DS
DESIGN SCOUTCODM CREATIVES · SG / MY / PH
CLASSIFIED // INTERNAL
BRIEF · 2026-W33
Week of August 10, 2026

↻ NEW SINCE LAST WEEK

SIGNAL CODM's competitors are heavily leaning into anime and fantasy collaborations, creating an opportunity for CODM to reinforce its distinct tactical realism and angular design language.
🗓️

COMPETITOR DROP CALENDAR

Plan counter-programming around these. Tip: add the generated scout.ics to your calendar to get these as events.

Free Fire MLBB PUBG Mobile CODM (us)
AUG 1 Mobile LegendsAulus 'Starwake Corsair' (Starlight) and Balmond 'Vulcan Lionheart' (Collector) skins released. ✓ VERIFIED
AUG 7 Mobile LegendsJujutsu Kaisen Collaboration returns with new skins. ✓ VERIFIED
AUG 7 PUBG MobilePMWC 2026 Lucky Spin begins, offering 'Electron Energy' and 'Proton Power' cosmetic sets. ✓ VERIFIED
AUG 21 Free FireFaded Wheel event launches, featuring the 'Scarlet Inkflare' arrival animation. ✓ VERIFIED
🔥

STEAL THIS WEEK

UI/HUD DESIGN

Angular Data Glyphs & Dark UI

A trend towards dark UIs with sharp, angular elements and strategic use of bright accent colors is emerging, particularly in game HUDs, favoring tactical clarity over complex cinematic interfaces.

STEAL THISDesign UI elements like ammo counters and minimap indicators using sharp, angular, hexagonal, or fragmented shapes in black, yellow, and white to reinforce CODM's brand and provide a distinctive visual language.
✓ VERIFIED Dribbble
KEY ART

Hyperrealism and Visual Detail

Advancements in rendering technology are driving a trend towards photorealistic environments and characters in game key art, emphasizing advanced lighting and detailed animations.

STEAL THISApply a strong, angular outer glow in CODM yellow to character renders or key environmental assets in Photoshop to create a sharp, defined silhouette against dark backgrounds, enhancing the tactical feel.
↻ CARRIED Dribbble
UI/HUD DESIGN

GTA-Style Cinematic Interfaces

Open-world games are adopting immersive, cinematic HUDs that blend seamlessly with the game world, often featuring sharp angles and a focus on realism or gritty aesthetics.

STEAL THISImplement subtle, sharp animations for UI feedback, such as angular red 'crack' or 'fragment' effects on the HUD border when a player takes damage.
✓ VERIFIED Dribbble
MOTION DESIGN

Kinetic Typography with Angular Masks

Accessible animation tools are enabling more sophisticated UI animations and full-height immersive experiences, with a trend towards sharp transitions and kinetic typography.

STEAL THISWhen animating text for event titles or descriptions in After Effects, use sharp, angular masks to reveal letters or words in quick, impactful bursts, aligning with CODM's hard-angled aesthetic.
↻ CARRIED Behance
COLLABORATIONS

Anime and Fantasy Crossovers

Major competitors are heavily investing in anime and fantasy-themed collaborations, including IPs like Jujutsu Kaisen and Spider-Man, to drive engagement.

STEAL THISWhen collaborating, ensure the visual treatment stays within CODM's gritty, realistic framework, rather than fully embracing the partner's more fantastical elements, maintaining brand integrity.
✓ VERIFIED Free Fire
UI/HUD DESIGN

Futuristic and Sci-Fi Elements in HUDs

HUDs incorporating holographic elements, neon accents, and complex data displays are popular, aligning with sci-fi and cyberpunk themes in competitor games.

STEAL THISIntegrate subtle glowing elements in CODM yellow and black into UI elements, such as containment field effects on menus or alert notifications, to maintain brand colors while adding a futuristic touch.
~ EST Dribbble
🕵️

COMPETITOR WATCH

FREE FIRE

Garena SEA
August features 'massive Paid Events,' Legendary Samurai Bundles, and themed emotes like 'Scarlet Warrior' and 'Zombie Samurai,' leaning into vibrant, anime-inspired samurai aesthetics. ✓ VERIFIED Free Fire

MOBILE LEGENDS

Moonton
August highlights a returning Jujutsu Kaisen collaboration with new skins, extensive Rank Party Bonus Events, and various new skins across multiple tiers and themes (Starwake Corsair, Vulcan Lionheart, Abominable Snowman). ✓ VERIFIED Mobile Legends

PUBG MOBILE

Tencent Games
August includes the ongoing Spider-Man: Brand New Day collaboration, a new Druvaen X-Suit, and the PUBG Mobile World Cup (PMWC) 2026 with exclusive 'Electron Energy' and 'Proton Power' cosmetic sets. ✓ VERIFIED PUBG Mobile
🪞

OUR GAPS & OPENINGS

GAP

Tactical Realism Reinforcement

While competitors push anime and fantasy, CODM can further cement its unique position by doubling down on hyper-realistic military aesthetics in its core visuals and character design.

GAP

Angular UI Differentiation

There's an opportunity to create a highly distinctive UI/HUD language for CODM, using sharp, angular shapes and the brand's color palette to stand out from more generic futuristic or fantasy interfaces.

GAP

Unique Motion Graphics Identity

CODM can develop a signature motion graphics style that emphasizes its tactical, military tone with sharp transitions, kinetic typography, and angular effects, differentiating from softer, more fluid competitor animations.

OPENING

Strategic Collaboration Treatment

CODM can leverage collaborations by visually integrating them into its own gritty, realistic brand framework, rather than letting the partner's aesthetic dominate, thereby maintaining brand integrity.

⚠ This section reports observable content patterns + opportunities only. Hard engagement %/reach figures are deliberately omitted — they aren't reliably fetchable from public sources. Pull real numbers from your own analytics before any brief decision.

🎯

BANNER CONCEPTS — START HERE

CODM can differentiate itself by embracing its core tactical realism and angular design language while strategically incorporating emerging trends in hyperrealism and motion graphics.

01

Angular Tactical UI Overhaul

  • Redesign all core UI elements (menus, HUD, inventory) with sharp, angular, and fragmented shapes.
  • Implement a strict color palette of black, yellow, and white, with yellow used for interactive and critical information.
  • Introduce subtle, angular animations for UI feedback and transitions.
  • Why: This reinforces CODM's unique brand identity, offers superior tactical readability compared to competitors, and leverages the emerging trend of angular UI design.
02

Gritty Realism Motion Graphics

  • Develop a motion graphics style for events and trailers that emphasizes impact and tactical realism.
  • Utilize kinetic typography with sharp, angular masks and fast-paced reveals.
  • Incorporate atmospheric effects like dust, smoke, and gritty textures into animations.
  • Why: This creates a powerful, unified visual language that aligns with CODM's military theme and differentiates from the anime and fantasy styles prevalent in competitors.