Black Ops 6 Season 03: What you need to know, part 1

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Conflict and Chaos: Black Ops 6 Season 03 is Here!
Season 03 Overview: Unfinished Business
In a video recorded before his death, Special Agent Jason Hudson warns of the Pantheon moles who have been working in the shadows for decades ever since Vietnam. They’ve managed to avoid detection throughout the years, using conflict and chaos to cover their tracks. With some new leads in play, however, their secrecy is no longer certain. Time to pick up the trail.

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Hudson left you to finish the job that he started, beginning with a file of codenames and documents leading you back in time to help solve the mystery at its roots.

Turn the tide on the Pantheon spies with this massive offering of free and premium content coming to Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 when Season 03 launches on April 2 at 9AM PT, with Call of Duty®: Warzone™ going dark for 24 hours before Verdansk comes online April 3 at 9AM PT.

Note: Consult the following blogs prior to the launch of Season 03:

Read This Now: Return to Verdansk Call of Duty: Warzone Content

Read This Now: Tour of Verdansk

Read This Now: Verdansk Tac-Atlas

March 28: Updates to Ricochet: Anti-Cheat™ and security updates

April 2: Battle Pass, BlackCell and Store Bundles Blog
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6: Season 03
[[BO6-SEASON-03-ANNOUNCEMENT-001]]
MULTIPLAYER CONTENT SUMMARY

Five Maps and a Variant: Head to the front lines in Barrage and Nomad, two new maps arriving alongside a remaster of the timeless Firing Range at Season 03 launch. Expand your deployment options in the mid-season with Haven and Signal plus a special Nuketown map variant.

Returning Modes: Test your skills across two classic game modes returning for Black Ops 6. Display your mastery of weapons in Sharpshooter and bomb the enemy team in Demolition.

Additional Equipment: Rapidly deploy your Dedicated Melee weapon using the new Close Shave Perk and blast enemies to pieces with the glorious return of the Death Machine Scorestreak. In the mid-season, get even with help from the Vendetta Perk.

Season 03 Ranked Play: Get wins, climb the Ranks, and beat out the competition in a new season of Multiplayer Ranked Play bringing all-new rewards to earn.
Multiplayer Maps
Barrage (Launch)
Brand-New, Core, 6v6, Medium-Sized

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Revisit 1968 Vietnam as you follow Hudson’s clues surrounding one Summit Watch at the front lines of battle. The trees have been cleared and the landscape flattened to make room for this base housing an artillery battery in active combat. The area has taken hits with large chunks blown off buildings including the Command Center and Barracks, the damage opening new pathways through the map.

Watch for sharpshooters trading shots near the base of the Watchtower, from Overlook, and through the second floor of the Command Center. Move quickly down the dirt roads to get out of sight or push out to the wings, battling around the artillery pieces in the Gun Pits and the Tree Crusher facing the Hill.
Nomad (Launch)
Brand-New, Strike, 6v6/2v2, Small-Sized

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The Pantheon moles were in Afghanistan, too, when Woods fought there in 1986. Fight in the ruins of a fortified settlement commandeered for the ensuing battle, a parked missile carrier facing out over the valley where a convoy lies in ruins on the narrow road leading up to the map. Navigate the crumbled archways and walls as you engage enemies in the open, the only accessible building being the Tower standing over the middle. A zipline offers fast access up and down from the coveted position, promising frequent skirmishes for control of its views.
Firing Range (Launch)
Remaster, Core, 6v6, Medium-Sized

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Firing Range makes its glorious return in Black Ops 6 in a faithful remaster of the fan-favorite map. Watch for crossfire down the long center Road as Operators fight for control of the vantage points in the Tower and the upper levels of the Shoot House and Garage. Shooting targets move back and forth on their tracks behind the Office and several other spots adding a useful diversion while preparing for the next fight. Avoid the center chaos by branching off to the Dirt Road, keeping your guard up against ambush as you pass the Storage unit along the way.
Haven (Mid-Season)
Brand-New, Core, 6v6, Medium-Sized

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Enter a KGB safehouse in 1991. This once opulent compound now sits in a dilapidated state of disrepair, overgrown and cracking apart at the seams. Its current owners, however, are less interested in aesthetics and more interested in the site’s former use.

A crystal chandelier lies smashed on top of a sculpture in the Foyer while reams of cable connect running generators to the armory in the Hall, the command center set up in the Ballroom, and out to the Entrance where parked vehicles monitor the surroundings and deliver vital supplies. The indoor and outdoor spaces are tightly intertwined here, spilling the battle through the estate halls and past scenic areas of contemplation like the Gardens and Bath.
Signal (Mid-Season)
Brand-New, Strike, 6v6/2v2, Small-Sized

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Taking Operators back to 1968, this site connects the moles to activity surrounding the infamous numbers station. Flashing lights and alarms sound in the Control room of an ocean rig numbers station, flames erupting along the upper wing. Starting from opposing submarine bays, Operators can funnel straight down the middle into the Broadcast station or fire down on the action from the Communications landing. Take an alternate path through the Control room, its flooded hall giving access to the water below. Jump in and swim underneath the structure to access either submarine bay, providing the means to jump out of the water and flank the enemy team.
Blazetown at Mid-Season
Plus, light up the competition in a special Nuketown variant joining the map pool for a limited time later this season!
Multiplayer Modes
Get in some intense gaming sessions as two classic modes with a rich history in the Black Ops series arrive in Season 03. Adapt to cycling weapons in Sharpshooter and throw yourself at two bombsites in Demolition.
Sharpshooter (Launch)
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Flex your skills in this classic Black Ops free for all party mode where every Operator is assigned the same Loadout which changes every 45 seconds. Each cycle introduces a new Primary and Secondary Weapon from scoped Sniper Rifles to akimbo Pistols, plus a new Dedicated Melee weapon and Tactical and Lethal Equipment.

Use everything at your disposal to eliminate enemies while unlocking bonus abilities for going on a streak:
  • 1st Elimination: Increased movement speed.
  • 2nd Elimination: Increased reload speed.
  • 3rd Elimination: Increased sprint recovery speed.
  • 4th Elimination: Increased ADS speed.
  • 5th Elimination: Earn double score for eliminating enemies.
Keep the streak going to unlock double score and make a run for the top three. When you’re taken out, respawn and build up those bonuses again. A short countdown precedes each weapon swap. Adapt and win.
Demolition (Launch Window)
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Alternate between attacking and defending two bomb sites. The attacking team must destroy both bomb sites to win the round, gaining a time bonus after detonating the first site. All attacking Operators spawn with a bomb and respawns are active for both teams throughout the match.

Defense is all about running down the clock. Defuse planted bombs right away, as the match timer pauses whenever a bomb site is in active countdown. If one of the sites is destroyed, regroup and throw everything you have into defending the last one.

The first team to win two rounds wins the match. If the score reaches 1-1, enter a tie-breaking final round where both teams race to detonate a single neutral bomb site.
Joint Operations: New Limited-Time Mode (Mid-Season)
Leave the enemy up in smoke in this Limited Time Mode that tests teams with a gauntlet of five Core mode variants in a single match: Head Stash (TDM), Inhalation (Domination), Hotbox (Hardpoint), Very High Target (HVT), and Munchies (Kill Confirmed).

Cycle through all five modes under a variety of changing effects, including double health, low gravity, visual hallucinations, and third-person POV.
Additional Gameplay Content
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Unleash powerful melee attacks with ease, get vengeance on the Operator who eliminated you, and mow down everything in sight with two new Perks and a Scorestreak.
New Perks
Perk: Close Shave (Launch, Event Reward)

Perk Slot:
1

Type: Enforcer

Automatically use your Dedicated Melee attack when you perform a weapon butt attack. Simply tap the Melee button to attack. Like the old days!

Perk: Vendetta (Mid-Season, Event Reward)

Perk Slot:
2

Type: Recon

On respawn, mark your killer’s last known position for a short duration. Get a bonus score for eliminating that enemy. The Vigilance Perk counters being marked by Vendetta.
New Scorestreak
Scorestreak: Death Machine (Event Reward)

Type:
Lethal

Score: 825

Mastery Badges: Yes

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Heavy minigun with a fast fire rate, high penetration, and a large ammunition capacity.

Wield the infamous Death Machine, a powerful weapon with a single large magazine that fires high impact rounds at a blistering rate of fire. Score earned while using the Death Machine contributes to your current Scorestreak progress, making this a great tool for bumping up to the next streak.
Multiplayer Ranked Play (Launch)Season 03 Ranked Play Overview
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Find out what you’re really made of by dropping into competitive Multiplayer matches using the same settings, maps, modes, and weapon restrictions used by the Call of Duty League®. Win matches to earn SR (Skill Rating) and progress through the Ranks while earning career rewards like Rank Skins and Win Challenge rewards.

Get wins and progress through the Ranks throughout Season 03 to earn new seasonal rewards like a new Pro Issue Weapon Blueprint, Rank-themed Calling Cards, and more:

Season 03 Ranked Play Rewards

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  • Get 10 Wins: Pro Issue AMES 85 Weapon Blueprint
  • Get 100 Wins: “100 Season 3 Wins” Large Decal
  • Silver: “Ranked Season 3 – Silver” Calling Card
  • Gold: “Ranked Season 3 – Gold” Calling Card
  • Platinum: “Ranked Season 3 – Platinum” Calling Card
  • Diamond: “Ranked Season 3 – Diamond” Calling Card
  • Crimson: “Ranked Season 3 – Crimson” Calling Card
  • Iridescent: “Ranked Season 3 – Iridescent” Calling Card
  • Top 250: “Ranked Season 3 – Top 250 Champion” Calling Card
Season 03 Ranked Play Weapon Blueprints
  • Players will also earn themed Weapon Blueprints for the Jackal PDW SMG representing the Rank achieved in Season 03 Black Ops 6 Ranked Play:
  • Gold: Start in/above or reach Gold at any point in Season 03
  • Platinum: Start in/above or reach Platinum at any point in Season 03
  • Diamond: Start in/above or reach Diamond at any point in Season 03
  • Crimson: Start in/above or reach Crimson at any point in Season 03
  • Iridescent: Start in/above or reach Iridescent at any point in Season 03
  • Top 250: Finish Season 03 in the Top 250
Retroactive SR Adjustments

To help reverse the impact cheaters have on the Ranked Play SR system, retroactive SR adjustments will be made starting in Season 03. When a Ranked Play cheater is banned, anyone they’ve recently beaten will receive a SR refund for those matches. Players who we detect playing with cheaters may have SR for those wins taken away.

Rejoin in Progress

Now a feature coming with Season 03, players will be able to rejoin Ranked matches if they disconnect. Players will have five minutes to rejoin, and teammates will receive a reduced SR Loss if a matchmade teammate rejoins and they lose the match.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6: Season 03 Zombies

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ZOMBIES CONTENT SUMMARY

Shattered Veil:
Move into the heart of an Appalachian apocalypse as the crew descends on Colton Hall, a diabolical mansion that holds the key to saving Agent Maxis.

Additional Gameplay Content: Boost your fire rate with the Double Tap Perk-a-Cola, enjoy the effects of three new GobbleGums, and wield the Death Machine.

New Enemy Types, Wonder Weapons, and More: Battle the Elder Disciple and its empowered minions, take on the new Toxic Zombies in special rounds, disintegrate enemies with the Ray Gun Mark II and its variants, as well as the classic Wunderwaffe DG-2 Wonder Weapon, and heat up the undead leftovers with the Microwave Trap.

Team Cranked: Power up and keep slaying with friends to replenish the countdown timer and stay in the game as Team Cranked debuts with fresh rewards in Season 03.
Shattered Veil (Launch)
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With the Sentinel Artifact in hand, the crew heads to the remote wooded hills above Liberty Falls to meet with S.A.M. at an old mansion in the forest which has been retrofitted to [[REDACTED]]. Only with the aid of S.A.M.’s synthetic mind can the team hope to unlock the ancient artifact’s mysteries and bring back Agent Maxis. What could possibly go wrong?

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[[ZM TRAILER VIDEO]]


Brave the horrors of Colton Hall and confront a tyrant in the next chapter of the Black Ops 6 Zombies narrative, launching at the start of Season 03 on April 2 at 9AM PT.
Operation Save Maxis: Your Comms Team Handlers
“I hope it was worth dragging the Sentinel Artifact halfway around the globe.”

- Sergei Ravenov

S.A.M. leads comms in anticipation of receiving the Sentinel Artifact once the team successfully enters Colton Hall. Further guided by Ravenov, Peck, and Strauss with exfil assistance from Raptor One, the crew must approach the synthetic mind promising the imminent return of Agent Maxis.
Shattered Veil: Initial Recon Tour
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Venture into the mist-laden grounds of this tumbledown mansion that rivals the size of Citadelle des Morts, searching the Conservatory for [[REDACTED]] [[REDACTED]] the scene of fierce fighting at the Grand Foyer [[REDACTED]]. [[ALL EXPLORATORY CONTENTS HAVE BEEN REDACTED BY REQUEST OF PROJECT JANUS]]
New Enemy Sighted: Elder Disciple
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Strange, floating apparitions have been seen flitting about the sprawling gardens and rambling mansion estate. Known to some as Elder Disciples, these powerful enemies likely spell trouble for the crew.

Elder Disciples gain strength as they empower the zombies around them while summoning more undead to join the battle. Using their dark magic, these fetid, floating carcasses can force their allies to evolve more quickly, allowing a lowly zombie to more rapidly transform into a Doppelghast or some other sinister form.

Eliminate the Elder Disciple before their forces grow too powerful, keeping it at a distance to avoid the scream it lets loose against players who draw too close. The deadly enemy grows more agitated as it takes damage, so try to get the job done fast.
Other Entities of Shattered Veil
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Beware the Toxic Zombie!

As a sickly yellow fog descends across the mansion, expect the inhabitants to take on an even-more revolting pallor. Easily identifiable due to their greenish hue and more skeletal exterior, Toxic Zombies seem to have lost all but their base perambulatory functions and seem intent on sprinting toward their prey before exploding, leaving a damaging pool of acid in their wake. Listen for their telltale shriek and get the jump on them before they can close the distance.

These glowing ghouls are joined by a variety of Project Janus scientists and military personnel-turned zombies caught up in the nearby outbreak, along with an unhealthy horde of other ghastly entities, the Elder Disciple stands—or perhaps floats—ready to speed them through their evolutionary journey.
New Wonder Weapon: Ray Gun Mark II (and Variants)
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Face the enemies of Shattered Veil with two time-honored Wonder Weapons ideally suited to clearing out more than just the musty halls of an old mansion.

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Drop multiple zombies at once with the upgraded and modestly unstable Ray Gun Mark II. Recovered from the Dark Aether by Project Janus, this powerful laser armament delivers three-round bursts of energy, can be Pack-a-Punched, and doubles as a bludgeoning instrument if you’re running low on ammunition.

Then there’s the three new variants.

Provided you’ve [[REDACTED]], you can experiment with an additional three variants of the Ray Gun Mark II:

Ray Gun Mark II-W: Offering similar bullet patterns to a submachine gun, this also has a random chance to ignite enemies.

Ray Gun Mark II-P: Shooting ammunition like a shotgun, with a chance to spawn a sigil with the ability to grant invulnerability to the player standing on it for a limited time.

Ray Gun Mark II-R: Dropping zombies with a Marksman Rifle-like discharge, expect a chance to spread a plague infection that can inflict area-of-effect damage.
New Wonder Weapon: Wunderwaffe DG-2
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Take a more electrifying approach to your undead denizen disposal with the original Wonder Weapon: The Wunderwaffe DG-2.

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Capable of striking down hordes with chain-lightning blasts, this has the bonus effect of stunning crowds of zombies, usually resulting in additional, and eventually terminal damage. The only real drawback to the weapon that users have experienced is the stench of electrified undead.
Shattered Veil: Additional Content
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Main Quest and Quest Rewards: The Main Quest for Shattered Veil goes live when the map releases with Season 03 on April 2. Complete the Main Quest to earn the “PhDeadly” Operator Skin for Carver, an animated Calling Card, and 5,000 XP. Players who complete the Main Quest before Directed Mode arrives for Shattered Veil will also earn a unique Calling Card variant.

Microwave Trap: Burst zombies with microwaves for a mere 750 Essence. Get a horde of followers on your tail and then flip the switch.

Dark Aether Field Generator: Dissolve zombies with Dark Aether energy in a static field that zaps anything that passes through. Circle the trap to entice enemies into the center of it.

Lore and Intel: Dig deeper into the history of Colton Hall and other lore related to Shattered Veil with Intel in the form of Audio Logs, Documents, and Artifacts discovered throughout the map.
New Gameplay Content
Access the following new content within Shattered Veil as well as The Tomb, Citadelle des Morts, Terminus, and Liberty Falls.
Additional Perk-a-Cola: Double Tap
Available: In-Game at Perk Machine

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The classic rapid-fire Perk returns for the first time in nearly a decade, dramatically increasing your weapon’s fire rate to chew through enemy hordes in record time. Research the iconic Perk for powerful enhancements like an even faster fire rate and the chance to inflict double damage.

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  • Double Tap is available in Shattered Veil along with the other previously accessible Zombies Perks. Note that some of these Perk-a-Colas are only available via the Der Wunderfizz machine.
  • Double Tap is available on The Tomb, Citadelle des Morts, Liberty Falls and Terminus maps via the Der Wunderfizz machine.
Double Tap: Major Augments
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Research the following Augments to further customize the Perk.

Double Jeopardy

Normal zombies at low health have a chance to die immediately when shot.

Double Impact

Double hits on the same target in quick succession deal more damage.

Double Standard

All non-critical shots do double damage. Only applies to normal bullet weapons.
Double Tap: Minor Augments
Double Time

Increases fire rate bonus.

Double or Nothing

Weapons have a chance to do double damage but also have a chance to do zero damage.

Double Play

Killing two enemies in quick succession has a chance to return two rounds to your magazine. Only applies to normal bullet weapons.
New GobbleGums
Enjoy three new GobbleGums available across all maps once acquired and equipped in your GobbleGum Loadout Pack.

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Tactical Diffusion (Rare): Disables the next Nuke Power-Up explosion you activate and gives everyone 2,000 Essence instead.

Support Group (Legendary): Gobble up this tasty GobbleGum to acquire the ARC-XD, Mangler Cannon, Sentry Gun and Mutant Injection Support items.

Die Pitched (Whimsical): Zombies have high-pitched voices. Lasts three minutes.
Additional Support Scorestreak: Death Machine
Available: Event Reward

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Salvage: 1,750

Head to the Support tab at the Crafting Table to piece together the Death Machine, a powerful machine gun with a fast fire rate, high penetration, and a large magazine. Mow through multiple zombies with an all-time favorite, once you unlock this heavy weapon during the Black Ops Tribute Event.
Shattered Veil: Directed Mode and Events
For adventures seeking extra guidance in completing the Main Quest on Shattered Veil, jump into Directed Mode arriving at the Mid-Season, as well as the following additional Modes:
Team Cranked (Launch Window)
Following the awesome collaboration that introduced Cranked to Black Ops 6 in the last season, the high-octane mode returns for more in Season 03 with a team-focused twist: now the Cranked Timer is shared across the whole team and any kill from any team member fills it! Eliminate a zombie to activate the Cranked state, powering up your Operator with improved abilities and setting a countdown timer that can only be replenished by eliminating more enemies.

The rules are simple:
  • The Cranked Timer starts when the first enemy is eliminated.
  • The timer starts at 30 seconds. Each enemy eliminated replenishes the timer to its current maximum, and every round survived causes the maximum timer to be reduced by 1 second.
  • Essence earned by eliminating zombies is increased compared to Standard/Directed.
  • The Time Stopper Field Upgrade replaces your loadout’s Field Upgrade.
  • Main Quests and Easter Eggs are enabled.
Use the following abilities to keep the timer from hitting zero:
  • Time Stopper: Temporarily pause the Cranked timer for all teammates. All Operators begin the match with the Time Stopper Field Upgrade equipped.
  • Time Extended: Grab this rare power-up to add a small amount to the maximum time allowed.
Wall Buys are disabled in this mode, so the Mystery Box is your source for new weapons in Team Cranked. Because Operators gain increased Essence while Cranked, you’ll have plenty of chances to “spin the Box” for high-powered weapons! Good luck.

Team Cranked also delivers some tantalizing rewards for players who can survive past Round 50 on each map while this limited-time mode is available:
  • A custom selection of six GobbleGums per map.
    • Each contains one high-rarity and five GobbleGums of other rarities.
  • 15,000 XP per map, or a total of 75,000 XP across all maps.
New LTM and Field Upgrade (Mid-Season)
Plus, whet your appetite with the Zombie Snacks Limited-Time Mode arriving later in the season, and put a chill on the undead using the Frost Blast Field Upgrade!

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