February 16, 2021
Weekly Briefing – February 16
The launch of Season Two for Black Ops Cold War and Warzone is just around the corner; Call of Duty League™ Stage 1 Week 2 Kicks off on Thursday; and Throwback Moshpit makes its debut.
February 18, 2021
The war goes wild in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone with Season Two, delivering incredible amounts of free content including a brand-new Zombies experience, six free-to-acquire weapons, four new maps, new points of interest in Verdansk, and much more.
The war goes wild in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone with Season Two, delivering incredible amounts of free content including a brand-new Zombies experience, six free-to-acquire weapons, four new maps, new points of interest in Verdansk, and much more.
February 18, 2021
“Adler’s one tough son of a bitch. But everyone’s got a breaking point.” – Frank Woods
Frank Woods knows the jungles of Southeast Asia all too well. During the events of the original Black Ops, he and Alex Mason tracked down a crashed plane filled with Nova 6 gas deep in Laos, only to be captured and held as a POW until his eventual escape in 1972.
Twelve years later, Woods returns to Laos with NATO’s finest to handle another crisis. Russell Adler has been abducted after his fateful re-encounter with Stitch following a massive firefight in the abandoned Twin Pines Mall.
Adler’s whereabouts are still unknown, but according to clues left behind by Perseus agents, he may be held within the Golden Triangle. This intel leads a CIA strike team led by Woods to a contraband trafficking route for Nova 6 ran by one of Stitch’s accomplices – Kapano “Naga” Vang – who is ready to pounce on these agents from the shadows.
But the question remains: Where is Adler?
Naga: Warsaw Pact (Launch Week)
Born in Laos and raised through decades of conflict, Kapano “Naga” Vang is a former warlord who grew rich trafficking drugs and weapons through the notorious Golden Triangle. Feared by his men because of his temper and brutality, he was a prime candidate for recruitment by Perseus. Following the orders of this threat to the free world, Naga uses his established supply lines to move WMDs around the globe, and personally delivers vengeance to those who dare to stop or intercept his contraband.
Maxis: NATO (In Season)
For the first time in Black Ops history, Samantha Maxis will be a playable Operator – and not just in Zombies. Following her rescue from the Omega Group at “Firebase Z,” Maxis prepares to join Requiem on the frontlines to fend off outbreaks throughout the Ural Mountains. Of course, she’s also not afraid to join NATO’s fight against the Warsaw Pact in Multiplayer, or drop into Verdansk and Rebirth Island in Warzone.
Wolf: NATO (In Season)
Putting together the team for Adler’s rescue mission, Woods knew he would need the best Jungle Warfare Operators available. Terrell Wolf learned to hunt in the bayous of Louisiana surrounding his grandparent’s home. Entering service on his 18th birthday in memory of his fallen brother, he now stalks more dangerous prey as an elite Delta Force sniper.
Rivas: NATO (In Season)
The other Operator joining Woods in the search for Adler, Karla Rivas grew up in Nicaragua surrounded by the Menendez Cartel and their wars with rival gangs. Her firsthand experience of the deadly consequences they had on their surrounding communities drove Rivas to dedicate her life to ridding her country of the Cartel’s influence, using guerrilla tactics to weaken them by any means necessary.
Get access to Samantha Maxis, Terrell Wolf, and Karla Rivas for Black Ops Cold War and Warzone as part of separate Store Bundles in Season Two.
FARA 83: Assault Rifle (Launch Week)
This fully-automatic assault rifle is a heavyweight among its peers, as it claims one of the fastest fire rates in its class and outstanding effective range for solid damage. In the hands of a capable Operator, the FARA 83 can be a true force in crushing the opposition.
Obtain the FARA 83 for free to use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone at Tier 15 of the Season Two Battle Pass, just by playing the game.
LC10: SMG (Launch Week)
A well-rounded full auto submachine gun, the LC10 grants CQB Operators the ability to stretch fights out into the mid-range on a smaller, agile weapon platform thanks to its solid accuracy and extended effective damage range. Although its damage per shot is on the lower end of the SMG spectrum, its above-average fire rate and lower recoil can prove to be a deadly combination.
Obtain the LC10 for free to use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone at Tier 31 of the Season Two Battle Pass, just by playing the game.
Machete: Special (In Season)
Manufactured from a durable steel blade, the Machete is a broad foot-long blade tempered to maximum toughness in order to withstand chipping and breaking. It is widely used in tropical countries as both a weapon and an agricultural tool, and is the preferred melee weapon of choice for Naga in stealth and close-quarters engagements.
E-Tool: Melee (In Season)
Put your enemy six feet under with the E-Tool, a military style tri-fold shovel typically used to dig a defensive fighting position. Recently modernized for the wars of the late 20th century, the E-Tool is considered standard issue for soldiers around the world for its utility. But as a Secondary Weapon, is just as effective as an ancillary weapon in extreme close quarters.
R1 Shadowhunter: Special (In Season)
This crossbow’s simple and lightweight design allows for great handling and quieter eliminations. If an Operator doesn’t prefer its iron sights, they can still shoot accurately from the hip in close quarters or opt to attach one of several Optics. Happy hunting.
Built for sharpshooters who need power to eliminate targets at extremely long ranges, this bolt-action sniper rifle boasts a faster bullet velocity than any other weapon in its class, as well as the ability to eliminate Operators with a single shot to the head, chest, or shoulders in exchange for a slower fire rate. Its reload speeds are among the fastest in the category, allowing snipers to quickly change out magazines when faced with multiple hostile forces.
Obtain the Machete, E-Tool, R1 Shadowhunter, and ZRG 20mm to use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone during Season Two in one of two ways: Complete a related Challenge to obtain the free base weapon or purchase a bundle with a Blueprint version when it appears in the Store.
Expect to learn more about the Season Two Battle Pass as well as initial Store Bundle offerings in a major intel drop here at the Call of Duty Blog on February 23.
Zombies Expands in Outbreak
New Zombies Experience: Outbreak (Launch Week)
The next chapter of the Dark Aether story takes the agents of Requiem deep into the heart of Russia, where they’ll fight to survive their greatest challenges yet. Welcome to Outbreak: an entirely new, large-scale Zombies experience unlike any other!
As Requiem continues to fall behind in the arms race against Omega Group, various regions in the Ural Mountains have recently become Dark Aether outbreak sites. With new opportunities to research the Dark Aether and advance Requiem’s agenda, it’s up to you and three fellow agents to complete the deadly experiments that few have survived.
Continuing the Dark Aether story, Outbreak takes place across massive play spaces throughout the Ural Mountains, packed with new enemies, team objectives, player rewards, and intel to discover on foot, in vehicles, or by jump pads. Whether its hunting down elite enemies using a satellite tracker, escorting a Rover that detects dimensional portals, or holding out against zombies in a confined Dark Aether zone, agents of Requiem will need to complete these investigations before they can Exfil… or risk entering a Dark Aether portal to a new region for even more rewards.
In the coming days, expect more information on this large-scale Zombies experience from Treyarch, as well as several guides breaking down Outbreak, from the basics to tips on specific objectives.
New Field Upgrade: Frenzied Guard
Add an additional layer of strategy to your Zombies Loadout with Frenzied Guard, a brand-new Field Upgrade perfect for agents who love to be the center of attention.
Upon activation, all enemies will immediately target the Frenzied Guard user for a brief period, during which time only Armor will take damage. This can be a game-changer when fellow Operators are surrounded by the undead masses, as they will turn their attention away from those in peril and towards the armored savior.
Use Aethrium Crystals to upgrade Frenzied Guard with powerful modifiers, such as having it repair all Armor upon activation, increasing its duration to 15 seconds, and even slowing all normal enemies to walk speed while its active.
New Ammo Mod: Shatter Blast
Ready to bring the boom?
The Pack-a-Punch machine and Elemental Pop will now include the Shatter Blast Ammo Mod, which makes all bullets deal explosive damage. Each bullet also has a chance to explode dealing additional explosive damage and destroying any impacted armor.
Intended to help destroy Heavy Zombies, this fantastic mod comes with plenty of explosive upgrades through the Skills menu, including having all explosives deal damage to nearby enemies, knock down normal enemies, or double their size for an even bigger bang.
Two New Skills Tiers
With the help of two new Aetherium Crystal types – Refined and Flawless Aetherium Crystals – agents of Requiem will be able to upgrade all Skills to Tier IV and V.
Prepare to chase those high rounds in traditional round-based Zombies or complete multiple Outbreak investigations in a single run to get a chance at earning these new Crystals, which will further improve your Weapon Classes, Field Upgrades, Perks, and Ammo Mods.
These meta-changing upgrades are powerful enough to deserve their own explanation around the launch of Season Two, so stay tuned.
Apocalypse (6v6) (Launch Week)
Welcome to the Lao jungle cartel base in the heart of the Golden Triangle: Apocalypse. As Perseus forces are rumored to be hiding key intel in their stronghold in Laos, the CIA’s finest approach the village ready to extract any evidence they can on the Nova 6 supply line… and Adler’s whereabouts.
This small-to-medium sized map is built for aggressive Operators, funneling action under stilted buildings and through the temple fortress. Give chase to the enemy through the buildings and temple, making sure not to be too distracted from the glint of gold being loaded into the trucks on the main road.
Golova (Multi-Team) (In-Season)
Golova appears to be a traditional Russian village located within the picturesque Ural Plains, but beneath its surface, it holds a dark secret embedded by its designer and creator, Nikita Dragovich.
A testing ground for the expansion of the Numbers Program, Golova features plenty of close-quarter combat opportunities throughout the town, from a massive church to its rows of houses and industrial park. The stair-stepped terrain on which the town was built still provides some long-range firefight opportunities but encourages tighter, CQB play around its objective areas.
Mansion (2v2, 3v3) (In-Season)
The action in Gunfight and Face Off is about to heat up with this mid-season addition to the map pool.
Set in Havana, Cuba at the Hefe Mansion (last seen in the Campaign’s “End of the Line” mission), this small map takes place across both courtyards: an eastern one with two palm trees and a gazebo, and a western one with a statue sitting atop a non-functional fountain. These open courtyards contrast to a center wrapped room with a small side hallway and an exposed balcony that can serve as a risky power position.
Expect action to be head-on and frenetic, especially when the overtime zone comes into play at the dead center of the main hall.
Miami Strike (6v6) (In Season)
Rise and shine, Miami… because soon, it will be time to infiltrate Ocean Park Drive during the day.
With the sun glistening off the colorful murals of Miami’s South Beach neighborhood, Miami Strike will focus the action into a smaller daytime rendition of the original map. Whether it's a white-knuckle game of TDM or a tense Hardpoint battle, the heat is always on in the streets of Miami.
Gun Game (Free-For-All) (Launch Week)
The fan-favorite party game mode is back in Black Ops Cold War! In this Free-for-All mode, Operators are tested on their gunfighting proficiency with no Custom Loadouts, Perks, Equipment, Field Upgrades, or Scorestreaks. Instead, each Operator must progress through a pre-determined set of 20 weapons, starting with a pistol and ending with the Knife. Operators can sabotage their enemies by either eliminating them with a melee attack or Finishing Move, which will set them back one level in their weapon set. The first player to kill an enemy with each weapon wins the match.
Stockpile (6v6) (In Season)
Stockpile mixes Kill Confirmed and Hardpoint together for a fast-paced, slay-heavy objective game mode. In Stockpile, Operators must eliminate enemies and collect their dog tags. But unlike Kill Confirmed, these dog tags won’t count towards their teams score until they are stockpiled at deposit sites that rotate around the map throughout the match.
Operators can carry multiple dog tags at a time and attempt to deposit them for a massive boost in score and XP, but if they’re killed, all of their dog tags will scatter for anyone to pick up. The first team to collect and deposit a set number of dog tags wins the match.
Hardpoint (Multi-Team) (In Season)
Get the squad together and prepare for the biggest version of Hardpoint ever created in Call of Duty. Taking place across the largest maps in Black Ops Cold War, this hectic new squad-based Hardpoint mode tasks 10 squads of four with capturing and defending Hardpoint hills around the map that rotate every 120 seconds. The first squad to reach 500 seconds of total objective time wins the match.
Scorestreak: Death Machine (Launch Week)
First seen in the original Black Ops, the Death Machine is a handheld minigun with high damage rounds that suppress enemies in the line of fire. Its raw damage output also allows it to tear through low-flying or grounded enemy Scorestreaks, as well as vehicles.
As of Season Two, the Death Machine will also be added into Zombies as an additional Support weapon in Outbreak, “Firebase Z,” and “Die Maschine.”
Vehicle: Sedan (Launch Week)
Within Outbreak, Operators can find an old, yet surprisingly reliable Eastern Bloc sedan to help them survive. Featuring enough room for the whole squad, this new vehicle is great for getting to the next objective quickly or performing a drive-by (or a ramming charge) on the undead hordes.
Vehicle: Light Truck (Launch Week)
Another new vehicle that appears in Outbreak, this four-passenger off-road military vehicle delivers plenty of pep for a light utility truck. The lack of windows or a roof leaves plenty of room for Operators to fire out at the undead, or parachute in for an epic escape.
Season Challenges (Launch Week)
A fresh set of 20 Multiplayer Challenges (across Black Ops Cold War and Warzone) and 20 Zombies Challenges are ready to be unlocked and conquered during Season Two.
At Season Level 1 and every 10 Season Levels after, a new Multiplayer and Zombies Challenge will be available for completion. Each objective has a large XP reward and a unique Calling Card to earn, and completing the whole set of Multiplayer or Zombies Challenges rewards a 10,000 XP boost and an animated Master Calling Card.
Remember: once a Season Challenge is unlocked during this season, you can continue to earn progress toward it in future seasons. That includes any Season Challenges unlocked during Season One, so be sure to unlock them now before the start of Season Two.
New Prestige Levels – Season Two Prestige Goes to 11
Just like at the start of Season One, your Season Level will reset to 1 at the beginning of Season Two, and your progress will resume from the highest Prestige Level you achieved previously. This season offers four additional Prestiges to achieve across the first 200 levels, as well as a new Weapon Blueprint, as follows:
• Level 50: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, Weapon Blueprint, and Battle Pass Tier Skip
• Level 100: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, and Battle Pass Tier Skip
• Level 150: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, and Battle Pass Tier Skip
• Level 190: All Season Challenges Available
• Level 200: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, Battle Pass Tier Skip, Master Prestige Calling Card
• Level 250-1,000: New Prestige Key every 50 levels
This means you can earn four new Prestiges during Season Two if you reached Prestige Master – now 11 in total – and you can always catch up to the latest available Prestige if you didn’t reach it during the previous season, as well.
Reach level 200 in Season Two to achieve the title of Prestige Master for this season. This changes your Season Level color and grants you the ability to personalize your Prestige Icon with Legacy Prestige Icons from previous Call of Duty games, simply by spending some of your hard-earned Prestige Keys at the Prestige Shop.
You can continue past level 200 all the way to level 1,000 during Season Two and receive Prestige Key milestone rewards at every 50 levels along the way.
Finally, don’t forget that your Prestige leveling journey is synchronized with Warzone and Modern Warfare, meaning you can progress Season Levels and increase your Prestige Level by earning XP in any of the three titles!
WARZONE CONTENT
In addition to the new weapons and Operators from Black Ops Cold War within Season Two and a fresh loot pool, Warzone receives new and shocking points of interest to explore and two modes that shake up the traditional Battle Royale formula.
Across Verdansk, there are a number of points of interest to either discover or more fully explore, all advancing Warzone’s story while offering new places to scavenge and scrap for survival.
Last sighted off the coast of Rebirth Island, recent intel suggests that the cargo tanker Vodianoy has gone missing at sea. However, recent visuals have identified a vessel matching the description heading toward the Port of Verdansk. Operators within the vicinity are recommended to exercise extreme caution, as the ship is carrying unknown cargo, and its crew are not able to be contacted.
Meanwhile, within Verdansk, something major is beginning to rumble deep underground.
Although other reports on these new locales are still classified, we’d advise to explore these areas at your own risk.
New Game Mode: Exfiltration (In Season)
It’s about time that the exfil chopper arrives before the Circle Collapse fully closes in. During an Exfiltration Battle Royale, a portable radio crackles into life, coming online somewhere in Verdansk. The Operator who secures this radio and holds onto it for a sufficient period of time automatically wins the game for them (or their squad, in non-Solo modes). To ensure their exfil isn’t by the book, anyone holding the radio is marked on the Tac Map as if they were under a Most Wanted Contract (also known as an HVT or High Value Target) with all Operators also receiving intel on how much longer the current radio holder has until they win. Other than this new win condition, the same Battle Royale rules apply. Expect a circle collapse and a winner to be determined by last Operator or squad standing, should nobody receive an early exfil with the radio.
New Game Mode: Rebirth Island Resurgence Extreme (Launch Week)
Resurgence just received some reinforcements.
The high-octane, respawn-enabled Resurgence mode on Rebirth Island will be taken to the extreme during Season Two, upping the max player count in the limited-time Rebirth Island Resurgence Extreme mode. Up to 90 players can drop onto Rebirth Island for an incredibly frenetic fight for supremacy, as they look to eliminate every last member of enemy squads to prevent them from getting a second, third, or even forth chance at revenge.
Just like Resurgence, squad members can spawn back in if their Rebirth Countdown hits zero and at least one of their allies is still alive, and specific Caches around the map will refresh their items frequently to ensure there is no shortage of firepower around the island.
When are we dropping? Season Two Timing and Download Instructions
For Season Two, Black Ops Cold War will receive a rolling update on February 23 scheduled between 9PM and 11PM PT, and Warzone will receive a rolling update on February 24 between 9PM and 11PM PT.
Along with kicking off a new season of content, these updates will also include quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes to the current Black Ops Cold War and Warzone games. For more information on the content of these updates, consult Treyarch’s Game Intel blogs for Black Ops Cold War patch notes, and Raven Software’s Twitter and forthcoming blog for Warzone patch notes.
Note that the Black Ops Cold War download is not necessary if you are only playing Warzone, and vice versa.
As a reminder, console players can choose also to uninstall/remove other data packs if no longer needed for a smaller overall file size. For detailed information on Storage Management for Black Ops Cold War, read this article.
Season Two Black Ops Cold War and Warzone content is expected to be available at between 9PM and 11PM Pacific Time on February 24.
Ready to Make History? Purchase Black Ops Cold War Today!
Ready to obtain all this content but don’t have the full version of Black Ops Cold War? Then now’s a great time to purchase the game: Join Alex Mason, Frank Woods, and Jason Hudson in a mind-bending Campaign to hunt down a global threat codenamed “Perseus.” Engage in a variety of all-new competitive modes and maps in Multiplayer and test your mettle by fighting off legions of undead horrors as agents of Requiem in Zombies!
Visit CallofDuty.com, select the Black Ops Cold War Purchase button, select your preferred platform and region to get the game. Download to start playing.
Execute the mission.
For more information on Call of Duty®: Black Ops Cold War, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty and follow @Treyarch, @RavenSoftware, and @CallofDuty on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
© 2021 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, and CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, and WARZONE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.
For more information on Activision games, follow @Activision on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.