Call of Duty: Black Ops 6is the newest entry in the eternally popular FPS franchise, picking up theBlack Opssubseries that’s been sitting by since the 2020 release ofBlack Ops Cold War.TheBlack Opsgames are moving to the 1990s for the first time with this installment, picking up after the end of the Cold War in a period of global instability. As always, the game will focus on the more shadowy side of the conflicts, telling its own fictional story interconnected with real-world events.

Black Ops 6is sticking to a lot of tried-and-true elements ofCall of Dutygameplay, but it’s alsoadding some interesting featuresof its own. The biggest is probablya new system called Omnimovement, where sprints, slides, and dives can go in any directionfor more robust mobility possibilities. Omnimovement is backed up by somethingCall of Dutyrefers to as Intelligent Movement, which can offer optional movement assists to simplify controls for sprinting, mantling, and crouching.

Black Ops 6 Operator in camo gear holding a rifle.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Release Date

When Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Is Launching

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6is set to release on August 19, 2025, sticking to the tried-and-true fall launch thatCall of Dutyhas met year after year. The game will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC, honoring an agreement to keepCall of Dutyas a multi-platform franchise for the near future despite Microsoft’s acquisition of the brand. The Microsoft ownership does grant Xbox Game Pass users a first-ever bonus in the form ofday-one access to the gamethrough the service, makingBlack Ops 6free with a subscription.

Unlike other recentCall of Dutygames,locking in a pre-order forBlack Ops 6doesn’t provide early access to the campaign experience. All aspects of the game will become available at the same global launch. Pre-order players did get early access to the open beta, which ran from August 30 to September 4 for those who pre-ordered and September 6 to September 9 for everyone else.

Call of Duty Warzone Mobile Art

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Campaign

A 1990s Story Brings Back Some Familiar Figures

TheBlack Ops 6campaign focuses on a threat from within, making its protagonists go rogue to deal with a mysterious force that’s infiltrated the US government. Picking up not long after the 1980s flashback parts ofBlack Ops 2, the events of that story serve as a catalyst for some of the troubles of this one.Global events like the Gulf War come into play alongside the story of intrigue, and the game appears set to explore the darker sides of the massive influence that the United States exerted in the era.

TheBlack Ops 6campaign will require a persistent internet connection, with some textures dependent on streaming rather than local files to help reduce the still-large file size.

An operator aiming an assault rifle outside of a strip mall in Black Ops 6 Multiplayer.

Characters in theBlack Ops 6campaign are a mix of new introductions and familiar faces, withBlack Opsseries veteran Frank Woods appearing as a central figure. Once Woods and a new character called Troy Marshall go rogue, they assemble a team of agents, including the tech-savvy Felix Neumann and assassin Sevati Dumas. CIA Agent Russell Adler ofBlack Ops Cold Waris another returning character with mysterious motivations that put him in a seemingly antagonistic position. Real historical figures like U.S. presidentsGeorge H.W. Bush and Bill Clintonare also set to appear in the story.

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Black Ops 6’s campaign levels vary from large-scale Gulf War conflicts to more targeted missions that reward careful, silent infiltration. Between missions, the team returns to its base of operations, a manor that served as a KGB Black Site during the height of the Cold War. Frank Woods can be found here, along with target practice, a bit of extra exploration throughout the manor, and the returning Evidence Board that offers a look at campaign information and evidence gathered throughout missions.

Black Ops 6 Zombies characters with guns at the ready on the Terminus map.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer

16 New Maps And Revamped Mechanics

Black Ops 6is promising 16 new day-one multiplayer maps, twelve of which will be Core 6v6 maps. The other four are smaller Strike maps, which can work for 2v2 engagements or the streamlined Face Off version of 6v6 combat. None of the maps are huge, focusing on close-quarters combat and three-lane design. Leveling progress is returning to a more classicCall of DutyPrestige system, and all Prestige levels for repeated grinds will be available at launch rather than tied to seasonal time gates.

Core 6v6

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The open beta forBlack Ops 6featured eight multiplayer game modes, with most being familiar to returningCall of Dutyplayers.The big new addition is Kill Order, a 6v6 respawn mode that gives teams an opportunity to score points by taking out a marked High Value Targeton the enemy team in addition to the standard process of racking up eliminations. A Face Off variant of Kill Order follows the usual Face Off rules of scaling things down to smaller maps and disabling scorestreaks. Ranked play is planned to join the game reasonably close to launch.

The new movement systems forBlack Ops 6are also a big part of the multiplayer promise, potentially shaking up the ways in which great players can rise above the competition with more complex options for both aggression and defensive techniques. Another major change lies in expanding Hit Zones from 4 to 9, creating a greater sense of reactivity when gunning down opponents. Hit Zones determine both animations and damage when a character is shot depending on when the bullets land, so more than doubling the number should be appreciable.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Human Shield

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies

Round-Based Zombies Returns With New Maps

Another big return inBlack Ops 6is the inclusion of Round-Based Zombies, with two new maps called Terminus and Liberty Falls and a continuing narrative fromBlack Ops Cold War. Zombies focuses on the cooperative aspect of multiplayer, pitting teams against hordes of zombies that can quickly overwhelm anyone who doesn’t play carefully. Zombies is also famous for its variety of power-ups and its hidden surprises known as Easter Eggs, helping to prevent the basic setup from becoming stale too quickly.

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Zombies will also be featuring a set array of dedicated characters again, turning back from the modern switch to integrating the more general Operators system. This time, there will be three returning figures from priorBlack Opsgames alongside the new character Maya Aguinaldo.

Call Of Duty Warzone movement showing a player leaping to the side next to an electrical explosion.

Other Operators can still be used in theBlack Ops 6Zombies mode, but they won’t feature the same uniquely curated dialogue options and cinematics.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Beta Preview: A Series In Need of Innovation

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s multiplayer beta introduces some new ideas that leave a lot to be desired for long-time players of the series.

Some more returning elements of classic Zombies are the Thrustodyne Model 23 Wonder Weapon fromBlack Ops 2andBlack Ops 3’s GobbleGums. The new features are where the real excitement lies, however. Along with new items and a new third-person option, quality of life changes smooth over some previous sticking points.Players can pool resources to open a door, change field upgrades during a match, and override Pack-A-Punch camos with personal choices.

Characters from NARAKA BLADEPOINT, Fortnite, Warzone with imagery from Fall Guys

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Warzone Changes

Black Ops 6 Shakes Up The Battle Royale

The ongoingCall of Duty: Warzoneexperience will see plenty of new content and changes with the release ofBlack Ops 6.A new Resurgence map called Area 99 takes inspiration from Nuketownand supports 45 players working as trios. New weapons and mechanics fromBlack Ops 6are being added toWarzone, expanding the array of choices in loadouts while maintaining a focus on balancing the feature forWarzone.

Players will now start with three Perks instead of four inWarzone, although one Wildcard can still open up the possibility of starting with four. Perk packs can only be acquired through Loadouts, not from Buy Stations, further emphasizing the focus on a versatile approach to loadouts. Individual Perks found as ground loot will be rotated over time. Another big change is the removal of backpacks, largely revertingWarzoneto its original inventory system to simplify the inventory management experience.

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TheCall of Dutyfranchise has had plenty of ups and downs, butBlack Ops 6definitely has the potential to be a memorable entry. An intriguing setting, returning fan-favorite features, and robust new movement options all make for an exciting mix, even if complaints about modernCall of Dutyissues like file sizes aren’t going to be going away any time soon. At any rate,Call of Duty: Black Ops 6should feature more of the intense action and engaging gunplay that the series is known for, along with the signatureBlack Opsdash of covert flair.