Activision has unveiled a new operator, Arthur, who will appear in Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2 with the release of Season 5. He is a faceless, gritty "warrior to the core," whose mysterious past is classified information. I don't care for Arthur, but I do care about the dog he wears like a fanny pack on his belt, an immortal dog of orthodoxy.

The Merlin, Arthur's exclusive K9 unit, is part of a new animal companion system that will be included in both "Modern Warfare 2" and "Warzone 2."

"Operators can have a companion accompany them in multiplayer, battle royale, and DMZ modes. This provides the unparalleled advantage of companionship, along with devastating finishing moves." It's like a real dog.

Activison also makes it clear that Merlin and other animal companions "cannot be harmed in any way." This is a huge relief. I dread to think if I were to bring my pet to work and have it mercilessly gun down a military target, injuring it while irreparably pulverizing the enemy with its deadly finisher. Whether this is due to Merlin's tremendous magical powers, from which he derives his name, is yet to be revealed.

Battlepath also features a vtuber-style AI companion called "Battle Buddy," who provides mental support during gun use. Being digital entities in the cloud, I would wager that these AIs are technically indestructible, but the invincible dog worldview is much more appealing.

The first of these, "Gwen," comments on "killstreak activation, kills (including when using certain weapons and equipment), and other personal events in the game, especially when winning a match or getting a good score." Season 5 is out today, August 2, so get ready to go out with Gwen, Arthur, and this bulletproof vest boy.