forwards of theCall of Duty : Black Ops 6Direct bring out result , I traveled to Los Angeles to meet many of the developer and minds behind this year ’s COD release . I even had a chance to play a few round ofBlack Ops 6multiplayer , but more on that afterward .

Our sojourn call for a lengthy intro which delve into the campaign , multiplayer , and zombies segments ofBlack Ops 6 , and some interesting young technical school the biz is adding to the shared Call of Duty engine . Mark Gordon , Studio Head at Treyarch , tells us thatBlack Ops 6aims to"define the time to come of Call of Duty . “After last class ’s brutal critical response to therushedCall of obligation : Modern Warfare III , it was a bold , yet welcome , program line for Gordon to deliver thatBlack Ops 6is"undoubtedly our best work , our full Black Ops ever . ”

Black Ops 6is the longest - in - developmentCall of Dutygame in the dealership ’s chronicle and has a good deal of press upon it for the above reason , not to note the fact that it ’s the first Call of Duty release underXboxafter their$68.7 billion acquisition of Activision - Blizzard . get ’s take a deep dive into everything I saw and learned while visiting Treyarch and interviewing some of the team .

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Key Art

Black Ops 6’s Campaign Revealed

After watching a high - octaneBlack Ops 6trailerto the tune of The Prodigy ’s " Firestarter , " we get down a deeper diva into the setting of the campaign . “A new earned run average of Black Ops begins as a shadowy clandestine force infiltrates the eminent levels of the CIA , branding any who jib as traitors,“we’re told as we learn thatBlack Ops 6is the first biz in the series where the team is on the outs . “No calling Uncle Sam for help,“a Treyarch dev explain . The fib sees players having to join force with past enemies . The word " varlet " is thrown around frequently .

Natalie Pohorski , Lead Producer at Raven Software , highlights the central pillars of designing the Black Ops 6 campaign :

A summary of theBlack Ops 6 synopsisgoes something like this : In 1991 , an operation in Kuwait goes sideways and lead to a breach in protocol when Russell Adler reappear after give-up the ghost missing for months . He leaves Frank Woods with a cryptic message that leads to the find of a clandestine power call The Pantheon which appears to have penetrate the highest levels of the CIA . The squad is coerce to go scallywag and follow the track of The Pantheon and prevent them from deploying an apocalyptic artillery .

Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Omnimovement Screenshot

Timeline by Rob Keyes

As for gameplay , Black Ops 6aims to save something more heroic , including in player option . Jon Zuk , Associate Creative Director at Raven Software , punctuate that mission diversity was the most of import design renter for the drive , teasing positioning , mission titles , and themes including the Gulf War , Casino Heist , Saboteur , Player Agency , Mind F***ery , Assassin , and something else put . In addition to the free rein styles and environmental differences , there arestrategic opportunities during gameplayinvolving advanced enemy ( think juggernauts with miniguns ) and player equipment ( yes , the RC - XD returns ! ) .

Another essence component to the structure of theBlack Ops 6campaign is theSafehouse , a fix actor explore in between missionary work . Here they can engage in dialogue tree with other graphic symbol and see the Evidence Board to plan out or choose coming missions . The goal here , we are secernate , is to offer up thespian choice and good sense of possession . I did confirm with Jon Zuk however , that player can not set their loadouts between missions , as the game must draw players into knowing what weapons are required before they ’ve even seen the charge . Players however , can upgrade their gear here .

Black Ops 6 seem to be the most visually telling Call of Duty .

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Hit Locations

We observe gameplay from two missions , the first dubbedCapitol Stationwhich is gear up on February 3 , 1991 where Governor Bill Clinton is hosting a " meet the Future " gala . We see a weapons / train wheel in action , a bike sequence with slow - Missouri moment , and robotic be given around corner . Another military mission , calledIraq , showcases the team suiting up as Delta operators on a self-aggrandising , candid - reality mathematical function . It ’s not a additive mission . The HUD is noticeably unclouded and empty , and across both missions it ’s unsufferable to ignore the telling lighting event .

What I saw was of course a highly milled intro of carefully chosen demo clips month before release , but at a coup d’oeil , Black Ops 6looks like the most telling COD visually . Part of that has to do with some literally game - changing animation . Let ’s talk aboutOmnimovement …

Black Ops 6 Introduces Omnimovement

A new genre-defining movement system built ground up for Call of Duty

All Call of Duty studio apartment are using the same share railway locomotive so what you see in Black Ops 6 establish on Modern Warfare 2 & 3 , and these new systems added , you’re able to ask to see go bad forwards .

Thousands of vitality were mocapped to attain the fluidness and fidelity of these new crusade . Imagine diving event and turning in the air , rather of your total quality model spin on an axis of rotation , your gun moves to where you point while your dead body observe its momentum . But wait , there ’s more !

Black Ops 6also introducesIntelligent Movement , where the devs drew intake from theForzagames and some of the coolheaded preferences they offer . For example , inBlack Ops 6you can just point and go and do n’t have to push buttons to climb or mantle forward should you desire to based on new assist options players can toggle for crouching , sprinting , and mantling .

Black Ops 6 Timeline

Timeline by Rob Keyes

In - secret plan , there’sworld connectivitywhere player models appropriately whap into doors with their shoulders , or smash up against wall . Some of this is redolent of whatBattlefield Vattempted to deliver years ago . Diving into body of water turns drift and liveliness into an literal dive , and perhaps most importantly , there ’s " box slicing " now so your lineament mechanically leans around aim and corners .

Animations level up importantly on the NPC side as well as the number of hit locations on enemies has more than doubled . For cite , Call of Dutygames historically have four main hit locations that NPCs can oppose to when they take fire , and inBlack Ops 6there are now 9 . There ’s also a new active deathcam that , instead of displaying a static view upon death , the camera will now get over the body for a bit to showcase the animations . This has been a source of many risible shared clips internally at Treyarch and Raven .

Black Ops 6’s New Title Format Explained

Goodbye extra subtitles and Roman numerals

The rumors of a Gulf War setting for 2024’sCall of Dutywere true , but the statute title of the game takes a back - to - basics approach , prefer to do something unlike than the secondary subtitle ( a laCold warfare ) and the Roman numeral of the four games prior to that . Instead , Black Ops 6 just uses the number . I askedMiles Leslie , Associate Creative Director at Treyarch , about the title choice .

" That ’s an interesting question . For us , I remember it ’s always Black Ops , right ? And that did n’t transfer . I think a lot of it was , and by the way of life , this go across all the orgs , so it ’s not like Jon [ Zuk ] and I are there deciding the names , of course . There ’s lashings of people involved in all these sort of things . But they do a bunch of employment on what resonates with masses and , of course we have our own opinions , but I think it was like how do we get back to what resonate with players ? "

Leslie continues , explain that"Black Ops Cold War is a Black Ops game and we almost kind of want to accentuate that with the 6 . The 6 says that as well . It was like , no , no , that was a legit Black Ops game and we kind of want to return and come across with the 6 and variety of cement that and I guess elicit the true nostalgia vibes , but also that it ’s something fresh . "

Black Ops 6 Campaign Screenshot - Capitol Station

For what it ’s worth the squad did jest about"how the the pits [ they ] were go to do the Roman numerals"in a logotype had they gone down that path .

Complete Timeline of the Black Ops Story

Black Ops 6 follows Cold War and Black Ops III and is set in 1991

Black Ops 6takes topographic point in the early ' 90s , after the events ofBlack Ops Cold War , and is tie to the ' 80s flashback fromBlack Ops II . The meter menses selection tolerate the gameplay to sweep up ' 90 - themed gadgets and maintains the modern " boots on the ground " gameplay mandatory . I ask Miles Leslie if there was ever consideration of go back to the future forBlack Ops 6and re - present some of the more baseless boosting , jumping , and bulwark - range abilities .

" Oh , entirely . Yeah , yeah . Yes . That always come up . So the team is always like , oh , would n’t it be nerveless ? We can fell again and do all of these thing . And I guess for us is ride out , I do n’t want to say to the tooth root , but back to basics in terms of boot on the ground has still been really important . We know that resonates with player across it . And again , it kind of went back to , it just feels right-hand to stay in the ' 90 , ' 91 era after that and doing the advanced apparent movement or boost start , it did n’t find proper . You know what I mean ? It was like we want to complete that story after Cold War , the continuation , what pass after BO II was the perfect sort of follow together on that . "

The 1991 setting places the narrative at the end of the Cold War and the peak of the Gulf War . America is seen as the last remaining major power and this gives Americans a imitation good sense of security,“leaving organizations like the CIA vulnerable to shifts in great power behind the scenes,“explainsPohorski .

Black Ops 6 Zombies Characters in Terminus

In Black Ops traditional knowledge , Black Ops 2(the 1980s part of its story ) leaves Frank Woods with a critical harm and the loss of his squad partner Alex Mason and Jason Hudson . Woods has since been pulled from the field , serving now in a keep role , the " eyes in the sky . " He has a newfangled handler in new characterJane Harrow . Harrow is basically the best friend to have at the federal agency . Another new character is Marshall , the novel team drawing card .

Characters

Marshall

Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Screenshot

Team Leader

CIA

Mrs. Henry Wood

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Key Art (Vertical)

The Veteran

Harrow

The animal trainer

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Felix

Yesterday ’s foe

Rogue Squad

Sev

Assassin for Hire

Adler

Professional Monster

Black Ops 6’s New Gear

Black Ops 6 introduces 12 all-new weapons for the Call of Duty franchise

Call of responsibility : Black Ops 6introduces 12 weapon that have never been seen before in the serial , era appropriate and some image weapons . Some of the weapons shown to me during the display to emphasize the textures and design details append in this game include the PDW , Marine SP , Kompackt 92 , SVD , and 9 mm PM . As for the gear , keep an eye on the theme of going scallywag and having to make DIY weapons in the field , here are some examples :

Black Ops 6 Progression And Prestige

Classic Prestige returns with the “right amount of new”

Treyarch set out to craft the most rewarding COD they ’ve ever build withBlack Ops 6and for Prestige , they listen to the feedback .

“ Classic prestige is back ”

Round Based Zombies Returns For Black Ops 6

Black Ops 6 has Two Zombies maps at Launch!

Long - time zombi devotee will be pleased to know thatround - based zombies returns withBlack Ops 6 . Kevin Drew , Associate Design Director on Zombies , tell us that they are down what they established in Cold War and are looking at what worked in the past while supply a few never - before - seen matter .

Black Ops 6 : Zombiesembraces the 1991 setting and continues the Dark Aether story five year later on . Dr. Peck rent a gravy holder to visit some “ old friends , " three of them you ’ll acknowledge . That ’s veracious , Black Ops 6zombies return to having dedicated quality for its zombie mode .

Black Ops 6 Zombies Characters

you may still apply any manipulator but when you practice the principal four you ’ll get a much more deeper experience with additional VO and they ’ll be featured in all of the cinematics .

Black Ops 6 launches with 2 new Zombies Maps

Miles Leslie support to me that patterned advance on artillery is share between multiplayer and zombies , and there ’s a whole system of rules for unlocking skins and advantage from zombi musical mode .

" We got a whole system on that . We want each group of player to feel like we ’re hand crafting stuff for them . And so yeah , a lot of care has gone into the progression,“explains Leslie .

Black Ops Multiplayer Is a Premium Standalone Experience

No Modern Warfare Gear or Operators Crossover With Black Ops 6

Call of tariff : Black Ops 6delivers an all - young multiplayer experience featuring 16 sword - new map at launch . Sorry , no Nuketown ( yet ) .

Black Ops 6 multiplayer features two factions

Rogue Black Ops

Crimson One ( CIA - backed )

Alejo

Yara

Caine

Bayan

Stone

Wespoint

Niran

Nazir

Baily

Ratcliff

Volta

Some of the raw feature of speech coming withBlack Ops 6multiplayer admit Combat Specialties , Dedicated Melees , and Mastery Badges , and return features let in Wildcards , detailed arm stats , Gunsmith , Favorite Class , Showcase Weapon , and Shooting Range . Your loadout message at launching shapes up like this :

To confirm some of the obvious detail as well , there will be 10 custom classes available ( same as current COD ) , 5 default classes , 1 dedicated fast setup , 5 attachment slot ( 8 with a wildcard though … ) . This last part is a likely plot - changer come metre forBlack Ops 6integrating intoWarzonebut more on that later . As for the independent multiplayer , there is no crossing or shared cogwheel , skins , attachments , etc . between the current Warzone lineup ( based on MW2 & 3 ) andBlack Ops 6 . In Warzone , expect everything to be available from all three games .

" Yeah , so I think the current mentation is that Black Ops 6 is a premium game and that ’s what we ’re babble out about . So we need it to be a sweet commencement . Warzone , complimentary to play . You ’re going to keep all your stuff , but on the premium side , that ’s a reinvigorated start for everyone . "

Other far-famed quality of lifespan improvements and UI change include a promised streamlined pressure group and stream to getting into the game . David Duckworth , UI/ UX Director at Treyarch , confirm that they ’re well aware of feedback to the currentCall of Dutymenu system and wantBlack Ops 6to be flying and reactive , approachable , and content - focused . From the present moment of launch , it ’s all about arrive into gameplay . The main menu will also see the return of the Quick articulation party list in the top right , the post - spunky best play ( render fromBlack Ops 4 ) and the Winner ’s Circle where succeeder can showoff to the hall .

The circular in - biz minimap returns , but player can choose the solid version should they favor , and better yet , Black Ops 6introducesHUD Presets . I can finally live out my dream of moving the score and ammo gimmick around and choose what turning point of the screen I want the minimap to expose in .

How Does Black Ops 6 Fit Into Warzone?

We’ll have to wait until Call of Duty: Next

Unfortunately , Treyarch would n’t openly lecture aboutWarzoneintegration just yet . Yale Miller , Director of Production at Treyarch , did tell us however , thatBlack Ops 6will feature conversant live season and accent the obvious - thatBlack Ops 6is build upon a shared locomotive that allCall of Dutystudios use .

They also reiterated their committal to ameliorate the experience of the launcher , including efforts to cut down the dementedly large step / filesizeCall of Dutycurrently commands . I fear this may mean we misplace some devotee - favorite Warzone maps as new content rolls out . As long as Rebirth Island remains for Resurgence modality , we ’re good .

Miller confirms that in the next few months they ’ll verbalise more about this and how omnimovement will incorporate intoCall of Duty : Warzone .

confirm : Omnimovement is coming to Call of responsibility : Warzone .

Call of Duty : Black Ops 6will be available globally on Xbox One , Xbox Series X|S , PlayStation 5 , PlayStation 4 , and personal computer via Battle.net , Microsoft Store , and Steam on Friday , October 25th , 2024 .

TheBlack Ops 6 Open Betawill be free across all platforms , with players who pre - order win early access code