What is the Black Ops 6 release date? There is a sizable portion of the Call of Duty fandom that rejoices whenever a new Black Ops game is on the horizon – hailed as the more cerebral branch of the first-person shooter, it doesn’t only bring best-in-class multiplayer gameplay but also a renewed focus on the single-player story.
Black Ops isn’t afraid to push the limits of Call of Duty, and going from everything we’ve seen so far, the newest multiplayer game entry is looking to go beyond anything we’ve seen before. We’ve collected all the information available on the FPS game, including the newest Black Ops 6 trailers ahead of the BO6 release date.
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 release date
The Black Ops 6 release date is Friday, October 25, 2024, as confirmed during the Black Ops 6 Direct showcase. Players have been able to try multiplayer in a recent beta, but there is no campaign early access this year.
The game is being developed by Treyarch and Raven Software and is described as a “spy action thriller” set in the early 1990s. It will be released for all platforms and will be the first Call of Duty game to ever hit Game Pass on day one.
Despite being a fictional story, it’s entrenched in real-world events, politics, and factions, and features leaders from the era. Early access returns for those who preorder the game.
Black Ops 6 early access
There is no Black Ops 6 campaign early access ahead of the release date, as Treyarch strays from the usual schedule. Instead, everyone will gain access to all modes at the same time, on October 25, 2024.
In previous years, CoD early access has been made available for the campaign only – for those who have pre-ordered the game – around a week earlier than the release date. News that Black Ops 6 would not be offering this same early access period came via Charlie Intel, to whom Activision issued a statement saying “the team is fully focused on October 25th.”
Black Ops 6 trailers
Several teaser trailers have been released ahead of the Black Ops 6 release date, each giving snippets of the story and setting the tone of what we can expect. It’s a nostalgic affair, with glimpses of 90s advertisements and even a quick shot of Bill Clinton playing the saxophone – the rumors of Call of Duty delving into the Gulf War appear to be true.
The teaser trailer released on May 28 shows us many world leaders (or a close approximation of them, anyway) telling us that everything we’ve been fed so far is a lie, that our lives have been a lie. The teaser wraps up with Saddam Hussain spouting “Nothing is what it seems. But if it’s truth you seek… look in the dark.” Very exciting.
A Black Ops 6 direct aired in June 2024, giving us the release date and plenty more information on the next in the Call of Duty series. The 25-minute showcase showed off new maps, new movement systems, new enemy damage systems, and more of the story in a campaign deep dive. The showcase included an additional gameplay reveal trailer to demonstrate the above in further detail.
Black Ops 6 story
Black Ops 6 will be set in the early 1990s and is based on real-world history. The main campaign sees the US government infiltrated, with loyal soldiers branded as traitors. The so-called traitors must go undercover to tackle the impending threat.
Black Ops 6 features an open campaign, with players able to make choices along the way that impact the way the story plays out. There are mysteries to be solved too, adding dimension to what has historically been a fairly linear experience. From what we’ve seen in the Black Ops showcase, it looks like you’ll need to equip weapons, gadgets, and good old-fashioned trickery to progress in the story.
Frank Woods, the familiar face from previous Black Ops games, is back. Teased in Warzone, his return was confirmed in the showcase in June, and he’ll be dealing with a strange conspiracy unfolding within the government.
Mission types will be varied, with multiple options in each playthrough. After each mission, players return to the Black Ops 6 safe house before picking another mission to combat. You can barter your way through certain situations or choose to fully send it, aggressively battering your way through challenging combat. Either option is just as valid as its counterpart, meaning you can play Black Ops 6 in your style.
Black Ops 6 gameplay changes
At launch, players can expect to play on 16 multiplayer maps, 12 of which are in the standard 6v6 mode. In addition to new Black Ops 6 equipment, we’re expecting to see plenty of new guns at some stage. With it being so close to Modern Warfare in the timeline, there might not be too many surprises when it comes to the core selection, although with the story hinging on the squad scrounging for weapons, we may see some more exotic armaments.
We’ve also learned that a new movement system, known as Omnimovement, is being introduced to allow a full range of movement, increase immersion, and add creativity to combat scenarios. Animations are promised to be more realistic and dynamic, with the slightest of flicks or controller adjustments registering in the game.
During the first episode of the CoD Pod podcast, CoD’s senior director of studio comms, Stephanie Snowden, confirmed that you won’t be able to turn off Omnimovement – be it in the campaign, Zombies, or multiplayer. So, you’re gonna have to get real good real quick, or else you’ll end up falling behind the cracked movement players.
However, you will be able to turn off the game’s Intelligent Movement layer. This settings suite involves things like auto-sprint and auto-mantle, as well as other movement assist options.
The prestige system that we know and love is being revamped, and Treyarch hopes that this allows for easier progression. Zombies will also return, this time bringing back the round-based mode players have been asking for. Expect to see new maps, vehicles, and of course, new zombies.
Black Ops 6 will also require a continuous internet connection, even when you’re just playing the campaign mode. This is because the game utilizes texture streaming, which allows for the highest quality graphics and reduces the storage space the game requires on your hard drive. There was a rumor that Black Ops 6 is a massive 309.85 GB, but this has been debunked by Activision. That bloated file size represented the complete installations of Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, Warzone, and every seasonal content update.
That’s everything we know about the Call of Duty Black Ops 6 release date and game right now. We’ve already been putting in the hard yards and have compiled our collection of the best Black Ops 6 loadouts, including the best Black Ops 6 Jackal PDW loadout, and the classic best Black Ops 6 XM4 loadout – either of which should see you through those early periods with ease.