Treyarch has just unveiled the much-anticipated "Shattered Veil," a Zombies map coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and fans are in for a treat as the release is slightly ahead of schedule. Initially expected in late March, Black Ops 6’s Season 3 update is now dropping on April 2 for multiplayer and Zombies enthusiasts. However, those eagerly awaiting Verdansk’s return in Warzone will need to hold tight until April 3.
This new map takes players further into the captivating Dark Aether story arc that has been a pivotal element of Black Ops 6’s Zombies adventures. Our intrepid crew, armed with the Sentinel Artifact, now finds themselves near Liberty Falls, tucked away in an eerie old mansion amidst West Virginia’s wooded hills.
Rumor has it this mansion might be the same one depicted in Liberty Falls’ original cinematic. Gamers can now utilize innovative tools such as microwave traps to incinerate zombies or employ the Dark Aether Field Generator, a device that envelops zombies in a static field, disintegrating them with dark aether energy. But beware—these powerful traps can backfire if you’re not careful.
The mansion, complementary with its magnificent T-Rex skeleton decoration, is just one exciting addition in Season 3’s Zombies offering. Haunting its halls are new adversaries like the Elder Disciple, an ethereal presence that empowers zombies around it and can even morph ordinary undead into fearsome Doppelghasts or other threatening forms.
Among the fresh challenges is the toxic zombie, charging through the mansion grounds, surrounded by a putrid fog. These green-tinted nuisances sprint towards players and explode, leaving dangerous acid puddles in their wake.
But players aren’t without tools to counter these menacing foes. Making a glorious comeback is the Double Tap perk-a-cola, promising rapid-fire action. You can snag this old favorite from Black Ops 3 on the Shattered Veil map via the Der Wunderfizz machine.
Here’s what’s up for grabs with Double Tap:
Major Augments:
- Double Jeopardy: Normal zombies at low health may die instantly when hit.
- Double Impact: Consecutive strikes on the same target inflict extra damage.
- Double Standard: All non-critical shots deal double damage, applicable only to standard bullet weapons.
Minor Augments:
- Double Time: Boosts fire rate bonus.
- Double or Nothing: Weapons may inflict double damage or none at all.
- Double Play: Rapidly taking down two foes could return two rounds to your magazine, again for standard bullets only.
There’s an exciting line-up of wonder weapons to explore, including new variations of the iconic Ray Gun. The Ray Gun Mark II introduces a devastating three-round burst feature with SMG-style bullet patterns and incendiary capabilities among its attachments. Among the new arsenal is the Wunderwaffe DG-2, which brings its electrifying chains of lightning to the battlefield, potentially stunning a horde of zombies.
Players are not left wanting for extra perks either, with three new Gobblegums enhancing gameplay across all maps:
- Tactical Diffusion (Rare): Halts the next Nuke Power-Up explosion, granting players 2,000 Essence instead.
- Support Group (Legendary): Equip this for access to ARC-XD, Mangler Cannons, Sentry Guns, and more supportive gear.
- Die Pitched (Whimsical): Granting zombies a high-pitched voice, albeit for a limited three-minute timeframe.
And let’s not forget the Death Machine scorestreak, craftable in Zombies for 1750 salvage.
For those looking to immerse themselves deeper into the Dark Aether narrative, Season 3’s midseason update will unlock Directed Mode for Shattered Veil. This refresh brings not only a new limited-time Team Cranked mode but also introduces a Frost Blast field upgrade, promising more dynamic gameplay twists.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam, Battle.net, the Microsoft Store, and the Xbox app. A free Black Ops 6 trial, featuring Zombies, kicks off on April 2 at 9 AM PT. Alternatively, dive into the game today through Xbox Game Pass on PC or Xbox.