Whenever Call of Duty The Zombies community is polled on the best maps of all time, or a veteran fan shares their opinion, some names can regularly be found at the top of the list. Many will consider Alcatraz's strong, rich story and haunting aesthetic to be the highlights of the mode's 16-year run, ensuring that Mob of the Dead ranks highly. The fictional yet fully realized Morg City ensures that Shadows of Evil regularly earns itself a top spot, while the sheer epicness of a dragon-covered version of Stalingrad means that Gorod Krovi is a favorite of many. Der Eisendrache gets lots of love too, for several reasons. These include its emotional final cutscene, the presence of the mode's first real boss fight, and a perfectly fluid map design. Another undeniable strength of the map, however, is its similarities to Origins.
Released in the last map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2Origins managed to usher in a bold new era for the mode full of crazy concepts like multiple dimensions along with brand new versions of the cast that fans fell in love with. Beyond that, though, it was simply a great map in its own right. An unforgettable skybox with massive robots looming overhead, a terrifying mini-boss in the form of a Panzer Soldat, numerous side missions with valuable upgrades, and, of course, the four elemental wands all contributed to one of the best Zombies maps of all time. That is why expectations are extremely high for the next one Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies map, as Treyarch has deliberately encouraged fans to think of Origins. However, there are ways to meet these expectations.
Family
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's Liberty Falls may hold the key to a healthy future for zombies
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has delivered one of the best Zombies modes in years, and Liberty Falls could be the key to keeping the mode alive.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies' deliberate wording backs Treyarch into a corner
In the final cutscene of Citadelle Des Mort's main mission, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies players were told by Gabriel Krafft that their next adventure will take place at an “excavation site” not far from Avalon. This wording immediately set off alarm bells for longtime fans Call of Duty Zombies, as the most prominent excavation site in the mode's history is Excavation Site 64 – otherwise known as Origins. Ravenov even doubled down on this “dig side” phrasing, ensuring this is a lasting thought in the players' minds. Given how beloved Origins is, it's hard to imagine Treyarch veterans like Zombies writer Craig Houston not assuming fans would immediately think of that map when that phrase was uttered. Not to mention the Origins poster's presence at Liberty Falls, which fans can see as a very specific callback to this new information.
Ravenov also mentioned that the excavation site was nearby. Although this wording is loose and could be him saying that the characters are heading to France, where Origins takes place, War zones leaked Avalon map has a dig site, which is likely where players will go.
To be clear, DLC 2 is unlikely to Black Ops 6 Zombies will be a full-on Origins remake. There is a possibility of players exploring part of the map, like how Die Maschine incorporated Nacht Der Untoten but was ultimately its own entity, but a full-on remake is probably not in the cards. The awesome parts of the Aether story are only slowly creeping into the Dark Aether story, so it's hard to imagine skyscraper-sized robots roaming around. Also, the characters would diverge from the Primis team, which would immediately take away some of what made Origins such a standout. Still, though Black Ops 6 Zombies' excavation site is poised to be very different from Origins visually, it can still tick the same boxes that Origins did over a decade ago.
Family
Why Resident Evil fans should consider giving Black Ops 6 Zombies a look
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a major revitalization for the franchise, and Resident Evil fans might want to jump into its Zombies mode.
How Black Ops 6's next zombie map could be its origins without exactly being origins
In order to deliver an Origins-like experience that players will be talking about for years to come, there are a number of things that Treyarch can do. These include:
- Easter Egg Side Quests with Unique Rewards: Instead of the modern Call of Duty Zombies formula, where players get save, perks, Aether tools and points for most quests, these can offer more exciting items. Origin's free MGO8 LMG, G-strike special grenades, One-Inch-Punch melee upgrade, and golden shovel/helmet are examples of this.
- Map exclusive weapon: Origins had this in abundance, from the Mauser starter pistol and MGO8 LMG to the Scar-H Assault Rifle and KSG Shotgun. A unique Wonder Weapon with its own upgrades is a must, although this is to be expected.
- A terrifying mini-boss: An enemy that rarely appears but forces players to adapt when it does. Perhaps Treyarch could bring back the Panzer Soldat itself (and its spine-tingling siren) but updated with new abilities.
- Quests for every Zombies player: While it may be premature for Treyarch to return to the “four elemental Wonder Weapon” formula after Citadelle Des Morts, giving each player something to work on means there's plenty to do on the map and everyone can stick around committed.
- Unique graphics that stand out from other maps: While something as over-the-top as Origins might not be in the cards, Citadelle Des Morts had beautiful environment design to match its bold location, and continuing in that direction would be ideal.
An outstanding main quest easter egg will also be key. Maybe the characters are teleported through the Sentinel artifact to The Great War from the Aether story, fight a giant Apothicon, or fight another enemy while Primis fights Shadow Man's forces in the background. After all, fans never got to play The Great War despite Origins lore building on it and Treyarch teasing it in Alpha Omega. This upcoming Dig site map could be Treyarch's way of capitalizing on this tease while continuing with today's Dark Aether story and killing two birds with one stone. It would also bring the Primis team back into the minds of the players before their rumors Call of Duty 2025 return.
Fortunately, Citadelle Des Morts was a brilliant step in the right direction for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies and makes it likely that Treyarch can hit all of these points. If it can offer some map-exclusive weapons, some complex mission design, and a real mini-boss threat that doesn't take a “strength in numbers” like Black Ops 6's Manglers, then Treyarch might just deliver a second classic dig site in its Zombies mode.
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Black Ops 6, developed by Treyarch and Raven, is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower . With a thought-provoking story and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of playgrounds with blockbuster backdrops and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger espionage activities.
In a best-in-class multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand new maps at launch. After launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences that fall into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
