Call of Duty Black Ops 6: Release date, beta, zombies, campaign & more
Activision BlizzardWhen Modern Warfare 2 was released in October 2022, it was initially expected to have a two-year life cycle for the first time. That theory was quickly dropped after Activision doubled down on delivering a “full annual premium release” in 2023, which turned out to be Modern Warfare 3.
Now, Black Ops 6 will be wiping the slate clean and bringing a whole new set of maps, weapons, and a new setting to the series. With MW3’s life cycle nearing its end, it was about time for a refresh.
Here’s everything we know about Black Ops 6.
Contents:
- Black Ops 6 Release Date
- Will Black Ops 6 have Early Access?
- What platforms will Black Ops 6 be on?
- Black Ops 6 Setting & Time Period
- Black Ops 6 Multiplayer changes
- Black Ops 6 Round-based Zombies
- Black Ops 6 Developers
Black Ops 6 Release Date
Black Ops 6 will release on October 25, 2024. The release date was rumored to be some time in November according to prior leaks, but it’s ultimately landing at the tail end of October.
Will Black Ops 6 have early access?
Black Ops 6 will offer early beta access to those who pre-order. However, the beta will open up to players a short time after the early access period. As of now, it doesn’t seem Black Ops 6 will have early campaign access like some prior games in the series.
What platforms will Black Ops 6 be on?
Despite Microsoft’s historic move to purchase Activision Blizzard cast doubts on the future of Call of Duty, Black Ops 6 is still expected to be released on the same platforms as MW3: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
Microsoft also signed a deal with Nintendo to bring future COD titles to their hardware as well. This means the new Call of Duty game could find its way onto Nintendo’s rumored Switch successor sometime in the future, but it won’t be coming to the Switch this year.
What is Black Ops 6’s setting and time period?
ActivisionBlack Ops 6 is set in the Gulf War, marking a first for the Call of Duty franchise. Activision has explored WW2, modern military combat, and even the distant future, but Black Ops 6 will be exploring the time period just after Black Ops 2’s 1989 story beats.
The Gulf War was a conflict that started in 1990 and ended in 1991 between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States. The main countries involved were the USA, UK, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Kuwait.
This setting means that you can expect plenty of desert and sandy locations typical of the Middle East. Both multiplayer and the campaign alike are expected to feature multiple maps based on key locations in both Iraq and the Gulf War, giving light to a setting video games don’t explore too often.
Massive multiplayer improvements
Black Ops 6 multiplayer is both going back to its roots and iterating in this entry, with the team bringing back some classic CoD elements while adding some new ones.
Traditional perks are back and have 3 categories: Enforcer, Recon, and Strategist. Taking 3 perks in the same category will reward you with a boost, incentivizing players to go for different playstyles without restricting them to any one set of perks per slot.
Omnimovement was also revealed and allows players to sprint and dive in any direction, along with improvements to vaulting and traversing the map.
Round-based Zombies returns
Various sources have strongly indicated that round-based Zombies will return in Black Ops 6. The Windows Central report claimed Treyarch’s traditional round-based Zombies mode will be back once again in COD 2024, replacing MW3’s open-world alternative.
There will be 2 maps at launch, and characters who are a core part of the story like Richtofen will be coming back. However, there’s also a new squad of zombie killers that have history in the CoD zombies storyline.
It is worth noting that even though round-based zombies will make a return, this does not mean that will be the only version available. As seen in Black Ops Cold War, round-based and open world can co-exist, and Treyarch could very well look to appeal to fans of both formats.
Which studio is developing Black Ops 6?
As expected of a Black Ops game, COD 2024 is being developed by Treyarch, marking the studio’s first game since Black Ops Cold War.
Considering the game’s various loadout changes and updates that put it more in line with what you’d traditionally find in a Treyarch game and the return of round based zombies, their mark on this game is clear.