Treyarch has finally spilled the beans about the next Zombie map for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, titled "Shattered Veil," and the best part? We can all dive in a bit earlier than we anticipated.
The original plan was to launch Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Season 3 content around late March; however, it faced a delay and was pushed to April 3. But here’s the kicker: Activision is now rolling out the Season 3 content for multiplayer and the iconic Zombies mode one day earlier on April 2. Those eagerly awaiting Verdansk’s return in Call of Duty: Warzone will still need to hold on until April 3.
This new map breathes fresh life into the ongoing Dark Aether storyline, which has been the backbone of Black Ops 6’s Zombies mode. The crew has snagged the Sentinel Artifact and now finds itself in a spooky old mansion nestled deep in the forested slopes of West Virginia, close to Liberty Falls.
Rumor has it that this is the very mansion featured in the original Liberty Falls cinematic. Here, explorers can encounter innovative traps like microwave defenses designed to fry zombies. There’s also a Dark Aether Field Generator that creates a dark aether energy field to zap zombies—but watch your step and don’t fall into your own snares!
And that mansion? It’s adorned with a massive T-Rex skeleton, just one of the cool new features hitting Zombies with Season 3.
In the sprawling mansion estate, new foes, including the Elder Disciple, float around, growing in power and enhancing the zombies nearby. This creepy figure continuously conjures extra zombies to boost its might and has the ability to transform ordinary zombies into menacing Doppelghasts and other formidable adversaries.
Season 3 also introduces the toxic zombies, a brand-new hazard. As the mansion’s grounds get shrouded in a ghastly mist, these green, sprinting skeletons rush at players, exploding upon impact and leaving behind corrosive puddles—a nasty surprise for the unprepared.
Zombies players will also enjoy a throwback with the return of the Double Tap perk-a-cola. Reminiscent of the good old Black Ops 3 days, it’s available in Shattered Veil and other Black Ops 6 Zombies maps, albeit only through the Der Wunderfizz machine.
Here’s a sneak peek at its upgrades:
Major Augments:
- Double Jeopardy: Gives low-health normal zombies a chance to immediately drop when shot.
- Double Impact: Striking the same target consecutively amplifies the damage.
- Double Standard: Non-critical shots inflict double damage but only with standard bullet firearms.
Minor Augments:
- Double Time: Cranks up the fire rate bonus.
- Double or Nothing: Weapons might dish out double damage but carry the risk of doing zero damage too.
- Double Play: Quickly dispatching two enemies can reload two bullets back into your magazine, limited to normal bullet weapons.
Two brand-new wonder weapons and their variants are also on deck. The Ray Gun Mark II puts a twist on the classic with a three-round burst, and its variants boast unique features like SMG-style firing, fire-starting capabilities, and even attachments inspired by other weapon types. Not to forget, the Wunderwaffe DG-2 brings chain lightning blasts that can stun zombie crowds for extra pain.
And don’t miss the three new Gobblegums, perfect for enhancing your Gobblegum loadout. These treats are usable across all maps:
- Tactical Diffusion (Rare): Prevents the next Nuke Power-Up explosion, rewarding everyone with 2,000 Essence.
- Support Group (Legendary): Equip this GobbleGum to snag the ARC-XD, Mangler Cannon, Sentry Gun, and Mutant Injection Support items.
- Die Pitched (Whimsical): It’s all fun and games with zombies talking in high-pitched voices for three minutes.
The Death Machine scorestreak makes a comeback, craftable in Zombies for just 1750 salvage.
If diving deep into the Dark Aether storyline intrigues you, keep an eye out for the Mid-Season refresh, which will usher in Directed Mode for Shattered Veil. This update also includes a limited-time Team Cranked mode and the fresh Frost Blast field upgrade.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is currently available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via platforms like Steam, Battle.net, the Microsoft Store, and the Xbox app. If you’re not ready to buy yet, a free trial is set for launch on April 2 at 9 AM PT on all platforms, covering the Zombies content as well. However, if patience isn’t your virtue, jump in today on PC or Xbox with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
