While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies fans have enjoyed the game’s overall take on the mode, one of the biggest criticisms is the lack of map variety. Not only are there just two Survival maps in the game, but both Firebase Z and Die Maschine feel extremely similar. With both locations being grounded, realistic military bases, the variety of locations like Der Eisendrache’s castle or Buried’s underground town is nowhere to be seen. However, this could change soon.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War fans can now complete the main quest of Outbreak, and if they do, they will get to view a few cutscenes that focus on a major story development. Operatsiya Inversiya is the name of a secret project led by the Omega Group, and it has major implications for the future of the Dark Aether narrative. In fact, it may tease a future map, with players getting to experience a style of gameplay that they have wanted for years. While it is purely speculation and far from confirmed, there is a better chance for an underwater Call of Duty Zombies than ever before.

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Operatsiya Inversiya’s purpose is to further weaponize missiles so that they can infect chosen areas around the world. Players see the missiles in Outbreak’s main quest, with the rockets having a massive Tempest attached to them. If they were to hit anywhere in the United States, the entire country would be overrun with ease, ending the Cold War and giving Russia a way to counter mutually assured destruction. As such, the main objective of the easter egg is to stop these missiles from being used for a nefarious purpose.

Zombies protagonist Samantha Maxis and her ally Ravenov help players accomplish this task, directing them to deal with the missiles. Once players have acquired all three launch keys, they send the missiles to a target of Sam’s choosing. While the possibilities are interesting, as the missiles could have infected anywhere on Earth, Sam chooses to do the right thing by dumping the rockets in the center of the Pacific Ocean. However, while her goal was to get rid of the missiles so that no part of the world was infected, she may have created a surprising Outbreak zone.

For years, players have wanted an underwater Zombies map, and now they may finally be given the chance to experience one. While custom Call of Duty Zombies maps have experimented with the concept, Treyarch’s use of water in official maps has been limited. However, that may change, as there is now a perfect justification for an underwater map. Making use of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s swimming mechanics, gamers may need to fight the undead deep in the ocean. While the missiles could have been used to justify a TranZit remake, seeing the rockets land in the sea offers a lot of potential for something fresh.

When it comes to an underwater Zombies map, there are two possibilities, with one being fantastical and the other being more grounded. In the more absurd option, players could explore the mythological city of Atlantis. Blind luck could have seen the Operatsiya Inversiya missiles hitting the ancient underground structures, with the old city now being filled with the undead. While the location would certainly be interesting and fun to explore, it would be a bit too absurd for the Dark Aether storyline. Fitting more with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Chaos narrative, it would be just as out of place as it would be exciting.

However, a far more likely option is that Omega learns about the missiles landing in the ocean. In turn, they could set up a base like the one in Firebase Z to study the impact of the missiles on sea life, with players exploring this underwater lab through a future map. While there would be broken areas in parts of the building where players swim around outside of the base, most of the play space could be filled with interior spaces. Seeing a void of water outside the windows could give off a great atmosphere, especially if the base features some unique creatures roaming in the ocean.

Depending on which route Treyarch takes, the underwater map could work well in either Survival or Outbreak. For an Outbreak map, Atlantis would make more sense, as players could swim from one ruin to another. Traversing between optional objectives could be a lot of fun, and if the map is colorful enough, it could be the most visually appealing region in Outbreak yet. If the more realistic option of an Omega base were utilized, a Survival map would make sense, as a traditional style of Zombies gameplay would be a possibility. With Zombies already visiting space and alternate dimensions, an underwater map is one of the few settings that still needs to be checked off.

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Whether Requiem visits Atlantis or an Omega base in this hypothetical map, Treyarch would need to expand on the current Call of Duty swimming mechanics. Players would need to be able to swim much faster and breathe underwater permanently. One option would be to introduce a new perk that grants these effects, though this seems unlikely given how useless it would be in other maps. Instead, Treyarch could introduce a suit like the one seen in Moon, with players wearing a special helmet and outfit to get around. The return of something like Moon’s hacker could be seen, forcing players to sacrifice their air and swimming speed for certain benefits.

Alongside some refined swimming that lets players explore the map with ease, the biggest benefit of an underwater map would be the possible enemies that could result. Zombified whales, sharks, and squids are all possible, creating some terrifying scenarios for players. A new mini boss like the Panzers could be introduced, with a diver-like enemy introduced to give players trouble. Treyarch would have tons of interesting options for easter egg objectives, ranging from a massive final boss to some unique scavenger hunts. Further, if it were to be an Outbreak region, objectives like Escort and Retrieve would translate well.

Lastly, a powerful Wonder Weapon themed around the underwater map makes sense. Seeing something like a throwable Trident could be a lot of fun, especially if it has a recall effect of some kind. Having the weapon command waves of water could be fun as well, as players could utilize their environment in a way that has never been seen inside of Zombies. With so much potential, it is hard not to be excited about the possibility of such a map becoming a reality. While fans are seemingly going to Berlin in the next Survival experience, the one that comes after might finally bring fans a Treyarch-made underwater map.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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