on your knees. If you press and hold the crouch button you will slide until you are lying down into the prone position. You can also lean around corners by standing toward a corner. Once you see an arrow appear near your aiming reticle, you can hold the aim button to lean in the direction the arrow was pointing.
4
Play a private match. Private matches allow you to play against computer controlled opponents or “bots” that simulate playing against live opponents. You can also play the game with a friend with up to two players in split screen on consoles.
- Use private matches as an opportunity to see how unlocked weapons work. See how each weapon can be the most effective for you before trying to use them against live opponents.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I unlock the ghost mask?

Community Answer

The season pass includes the Bonus Team Leader Digital Pack which includes the ghost mask as a multiplayer character head. Purchase and redeem the season pass on your account to unlock the mask. The season pass may not be available on all platforms.
Question

Can you play the campaign online in co-op?

Community Answer

The campaign is Single Player only.
Question

How do I change weapons after being killed for the next round?

Community Answer

Press "Start" after being killed. Re-select the "Choose a Class" option, and select the new class you want to use.