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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Activision
Producer(s)
  • Natalie Pohorski
  • Brittany Pirello
Designer(s)Justin Negrete
Artist(s)
  • Will Wells
  • Eric Spray
  • Mike Chubb
SeriesCall of Duty
EngineIW 9.0
Platform(s)
ReleaseOctober 25, 2024
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is an upcoming first-person shooter game co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software and published by Activision. It will be the twenty-first installment of the Call of Duty series and the seventh entry in the Black Ops sub-series, following Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020). The game is scheduled for release on October 25, 2024, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and is set to be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on release day.

Set during the early 1990s, Black Ops 6's single-player campaign—described as a "dynamic and intense spy thriller"—will act as a continuation of Black Ops Cold War's story. Its multiplayer component will contain sixteen new maps at launch and include omnidirectional movement mechanics, which will allow players to sprint, dive, and slide in any direction. Additionally, the game will feature a new iteration of the cooperative round-based Zombies mode, with two brand-new maps being planned for inclusion at launch.

Black Ops 6 boasts the longest development cycle in Call of Duty history, spanning four years; some Treyarch employees stated that they have been play-testing the title since 2022. Marketing for the game began in May 2024, through the publishing of fictional advertisements on the front pages of multiple newspaper outlets and the release of several live-action teaser trailers; a full reveal debuted following the airing of the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase event on June 9.

Gameplay

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Like previous entries in the Call of Duty series, Black Ops 6 will be a first-person shooter.[3] The game's single-player campaign will feature multiple ways to approach its missions and include dialogue trees for its cast of non-player characters (NPCs).[4] In-between missions, players will be able to access a safe house, where they will be able to plan out missions via an evidence board, apply player upgrades, and interact with NPCs.[1]

Black Ops 6's multiplayer component is set to include sixteen brand-new maps at launch;[4] twelve of these maps are designed for the game's core six-versus-six (6v6) game modes, and are supplemented by four "Strike" maps, which can be played in either two-versus-two (2v2) modes or in the core 6v6 modes.[1] New gameplay mechanics featured in the multiplayer component include omnidirectional movement (i.e. "omnimovement"), which allows players to sprint, dive, and slide in any direction.[1] Additional features include the return of the traditional "Prestige" leveling system, which allows players who have reached the maximum player level to reset it up to ten times,[5] and the return of the "Theater" mode, enabling players to rewatch multiplayer matches from the perspective of any player.[6]

In addition, a new iteration of the cooperative round-based Zombies mode is also set to be featured in Black Ops 6, with two all-new maps—"Terminus" and "Liberty Falls"—being planned for inclusion at launch.[7] Zombies will feature cross-progression for weapon unlocks between it and the multiplayer component and will include a dedicated cast of characters that act as a core part of the mode's storyline; players will also be able to play as the "Operators" from the multiplayer mode.[7]

Premise

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Campaign

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Black Ops 6's campaign is set to take place during the early 1990s, following the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) and the flashbacks to the 1980s in Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012).[2] Its story is described as a "dynamic and intense spy thriller", in which players are "never sure who to trust, and what is real". The campaign will also explore the aftermath of the Cold War and feature a depiction of the Gulf War.[2] During this time, the CIA has been infiltrated by a new mysterious force, and many operatives have been forced to go rogue after being branded traitors, including Russell Adler (Bruce Thomas) and Frank Woods (Damon Victor Allen). While Adler's true allegiance and motivation remain unknown, Woods assembles a team of rogue agents, consisting of: field operative Troy Marshall (Y'lan Noel), CIA handler Jane Harrow (Dawn Olivieri), technical genius Felix Neumann (Seamus Dever), and assassin Sevati Dumas (Karen David), to assist him in discovering the truth.[2][8]

Zombies

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The Zombies story for Black Ops 6 will act as a continuation of the "Dark Aether" Zombies story arc, picking up five years after the events of Black Ops Cold War's Zombies mode.[2][9] According to Kevin Drew, Treyarch's associate design director for the mode, Black Ops 6's Zombies narrative will cover within its first two maps "a simultaneous situation" that is unfolding at two locations at the same time. The first map, "Liberty Falls", will explore a Dark Aether incursion in a small town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, while the second map, "Terminus", will be centered on a "nighttime assault on a remote prison island in the Pacific Ocean".[9] Central characters in Black Ops 6's Zombies story will be the former handlers for the classified CIA task force Requiem: Doctor Elizabeth Grey (Amy Pemberton), Special Commander Grigori Weaver (Gene Farber), and Major Mackenzie Carver (Keston John). They are joined by a new character, Maya Aguinaldo.[10]

Development

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Black Ops 6 is being co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, with Raven leading production on the game's single-player campaign and Treyarch developing the multiplayer and Zombies modes.[11] The game boasts the longest development cycle in Call of Duty history, spanning four years.[12] Some Treyarch employees stated that they have been play-testing the game since 2022.[13] Details surrounding Black Ops 6 began to surface in November 2023, when Windows Central reported that the game would be set during the Gulf War and feature a story focused on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).[14][15]

Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and its studios in 2023 marked the end of an exclusivity deal between Sony and Activision, which saw Call of Duty titles receive exclusive content and offers on PlayStation platforms. Though Microsoft had a similar deal with Activision for the Xbox consoles prior to 2015, Microsoft Gaming's CEO Phil Spencer has stated that moving forward, the franchise will have no exclusivity deals, with content parity across all supported platforms.[16]

Marketing

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USA Today newspaper showing the advertisement for Black Ops 6

On May 22, 2024, a website titled "The Truth Lies" went live and was posted on Call of Duty's social media channels. The website featured several real-life video clips of global monuments, such as Mount Rushmore and Brandenburg Gate, being vandalized by a group of people, as well as fictional news reports on the vandalism. The clips featured a three-headed dog logo, which was first seen in Microsoft's announcement for the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase event,[17] which stated that the event would be immediately followed by a "[REDACTED] Direct" presentation that would act as "a special deep dive into the next installment of a beloved franchise".[18]

On May 23, 2024, several newspaper outlets, such as USA Today and The New York Post, featured "The Truth Lies" advertisements on their front pages.[17] On the same day, Activision officially announced Black Ops 6 and confirmed that the [REDACTED] Direct would be centered on the game.[19][20] The airing of the Black Ops 6 Direct presentation on June 9 featured a 25-minute long deep dive into the title, offering insight into the game's single-player campaign, its multiplayer component, and its Zombies mode.[21]

Ahead of the Black Ops 6 Direct, Activision released two live-action teaser trailers for the game.[22][23] The first teaser, titled "Open Your Eyes", was published on Call of Duty's YouTube channel on May 27, 2024.[22] It largely consists of footage from news shows and television adverts from the early 1990s, narrated by a distorted male voice, who directly speaks to the viewer, telling them to "stop being sheep and become wolves";[22][24] the teaser was also noted to include brief glimpses at gameplay footage from the title.[22] The second teaser trailer, which featured several real-world political leaders, including former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, former U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell, ex-UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher, and former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, was published the following day.[23] The YouTube thumbnail for the trailer was noted to contain the coordinates to Hussein's former palace in Baghdad.[25] Additionally, teasers for Black Ops 6 began to appear in Call of Duty: Warzone, including a cinematic featuring Black Ops character Frank Woods.[26]

Release

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Black Ops 6 is scheduled for release on October 25, 2024,[27] for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.[28] It will also be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on release day.[29] The game will require a continuous internet connection to play all of its modes, including the single-player campaign; Activision has stated that the requirement is to ensure the best possible visual quality via a texture streaming feature.[30] Those who pre-order Black Ops 6 or have an active subscription to Xbox Game Pass will receive early access to the open beta test for the game's multiplayer component.[31]

Notes

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  1. ^ Windows version developed by Beenox.[1] Additional development work by Activision Central Design, Activision Central Technology, Activision Shanghai, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer Games.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Yin-Poole, Wesley (June 9, 2024). "Black Ops 6's New 'Omnimovement' Turns Call of Duty Into Max Payne". IGN. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Call of Duty Staff (June 9, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Worldwide Reveal: Essential Intel on Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies". Call of Duty Blog. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  3. ^ Wood, Rhys (May 23, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 announced, with a full reveal coming immediately after the June Xbox Games Showcase". TechRadar. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Chung, Stella (June 9, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – First Campaign and Zombies Details, First Multiplayer Impressions". IGN. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Wood, Dashiell (June 9, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is bringing back the traditional prestige system". TechRadar. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Erskine, Donovan (June 9, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer - everything we know". Shacknews. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Keyes, Rob (June 9, 2024). "I've Played Black Ops 6 And I Have So Much To Tell You". Screen Rant. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  8. ^ Lee, Valerie (June 9, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 hits PS5 on October 25". PlayStation Blog. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  9. ^ a b West, Josh (June 9, 2024). "Black Ops 6 zombies is going back to basics with round-based play, dedicated operators, and self-contained maps as Treyarch set out "to create the best version of zombies"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  10. ^ S.E. Doster (June 10, 2024). "CoD: Black Ops 6 Zombies Story Cast Revealed, But Players Still Have Choice On Who They Play". GameSpot. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  11. ^ Makuch, Eddie (May 22, 2024). "Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Announced, Worldwide Reveal Set For June 9". GameSpot. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  12. ^ Bošnjak, Dominik (February 5, 2024). "Call of Duty Black Ops Gulf War Campaign Details Leak Online". Game Rant. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  13. ^ Saksena, Sanchay (May 24, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Game Designer Has Been Playtesting the Game Since the Past 2 Years". IGN India. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Corden, Jez (November 22, 2023). "EXCLUSIVE: Call of Duty 2024 is indeed Black Ops, set during the Gulf War in the early 90s". Windows Central. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  15. ^ Wales, Matt (November 22, 2023). "Call of Duty 2024 a Black Ops title set in the Gulf War, new report claims". Eurogamer. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  16. ^ Rousseau, Jeffrey (October 19, 2023). "Phil Spencer says Call of Duty exclusivity deals are done". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Makuch, Eddie (May 22, 2024). "Call Of Duty Black Ops 6 First Teaser Seemingly Arrives, Is Very Strange". GameSpot. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  18. ^ Dinsdale, Ryan (April 30, 2024). "Xbox Games Showcase Announced for June". IGN. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  19. ^ Dinsdale, Ryan (May 23, 2024). "Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Confirmed by Activision". IGN. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  20. ^ Ivan, Tom (May 23, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Direct showcase confirmed for June 9". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  21. ^ Lynn, Lottie (June 9, 2024). "Everything announced in Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase and Black Ops 6 Direct". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  22. ^ a b c d Lane, Rick (May 27, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's latest teaser trailer is heavy on analogue horror and creepy mannequins". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  23. ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (May 28, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 confirmed day one on Game Pass in new trailer". Polygon. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  24. ^ Velde, Issy van der (May 28, 2024). "'Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6' trailer teases return of fan-favourite character". NME. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  25. ^ DiCarlo, John (May 27, 2024). "It Looks Like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Will Feature Saddam Hussein". Game Rant. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  26. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (June 4, 2024). "Warzone Has a New Frank Woods Cutscene — Finally Making a Crucial Moment in Call of Duty Black Ops Lore Canon". IGN. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  27. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (June 9, 2024). "Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Release Date and More Leaked via Xbox's Own Website". IGN. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  28. ^ Harris, Iain (June 9, 2024). "Will Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 be on PS5 and PS4?". GamesRadar+. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  29. ^ Warren, Tom (May 28, 2024). "Microsoft confirms Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is coming to Xbox Game Pass". The Verge. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  30. ^ Phillips, Tom (June 9, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 always online, including campaign, due to "continuous" texture streaming". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  31. ^ Dunsmore, Kevin (July 15, 2024). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Beta Weekends set for August 30, September 6". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
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