Treyarch has unveiled the eagerly awaited new Zombies map for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, "Shattered Veil," and players are in for a treat with an earlier launch than initially planned.
Black Ops 6’s Season 3 content drop was initially pushed from late March to April 3. However, Activision has now decided to release the multiplayer and Zombies content on April 2. For those eager to revisit Verdansk in Call of Duty: Warzone, the wait remains until April 3.
In the latest twist of the Dark Aether storyline that defines Black Ops 6’s Zombies mode, your team finds themselves with the Sentinel Artifact at a mysterious mansion nestled in West Virginia’s forested hills near Liberty Falls. This location might be familiar, as it seems to match the mansion that first appeared in the original Liberty Falls cinematic. Players will discover inventive new tools, such as microwave traps to blast away the undead, and a Dark Aether Field Generator that can erase zombies using dark energy. Just be careful not to fall victim to your own traps!
Adding to the intrigue of the mansion, which even boasts a massive T-Rex skeleton, fans can expect more exciting features with Season 3. This includes formidable new enemies like the Elder Disciple, a spectral threat that strengthens itself and nearby zombies, spawning additional foes and transforming them into even more dangerous entities like Doppelghasts.
Players should also beware the toxic zombies looming this season. Within a thick, ominous fog, these skeletal adversaries sprint at you, ready to explode into acid puddles upon defeat, posing a new challenge.
But help is on hand in the form of the Double Tap perk-a-cola, making a nostalgic return from Black Ops 3. Available in Shattered Veil and other Black Ops 6 maps through the Der Wunderfizz machine, Double Tap offers a set of power-ups:
Major Augments:
- Double Jeopardy: Normal zombies at low health might drop with a single shot.
- Double Impact: Successive hits to the same enemy do increased damage.
- Double Standard: Non-critical shots inflict double damage with normal bullet weapons.
Minor Augments:
- Double Time: Enhances fire rate bonus.
- Double or Nothing: Weapons might deal either double or no damage.
- Double Play: Quickly taking out two enemies might return two bullets to your mag, but only for standard bullet weapons.
Season 3 introduces two new wonder weapons with enticing variations. The Ray Gun Mark II offers a burst-fire approach with SMG-style bullet spreads and incendiary capabilities, alongside attachments that grant temporary invulnerability and area-effect damage. Meanwhile, the Wunderwaffe DG-2 delivers chain-lightning blasts capable of stunning hordes of zombies for more impactful damage.
Three fresh Gobblegums await inclusion in your loadout for strategic advantages during the undead onslaught:
- Tactical Diffusion (Rare): When you trigger a Nuke Power-Up, this GobbleGum disables the ensuing explosion, granting all players 2,000 Essence.
- Support Group (Legendary): Acquire an ARC-XD, Mangler Cannon, Sentry Gun, and Mutant Injection for bolstered support.
- Die Pitched (Whimsical): For a whimsical twist, it gives zombies high-pitched voices for 3 minutes.
In addition, the Death Machine scorestreak is making a comeback and can be crafted in Zombies for 1750 salvage.
Want to dive deeper into the Dark Aether tale with a bit of assistance? You’ll have to wait for the MidSeason refresh to access Directed Mode for Shattered Veil. When the refresh hits midseason, expect a limited-time Team Cranked mode and a new Frost Blast field upgrade to enhance your gameplay experience further.
You can get your hands on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC through Steam, Battle.net, the Microsoft Store, and the Xbox app. What’s more, there’s a free trial available with the Season 2 content starting April 2 at 9 AM PT across all platforms. For those itching to jump in immediately, PC and Xbox players can access the game today through an Xbox Game Pass subscription.