Unveiling the Ultimate Zombie Experience in Call of Duty 2024: Prepare to Be Blown Away!

The past few years have seen both successes and failures for Call of Duty Zombies. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 had a strong initial release, offering four playable maps right from the start. However, the game suffered from a poorly executed launch and its DLC season failed to meet expectations due to limited time and resources. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, on the other hand, featured enjoyable gameplay and well-received free map updates. However, it lacked the distinct personality that Vanguard Zombies had, despite lacking other elements that fans enjoyed. With Call of Duty 2024, Treyarch aims to restore the franchise's success by creating a game similar to Black Ops Cold War but with more charm.

Rumors and reports suggest that Call of Duty 2023 will have some Zombies content following the successful Outbreak formula from Black Ops Cold War. This approach allows for the reuse of assets for Outbreak maps and avoids the need for Treyarch to develop a separate Zombies mode or risk non-Treyarch round-based maps. Ultimately, Call of Duty 2024 represents the best opportunity to bring Zombies back to its former glory. To achieve this, it is essential to have an exclusive cast with unique dialogue. Fortunately, there are ways to incorporate this without compromising Call of Duty's new monetization model.

A Voice Cast Can Fix Call of Duty Zombies’ Personality Problem

Despite the qualities of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, it falls short in capturing the essence of classic Zombies modes like Black Ops 3. The maps lack the unique appeal found in locations such as Der Eisendrache, and the introduction of health bars and item drops required some adjustment. However, what truly impacted this iteration negatively was the implementation of Operators, which eliminated the significant dialogue that contributed to the success of the Zombies formula.

From Ultimis Dempsey breaking the fourth wall in Shangri-La to the heart-to-heart conversations of Primis Richtofen and Takeo, in-game dialogue has always played a crucial role in creating the special experience of Call of Duty Zombies. Fans fell in love with the original cast due to their ability to evoke laughter or tears with their words while battling the undead. It is imperative to reintroduce this feature as the alternatives have proven ineffective. The constant guidance through maps provided by Requiem or Omega in Black Ops Cold War became monotonous, and considering the failure of Vanguard Zombies, it is unlikely that the talkative characters will make a return.

The primary reason for using silent Operators in the new Call of Duty Zombies modes is for monetization purposes. By allowing Zombies players to use special Operator skins in their matches, it increases the likelihood of them spending money on cosmetics. This wouldn't be the case if there were a Zombies-exclusive cast without purchasable outfits. If Operators cannot be used in Zombies, those who solely enjoy Treyarch's survival mode would have no incentive to engage with the in-game store, as the bundles would only be applicable in multiplayer or the crucial Call of Duty: Warzone.

Fortunately, there are two viable solutions to address this issue. The first and simplest solution would be to make Operators from multiplayer and Warzone available as an option. This approach was successfully implemented in Sledgehammer's Call of Duty: WW2 Zombies, where players could unlock bonus characters to use alongside the main celebrity cast in The Tortured Path. If this concept were reintroduced, Call of Duty 2024 Zombies could feature four main characters who engage in constant communication, while still allowing players to exchange one of the Zombies characters for their desired Operator using a skin they possess.

Alternatively, a viable solution is to establish a dedicated store exclusively for Call of Duty 2024 Zombies. This store would solely focus on providing blueprints featuring iconic Wonder Weapons, perks, and items, as well as offering skins exclusively for the four prominent Zombies characters. By adopting this approach, Activision would be able to generate revenue from the Zombies community while preserving the integrity of the Dark Aether storyline, eliminating the need for Operators. With meticulous planning, Call of Duty Zombies can reintroduce fully voiced playable characters while retaining the cosmetic aspects of contemporary game modes.