For the first time in Call of Duty history, Modern Warfare will have its own Zombies mode as part of Modern Warfare III. Headed up by Treyarch, the mode looks to be a combination of Cold War’s Outbreak – an objective focussed mode where players travel from region to region – and Modern Warfare 2’s DMZ – an extraction mode based on one large map and several additional smaller maps.
The mode will feature 24 players on one map and remain PvE, with enemies growing in strength as objectives are completed and players move towards the infection zone of the map, concluding with a final exfil as the Aether Storm closes in. The map is full of contracts/side objectives, enemy strongholds and points of interest, and all the things you’d expect from Zombies: the mystery box, pack-a-punch, perks, wonder weapons, and most importantly, secrets. There are also story missions where a squad can spawn into a submap that contains a more focussed objective, with a cinematic reward for completing the submap to further the story. This sounds like an interesting way to freshen up the gameplay, and the cinematic rewards sound like an improvement on the DMZ mission system where all the story was told purely through a menu.
We aren’t sure on how all of the mode works just yet – this will likely be saved for a gameplay reveal in October – but if we look at some of DMZ’s systems and mechanics, there’s a lot that could be used to enhance Modern Warfare Zombies and make it a successful twist on the Zombies formula.
A Potentially Fruitful Mix of Modes
One of the biggest criticisms of Cold War was that the main easter egg quests were too easy. This is a tricky one for Treyarch to balance as the main quest is always used to tell the big story beats of a map. By having a different way to tell the story in MWZ, there is the potential for Treyarch to return to more cryptic and difficult easter eggs as more casual players will still be able to keep up with the story. An easter egg that rewards players with a blueprint, similar to how the Heated Madness blueprint in DMZ operates, would be a good way to reward hardcore players. It also would give casual players something to work for.
The Heated Madness blueprint is split into 5 maps across the Koschei Complex DMZ submap. When a player successfully extracts all 5 pieces of the blueprint, they unlock it for use. Each piece of the weapon is hidden through different objectives similar to an Easter Egg quest step. For example, one part is hidden behind a door with a code. To find the code, a specific device is needed to scan blackboards across a secret location within the Complex. To access this location, players require a battery and jumper cables to give power to the hatched door. If Treyarch was to deliver a few of these blueprint quests across the year, it would replicate the feeling of playing a new easter egg main quest.
One thing that is going to help replayability massively in MWZ is the extraction mechanic. The exfil option in Cold War was a fun way to end the game rather than downing yourself, but after aetherium upgrades were complete there was no real reason to do it other than a bit of extra XP. Making MWZ an extraction based mode flips this on its head. Exfil is now the most important part of the game. Any valuable items, perks or weapons you have will be lost if you don’t make it out of the Aether Storm alive. There’s the potential for a streak system similar to DMZ too where you get a bonus for successfully exfiltrating multiple times. Even something as simple as collecting narrative intel goes from just holding X on a document to unlock it in the intel menu, to having to successfully extract it in order to find out what it says.
The timed element of the mode has been met with negative reception. However, until we know exactly how the mode operates, I’m not overly concerned with it. If there is enough valuable loot in the map, many games will be much shorter than the time limit as you’ll want to extract to ensure you escape successfully with the loot. This is what happens in DMZ, as it is always a risk waiting too long as eventually you are on a radioactive map with only one point of exit available to multiple different teams. The wording so far seems to suggest that the final exfil as the 60 minute mark approaches will be chaos, with the Aether Storm closing in alongside a crazed horde of enemies mobbing players. This sounds like an intense finale to a session and if balanced correctly, there will be a genuine risk that you lose everything if you do not exfil successfully. There may be scope for an “endless” version of the mode, but I’d imagine this wouldn’t be something we see at launch.
Human AI is another thing that seems to be ringing alarm bells everywhere. It seems clear from the information revealed so far, that human AI is an additional enemy, rather than a replacement for zombies. As enjoyable as Outlook was, the lack of Omega presence around the Ural Mountains was a bit jarring. Being able to battle the enemy faction brings a level of immersion that should increase the stakes of the mode and potentially lead to interesting story developments. The AI can also be balanced so that it is at a threatening level that Zombies and other Dark Aether denizens. Cold War had a huge amount of balance changes over its lifespan. In terms of game health and quality of life, it was unquestionably the most supported Zombies mode. I am confident Treyarch will continue this approach and if the Human AI – or any other entity – is too under or over powered, it will be addressed.
An upgrade system similar to DMZ where extracted materials and items contribute to permanent upgrades will also reward returning players. Not much has been said regarding the upgrade system, but I’d imagine it is a successor to the Aetherium system in Cold War which was great, but short lived if you played a lot of Zombies. Zombies has always been great at having a good sense of progression when in-game, but this hasn’t always been the case when outside the game. Black Ops 3 came close with its Gobblegum system, as players would earn Liquid Divinium frequently to grind for Gobblegums to improve their loadout, but this was also handicapped by microtransactions. Having a robust system that encourages replaying the mode, trying out new tactics, and going into the game with a certain objective in mind, will leave players with a sense of achievement for their hard work.
I think a PvE extraction mode is perfect for a new style of Zombies. Time will tell how feature packed the mode is at launch, but I’m looking forward to it. Outbreak was fairly barren at launch and it evolved into one of my favourite Zombies experiences. However I do have some concerns that will hopefully be addressed.
“I Know Who You Are. But, Questions Remain…”
As a predominately solo zombies player, I am slightly worried that there is going to be no way for solo players to experience the mode without joining with randoms in public matchmaking. Zombies matchmaking – and DMZ matchmaking – is extremely hit or miss and sometimes you don’t want to have to worry about what your teammates are doing. While Zombies is often touted as a co-op mode, the ability to play solo has always been an important feature to many players. With the map hosting up to 24 players, I’m unsure how feasible a solo mode is. I’m not expecting a full blown solo mode at launch, but I’m hoping it can be looked at if it hasn’t been investigated already. A good compromise would be a solo filter, similar to the one DMZ has, where you can matchmake with a squad of 1, therefore still playing on the map with other players – just in your own individual squad.
Another concern is PvP entering the mode due to pressure from either Activision or the DMZ community. I’m happy that it was made extremely clear that MWZ is PvE, but the fear will always linger in the back of my mind. I am extremely open to trying new things in Zombies, but PvP would be a bridge too far for me. Zombies in whatever form should be strictly PvE. Having Zombies feature in PvP modes like Blackout and Warzone was great, but when it comes to the Zombies mode, I am dying on the hill that there should be no PvP.
The type of support that Zombies is set to receive is currently unknown. DMZ received smaller maps to complement the main map – Al Mazrah – throughout its lifecycle, so hopefully we see something similar here. The cadence of how often new story missions are added will also be hotly anticipated. I’m hoping that if these missions take longer to develop there will still be near-monthly intel updates like we experienced in Cold War. Speaking of intel…
The Saga Continues
The Dark Aether saga has expanded greatly since its debut in Cold War. We will now have 3 different eras of human history where the Dark Aether interacts with our world: WW2, Cold War, and the Modern Day. This is exciting as it allows the narrative team to tell unique stories while also fleshing out the world of the Dark Aether saga. Vanguard introduced the Elder Gods and The Construct, but also allowed us to see some of the tension with Projekt Endstation, and what was happening prior to the Forsaken’s arrival in the Dark Aether.
The premise, that the enemy group known as ‘Terminus Outcomes’ has created an incursion zone using one of the last remaining known sources of Aetherium, is an intriguing one. It raises questions on what happened following Cold War, where we spent the majority of the year participating in an Aetherium arms race. While I don’t think we’re going to get many clear answers on the fate of The Director, Requiem, Omega, or Samantha (that feels more of a 2024 thing), I think we’ll definitely get some information on what happened to the world post Cold War Zombies. Knowing Treyarch, we’ll get plenty of teases, nods and winks. Maybe even some further context on THAT Vanguard Zombies radio that mentioned Alistair Rhodes… (I know, I know. I’m delusional).
It will be interesting to see how the Modern Warfare operators are incorporated into Operation Deadbolt – the task force faced with tackling Terminus Outcomes. Will we get a set of operators that are canon to the mode or will it be more like Requiem’s task force in Cold War? I think it’ll probably be the latter, but it would be a missed opportunity to not add some of the big names of Modern Warfare like Price and Soap into the Dark Aether canon. This is something WW2 Zombies did well, as there was a crew of 4 that were the canon characters on the map, and then we had the option to play with any other operator we had unlocked.
The Truth of the Undead
It’s important to keep expectations in check – we’re not likely to get round-based Zombies in Modern Warfare 3. This is a new mode that is launching in an “off year” while Treyarch continues to work on the 2024 Call of Duty instalment. Ultimately this mode will just not resonate with certain players. It’s unavoidable. I’d strongly suggest that players wait until the game is out to completely write off the mode, however. I do sympathise that not everyone wants to buy a full priced Call of Duty if they aren’t sure about what Zombies is going to be like. If that’s you, wait for gameplay to hit Youtube, read reviews and see what the general consensus is.
Treyarch is well aware of the desire for traditional round-based Zombies maps. Vanguard’s reception was so poor that the Zombies team pivoted and made a Shi No Numa remake complete with a main quest halfway through its lifecycle. Treyarch is always listening to feedback and the developers hear loud and clear that players still want a version of Zombies that is round-based and includes a crew of 4 characters that are full of personality. I am confident the feedback will be addressed. That being said, the onus is on players to read the room, and keep feedback constructive and respectful.
The unfortunate truth is that the things players want the most in round-based maps: unique playable locations, easter eggs and quests, scripted story sequences and cutscenes, new voice lines and radios, all take a long time to develop. The conundrum Treyarch has had since Black Ops 4, due in part to the gaming landscape – and Call of Duty itself – transitioning more and more towards a live service model, is how to deliver Zombies in a live service game. The demand for “content” means that 4 or 5 new Zombie maps in a calendar year isn’t enough for fans that are invested in playing the game on a daily basis, or for Activision, a publisher that is constantly looking for new ways to deliver micro transactions to players. Call of Duty development is now one long conveyor belt in Bobby Kotick’s Money Factory, and development studios are involved in every single game. It’s unclear how developers feel about this, but from the outside looking in it wouldn’t surprise me if some are feeling the burn of the past 5 or so years of Call of Duty development.
Having played Zombies since World at War, I’m happy to see Treyarch experiment with different modes and try to mix it up a little bit – especially in a year where they aren’t the main Call of Duty developer. I loved Outbreak, and my first impressions of Modern Warfare Zombies suggest I’ll love this iteration too. But I also want new round-based Zombies maps as much as the next Treyarch Zombies fan. It’s the reason the mode grew to be the phenomenon that it is, and there’s still so much more that can be done with the format. And I’m confident more WILL be done with the format. I can’t think of a better place for Treyarch to unleash some new Zombies maps upon the world than in 2024. And who knows? Maybe we’ll still be playing a really fun Modern Warfare Zombies experience when the next game comes around.
To anyone still concerned that Treyarch is done with round-based Zombies: I leave you with this tweet by Kevin Drew, Associate Director of Design at Treyarch…
