Black Ops 6’s Reckoning Divides the CoD Zombies Community—Here’s Where I Stand

Warning: Massive spoilers ahead for the BO6 Zombies’ Reckoning map. Just a heads up!

Okay, so Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 5 brought the curtain down on Zombies content. Overall, the Reckoning map? Nailed it. There’s lore digging into the whole announcer thing, and watching Grey react to Samantha’s story—hits you right in the feels. And the map itself? Feels fresh, like really new, which is sometimes hard to pull off after all these games. Sure, there’re a few grumbles about Panos’ rush job or the Gorgofex Wonder Weapon not packing the punch it should, but hey, with a maze-like main quest, multiple endings, and boss battles that are more fun than frustrating, it’s a blast. But what’s up with that ending? That’s gonna stir the pot depending on who you chat with.

So, you pick a path: it’s either SAM taking the win, or it’s Richtofen’s show. If Sam’s in charge, players are up against a mech-geared Richtofen, tragic because he can’t save his family. But, hey, Sam gets a human form and keeps some of her powers. On the flip, Richtofen’s ending is kinda warm, with a bonkers AI shut down and a reunion with his wife and kid. The community’s not bickering over these though—it’s what comes next that’s got tongues wagging. Both paths end with some new versions of the original four characters slinking out of the shadows, welcoming the Terminus gang to their creepy little shindig, teasing what’s next for Black Ops 7. And me? For the first time, I’m not jumping outta my seat to see what comes next, which is wild, ‘cause everything from Origins’ final scene to Terminus’ last hurrah always had me on the edge.

I’ll admit, the bonkers Aether storyline was my jam growing up. Seriously. Those late nights scrolling theories and decoding radio signals on maps? Made my teenage years. A community piecing together the big picture, much like the Easter eggs we all chased—kind of magical. We didn’t even get an official timeline till BO3’s Zombies Chronicles, which meant wild theories were fair game. But when BO4 came around, the Aether saga wrapped up, and man, I had my wish list: an epic clash with Dr. Monty, a promised Great War map, one last journey with the classic crew. But rewriting that ending feels so… wrong to me. So, the old crew making a comeback? It’s more letdown than cheer for me.

Speaking of BO4’s finale, it might’ve been a slideshow cutscene, but Tag Der Toten’s ending still hit hard. Learning Richtofen was just buying time in BO3 Zombies? No way out for Dempsey, Takeo, and Nikolai beyond the cycle. Primis and Ultimis needed to go down for good to truly snuff out the undead threat, with Nikolai taking it on himself to do the deed. And wow, the campfire chats in Tag Der Toten? Building up to that moment, not to mention Samantha Maxis having to finish Primis Nikolai’s plan. But Sam and Eddie stepping into this new universe where Primis and Ultimis live their dream lives? That’s where it punched you in the gut. Years of bonding with these characters, gone in a bittersweet farewell. Now? That emotional punch feels pulled.

Call of Duty’s got nostalgia down, between countless remakes of Shipment and Nuketown, reappearing Wonder Weapons, or Prestige rewards in BO6 that throw back to the classic games. Blackout worked because it was a best-of tribute, with POIs straight from multiplayer and Zombies, and playable characters from all over the franchise. But this nostalgia play, reviving the original crew without a single nod to why they’re back? Feels like a slap to Nikolai’s big moment in Tag Der Toten. That ending, no matter the flaws, wrapped things up, and now, Treyarch’s got a tough job explaining why our favorite four are back for BO7—let alone wrapping BO6’s story, explaining Panos’ mysterious connections, and more.

And then there’s the mess with Takeo’s voice actor. Tom Kane had a stroke back in 2020, so he can’t voice act anymore. With the backlash over Samantha’s recasting in BO6, replacing Kane when Takeo shows up again is gonna tick fans off.

Odd choice, Treyarch, digging up the gang of Richtofen, Dempsey, Nikolai, and Takeo when BO6 Zombies was killing it. Leaning into the Chaos storyline from Ancient Evil could’ve been something. Or moving forward with the Terminus squad—solid bunch. They could use more fleshing out, especially Carver, but with the return of the classic characters, they might not get that anymore. The OG crew back? Odds are they’ll be the focus in BO7, shoving characters like Weaver back to side roles as map narrators instead of getting time to shine.

And oh, the question: what’s this new Zombies gang called? Tempest? Medius? Fans toss names around like candy, and Medius—“medium” in Latin—makes sense. They’re a blend of Ultimis and Primis after all.

Some fans are on could-nine seeing the classics back. They loved when CoD Zombies was just about them. I get it, they’re my favorites too, but I wish Treyarch would try new things instead. It’s like RDJ coming back to the MCU as Doctor Doom. It’s not really them, so sacrifices matter, but it’s also tough to invest in what comes next. We get attached to these new Richtofen, Takeo, Dempsey, and Nikolai, only for that story to wrap up and what? Another round of replacements? Feels like we’re stuck on repeat with the same characters cycling back no matter what.

The Dark Aether story was going solo, only dropping in a few familiar faces. It was starting to find its feet before Treyarch jumped back to their “safe” space. On the plus side, Tom Henderson’s reports on BO7’s OG crew comeback? If they’re on the money, his map teasers probably are too. At least we’ve got rad map ideas like a nuked New York City to look forward to. But after this nostalgia push? Kinda nervous about where the Dark Aether story might head. Zombies lore sat right beside gameplay as crucial to the experience, but now? Might just have gameplay to latch onto.

Anyway—I’ve rambled on. Time to wrap this up.