Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War is dropping its first season of online content starting on December 16, 2020. The latest game will be receiving most of the new DLC with a battle pass, weapons and a brand new Operator tied to the story. But unlike Modern Warfare, the content drop will also include an anticipated new Warzone map which goes back to Rebirth Island from Black Ops 2010.
Rebirth Island was first touched on by players in the original Call of Duty Black Ops campaign a decade ago. Following the CIA raid between Alex Mason and Jason Hudson in 1968, the island was firebombed and Soviet forces were captured. Players in Warzone will get a chance to visit new and familiar parts of the island, chock-full of details into Treyarch’s universe for Call of Duty. This bridges the gap between Modern Warfare and Black Ops as two interconnected universes, while Rebirth Island will be much bigger than imagined in 2010. The original game’s mission touched on some of the outdoor corridors and open harbors carrying Nova 6; a fictional bioweapon created by the Nazis and later re-engineered by Soviet scientists in the Cold War.
It’s likely players will be parachuting into a mix of open terrain from the island and tons of military installations sprinkled across. Following ideas from the 2010 campaign, it’s suggested players can uncover Rebirth Island’s underground laboratories and learn more about Nova 6’s research. Because the battle royale mode gradually encircles players, the green gas in question could indeed be Nova 6. The island might look a bit more tattered this time around, with early photos showing the island in ruins after the CIA raid. Players might also get a bit more cover and less sightlines this time around as they scope out enemies. The crumbled buildings might also give players multiple ways to enter and exit instead of bashing through doors. Because Rebirth Island was established in the 60’s, Call of Duty Modern Warfare Warzone might revisit the island in present day. It’s still unknown if the events of Verdansk will carry over to Rebirth Island, but it could still be fun seeing Captain Price follow Mason’s footsteps.
Treyarch and Infinity Ward are also working to expand that one Call of Duty mission into a fully-blown storyline. In its Season One trailer, Cold War character Russell Adler was revealed to have been at Rebirth Island when it was invaded. Adler also captures and interrogates Vikhor “Stitch” Kuzmin; the latest operator to hit Cold War and Warzone. The interrogation leaves Stitch without an eye (as payback for Weaver) and creates a decades-long thirst for revenge. Further story details reveal Stitch was a chief chemist for Nova 6, giving him the power to manufacture more in the 1980’s. The CG cutscene abruptly ends with a face-to-face reunion between Stitch and Adler in New Jersey. This heavily ties into Warzone, as Stitch races to Rebirth Island before the CIA can. The Season One plot revolves around CIA and KGB operatives fighting to stay alive as they search for the Nova 6 source.
The trailer also revealed a brand new “Mall at the Pines” multiplayer map for Black Ops Cold War, featuring floors of stores for cover and narrow indoor spaces. Like Superstore from Modern Warfare, this map could create faster-paced experiences without much open ground. According to Charlie Intel, Season One will also bring over four Gunfight (2v2) maps to Cold War. One of the more interesting additions include Raid, a big mansion-style map from Call of Duty Black Ops 2 which will be remade again.
Players will be getting Season One updates for three Call of Duty titles, including Modern Warfare, Warzone and Black Ops Cold War starting on December 16, 2020.