Outside of Zombies Chronicles for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, which came after the main DLC run and was a rare exception that may never happen again, Zombies fans stop receiving content after a title has been supported for a year. Fortunately, it seems like Call of Duty games could have two-year life cycles from now on - and by extension, so could each iteration of Treyarch’s beloved co-op mode.
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What Two Years of Zombies Content Could Look Like
It can be assumed that the initial year of Zombies content will look a lot like what was seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Players could see roughly four maps released across a year of seasonal updates, and Outbreak mode is very likely to make a return. However, a second year of content is where things start to get a lot more interesting.
If the trend established by Modern Warfare 2 is copied exactly, perhaps a series of remakes will be delivered. Though many Zombies maps have been remade over the years, or reimagined like Call of the Dead and Mob of the Dead, Treyarch still has a few options. In particular, everything with the Victis crew remains stuck on Black Ops 2, a classic game that is trapped on older hardware.
While a Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 remake would be one way to revive these maps, that seems unlikely. However, Zombies Chronicles 2 is a far more viable option, as it could focus on bringing the TranZit crew’s content to a new generation of gamers. Releasing the three maps throughout a second year of content would perfectly fit with the modern Call of Duty approach, as a proper paid map pack like the original Zombies Chronicles is unlikely. However, the maps could also come as part of a big year two DLC like what is supposedly in the works for MW2.
Alternatively, Treyarch could simply continue adding new Zombies maps for a longer period of time with its next Call of Duty game. Instead of stopping at four original maps and Outbreak content like what Black Ops Cold War had, eight maps could be delivered thanks to the game’s extended life cycle. More ambitious Outbreak content could be created, too, with Treyarch designing exclusive Outbreak maps as opposed to reusing multiplayer arenas.
One thing that is important to note is that Treyarch may not develop this second-year Zombies content. With Sledgehammer rumored to be designing the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 DLC, perhaps it will also make the next Black Ops game’s year two content. Infinity Ward or Raven could also take over on this front, as many studios are actively working on Call of Duty. If this turns out to be the case, perhaps it would be for the best if remakes were prioritized in year two, as entirely new Zombies maps from a studio other than Treyarch would be more scary than exciting for most of the community.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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