Highlights Zombies fans are eagerly awaiting the return of the mode in Treyarch’s next game, Call of Duty 2024

To make the release a bit more exciting, Treyarch should bring back the concept of hidden Zombies maps unlocked by beating the campaign, similar to the cult classic Black Ops map Five.

Hiding a bonus map behind campaign completion would increase interest in both the Zombies mode and the campaign mode of Call of Duty 2024.

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As time has gone on, the Call of Duty franchise has embraced and removed a wide variety of features. Before they were a form of monetization used to buy bundles from an in-game store, COD Points were an earnable in-game currency that players used to unlock camos and bet on wager matches. Deathstreaks like Final Stand, while annoying, were iconic. Perk Packages, Field Orders, customizable killstreaks like those in Advanced Warfare – all are examples of bold ideas that faded away.

Secret Zombies maps are yet another memorable gimmick that has been abandoned, but in 2024, that should change.

While many are focused on the imminent reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and what it could mean for the subseries, Zombies fanatics are patiently waiting for the mode’s resurgence in Treyarch’s next game. After a painful year of unpopular content within Call of Duty: Vanguard, players are hoping that Call of Duty 2024 will be a return to form.

To attract lapsed Zombies fans, Treyarch can bring back some old tricks, one of which being hidden Zombies maps unlocked by beating the campaign.

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The Surprise of CoD Zombies Map Rewards is Worth The Risk

In hindsight, the original Call of Duty Zombies from World at War was an incredible risk, as it found success against all odds. A true bonus mode, Zombies was unlocked by completing the campaign, with the post credits attack from the undead being a genuinely spooky surprise. Once players saw this moment play out after the credits, they were free to play Nacht Der Untoten to their hearts’ content, and the viral success of the simple round-based map saw Zombies growing into a phenomenon.

While locking an entire Zombies mode behind campaign completion is a bit too much of a risk, and would be a poor idea nowadays since Zombies is such a big deal, hiding a bonus map behind the campaign would be a much more believable scenario. This is exactly what happened with Five, the cult classic Black Ops map that saw players controlling real life figures like former President of the United States JFK. Despite a humorous premise, Five was a full-fledged Zombies map with unique mechanics and Easter eggs, making it worth the effort to unlock. While gamers could use a special code in Call of Duty: Black Ops’ terminal to unlock Five without beating the campaign, many players’ first experience with the map came in the form of its intro cutscene playing after the singleplayer mode’s credits. With Kino Der Toten being the only map advertised, and a map that was accessible without any prerequisites, Five was a genuine surprise that made the first Black Ops game feel just a bit more special. With Call of Duty 2024, Treyarch should attempt to recapture that magic.

Just like with Call of Duty: Black Ops, Treyarch could have two round-based maps ready to go at launch, but only advertise one ahead of time. With Treyarch hiring for a number of Zombies-related positions, Zombies lead Kevin Drew promising big things for the mode, and the studio having three years to make Call of Duty 2024, another full map is certainly possible. While marketing the game with two proper maps would be a good way to build hype, hiding a map behind campaign completion could lead to good word-of-mouth after launch.

The other benefit of going the bonus map route would be a larger interest in Call of Duty 2024’s campaign. Despite some solid campaigns like Black Ops Cold War releasing in recent years, it is no secret that many players never bother with the singleplayer mode. If Zombies fans have a reason to go through the campaign, though – in addition to the people who already care about the campaigns – a healthy portion of the player base could end up experiencing Treyarch’s hard work. For campaign and Call of Duty Zombies fans alike, the upside of a hidden survival map seems clear.

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