Highlights
- CoD Zombies lacks consistency in its seasonal content, always leaving players uncertain about when new maps and big updates will happen. Treyarch should prioritize a clearer pattern for post-launch Zombies updates.
- Modern Warfare 3 Zombies has been a clear example of this, with Season 2 being a disappointment. Treyarch should aim to avoid lengthy windows of no meaningful content releases.
- Call of Duty 2024 should provide a clear plan, with round-based maps and Outbreak content releasing in a predictable cadence to keep fans engaged throughout the season.
Call of Duty’s modern Zombies modes have been a bit of a mixed hands. Following the arguably underrated Black Ops 4, the era of maps with bold settings and complex Easter eggs came to a close, and the mode shifted to suit the franchise’s new live service model. Black Ops Cold War may have had a personality problem, but it was a very solid Zombies experience overall, introducing some positive changes alongside ambitious ideas like Outbreak. Then came the critically panned Vanguard Zombies, which was followed up by the love it or hate it open-world experience that is Modern Warfare 3 Zombies. However, all of these modes share one struggle: seasonal content.
Clearly a victim of the shift away from the Call of Duty franchise’s map pack focus, CoD Zombies has lost its consistency, as players previously knew exactly when they could expect new maps. With the newer games, it is unclear if players are going to be getting a map in a certain season or if it will instead be full of “filler,” and they have no clue whether a midseason patch will have lots of smaller additions or be relatively barren. This is something that Treyarch should keep in mind for Call of Duty 2024, as above all else, this title needs a better flow for its post-launch Zombies content.
One Small Outbreak Feature Would Be a Big Win For Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies
Despite taking several concepts from Black Ops Cold War’s Outbreak mode, Modern Warfare 3 Zombies is missing a feature that adds lots of personality.
Call of Duty 2024 Zombies Has to Prioritize a Clearer Pattern For Updates
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is The Latest Example of CoD Zombies’ Seasonal Problem
Thus far, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies’ seasonal updates have had the same inconsistency seen in recent CoD Zombies modes. Season 1 started off great, with the introduction of Dark Aether Rifts, a fresh story mission, and a new story mission to complete. Unfortunately, Season 2 looks like a huge step down, with the main update seemingly offering nothing at all, while the Reloaded update only offers another Dark Aether Rift, story mission, and a Warlord to fight alongside some schematics. This is a far cry from the new map fans were hoping for, as it would have been great to see a version of the returning Fortune's Keep added to MWZ.
Unfortunately, this is the level of inconsistency that has become synonymous with CoD Zombies’ seasonal updates in recent years. On one hand, it is hard to blame Treyarch, as Zombies has never been designed as a mode built around the now-common live service model where updates happen constantly. Still, this does not make the small Zombies sections in the roadmaps and season breakdown blog posts an easier pill to swallow, as it has never felt more like Zombies is just a small third game mode than it has in recent years. Whether it was Vanguard Zombies’ truly dead Season 3 that only came with challenges and weapons, or MWZ’s Season 1 Reloaded content basically just being a Warlord, Treyarch has to start avoiding these lengthy windows where no meaningful content releases.
Thus far, Black Ops Cold War has handled post-launch Zombies content the best, even if Season 1 being limited to LTMs was problematic and Season 2 and 3 slowed down a bit by focusing entirely on Outbreak. This is a good sign, as Black Ops Cold War was primarily a Treyarch game , and so too is CoD 2024, meaning similar support could happen.
How Call of Duty 2024 Can Provide a Better Pattern For Post-Launch Zombies Updates
Ideally, Call of Duty 2024 will find the proper cadence for updates so fans know exactly what to expect. In a perfect world, perhaps Treyarch can get to a point where every new Season launches with a fresh round-based map on day one. Then, with the midseason update, new Outbreak content can be added, as well as fresh side Easter eggs for the survival map that had debuted a few weeks prior. This is in addition to LTMs, challenges, and minor features, which should never be the only content added in a big seasonal update. Alternatively, the midseason updates could get the new round-based maps since Reloaded content is usually less exciting than the full season launch, which would make for a nice change of pace. Regardless, the idea is for Call of Duty Zombies fans to always have something meaningful to look forward to.
Firebase Z released as part of a midseason update, so there is precedent for such an approach.
Having nothing to do when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 releases means that they will be stuck waiting weeks for another big piece of playable content. While Zombies should not have to be treated like a live service experience, that is unfortunately the situation Treyarch finds itself in, and something has to change for it to survive in that realm. Currently, players have little reason to stick with Zombies all-season, as more often than not the mode feels like an afterthought when looking at the seasonal roadmap. In CoD 2024, players should not have to worry whether they will be getting a good or bad Zombies season, as there should be a clear plan in place where Treyarch rotates back and forth between round-based releases and big Outbreak content, with neither mode seeing too much downtime.
