Co-op modes inCall of Dutyhaven’t always been core parts of the gameplay experience, save for one particular exception. The Zombies mode introduced inWorld At Warhas seen unusually lasting appeal, and the arcade-like horde mode that Treyarch introduced to its brand ofCall of Dutygames continues to permeate through each of their numbered entries. Now in 2020, another Treyarch-helmed title is on its way for 2020’sCall of Duty, presumably with another version of Zombies as well.
The previous Treyarch game,Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, upped the ambition and scope of Zombies far beyond it had ever been before. But at the same time,Black Ops 4made several core changes to the gameplay loop that didn’t need to be changed. Since then, many rumors have suggested that2020’sCall of DutyZombies mode will be a return-to-form in a lot of ways. The next Zombies iteration does have a lot of potential to revitalize the co-op mode, so long as it returns to what made the mode special initially.
The Evolution of Zombies
When Zombies was first introduced inCall of Duty: World At War, it was a simple but effective #aster egg mode that players unlocked after beating the main campaign. Players took on the role of unnamed marines in the iconic “Nacht der Untoten” map, surviving waves of zombies using only their wits and the random assortment of weapons available in the game. That simple premise would expand out to several DLC expansions that added varying degrees of complexity and depth to the now fully-fledged co-op mode.Verruckt, Shi No Numa, and Der Riese helped form what Zombies would becomeby adding in key features like Perk machines, shock traps, mini-bosses, Monkey Bombs, Pack-A-Punch upgrades, and special weapons.
Call of Duty: Black Opswould further solidify Zombies as an official offering from the games, incorporating all the advancements made fromWorld At War’s DLC into key components of each map going forward. WhereWorld At Warintroduced many of the familiar features of Zombies,Black Opssolidified and honed these mechanics into some of the best maps in the series to this day. Ambition continued to roll on forthe Zombies mode with maps like TranZit fromBlack Ops 2continuously proving how malleable and crazy the horde mode formula could be. Each successiveBlack Opsgame continued to experiment and toy with the mode until it became the absurdly customizable co-op mode inBlack Ops 4today.
Balancing Simplicity with Ambition
In a lot of ways,Black Ops 4’s ambitious iteration of Zombies was a bane to the iconic co-op mode. For the most part, all the way up toBlack Ops 3, Zombies had remained mostly true to its roots. Even with some of the Gobblegum microtransactions inBlack Ops 3, all of the core mechanics like perks and the classic narrative meta-game functioned just like any other classic map in Zombies. But withBlack Ops 4came a lot of changes, some of them good, but a lot of them ambitious and overcomplicating. Key systems were overhauled in ways that weren’t appealing, like how perks were tied to the create-a-class system to encourage variety and team composition.
This was the crux of the issue forBlack Ops 4’s Zombies in general, as its ambition largely impacted what made the mode’s origins special. Perks like Juggernog, Quick Revive, Speed Cola were all obtainable on the map in previous games, butBlack Ops 4essentially reworked and ordered these perks into classes so that there were elements of preference in perk choice. At the same time, this didn’t really allow the same level of perk customization and vulnerability inprevious Zombies modes inCall of Duty. Everything was tied to class customization in a way that simultaneously made the game much easier and far less interesting. Players practically spawned with Juggernog, and getting any of the other perks only required the use of one machine for progression.
The Future of Zombies
That being said, there’s a lot of potential in the new Zombies mode coming this year. Several rumors have stated thatthe classic Perk system is returning to Zombies for 2020’sCall of Duty, and for good reason. Placing the perks into unique individual areas around the Zombies map were what made the experience far more tense and entertaining. There was a lot more urgency in perk selection in previous games. Not only were all perks lost upon being downed, but revived players now had to rush back to each individual machine and spend their hard-earned points to get them back. Proper planning, training of zombies, and good reflexes were heightened by this perk vulnerability.
Along with this, and even thoughBlack Ops 4’s ambition was marred by questionable balance changes, some of the ambitious side stories and meta-game elements in concept are interesting. Zombies inCall of Dutyhas always had a quirky and subtle narrative permeating through all the modes that hardcore fans genuinely enjoyed.Black Ops 4continued that wacky trend with absurd maps like “IX"and “Dead of the Night,” each with their own implications on the overarching Zombies storyline. Even though the 2020Call of Dutymay harken back to old maps, newer Zombies maps still have interesting aesthetic designs and characters that the next game should emphasize as well.
Zombies has a lot potential for the nextCall of Duty, so long as the franchise sticks to what makes the co-op mode unique and fun. Keeping things simple perks and balance-wise without losing the ambition to make the story and aesthetics uniquely strange would be perfect.
Call of Duty 2020is reportedly in development.
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