Presented in partnership with Polaris
Call of Duty doesn’t need much of an introduction. Whether you’re a classic fan of the games depicting long-lost heroes of World War II, a devout fan of the Modern Warfare titles and Captain Price’s immortal mustache, or a current enthusiast playing the latest Black Ops, CoD has something for everyone. And now, the Polaris RZR Pro R has a place in the storied namesake.
To celebrate the release of the sixth installment of Call of Duty: Black Ops, the iconic gaming name partnered with Polaris for a custom, one-off side-by-side (SxS) off-roader. It’s the Polaris RZR Pro R 4 in its game-ready livery, an easter-egg-packed homage to CoD Black Ops 6. However, this is more than some rolling billboard– it’s a soon-to-be playable vehicle in Call of Duty: Warzone Season 1.
Inside the CODE Bowl V
To my delight, I had the opportunity to see the custom SxS and check out some of the upcoming Call of Duty title’s action with a trip to Washington D.C. for CODE Bowl V and the Polaris Operator Academy. It was a wild duo of silly mayhem, mud, and military-grade awesomeness.
Will Gahagan, Senior Director of Partnerships for Call of Duty, was understandably excited to see the event and the Polaris partnership come to fruition. “Call of Duty is excited to continue our partnership with Polaris, bringing together the worlds of dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay with real-world adventure vehicles,” Gahagan said. “We can’t wait for players to experience the thrill of driving the Polaris RZR Pro R across the Warzone battleground later this year in epic battles to be the last squad standing.”
I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect with CODE Bowl V. I’ve heard of these esports events before. Wall-to-wall gamers get together to celebrate skill and welcome the latest developments in gaming. It’s a high-energy (even without the constant flow of Monster Energy) and fiercely competitive environment. That much I expected. But the CODE Bowl V blew me away like a frag grenade tossed into a room full of unsuspecting players.
For starters, Activision, the company behind Call of Duty, looked right at home in the National Building Museum in downtown Washington D.C. With the eye-popping Polaris RZR Pro R 4 in its orange and black paint scheme and cascading banners promoting Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the venue was a mix of solemn history and cutting-edge video game fandom.
It was difficult not to notice the seemingly endless PC setups with orange accents and ring lights for creators to stream their best work. Better yet, the National Building Museum was an all-too-perfect site for CODE Bowl V. A look around revealed a stimulating landscape of columns, arches, and cutting-edge technology at each of the hundreds of stations.
Then there’s the CODE Bowl V event itself. Three countries send their military branch-specific teams to do in-game battle against each other. This year, the United States Army esports team was the favorite to conquer the competition. However, the U.S. Army had its hands full with competition from the likes of the U.S. Space Force, the Royal Air Force (RAF), and even the United States Coast Guard (USCG).
Each team’s players would drop onto a map, fighting for dominance in a shrinking landscape. As a spectator, it was almost impossible to keep up with how quickly the esports team members played their best. Of course, the tournament wasn’t just a fight for the sake of fighting. No, the event benefits veterans across the US and UK.
The “CODE” in CODE Bowl V stands for “Call of Duty Endowment,” a 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on placing veterans in gainful employment. I had a chance to talk to Dan Goldenberg, a former U.S. Navy captain and president of the endowment about its value to all veteran populations.
“Based on a Penn State study, if you get professional help with resume creation and interview practice, you’re three times more likely to get a high-quality job,” Goldenberg said of their impact.
And the endowment has enjoyed some serious success in placing veterans in sustainable, livable jobs. “We have total UK and US coverage right now. Today, for what is basically the cost of an iPad, we put a vet in a job.” Goldenberg said of the endowment. “We’ve placed more than 130,000 veterans to date.” Can’t argue with stats like that.
After the in-game dust and Monster-fueled mayhem subsided, the U.S. Army’s esports team emerged victorious. It’s the first time the team has taken the win at the event, following a loss to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 2023. Before the RCAF claimed the win in 2023, the RAF and U.S. Space Force won in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Better yet, the Space Force celebrated its 2021 triumph by sending the trophy into space as part of a mission.
Taking the Polaris RZR Pro R for a Spin: Mud, Mayhem, and Military-Grade Fun
The day after CODE Bowl V, hundreds of video game-savvy creators descended on Budds Creek Motocross Park in St. Mary’s County, Maryland for the Polaris Operator Academy. Attendees undoubtedly knew they were in the right place immediately. After all, the Polaris RZR Pro R in its Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 livery greeted us at the entrance to the festivities. Upon arrival, everyone in attendance received a squad designator and a starting assignment. As time went on, squads would rotate assignments, culminating with a ride in a RZR Pro R.
Now, before you go thinking of complicated missions and feats of strength, the Operator Academy was all about fun, and the RZR Pro R. However, it can’t all be jumps and whoops. Not with hundreds of riders trying to kick up some dirt, that is. No, as each squad awaited the ride of their lives, Operator Academy-goers showed off their skills with pointy things in an ax-throwing booth. And should they show sufficient skill, they graduated to knife throwing.
Additionally, the venue hosted an RC car track featuring miniature versions of the motocross park’s jumps, corners, whoops, and straights. The vehicle of choice? A tasteful homage to the game-ready Polaris RZR Pro R 4 itself. Just much, much smaller. As with many things, to the victor go the spoils. Consequently, the winner of the RC car races took home one of the tiny RZR Pro R facsimiles. Needless to say, I didn’t win.
Then there was the most exciting assignment: an unorthodox ride in a Polaris RZR Pro R around the Budds Creek Motocross Park track. Now, if you’re unfamiliar with motocross tracks, they’re dramatic. Steep inclines, drops, jumps, and tight corners are the norm. What does that mean for the RZR Pro R? A worthy opponent.
Now, unlike my experience at CODE Bowl V, I had a bit of experience with the limits of the RZR Pro R. I had the opportunity to ride with Polaris Factory Racing driver Brock Heger in Mexico during the SCORE Baja 500 while he flogged a RZR Pro R during a pre-run.
However, the vehicle operators at Budds Creek Motocross Park had the opportunity to test the RZR Pro R’s airworthiness over jumps typically reserved for motocross bikes. As a result, the RZR Pro R’s lengthy shocks and Dynamix settings had their work cut out for them.
The Polaris team also set up a dynamic route through the woods. Think narrow trails through densely wooded portions that seem too tight for the Pro R’s wide track. Incidentally, the narrow trails seemed like a better venue for the RZR Pro XP and its skinnier footprint. However, the RZR Pro R slid, bounced, and lept through the course with minimal drama.
Collaborations happen all the time: Omega x Swatch. Porsche x Pantone. Even Harry Potter x PUMA.
However, few collaborations have the gritty, get-it-done demeanor of Polaris x Call of Duty. Better still, players will get to experience the combat collab with a playable Polaris RZR Pro R 4 in Warzone later this year.
The post Getting Muddy with Call of Duty: My Wild Ride at CODE Bowl V and the Polaris Operator Academy appeared first on BroBible.
Getting Muddy with Call of Duty: My Wild Ride at CODE Bowl V and the Polaris Operator Academy
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