COD: Next 2024 shared recent details with us about what to expect from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Zombies, Multiplayer, Warzone, and much, much more.
The day-long celebration of the future of Call of Duty did not disappoint, as the four-hour show featured developer interviews and gameplay reveals, while attendees got to experience upcoming releases first-hand. This year’s Black Ops has already teased a number of changes to Activision’s first-person shooter formula, but now we’ve got a closer look at things like the Area 99 Warzone map, omnimovement, Liberty Falls zombies maps, and other fresh gameplay tweaks.
While we wait for the Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Beta to begin this weekend, we’ve gathered all the most significant info from COD: Next for you to check out right here. You can see everything the Call of Duty team had to show you below, but be sure to check back with IGN for any updates ahead of the fall launch.
Verdansk (Finally) Returns to Warzone
Back to this. Verdansk will return to Call of Duty #WarZone in 2025 #CODNext photo:twitter.com/Y70gnYl2If
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) August 28, 2024
That’s right – Verdansk, the first Warzone map and a location that attracted millions of viewers in 2020, will triumph Returning for Call of Duty players on PC and consoles in Spring 2025It’s been three years since iconic locations like the Stadium and Superstore left Activision’s battle royale mode, but we won’t have to wait much longer to visit them again. It had to happen eventually, right?
Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Maps Confirmed for Launch and Beta
Black Ops 6 is introducing eight recent maps for players to enjoy during the upcoming beta: Derelict, Rewind, Scud, Skyline, Gala, Pit, Stakeout (weekend 2), and Babylon (weekend 2). Protocol will also be available at that time as a training map, but will be playable at launch in October. We also have confirmation on the remaining maps, including Lowtown, Payback, Red Card, Subsonic, Vault, Vorkuta, and Sand House.
Each Zombie map will have a main objective for players to complete
Upgrading your Wonder Weapons to mow down endless waves of zombies is fun, but developers Treyarch are upping the ante by introducing recent main quests for players to navigate through each twisted map. Each map included in Black Ops 6 will feature a different multi-stage main quest to complete, and in blog postThe team says they are “equal parts engaging and challenging as well as fun.”
“Veteran Zombies players and new players dedicated enough to drop in and scour the maps to solve clues and secrets,” the post adds, “can look forward to being rewarded with exclusive and time-limited rewards. We can’t wait to see the hunt come to an end on Launch Weekend!”
Black Ops 6 Kill Order’s New Multiplayer Mode Revealed
Every recent Call of Duty game tends to introduce recent modes to play with, and Black Ops 6 is no exception. One of the multiplayer offerings coming this fall is Kill Order, a 6v6 battle where each team is tasked with keeping a high-value target (HVT) alive. With respawns enabled, every kill earns points, but taking down an HVT will bring your team that much closer to victory. Activision also revealed a variation of the mode called Face Off Kill Order, which keeps the rules but turns off Scorestreaks and keeps the combat on Strike maps at a closer range.
Black Ops 6’s Liberty Falls Revealed as Second Starting Map
New zombies mean recent maps, and it all starts in a miniature West Virginia town called Liberty Falls. Activision describes its recent location as a “once idyllic, now terrifying” mid-sized map that has been taken over by the undead threat.
Some official blog post describes Liberty Falls further: “When you arrive – presumably as part of Project Janus forces under the watchful eye of security chief John Blanchard – the city is overrun, and the battle seems utterly lost.”
Sprays and emoticons are back
Sprays and emotes return to Call of Duty: Warzone in Black Ops 6 Season 1.#CODNext | #BlackOperations6 photo:twitter.com/J1Z5NTumrN
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) August 28, 2024
Black Ops 6 will see the return of in-game sprays and emotes, which can be used to taunt other players during a match or, if you’re feeling artistic, toy with enemies. Details on how many sprays and emotes will be available remain under wraps, but it sounds like players can at least expect classic taunts like clapping, giving the thumbs down, and more.
Area 99 revealed as next Warzone map
While Verdansk promises to be a return to Call of Duty’s past, Area 99 will take Warzone into the future in Season 1. This Resurgence map has been dubbed the “birthplace of Nuketown,” and features a dilapidated aesthetic marred by mannequins and other retro-style buildings. Each point of interest takes players to a recent area that should feel familiar to those who’ve visited Nuketown in person, and you can expect to explore it for yourself soon after Black Ops 6 launches in October.
Prestige Progression Returns to Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone
TRADITIONAL PRESTIGE COMES TO CALL OF DUTY: WARZONE
Players who reach level 55 in Warzone will have the opportunity to enter Prestige to unlock recent rewards. Account progress will be updated as part of Season 1. #CODNext | #BlackOperations6
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) August 28, 2024
Old-school Call of Duty fans will remember the Prestige system, which allowed players to continue earning rewards even after hitting the level cap each season. There will be 10 Prestige Tiers to achieve, each of which is said to be inspired by previous Call of Duty: Black Ops titles. Activision is calling the recent and improved mechanic “the most satisfying Prestige system in Black Ops history,” promising a ton of unlockable content in official blog postPrestige is expected to launch with Multiplayer and Zombies, as well as Warzone in Season 1.
New Black Ops, recent gameplay
While enthusiasm for things like omnimovement is growing, the Call of Duty developers have taken the time on COD: Next to detail some of the other changes coming to the formula this fall. Time to kill (TTK) will be a bit faster than players remember from Black Ops Cold War, for example, and while enemy health bars are a thing of the past, you’ll be able to see your character’s health bar on your HUD if you choose. Slippage cancellation and audio improvements have also been promised, but you can also expect features like map voting and more.
Black Ops 6 Wonder Weapons Reveals New and Returning Weapons
Wonder Weapons are a staple of the zombies, so it should come as no surprise that the Ray Gun is back and looking better than ever. This time around, these handy little tools have received a visual upgrade and will still pack a punch on any map if you can get your hands on one. The Thrustodyne Model 23 is a recent weapon in Black Ops 6. You’ll only be able to find and utilize it to suck up zombies in Liberty Falls.
Warzone will feature content carried over from previous Call of Duty games
COD: Next has confirmed that Warzone will continue to support weapons, blueprints, operators, skins, and “the vast majority of cosmetics” from games like Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 as it grows. With that comes the promise of full integration with everything coming to Black Ops 6. In other words, Warzone is just getting bigger, and there’s no sign of that stopping anytime soon.
Ranked Multiplayer Coming Just a Few Weeks After Launch
Like other recent Call of Duty titles, Black Ops 6 will be getting a ranked mode for those looking for their dose of competition. While ranked has sometimes taken a long time to get going in the past, Activision is promising that the mode will launch alongside Season 1, just a few weeks after its October launch.
Someone has already launched a nuclear bomb in Black Ops 6
Drop the atomic bombs #BlackOperations6 ☢
Congratulations @JustHazzardous!Who’s next? photo: twitter.com/HV4k42Hsvj
— Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) August 28, 2024
Black Ops 6 won’t be out until October 25th, and its closed beta won’t start for a few days. That didn’t stop streamer JustHazzardous from securing and Activation of the nuclear bomb in the game at the time of receipt: NextThe requirements for the nukes in this year’s Call of Duty installment have yet to be revealed, so while this doesn’t necessarily qualify as a COD: Next reveal, it’s still undeniably impressive and a good look at what’s to come.
Black Ops 6 Beta Rewards Reveal New Goodies for Early Players
Those who participate in the Black Ops 6 beta will have the opportunity to earn cosmetic rewards that they can take with them into the game. Highlights include the Squish and Squash Operator skins, which unlock at level 20, and the Quick Draw emote, which can be earned at level 15. Reaching level 2 or higher grants players the animated beta tester emblem.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor to IGN. He began writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work on outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to follow him on Twitter @MikeCripe.
