Call of Duty Black Ops 6‘s marketing is in full swing. Ahead of COD Next at the end of the month, Treyarch gave their ravenous Zombies fans a look at what’s to come for the iconic horde mode at launch. Here’s what we’ve learned about Black Ops 6 Zombies.
Black Ops 6 Zombies Story and Characters
Black Ops 6 Zombies will continue the Dark Aether storyline from where it left off in Black Ops Cold War. At the end of that game, the heads of Requiem were incarcerated as Edward Richtofen was revealed to be the director of Requiem. Black Ops 6 Zombies re-introduces us to these characters years later in 1991, on the brand-new map Terminus.
For the first time since Black Ops 4 Zombies, Black Ops 6 has a set crew of characters fans will play as. This new crew includes three familiar faces from Requiem: Weaver, Dr. Grey, and Major Carver. These characters spoke to the player via radio in Black Ops: Cold War Zombies but are now playable in Black Ops 6. This crew is rounded out by a fourth brand-new character named Maya.
Additional familiar faces will also support the playable cast. Re-introduced in the Terminus Cinematic Trailer, an additional trio from Black Ops: Cold War joins the roster in Black Ops 6. Raptor One will help the crew Exfil from Terminus, and Oskar Strauss and Dr. William Peck will talk to the playable crew throughout the map as they attempt to track down Richtofen’s location.
It has been confirmed that players will also be able to play as their Operators on Terminus in Black Ops 6 Zombies, should they so choose. This means that characters from the Black Ops story, such as Adler, Park, and Woods, will be playable in Zombies. There are also some Zombies characters available as Operators from the Vault Edition of Black Ops 6. The Brutus and Klaus Operators, who fans will remember as NPCs from Mob of the Dead and Mauer Der Toten respectively, will be playable as well.
Since both Black Ops 6 Zombies launch maps take place concurrently, the main playable crew from Terminus will not be playable on Liberty Falls. Instead, players will have to choose from their list of Operators on that map.
Black Ops 6 Zombies Maps
Black Ops 6 Zombies will have two Round-Based maps at launch. The one we’ve seen the most of so far is called Terminus. Terminus is set in and around a Prison-Island Blacksite. Along with the Terminus Gameplay Trailer, Treyarch shared 17 minutes of official Gameplay with press. In addition, the developer held a press event for media and influencers to play 45 minutes of Black Ops 6 Zombies on Terminus early and share their impressions.
From what we’ve seen, Terminus is a massive and detailed map. Not only does Terminus take place on its titular island but players will be able to explore research facilities beneath its surface, and other islands around it. This is said to be one of the largest Round-Based Zombies Maps of all time, and Treyarch has introduced a Tactical Raft to get around it faster and with more ease.
Terminus will provide lots of location variety to Black Ops 6 Zombies. The map features the main Prison, Research Facilities that house twisted experiments, an abandoned ship, and several small islands.
The second map arriving at launch is called Liberty Falls. Liberty Falls has been referenced before through Intel in Modern Warfare Zombies. This map is set at the same time as Terminus, as a Dark Aether Incursion creates an Outbreak in a small town in West Virginia, and it seems to be modeled after the real-world town of Harper’s Ferry, as well as incorporating aspects of Black Ops 2 Zombies’ Tranzit.
Having been described as less complex, Liberty Falls has a vastly different atmosphere compared to Terminus. And of the two launch maps, Liberty Falls will likely provide the more straightforward survival experience.
In a rare move for CoD Zombies, Liberty Falls is set during the day. It will feature several recognizable buildings, including a Blockbuster-esque video store, motel, gas station, bowling alley, and church.
Treyarch included a short teaser for this Black Ops 6 Zombies map at the end of the Terminus trailer and promised gameplay will be shown at the COD Next event on August 28th. While much of the map still remains to be seen, it seems like it will have plenty for Zombies fans. The short teaser showcased vehicles bearing the name “Project Janus,” the title of Richtofen’s grand scheme. In addition, it seems players will be able to explore the Dark Aether in a major way for the first time since Die Maschine in Black Ops Cold War.
Black Ops 6 Zombies Gameplay
Treyarch says they took inspiration from Black Ops 3 and Black Ops Cold War when developing Black Ops 6 Zombies. This is welcome news to fans, as these two entries are the most revered in the franchise.
Zombies will also benefit from the innovations made in Black Ops 6. Fans can look forward to progressing through classic Prestige in Zombies, with shared progression for Player XP and Weapon Level across Zombies, Multiplayer, and Warzone. The Omnimovement feature is also fully present here, giving players more options for movement in and around the hordes than ever before, with the ability to sprint, slide, and dive in any direction.
As expected, many of the features signature to Zombies will return, as well as some newer inclusions from Black Ops Cold War. Players can get better weapons (including Wonder Weapons) through Wall Buys and the Mystery Box, which again feature Cold War’s Weapon Rarity system. Perks and Traps also return to aid player survivability. At launch, Black Ops 6 Zombies will feature Jugger-Nog, Quick Revive, Speed Cola, Stamin-Up, Deadshot Daiquiri, Elemental Pop, and the all-new Melee Macchiato
The return of the iconic Black Ops Dolphin Dive makes way for the return of the iconic PhD Flopper as well. This perk negates self-inflicted explosive damage, and diving to prone triggers an explosion that is more powerful the further you fall. Players will also suffer no fall damage when diving to prone. While this perk is currently available in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies, Black Ops 6 marks its return to Treyarch’s Round-Based Zombies for the first time in over a decade.
Weapon and Armor upgrades return as well, albeit a bit differently this time. The Pack-A-Punch Machine has been simplified since Cold War Zombies, and using it will no longer launch players into a menu in Black Ops 6. Instead, spending the appropriate amount of points will spout out the upgraded weapons immediately. Ammo mods can be crafted with Salvage at the new Arsenal Machine, which now uses only one simplified form of Salvage. Armor is now a Wall Buy, with players able to purchase Higher-Tier Vests, with room for additional armor plates.
We also know that GobbleGums will return in Black Ops 6. This system allows players to bring in a pack of several Gumballs, selectable before each match, which players can dispense through Gumball machines found around the map. This system was a major part of Call Of Duty Black Ops 3 but hasn’t appeared since. This time around, the Blue Bunny Rabbit “Mister Peeks” is the owner of the Gobblegum Machine. The Machine is adorned with his iconography, complete with a new, creepy jingle and animations. Black Ops 6 allows players to store three GobbleGums at a time, which can be activated and consumed at a time of their choosing.
Players will want to utilize all these upgrades, as Black Ops 6 Zombies includes several powerful enemy types. These include armored Zombies, Parasites, Manglers, and more.
Black Ops 6 Zombies Introduces New Quality-of-Life Features
Lastly, Treyarch shared intel on new quality-of-life features that will improve player experiences in Black Ops 6 Zombies. The new QoL improvements are as follows:
- Join a friend’s match in progress, even if you disconnect
- Toggle Pack-a-Punch camos in Settings
- Change your Field Upgrade mid-match
- Switch GobbleGum packs at any time
- Option to keep playing after completing the Main Quest
- HUD Customization
- Third Person toggle in Settings
- Rampage Inducer available at launch + more
It seems apparent that Zombies fans are in for a treat when Black Ops 6 launches. On top of the two brand-new maps and added depth to gameplay, players will have lots to keep them coming back. Look forward to unlocking unique Zombies Mastery Camos, Reticles, Calling Cards, Dark Ops Challenges, Daily Challenges, and Unique Main Quest Rewards at launch. For players who prefer to complete Easter Eggs with a guide, Treyarch will be releasing a Guided Playlist for the Main Quest after players discover all of its steps after release.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Releases on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass on October 25th.
The above article was updated on 8/11/24 by Haiden Lovely to include all the most up-to-date info about Black Ops 6 Zombies.
Published: Aug 11, 2024 05:55 pm