Leading into the Xbox Game Showcase this past weekend, Microsoft and Activision had been teasing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 with viral videos hinting at the game's story. The curtain has now been lifted.
"Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 1990s, 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," Activision describes. "With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops."
Fans were initially treated to an adrenaline-pumping gameplay reveal featuring all the usual Call of Duty staples: political espionage, explosive action sequences, and massive set pieces.
Activision shared more details on the official Call of Duty website, delving into the campaign's story and multiplayer offerings. The initial intel on the Black Ops 6 campaign reads:
The Black Ops 6 Campaign takes players to a new point in time – the early 1990s. In true Black Ops fashion, the fictional story builds on the history of the time, thrusting you into a strange and clandestine conspiracy where a shadowy force has infiltrated the U.S. government. Anyone who resists is branded as a traitor, forcing players to go rogue for the first time to fight the very machine that created them. Nothing is what it seems, and the truth may be hard to fathom, drawing you ever deeper into intrigue, distrust, and mind-bending psychological revelations. This is true, signature Black Ops style.
On the multiplayer front, Black Ops 6 will launch with 16 new Multiplayer maps on day One, including 12 Core 6v6 maps and four small-sized Strike maps. These Strike maps are unique, standalone locations designed to be played in 2v2 or Face Off 6v6 matches.
New to the franchise multiplayer is Omnimovement, the ability to spring, slide, and dive in any direction, as well as Intelligent Movement (sprinting, mantling, and crouch assists allowing you to focus on achieving incredible and complex maneuvers with ease). Other multiplayer improvements include increased enemy hit zones, an incredible lineup of gear, HUD optimizations, and the return of Theater Mode and Classic Prestige.
As a Treyarch-developed game, fans can expect another must-play Zombies experience. Returning to the mode this year is the Round-Based Zombies, a fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead. Black Ops 6 Zombies will launch with two maps filled with tons of secrets to discover.
The Xbox Game Showcase served as the appetizer for what would ultimately be the main course delivered during the Call of Duty Direct immediately after. This 25-minute stream focused entirely on Black Ops 6, offering greater details and insight into many of the game's core modes and gameplay features.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will launch worldwide on October 25, 2024. It will be available on Xbox, PlayStation and PC. As previously announced, Black Ops 6 will launch as a Game Pass title on Xbox consoles and PC.