Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies fans may only have two Survival maps to enjoy alongside Outbreak, but every location is packed with collectible intel. From documents and artifacts to audio logs and transmissions, players will hear characters interacting with one another or addressing Requiem directly. While there are small bits of backstory, like Dr. Grey’s guilt over her monkeys being used as experiments, there are also some more meaningful moments hidden throughout the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War intel.
While the Season 3 intel for the Zombies Onslaught mode continues to focus on background info for multiplayer maps, the new batch of items added to Outbreak is filled with major revelations. Not only do gamers learn of some major new players that could finally be entering the story, but more details on the upcoming Survival map are revealed. On top of this, players get some hints at the possible fate of Edward Richtofen, providing a possible explanation as to why he has not yet made an appearance.
The Debut Of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Stranger
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s intel is divided into four sections. One details Requiem, the CIA-backed faction that players control inside of their Zombies matches. Another section expands on the Omega Group, giving villains like Peck more time to shine. The Maxis intel is self-explanatory, as it sees the iconic character detailing stories about her life and struggling with what she has been through. Finally, there is the Dark Aether intel. While some touches on random “lost souls” that were trapped in the dimension, a vast majority details the life of the Stranger.
Having spent thousands of days in the dimension players visit in Die Maschine, players get some insight into how the character has survived for so long. Aside from avoiding the undead and scavenging as much as possible, he does his best to avoid those that are trapped inside of the Dark Aether along with him. For food, he eats the Zombies he takes down, sustaining himself on the creatures. The Stranger even manages to tame a Hellhound that he names Cinder, using the friendly dog to help him fight against the undead. However, while he went unnamed for several Seasons, players now know the character’s identity.
The Stranger is none other than Kazimir Zykov, the Russian soldier in a gas mask that was sent into the German base during the Die Maschine intro cutscene. After his attempts to turn off the device, he finds himself trapped in the Dark Aether, becoming the survivor that communicates to the outside world through recordings and documents. Zykov also confirms that he is finding portals that let him enter the real world briefly, with the duration increasing from 10 to 30 seconds over time. Before long, it seems likely that the character will permanently return to the real world, possibly interacting with characters like Sam who have seen what he has. With such a deep backstory, it would be great to see Zykov take a more prominent role in the narrative.
The Main Threat Of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Berlin Map
Zykov has also detailed the main threat of the upcoming Survival map. His comments lend credence to the Berlin theories, and leaks for the map indicated that it would feature parts of Kino Der Toten in its design. With Berlin also being one of the areas Weaver monitors in Die Maschine’s intro, and players having visited the other three, it seems likely that players will be heading to Germany next Season. When they do, they will be facing off against the greatest threat that the country has ever seen.
In Zykov’s recordings, he confirms that none other than Nazi soldiers are gathering inside the Dark Aether. Wearing their proper uniforms and lining up like a proper military, it seems like they have remembered enough about who they were to maintain their Nazi ideology. According to Zykov, they have also discovered a way out of the dimension, and when the Nazis exit, they will do so in the worst possible place. It is hard to think of a worse place than Berlin, as it rests at the heart of the country that the Nazis corrupted back in World War 2.
It will be interesting to see how Omega reacts to their return, as an interesting twist could see characters like Weaver and Peck forced to work together. After all, Russia and America both opposed the Nazis in World War 2, so neither would want to see them rise to power again. This could see them setting aside their differences temporarily, briefly putting the Cold War on hold to banish the Nazi party once and for all. Players also do not know who is leading these Nazi Zombies, though intel from Dr. Vogel confirms that they are returning to carry out the Final Reich and take over the world. Regardless, it seems like players will be facing off with Nazi Zombies once again, serving as an awesome nod to the early days of Call of Duty Zombies.
The Uncertain Fate Of Richtofen In Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Alongside a possible debut of Zykov and the arrival of Nazi Zombies in Berlin, the Season 3 intel has also continued to play with the fate of “The Boy.” While unconfirmed, the only known character that fits this description is Eddie. A young, pure version of Edward Richtofen that came through the portal with Sam at the end of Tag Der Toten, he was last seen holding her hand as the two entered a new world. However, he may no longer be living if some of the intel is to be believed.
Previously, the diary of Zombies protagonist Samantha Maxis detailed how she could barely remember the boy, though she does see his face clearly in her dreams. She also warns that there is a dark side to him, suggesting that he may turn evil like he did in the original timeline. However, Season 3 has seen Weaver and Maxis discussing the boy, suggesting that he is dead.
Supposedly, Weaver left the boy behind and only rescued Samantha, suggesting that the two could have portaled into a bad place. Orphaned, Weaver may have even adopted Sam, though his exact relationship with Samantha is still unclear. Regardless, Sam says that they both failed to keep The Boy safe. Sam also claims that she and Weaver are both still guilty about what happened.
According to Sam, Weaver let the boy die, while Weaver claims it “was a different situation” from how he rescued Maxis. He adds that both did all they could, showing that he has moved on from the mistake. Clearly, details are sketchy about what went down, but it does seem like Samantha and Weaver are both in agreeance that The Boy is dead. At the same time, it is possible that Richtofen is still alive, with Weaver and Sam only believing he is gone.
Theories range from Richtofen being captured and indoctrinated by the Omega Group or Eddie even being “The One” that controls the Zombies. It seems unlikely that such an important character would be killed in intel, as Richtofen is just as integral to the history of Zombies as Sam is. With this plot point suddenly being focused on, though, it seems likely that the Berlin map will give fans a more definitive answer on Richtofen’s fate.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
