Regardless of how you approach battle royale games, picking the perfect landing spot is essential in ensuring a successful round and it is no different in Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII’s Blackout. No one wants to be at the receiving end of a hot drop or spending the first five minutes of their rounds armed with a pair of fists and a shitty pistol.

While loot locations in battle royale games are totally random, there are several spots in the map which carry a higher chance of you securing reasonable loot and weapons while at the same time, increases your chance of survival towards mid-round.

Today, we are going to rate all the popular landing spots in Blackout and in no particular order, here they are.

Turbine

Situated in the middle of nowhere, Turbine is a high-risk-high-reward option because while you may come across tons of loot, you may also find yourself forced to traverse across a huge area once the initial circle is established. Occasionally you’ll find a quad bike or, if you are lucky enough, a helicopter in the compound which negates travel time. But be warned, you are easy pickings once you’re out of the two huge warehouses.

Pros:

• Low to medium chance of hot drops – you’ll probably finish above top-50 if you get decent gear
• Decent looting area
• Easier to guard against flanking enemies

Cons:

• It’s in Bumf***, Nowhere
• Totally reliant on vehicle spawns to move out of the area – otherwise, you’re a sitting duck

Our tip:

• Drop in, drop hard, loot and get out of it a.s.a.p. If you notice someone’s in the area at the same time, go for the higher grounds and sweep off the area as they leave.
• Quad bikes often spawn on either the south or northern gates.

Hydro Dam

Hydro Dam is another similar case to Turbine as you find yourself near the edge of the map. We realise that players tend to avoid this location and only move towards it if the circle happens to close down to areas within its vicinity. There’s almost zero chance of being flanked from the north so you can loot with a peace of mind.

Note that quad bikes do spawn here occasionally to get out of a tight spot. The two office blocks north to the Hydro Dam are also good spots for loot.

Pros:

• Low to medium chance of hot drops
• Decent loot area
• Low chance of being flanked from the north

Cons:

• May encounter spillover from Train Station or Asylum
• Circle collapse may be your biggest issue

Our tip:

• Keep a lookout for the raft which may spawn nearby to get you out of trouble. About 100 games in, we can count on our hands the number of times we saw someone piloting a boat to get around. Use this to your advantage.
• There are several buildings up north of the dam which are rarely looted.

Asylum

Asylum is one of the most popular spots for drops thanks to the high potential of securing high-level loot. It’s one of the riskiest drop spots one can take but rest assured the rewards are befitting the trouble.

Prepare for close encounters with zombies and other players so keep a shotgun on standby.

Pros:

• Great looting area for powerful weapons
• High chance of landing high-level gear

Cons:

• Everyone’s aunt, uncle and grandfather’s sister are gonna be there too
• High chance of getting eliminated early

Our Tip: 

• If (and it will) shit hits the fan, the dumpster crates on the compound make great cover and use the maze to wade off your pursuers.
• Sweeping the area from the north side of the map is recommended

Cargo Docks / Ship 

Also another spot located at the far reaches of the map, the Cargo Docks is less punishing compared to the three spots above allowing players several quick getaways or Plans Bs, Cs or even Ws in case things go tits up.

It’s got good elevated areas, nooks and crannies for sneaky sniper shots and the occasional blind-sided shotgun picks but the open space between the docks and the open road is a deathtrap for anyone foolish enough to dash out in the open.

Pros:

• Great spot for those who prefer sneaking up and playing the stealth game
• Decent access to other spots such as Lighthouse and Fracking Tower

Cons:

• Surrounded by several hot zones, Cargo Docks should only be approached by those with a strategic mind, and are willing to switch their strategies on the fly
• Mistimed drops may see one landing in the water – not where you wanna be early on.

Our Tip:

• Choosing to land on the cargo ship has added advantage of not having anyone flanking you from the side facing the water. Sweep the ship area before moving to the docks.
• Keep a lookout for the helicopter spawns on the south side of the locale.

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