Everything we know about Warzone Season 5's new faction, Shadow Company

The battlefield in Verdansk is about to get crowded.

On July 30, Infinity Ward revealed Shadow Company in Season 5 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare on the official Activision blog. A new faction sided with the Allegiance, the Shadow Company is a new group of morally gray mercenaries who are willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate Mr. Z and his growing army of terrorists.

Here's everything you need to know about Shadow Company, its arrival on August 5, and how it will change the dynamic of Warzone as we know it.

Who, and what, is Shadow Company?

Shadow Company is a new faction, sided with the Allegiance, which seeks to join the fight against Mr. Z and his army. Dissatisfied with Captain Price's straight-arrow leadership over the G.I. Joe-like Coalition, the Shadow Company aims to get dirtier in order to get the job done once and for all.

While it may not be obvious to occasionalWarzone players, there is an ongoing narrative in the world of Call of Duty. All of Warzone takes place on day 96 of the in-game conflict. Just because a million matches have "ended" in Warzone doesn't mean the actual fighting is over.

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For hardcore Call of Duty fans who keep up with the game's lore, the situation on the ground going into Season 5 is this: The Armistice alliance, formed between the Coalition and the Allegiance in order to take care of Mr. Z's growing threat, is now in shambles. The already-shaky partnership between Coalition and Allegiance soldiers is now non-existent. And so, new Operators are dropping into Verdansk "to protect their own."

That includes Shadow Company, thus far the biggest addition to the game's lore with new characters yet. Made up of amoral soldiers, Shadow Company is a splinter group who have become impatient with the slow progress made by the Coalition, led by Price. Eager to do whatever it takes to end the battle, Shadow Company will only intensify the battle as Call of Duty moves on into future seasons.

"As the rules of the original Armistice agreement have utterly failed, Shadow Company arrives without pretense – they operate on their own terms," wrote Infinity Ward.

Veteran Call of Duty fans may recognize Shadow Company. In the old canon, Shadow Company was a private military contractor loyal to the traitorous General Shepherd. Given how the 2019 Modern Warfare has rebooted the series, it is unknown at this point if Shadow Company has similar intentions.

Who are the Operators of Shadow Company?

Right now, three Operators make up Shadow Company.

• Rozlin "Roze" Helms, an already-released Operator formerly with the Jackals. Despite leaving the Jackals, Roze maintains "cordial terms" with her former Jackal leader, Mace.
• Velikan, a mostly-unknown Operator who, like Ghost and Krueger, prefers to hide his identity. "A shadow of a shadow," Infinity Ward describes him. "Tales of his exploits are written off as fairytales at best and gross exaggerations at worst. Those who know him never speak ill of him. Whether it’s due to fear or respect, no one knows."
• Marcus "Lerch" Ortega, originating from Plano, Texas, is a former U.S Marine who re-entered combat when civilian life bored him. He is considered the leader of Shadow Company. "Known on the battlefield for his enthusiasm and success in regards to eliminating the enemy, it was better to have Lerch with you rather than against you."

As with all Operators in Modern Warfare and Warzone, players are free to choose members of Shadow Company at will, and can fight alongside players who've chosen other Operators from either Coalition or Allegiance.

What is the release date for Shadow Company?

Aside from Roze, who is already available on the online store, Shadow Company is expected to arrive in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone during Season 5. Whether that means all three operators will be available August 5 (when Season 5 officially begins) or a little while after remains to be seen.

How much will Shadow Company cost?

It is unknown how much Velikan and Lerch will cost; Roze's Operator bundle cost 2,400 CP, or COD Points.

As with previous Operators, you can expect to buy Shadow Company in Operator-specific "bundles." Along with the Operator skins, you can expect to get new weapons, sprays, calling cards, and other in-game goods.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 5 begins August 5.