Brace for Impact: Season Four is now live in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone
The Story So Far: Chaos Reigns Down
“All the pieces are in play… Make the call.” —Vikhor “Stitch” Kuzmin
Russel Adler is untethered, but the free world is far from safe.
Following Adler’s extraction by Frank Woods on June 10, 1984, Perseus agents Stitch, Wraith, and Knight gathered in an undisclosed location for a debriefing. The CIA’s rescue mission went faster than predicted, and their satellites are now interfering with Perseus’s broadcasts, halting Stitch’s grand experiment on the “test subjects” in Verdansk.
He still has an ace up his sleeve, however, as another agent is ready to make Perseus’s next check in the global chess game for power.
We see that agent, a menacing metal-faced assailant, breaching a CIA Ground Station compound in South Africa on June 26, 1984. He reaches the control room, where he takes a satellite specialist alive and phones in Stitch, who guides the hostage into de-orbiting two CIA satellites at specific points in Verdansk and Algeria. As these satellites hurtle down to earth, the masked Perseus agent strangles the life out of his victim on command, leaving no loose ends in Perseus’s path to world domination.
The next day, it appears one of the satellites has been downed deep in an Algerian desert. A CIA-led NATO squadron is on-site to assess the damage, neutralize hostiles, and gather any information from the satellite. Leading that task force is Adler himself, following weeks of recovery.
Despite physical and mental health clearances and numerous tests, something inside Adler seems to snap when he sees the satellite. Ignoring his squadmates, he recklessly charges forward, eliminating any forces in his path to grab a codec from the satellite.
After being questioned for his behavior, he grows even more abrasive to his allies.
“You don’t get the war we’re fighting, do you?” Adler says, in reply to a recruit from Egypt.
“Stitch is capable of anything.”
This all sets the stage for a new war arriving straight from orbit in Season Four in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone, officially making its impact on June 17 worldwide. The season will be live following updates to Black Ops Cold War on June 15 at 9 PM PT and Warzone on June 16 at 9 PM PT.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about this upcoming season — or at least, what we can declassify today across Black Ops Cold War Multiplayer and Zombies, in addition to Warzone.
WARZONE AND BLACK OPS COLD WAR CONTENT:
Ground Fall Event Opens the Season with a Bang
Kicking off Season Four, the “Ground Fall” limited-time event will have you find and secure SAT-Links to score exclusive rewards for your global profile across Black Ops Cold War and Warzone.
For this event, you’ll tackle objectives pertaining to the new modes, maps, and weaponry in Black Ops Cold War and to the new Points of Interest in Warzone. Completing these objectives will reward you with items such as Emblems, Calling Cards, and a Satellite Weapon Charm, as well as some XP. Complete every challenge, and you’ll receive an Epic Secondary Weapon Blueprint that is truly out of this world.
You can find more details about this event in the Seasonal Event tab on the main menu between Play and Weapons once Season Four kicks off in Warzone and Black Ops Cold War.
Three New Operators, Including One from Requiem HQ
Both NATO and the Warsaw Pact are adding reinforcements to their front lines before mid-season. At that point, a familiar friend will join the fray.
Jackal: Warsaw Pact
Jackal, the metal-masked South African native, made his mark by infiltrating the CIA Ground Station compound on behalf of Perseus. At Season Four’s launch, he’s ready to fight across Black Ops Cold War and Warzone.
A brutal mercenary leader, Jackal has ground his competition into the dirt, recruiting only the strongest survivors into his company. Hated and feared, he works for the highest bidder, and Perseus has very deep pockets...
Get access to Jackal for use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone at Tier 0 in the Season Four Battle Pass and unlock an additional Ultra-Rarity Jackal Operator Skin at Tier 100.
What exactly is an Ultra-Rarity Operator Skin? Stay tuned for the Battle Pass and Bundles Breakdown blog on June 15 to learn more.
Salah: NATO (In-Season)
A member of the CIA-led squadron that infiltrated the Algerian satellite crash site, Salah has a wealth of combat and negotiation skills that make him an invaluable member of NATO’s finest.
A member of Egypt’s elite Unit 777 formed following the expulsion of the Soviets, Salah is a Counterterrorism and Hostage Rescue expert. Always positive and quick to see the best in people, he will always have your back.
Weaver: NATO (In-Season)
Later this season, Grigori Weaver will venture beyond Requiem’s classified HQ and face the undead threat head-on, in addition to any other NATO missions he’s called into across Black Ops Cold War and Warzone.
Born in the USSR and raised in America, CIA Clandestine Service Officer Grigori Weaver straddles both sides of the Cold War divide. With this Operator Skin based on his original Black Ops incarnation, Weaver’s dedication compels him to return to duty even after the recent loss of his left eye.
Get access to Salah and Weaver as part of upcoming Season Four Store Bundle offerings.
Free: Five New Weapons
When Season Four begins, you’ll need a bigger arsenal and the Battle Pass provides. Meet the two Battle Pass weapons and three unlockable armaments available to you during the season:
MG 82: LMG (Launch)
Full-auto light machine gun. Highest fire rate in class with improved aiming speed. Moderate recoil and damage with increased ammo capacity.
Obtain the MG 82 for free and ready to use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone at Tier 15 of the Season Four Battle Pass.
C58: Assault Rifle (Launch)
Full-auto assault rifle. High damage at close range with a slower fire rate. Fast bullet velocity and reliable recoil control with less ammo capacity.
Obtain the C58 for free and ready to use in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone at Tier 31 of the Season Four Battle Pass.
Nail Gun: Special
Time to get to work with this fully automatic Nail Gun, a 1980s precursor to the variant seen in the futuristic Black Ops III.
This slow-firing, highly mobile power tool uses compressed air to launch fast-moving projectiles that deal high damage at close range.
Expect to put a nail (or three) in your competition’s coffin after three successful hits within a few meters in Multiplayer — or more if the engagement stretches out to distances where you may need to lead shots for success.
OTs 9: SMG (In-Season)
Boasting great stopping power and a phenomenal rate of fire, the OTs 9 is hindered only by its low magazine capacity of 20 rounds.
Those who control its recoil will find it can work well in individual engagements, and with available magazine attachments, it holds its own in squad fights.
Mace: Melee (In-Season)
Get medieval on your enemies with this in-season melee weapon, bringing the available number of hand-to-hand combat tools in Black Ops Cold War to eight, including the Ballistic Knife.
A weapon ill fit for the weak, Mace can inflict critical damage on command — no dice rolls needed on whether it can bludgeon your rivals in a single blow within Multiplayer.
Obtain the Nail Gun, OTs 9, and Mace during Season Four in one of two ways: complete an in-game challenge to obtain the free base weapon or pick up a bundle with a unique Blueprint version when it appears in the Store.
BLACK OPS COLD WAR FREE CONTENT:
Four Multiplayer Maps
Explore four additional Multiplayer maps, from the deserts of Algeria to a return visit to everyone’s favorite luxury yacht on the open seas.
Collateral (12v12) and Collateral Strike (6v6) (Launch)
Don’t get sandblasted in this new, fast-paced map built for both traditional and Combined Arms play.
Collateral places NATO and Warsaw Pact forces under the scorching desert sun in Algeria, where a CIA satellite has crashed into an abandoned village, the very same location that Adler and company secured on June 27, 1984.
In addition to this village is a large oil drill operation and surrounding dunes. These areas, along with the satellite and village, offer a variety of quick engagement opportunities, whether you’re chasing enemies up and down the buildings or using the terrain and satellite parts for natural and environmental cover.
While the Strike version of this desert locale is tailored for 6v6 play, the 12v12 version includes vehicular combat, as Operators are able to make use of air-to-ground assaults and fend off rival aerial vehicles.
Amsterdam (2v2 and 3v3) (Launch)
Everything is legal in this new close-quarters map built for Gunfight and Face Off.
Fight clean or dirty across Amsterdam’s rooftops, featured prominently in the Black Ops Cold War Campaign curtain-raiser mission “Nowhere Left to Run.” Use the rooftop fixtures for cover as you fend off the opposition in Gunfight with random Loadouts or, in Face Off, your own handcrafted armament, equipment, and Perk combination.
Hijacked (6v6) (Launch)
A beloved 6v6 map first appearing in Black Ops II, Hijacked takes place on a commandeered superyacht deep in international waters. Fighting occurs on all decks of this vessel from bow to stern, including the boiler room and a center area complete with a hot tub.
As any Black Ops veteran player can attest to, it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled for a vent around this section of the boat; it may be big enough to fit an equipment piece through, and it could help your squad clear out areas that hold important objectives. Look for this classic map to drop at Season Four’s launch.
Rush (6v6) (In-Season)
Hijacked isn’t the only classic map returning from Black Ops II for Season Four.
Later in the season, prepare to show off the art of war in this remastered paintball-themed 6v6 map. This chaotic arena offers multiple opportunities for up-close-and-personal combat, with narrow choke zones to scurry through and a scattering of exterior structures offering longer-range takedown possibilities. Paint the floors red when Rush drops later during this season.
A New Multiplayer Mode and Two Returning Favorites
Dial up the whole squad. All Operators are needed to secure Sat-Links in Black Ops Cold War’s largest maps, and if you’re down to party, prepare to load up One in the Chamber and fight to be the last Operator standing.
Multi-Team: Sat-Link (Launch)
Power up and keep your satellite online for as long as possible to gain points in the latest mode for ten quads across a variety of locales in the Ural Mountains.
Upon reaching the Sat-Link marked on your map, your squad will power it up. It will then unfold and start uploading crucial data to the satellites still in orbit. Before you reach a site, search for item crates that may contain powerful Scorestreaks or other items to help you wipe other squads also tasked with transferring classified intel.
The team that reaches the score limit first achieves victory.
One in the Chamber (Launch)
Make sure your aim is true in this free-for-all party game where each player gets only one bullet to start; you receive another bullet only when you get a kill.
First introduced in the original Black Ops, One in the Chamber gives you three lives and a single, incredibly lethal bullet. If that one shot lands anywhere on an enemy, they will lose a life while you gain another bullet. Melee attacks are also lethal, so be prepared for some serious fisticuffs if you and your enemy both lose your golden bullet.
Get in some practice with the 1911 and Magnum before playing One in the Chamber, in addition to the new Scorestreak set to arrive in Season Four…
Capture the Flag (In-Season)
An objective mode whose roots stem from the very first Call of Duty® Multiplayer experience, Capture the Flag (CTF) is a competitive game where squads must take the enemy’s flag and return it to their home base, while also defending theirs from the enemy team.
A flag will not be captured unless a team’s own flag is safe in their base, so squads must have both a good offense and defense to win the match.
Prepare for some CTF later in Season Four, where it will have its own featured playlist with plenty of 6v6 maps in the rotation.
New Scorestreak — The Hand Cannon
Desperate times call for “Desperate Measures,” and those who completed that mission in Black Ops Cold War’s Campaign know the power of the Hand Cannon.
A semiautomatic handgun chambered in a ridiculously high-caliber round, the Hand Cannon delivers lethal damage to anywhere on the body, as the sheer kinetic impact incapacitates any Operator at a minimum, or blows them to smithereens with a well-placed shot.
The Hand Cannon can also deal significant damage to enemy vehicle Scorestreaks, especially those on the ground, but with only eight rounds in its chamber, it may be worth using them all on infantry forces.
Welcome to the Zoo — A New Outbreak Region, Main Quest, and Intel in Zombies
It’s feeding time in Outbreak.
At the launch of Season Four, prepare for your squad to get a little wild with this new Outbreak region deep within the Ural Mountains, set in a sprawling zoo overrun by the undead. Don’t feed the zombies as you complete objectives, uncover new Dark Aether story Intel, and even find some World Events. Who knows? Maybe even the Orda exhibit will arrive when you warp into the Zoo in later rounds…
The Dark Aether story will expand in Outbreak at the start of the season with “Operation Excision,” the newest Zombies Main Quest that will serve as a narrative prologue to the next round-based map coming mid-season.
After witnessing the community take down the Legion and thwart "Operatsiya Inversiya" in Season Three, we have no doubt that Requiem’s finest will be able to conquer this new challenge, and in doing so, will reveal what’s to come later this season…
“Mauer der Toten”: Treyarch’s New Zombies Experience Arriving Mid-Season
Fans of “Die Maschine,” “Firebase Z,” and other classic round-based Zombies experiences will be welcomed home in “Mauer der Toten,” the next chapter in the Black Ops Cold War Zombies coming mid-season.
Taking place after the events of “Operation Excision” in Outbreak, the Dark Aether story will continue in Treyarch’s next Zombies map, where players will take on new terrors in war-torn East Berlin after a devastating zombie invasion has overtaken the city.
The Zombies team is chomping at the bit to share more about this new experience soon, but for now, expect “Mauer der Toten” to offer plenty of new twists, turns, and terrifying undead threats for players to conquer.
WARZONE FREE CONTENT:
Perseus’s plans to activate its sleeper cells may have failed, but Verdansk is still a hotbed for nonstop action as Warzone enters Season Four alongside Black Ops Cold War.
New Points of Interest — Satellite Crash Sites (Launch)
Several Satellites have crash-landed in Verdansk, leaving you and your squad to investigate their rubble.
Although they won’t appear on your Tac Map, the Satellite Crash Sites will be plainly visible in Verdansk, as the debris and impact on the landscape is significant. Besides offering new opportunities for cover, the satellites themselves can also be secured.
Interact with the Sat-Links found in the area to work toward receiving permanent rewards in the Ground Fall event at the beginning of the season. Also, secure helpful items to use during the match, such as powerful Killstreaks, vehicles, and Field Upgrades.
The Red Doors (Launch)
Our intel cannot explain the origin of these mysterious red doors around Verdansk, but one thing is certain: They allow you to [[REDACTED]] around the [[REDACTED]]. What’s behind them? Explore and enter them to [[REDACTED]] across the [[REDACTED]].
Red Doors won’t [[REDACTED]] unless you ping them, and after you step through, there’s no telling [[REDACTED]] exiting out the other side… and stepping into a [[REDACTED]].
Hijacked Gulag (Launch)
Prepare for your mission in Black Ops Cold War and challenge a rival to win back deployment to Warzone with this mock-up of the classic map Hijacked, which will replace the current Standoff Gulag when Season Four launches.
This truncated version features a plywood re-creation of the yacht’s central area, a prime location for important objectives such as a Domination flag in Multiplayer, which has the same location as the Overtime flag spawn during a Gulag duel.
No need to worry about rough waters here, although you may need to avoid hitting the rocks being thrown from the balconies during your fight for survival.
New Vehicle — Dirt Bike (Launch)
Terror on two wheels arrives in Warzone with the release of the Dirt Bike, the first brand-new vehicle to drop into the DZ. Ramp up your off-road antics with this extremely maneuverable scrambler, scattered across Verdansk and ready to use at the start of a match.
With an excellent turning radius, carry yourself and a companion across the concrete jungle, up goat trails, and down rock-filled ravines with ease. Deft and nimble, this new option to the Warzone ground transportation fleet is ready to compete with the ATV in terms of furious off-road action.
In addition to becoming the new fastest vehicle in Warzone, the Dirt Bike will have some unique handling properties, such as wheel traction, sliding, drifting, and vehicle leaning, allowing you to take epic hairpin turns, dodge oncoming fire, or pull off sick stunts by controlling your orientation in the air.
In addition, all Dirt Bike skins you may have unlocked in Black Ops Cold War (e.g., via previous Battle Passes or Store Bundles) will be accessible, allowing you to customize your ride as soon as you saddle up.
Downtown Tower: Under New Management (Launch)
The towering Downtown complex across from the Financial District is here to stay after its tenant decided to move back West to sunny Los Angeles. This point of interest, now referred to by Operators as Downtown Tower, has had its vault opened and cleared of valuables, but remains a vast and strategically valuable location to dominate your enemies from.
Although it may be under new management, expect the meta tactics you learned during the ’80s Action Heroes event to come in handy.
Two New Game Modes, Including Verdansk Resurgence Mini at Launch
Verdansk gets a taste of Rebirth Island’s frenetic Resurgence Mini mode when Season Four launches and gets its first ever objective-based mode at mid-season.
Verdansk Resurgence Mini (Launch)
The Resurgence has spread from Rebirth Island to Verdansk, and now every kill counts even more toward victory.
This new playlist mimics the Rebirth Island Resurgence experience more accurately compared to the standard Verdansk Resurgence Battle Royale.
In addition to the standard rules — no Gulag, extreme clarity on enemy positions upon elimination of a squad member, a Resurgence timer, and special Supply Boxes — the Verdansk Resurgence Mini features more intimate lobby sizes of 44 to 45 Operators at maximum, depending on the squad size.
Games begin in a compact DZ, with circles inside a random position in Verdansk. The first circle will be “skipped” to create a small, dense, and action-packed starting area. The items you’ll find around here are more frequent and of higher quality compared to a traditional Battle Royale mode, with games also expected to be shorter in length on average for a truly bite-sized first-person shooter survival experience.
This game mode will be available in a variety of squad sizes — Solos, Duos, Trios, and Quads — which is likely to swap into the Featured Playlist Rotation weekly following Season Four’s launch.
Payload (Mid-Season)
Warzone thus far has been a game of “kill or be killed.” However, during Season Four, Operators will be able to drop in for the game’s first-ever objective-based game mode: Payload.
In Payload, you and 39 other Operators drop in to escort two caravans of vehicles through a series of checkpoints or sabotage the mission. Build or destroy barriers and purchase buildings to aid in your squad’s mission, and be sure to collect any contracts you find around Verdansk, as they will help lead to success.
More details are to come on this new mode later this season.
June 17: Opening Day for the Baseball Bat
With Spring Training in Black Ops Cold War complete, when Season Four launches, the Baseball Bat enters the robust melee weapon lineup of Warzone, attempting to take a place as the star ace of this Secondary category.
ADDITIONAL BLACK OPS COLD WAR AND WARZONE INTEL:
New Prestige Levels — 19 and Still Counting…
At the start of Season Four, your Season Level will refresh to Level 1, 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:
- 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
- Levels 250–1,000: New Prestige Key every 50 levels
This means you can earn four new Prestige Levels during Season Four — now 19 in total — and you can always catch up to the latest available Prestige if you didn’t reach it during the previous season.
Reach Level 200 in Season Four 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 — including from the original Black Ops — 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 Four, 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 Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®, meaning you can progress through Season Levels and increase your Prestige Level by earning XP in any of the three titles!
Black Ops Cold War and Warzone: Gifting System Expansion
Hot off the heels of the Battle Pass Gifting expansion through the Call of Duty Companion App, Season Four introduces a brand-new way to help the squad by gifting them Call of Duty content.
Starting in Season Four, friends can send the Battle Pass, Battle Pass Bundle, or Store Bundles to one another within Black Ops Cold War. In Warzone, players will be able to receive gifts at the start of the season, with additional gifting functionality planned for later in the season. More information on this expansion will be available in the Season Four Battle Pass and Bundles Breakdown Blog on June 15.
Enabling two-factor authentication on your Activision account is required for gifting, and with the current bonus of two hours of Double Battle Pass XP Tokens just for signing up, there’s never been a better time to set up 2FA on your account.
Update File Sizes for Warzone and Black Ops Cold War
The Season Four update will be available for Black Ops Cold War on June 15 at 9 PM PT and will be available for Warzone June 16 at 9 PM PT.
For this update, there will be a download size of approximately 12.6–30.7 GB for those who own the full version of Black Ops Cold War, and 12.2-14.6 GB for those who own the free-to-play Warzone and are current on the latest updates on either or both games.
Again, the Warzone download is a larger file size due to the optimization of data.
Black Ops Cold War Update Size
PC: 21.6 GB (without HD Pack) / 30.7 GB (with HD Pack)
Note: PC users will also need 60.6-92.1 GB of additional space on their hard drive for the copying process; this is only temporary space that is reclaimed upon completion of the patch installation and is not an additional download.
Learn more about the copying process here.
Warzone Update Size
PC: 12.2 GB (Warzone Only) / 14.6 GB (Warzone and Modern Warfare)
Note: PC users will also need 27.1-28.3 GB of additional space on their hard drive for the patch copying process; this is only temporary space that is reclaimed upon completion of the patch installation and is not an additional download.
Remember, the Warzone download is not necessary if you are only playing Black Ops Cold War, and vice versa.
Furthermore, for a smaller overall file size, players can choose to uninstall/remove other data packs if they are no longer needed.
For detailed information on Storage Management for Black Ops Cold War, read this article.
With the action imminent, and any Operator a possible Perseus sleeper cell, prepare to focus:
Get ready to heed the call and execute the mission.
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