Whenever the Call of Duty Zombies community is polled on the best maps of all time, or a veteran fan shares their opinion, a few names can regularly be found at the top of the list. Many will consider the strong, contained narrative and haunting aesthetic of Alcatraz to be highlights of the mode’s 16-year-plus run, ensuring Mob of the Dead ranks highly. The fictional yet fully realized Morg City ensures Shadows of Evil regularly earns itself a top spot, while the sheer epicness of a dragon-covered version of Stalingrad means Gorod Krovi is a fan favorite for many. Der Eisendrache gets plenty of love, too, for several reasons. These include its emotional final cutscene, the presence of the mode’s first true boss fight, and a map design with perfect flow. However, another undeniable strength of the map is its similarities to Origins.
Released in the final map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Origins managed to usher in a bold new era for the mode full of wacky concepts like multiple dimensions alongside 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, an intimidating mini-boss in the form of the Panzer Soldat, numerous side quests with worthwhile upgrades, and, of course, the four elemental staves all contributed to one of the best Zombies maps of all time. It is for that reason that expectations are extremely high for the next Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies map, as Treyarch has deliberately encouraged fans to think of Origins. However, there are ways it could meet those expectations.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies’ Deliberate Wording Backs Treyarch Into a Corner
In the final cutscene of the Citadelle Des Morts main quest, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies players learned from Gabriel Krafft that their next adventure will take place in an “excavation site” not far from Avalon. This wording immediately set off alarm bells for longtime fans of Call of Duty Zombies, as the most prominent dig site in the mode’s history is Excavation Site 64 – otherwise known as Origins. Ravenov even doubled down on this “dig site” wording, guaranteeing that this is a lasting thought in players’ minds. Given how beloved Origins is, it is hard to imagine Treyarch veterans like Zombies writer Craig Houston not assuming that fans would immediately think of that map once this phrase was uttered. Not to mention the Origins poster’s presence on Liberty Falls, which fans could view as a very specific callback following this new information.
Ravenov also mentioned that the dig site was close by. While this wording is loose and could be him saying that the characters are on their way to France, where Origins is set, Warzone’s leaked Avalon map has a dig site, which is likely the one players will be going to.
To be clear, it is unlikely that DLC 2 for Black Ops 6 Zombies will be a full-on Origins remake. There is a possibility that players explore a section of the map, like how Die Maschine incorporated Nacht Der Untoten but ultimately was its own entity, but a full-on remake probably isn’t in the cards. The fantastical elements of the Aether story are only slowly starting to creep into the Dark Aether narrative, so it is hard to imagine skyscraper-sized robots roaming around. Additionally, the characters would be different from the Primis crew, which would instantly remove part of what made Origins such a standout. Still, even though Black Ops 6 Zombies’ dig site is poised to be very different from Origins visually, it can still tick all the same boxes that Origins did over a decade ago.
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How Black Ops 6’s Next Zombies Map Can Be Its Origins Without Exactly Being Origins
To deliver an Origins-like experience that players talk about for years to come, there are a number of things that Treyarch can do. These include:
- Side Easter egg quests with unique rewards: Instead of the modern Call of Duty Zombies formula, where players get salvage, perks, Aether Tools, and points for most quests, these could offer more exciting items. Origins’ free MGO8 LMG, G-strike special grenades, One-Inch-Punch melee upgrade, and golden shovel/helmet are examples of this.
- Map-exclusive weaponry: Origins had this in droves, from the Mauser starting Pistol and MGO8 LMG to the Scar-H Assault Rifle and KSG Shotgun. A unique Wonder Weapon with its own upgrades is a must, though this can be expected.
- An intimidating mini-boss: A foe that rarely appears but forces players to adapt when it does show up. Perhaps Treyarch could bring back the Panzer Soldat itself (and its spine-chilling siren) but updated with fresh abilities.
- Quests for each Zombies player: While it may be too soon for Treyarch to return to the “four elemental Wonder Weapon” formula after Citadelle Des Morts, giving each player something to work on means there is plenty to do within the map and everyone can stay engaged.
- Unique visuals that stand out from other maps: While something as over-the-top as Origins may not be in the cards, Citadelle Des Morts had beautiful environmental design that suited its bold location, and continuing in that direction would be ideal.
A standout main quest Easter egg will also be key. Perhaps the characters are teleported through the Sentinel Artifact to The Great War from the Aether storyline, battling a giant Apothicon or fighting another foe while Primis battles against the Shadow Man’s forces in the background. After all, fans never got to play out The Great War despite Origins’ lore being built upon it and Treyarch teasing it in Alpha Omega. This upcoming Dig Site map could be Treyarch’s way of making good on this tease while still continuing on with the present-day Dark Aether story, killing two birds with one stone. It would also get the Primis crew back into players’ minds ahead of their rumored 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 quest design, and a proper mini-boss threat that doesn’t take a “strength in numbers approach” like Black Ops 6’s Manglers, then Treyarch might just be able to deliver a second classic dig site within its Zombies mode.
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 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 mind-bending narrative, 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 play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
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. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.