There is a good reason why the Zombies mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has managed to attract so many new players.
Zombies it has always been the dark side of Call of Duty. Of all the different versions of Zombies that each new studio tried, it was the original creators of the mode – Treyarch – that finally managed to create a broader appeal for him this year.
Zombies in Black Ops Cold War brings a series of different twists, most notably the ability to bring a personalized load, but no change was more impactful than simplifying the Easter egg process for new players. Black Ops Cold War Zombies clearly communicates to players the steps they need to take to obtain exclusive weapons and see the main story.
This was an intentional change from Treyarch for a number of reasons. Corky Lehmkuhl, creative director at Treyarch’s studio, explained to IGN India that a lot of development work goes into the various Zombies Easter Eggs, only for a very small percentage of players actually seeing them in the game.
“[S]A lot of development time is spent on these things, and if you look at the metrics, less than 2% of the players were actually seeing these things, unless they were shown on YouTube, ”explained Lehmkuhl.
“If you look on YouTube now or on Reddit, a lot of people are completing their first Easter Eggs ever – and have been with the franchise for ten, twelve years.”
Lehmkuhl added that the studio “made it a mission” to make Easter Eggs more accessible this time, and essentially turn them into missions.
“There are some secondary Easter Eggs that are still somewhat obscure and you will have to find them, but for the main mission, we just wanted more players to try it out,” he revealed.
Zombies continues to grow in Call of Duty. Recently, of course, we saw the launch of the first large-scale zombie experience at Outbreak, something Lehmkuhl said Treyarch has been trying to do since the original Black Ops.
If you’re enjoying Outbreak, our guides explain some of its darkest parts, such as where to find artifacts and documents, the best ways to find and eliminate elites and special zombies, and our general recommendations for the best loadouts.