Despite finishing my thirty-minute review of The Tomb last week, I still had more to say, which is no real surprise if you know me. I figured I’d scribble down a few more thoughts about Black Ops 6 Zombies and where we stand as of Season 2.5.
The review is here if you haven’t watched it:
Generative A-WHY?
I know many are sick of hearing about generative AI (I sure am!), but it’s an important issue that is much bigger than Zombies, Call of Duty, or Video Games. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there’s been much movement on the SAG-AFTRA voice-acting strike regarding Call of Duty. As much as we’d like a quick resolution, it was never likely to go away overnight. The publisher holds all the cards and would do another thousand recasts instead of agreeing to the union’s demands.
Activision released a statement in December 2024: “We respect the personal choice of these performers. Out of respect for all parties, we won’t add new commentary about the ongoing negotiations with SAG-AFTRA. We look forward to a mutually beneficial outcome as soon as possible.”
I hope the “mutually beneficial outcome” means all union-backed voice talent return to Zombies following the strike’s resolution. However, I’m not going to hold my breath. I’d be okay with Zombies taking an approach similar to Destiny 2, where characters are silent rather than assigned new voice actors. Would it damage the mode’s presentation? Sure. Is it the right thing to do, and can it be resolved post-strike? Absolutely.
To be clear, AI is not currently used to voice characters in Zombies. I still see people saying voice actors “have been replaced with AI,” but I have found no evidence to support this. Despite AI voice actors being a real possibility if no contractual protections exist, spreading misinformation doesn’t help the cause.
However, we know Black Ops 6 has a frustrating amount of AI-generated art. I can just about hold my nose and batter on ignoring it, but I hope it goes no further than what we’ve seen thus far. Everyone has their limits, so I don’t blame those who have already chucked it. While the current bullshit hasn’t had me reaching for the uninstall option yet, it’s undeniably heading in that direction.
It’s the unfortunate reality of being a fan of the niche PvE mode living inside a global franchise. Zombies is like the young rookie signing for the multi-billion-dollar sports team or the punk band selling out to a major record label. It started organically, but even the strongest resolve cannot reject the influence of corporate greed. Like the Dark Aether, it corrupts everything it can touch.
I’ve always championed Zombies as the substance behind Call of Duty’s vapid nonsense—the diamond in the rough. I still believe that. But with how the video game industry has been moving, we’re rapidly approaching a crossroads. If the mode becomes a pit of humanless manifestation, all outputs and no thoughts, it’s as good as over. The undead will feel alive by comparison.
When I covered the disastrous launch-and-bin of PlayStation’s Concord, I wrote, “Yet, a level of security is afforded when working on Call of Duty. Its performance can upset executives, sure, but one bad year isn’t going to see the game wiped from existence.”
It’s times like these when I question whether that protection is worth it. Would Zombies be better off if it wasn’t shackled to the ball-and-chain of Call of Duty? I don’t think we can answer that question without knowing what the Zombies’ developers go through, how much say they have regarding AI use, what decisions come from the top, and how much development has been impacted by lay-offs and corporate interference.
What’s clear is that the battle against generative AI will rage on long beyond any union deal, and it will undoubtedly infect further works of art and entertainment as long as it can save someone, somewhere, a few pennies. If you think Call of Duty or Zombies has “lost its soul” since the 2010s, you have no idea how bad it could end up. As always, solidarity with those standing up to generative AI, including the SAG-AFTRA voice actors.
The Scarlett Letter is ‘M’
I’ve seen so much discussion about Scarlett Rhodes this past week, and all I can think is that we could’ve used some of this energy in 2019! After a cheeky tease during the Season 2.5 announcement blog, there was faint hope of the return of the red-headed protagonist of the Chaos story. As most expected, it was a skin for Maya. Chaos ensued.
If Scarlett turned up as an operator out of the blue, it would suggest that she isn’t crucial to Dark Aether and is just there as a fun nod for fans. A skin for Maya keeps the dream alive, in my opinion. Besides, would you rather “Scar” return via a shop bundle or as part of a cinematic or in-game cutscene?
I must admit, it’s pretty wild seeing so much fanfare for the Chaos story. Despite being an Aether devotee, I was on board with Treyarch’s decision to introduce it in Black Ops 4. A fresh narrative that leaned into fantasy was a nice change of pace to the multiversal stakes of Aether, and it made for some unique settings despite only four maps.
Unfortunately, not everyone felt the same. Given its muted reception alongside various developmental issues with Black Ops 4 (and what would eventually become Black Ops Cold War), Chaos was resigned to be yet another “what could have been” for Zombies.
But absence makes the heart grow fonder. The four members of the Chaos Crew are more popular now than when they debuted. Most of those calling for their return are original fans of Chaos, those who gave it another chance post-Black Ops 4, or newcomers to Zombies who played Black Ops 4 and enjoyed the Chaos maps.
People are enthusiastic about Scarlett, Bruno, Diego, and Shaw’s potential return. Whether they do remains to be seen, but it’s healthy for Zombies. For once, it isn’t just Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai that Zombies players are pining for. Of course, many still want to see those OG four in some form, so I don’t think we’ll ever say goodbye to them.
While we know Chaos is important to Dark Aether, it doesn’t necessarily mean the Chaos crew is. I’d love to be wrong and be surprised by their return. So much was put into the crew’s creation during Black Ops 4. Why not give them another go? It worked out well for Victis!
The hoo-ha is less about Treyarch introducing the Maya skin and more about the lack of clarity on Scarlett and Co.’s status. People are antsy about the direction of the Dark Aether story, so tensions are high. A mixture of Dark Aether, Chaos, and Aether can work, but Treyarch needs to pull the trigger and give us much more relevant lore and character quotes.
Even if you’re against the egregious microtransactions found in Black Ops 6, strong sales of the Scarlett Maya skin can only benefit the character’s future. It indicates to Treyarch that people care about Scarlett and can also be used as ammunition for pitching her return to higher-ups. After everything that happened during Black Ops 4, I can imagine some are reluctant to believe the return of the Chaos crew would be a worthwhile endeavour.
We Must Find The Path
While it might sound like all doom and gloom, I remain optimistic! Season 3 is only a matter of weeks away. Is Treyarch about to go three-for-three in seasonal Zombies maps? It seemed a fantasy in the past, but now, it’s a distinct possibility. I’m keeping my expectations in check until we get that roadmap.
The Tomb concluded the crew’s trip to Europe, which began in Citadelle Des Morts. With the sentinel artifact in tow, all roads now lead to the Mansion site in Liberty Falls. I’m expecting some big revelations from this map since it’s been teased since before Black Ops 6’s launch. I’ll be gravely concerned if there isn’t a room full of Richtofen lore!
As for Shutter Paw, I’m planning to continue video reviewing new Zombies maps as and when they come. It’s a lot of work, but I enjoy doing it, and I think I’ve found a format that works well for how I write about Zombies. I’m not interested in “content creation”, so videos will be at a premium unless I feel inspired. More power to those on that grind; it just isn’t my bag.
I’m excited about quite a few games this year (including but not limited to FBC Firebreak, Death Stranding 2, Hell Is Us, and whatever Nintendo is cooking), so I plan to cover a lot of different titles. I’m also keen to write for other publications and sites, but we’ll see how the pitches go.
We’re in unprecedented times, but the message remains the same. Have faith in Chaos.