One final reminder: spoilers ahead.
In October 2024, I said, “I’ll worry about the next book when we finish the one we’re on”.
I’ve held off writing about the potential return of Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai until now. I don’t particularly enjoy seeing things leak, but it’s the reality of most games these days, especially a AAA title like Call of Duty. I can stomach gameplay leaks, but I hate when story details start spilling out. In this instance, the severity of the leak and the length of time it has been circulating are infuriating.
It undoubtedly damaged people’s perception of Black Ops 6’s story. Any potential surprise reveal was long gone, and it’s been a dark cloud hanging over the narrative since launch. Many headed into the finale with preconceived opinions. If the characters returned, people would be mad. If they didn’t show up, others would be mad. Of course, some kept an open mind and were just as disappointed. That’s the way it goes.
So, how do I feel about the return? Cautious is probably the best word, but I’m higher on it than most. Admittedly, I’m a high-value mark for Aether nostalgia, but it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that I’d react positively.
Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai weren’t just bound to the elemental shard; they’re intrinsically tied to Call of Duty Zombies, and I’d be lying if I said seeing them together again didn’t excite me. However, I’d have preferred their return to be backed up by a more substantial ending. And after reintroducing Chaos elements throughout Black Ops 6, why not bring the Chaos crew back first?
I don’t think I’d feel as optimistic if the characters that showed up were Ultimis or Primis (praise the Construct, it wasn’t them.) Tag Der Toten gave those characters a dark end, but it resonated with me deeply. It wasn’t the bombastic Great War climax many had envisioned, but rather a personal, introspective finale that felt like I had to let go of the past as much as the crews did.
It’s part of why I’m still invested in Zombies to this day. While I knew the mode would likely continue, I had no idea if I’d feel the same way about it, and I’d made my peace with that. I’d had an incredible 10+ years of following along, and if the new stuff didn’t resonate with me the same way, I had no issues walking away.
Believe it or not, two things can be true: I can cherish the Tag Der Toten ending and still enjoy following what happens beyond it. I’ll always have that ending; I’ll never forget walking Eddie and Sam towards the light for the first time. If I ever lose interest in Zombies, I’m happy drawing the line there. Call it an insurance policy, in case I don’t like where we end up.
The Great Voice
Ultimately, the success of this new crew will depend on execution. By all means, throw Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai into the Dark Aether, but it has to happen without a hitch. We can’t afford the inconsistency of Black Ops 6’s storytelling again, and relying purely on nostalgia for these characters won’t cut it. They need to feel fresh and not just play the greatest hits.
I’d be a lot more cynical about this entire situation if Craig Houston weren’t still at Treyarch. If anyone knows the weight of these characters, it’s him, and I trust he’ll do right by them. I don’t like putting everything on one developer, because that isn’t the reality of game development, but the impact he has had on Zombies is undeniable. Go back and watch the Black Ops 4 Studio Broadcasts and tell me he doesn’t care.
Craig Houston said pre-Alpha Omega:
There will always be other stories to imagine – but in terms of Primis, Ultimis and Victis – This IS the end of the line. Bless them.
I don’t believe Treyarch’s goal with Tag Der Toten was to forget the past and wipe out every instance of Richtofen, Dempsey, Nikolai, and Takeo for all eternity. Had that been the case, they wouldn’t have gone straight to using Sam and Eddie in Cold War. Eddie’s presence was always going to raise questions, regardless of the status of his soul. It was only a matter of time before it all came back around.
Additionally, the Black Ops 4 ending signposted the Dark Aether saga from the start, and there have been hints throughout Cold War and Black Ops 6 that we weren’t done with the “old world”. Echoes of Gersh and Peter McCain, familiar weaponry bleeding through, Eddie’s nightmares of the house, and perhaps now, most tellingly, the pact:
With the power of hindsight, we can assume the purple beams and mysterious voice are most likely The Great Voice, the leader of the Shadowsmiths, and Panos’ benefactor.
The Great Voice is clearly being built up as the antagonist of Black Ops 7, and its goal is to restore its place in the “old world”. If the crew is trying to stop it, that sounds like an interesting hook to me. For all we know, they’re not happy to exist in the first place. I think there’s a lot of new ground to explore with versions of these characters who share an aligned goal. Ultimis and Primis were almost always at each other’s throats—maybe this new crew will break the mould.
Their return also gives Treyarch a chance to address some of this year’s biggest shortcomings: lack of meaningful dialogue, scattershot and inconsequential lore, and the absence of posters, intro cutscenes, and supplementary media. As much as I love the Terminus crew, bringing Richtofen and the gang back is an easier sell for lapsed and casual players—they are box office attractions. That said, there’s no guarantee any of these things will actually be resolved. It’s wishful thinking on my part.
Grim Reading
At this point, it’s a rite of passage to be upset at a Zombies finale. The ending of Origins permanently scarred people, and I still remember the day the Zombies subreddit was shut down due to the meltdown that occurred when there was no super Easter Egg in Revelations.
The difference here is that there’s more to come by the end of the year—it’s essentially a midseason finale. If Reckoning were the final entry in Zombies for a year or more, I’d be a lot more pressed than I currently am. The quality of the final 10 seconds of the ending also leads me to believe that what we saw was a glimpse of a Black Ops 7 Zombies cinematic. If that’s the case, it was a mistake.
A satisfying DLC 4 ending should wrap up the central conflict, touch on a few side plots, and tease the future. Using your finale to try to market the next game is a bad look, and for those on the fence, it could be enough to sway them against buying a copy.
The non-linear main quest (which was fantastic gameplay-wise) was likely meant to emphasise that spacetime is fractured, but it made both endings feel anti-climactic. That cannot be the end of S.A.M. and Eddie’s story.
I’m also sceptical that the real Samantha Maxis is gone. It was laid on too thick at the very start of the map, and the classic “no body, no death” rule applies. If we’re heading towards a conflict that deals with the old world, surely Samantha Maxis is involved. If not, what a waste.
We really could’ve done with finding out the Great Voice’s identity. You can’t blame people for thinking that the return of the original crew is cheap when they’re coming back with (as of now) zero stakes. Introduce the new threat, then show how our crew will help tackle it. Had this happened—and the reveal of Richotfen, Dempsey, Nikolai and Takeo was an end-credit scene (a la Peck hunting for Terminus in Cold War)—I imagine more people would be on board.
Reckoning also suffers from the same issues we’ve seen throughout Black Ops 6’s story: inconsistencies with previously established lore, poor prioritisation of conflicts and characters, and the feeling that we’re barely scraping the surface of a constantly growing story.
Despite my optimism towards the return of the original crew, I do feel for newer fans who came aboard during Cold War and have a strong connection with Weaver, Grey, Strauss, Carver and Maya. (I felt similarly in Black Ops 2 when Ultimis were nowhere to be seen and we were introduced to Victis at their most obnoxious.) I’ve enjoyed playing as them this year, and although they had a few bright spots, their potential wasn’t fully capitalised on. I understand fears that they risk being overlooked in Black Ops 7.
I’ve said before that Cold War spoiled us with its intel. We had monthly updates that added documents, radios, and audio logs, which allowed minor characters to get airtime and flesh out their roles. I had hoped that Black Ops 6 would be a combination of Cold War’s world-building and Black Ops 3’s presentation, but unfortunately, we’ve received a diluted version of both.
I’m left wondering how Black Ops 6 would have played out had Vanguard and MWIII not required a Zombies mode. Those modes stretched the Dark Aether further than it was ready to go. Whether it was overambition or poor planning, I’m not quite sure. Regardless, Black Ops 6 was spinning too many plates, and it’s not surprising there have been casualties.
Shadowed Silver Linings
It’s not all bad, though. I liked how The Forsaken was handled. It’s a shell of its former self, admitting it’s become a joke, beaten down by captivity and S.A.M.’s constant meddling. Putting it out of its misery as part of the Gorgofex quest was meaningful, considering it could’ve been relegated to a piece of intel. Zykov was a highlight of Cold War, but in my opinion, he’s served his purpose.
Although I praised Eddie in Shattered Veil, I did have concerns that he was becoming too sympathetic. Reckoning proves that he’s an emotionally volatile and desperate man who will stop at nothing to get Mary and Samuel back.
That includes harvesting organs from failed clones, eggs from Maxis, and DNA from Requiem. It’s raw in the same way Ultimis Richtofen sealing a ten-year-old Samantha Maxis in a teleporter with her dog was. It’s meant to make you feel uncomfortable. As a result, the “Mom Genes” radio is one of the best performances in Black Ops 6. Bravo to Grey’s VA!
It puts the Terminus crew in a dilemma: do they side with the monster who locked them up for years, or the machine that manipulated them across multiple continents and wants to wear their friend’s face? I genuinely believe there’s no correct answer, and the crew feels the same. Each member has agency and is conflicted in their decisions. It was a nice touch to hear each member express different opinions and ruminate on them with Peck, Strauss, and Ravenov in solo matches.
The dialogue in Shattered Veil and Reckoning has been a notable improvement over the earlier Black Ops 6 maps. S.A.M. and Eddie’s bickering is excellent, and it sells the whole “choose a side” gimmick well. It’s a shame that neither ending lives up to that buildup.
I’ll be seeing you…
Reckoning fails as a narrative conclusion to Black Ops 6 Zombies in some pretty significant ways, but I don’t think it’s as disastrous as some claim. It’s entirely understandable if your patience and grace have run out, though, and it’s up to Treyarch to win you back. I may disagree with some of the criticism, but it’s valid, and I hope it helps improve the mode for the better.
The return of Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai was always going to be controversial, but I’m ready and willing to see where the characters go. And while I’m not cashing in my insurance policy just yet, I realise I may be an outlier at this stage. Even then, I’ve been critical of decisions over the past year. We have high standards, yes, but for good reason. We’re used to a higher standard.
The adage “a game made for everyone is a game made for no one” is often used to critique modern Zombies gameplay, but after Reckoning, it also applies to the narrative. I hope all departments at Treyarch can lock in for Black Ops 7 and deliver experiences that are, first and foremost, for those who live and breathe Call of Duty Zombies.
For those who need to hear it—whether you’re a happy fan, an angry fan, a member of the Requiem crew, or a writer at Treyarch—remember what Ravenov said: “There is nothing so broken that it cannot be fixed.”
