Since Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's October release, Treyarch has been busy patching weapon rebalances, improved audio, and a post-launch map into their new multiplayer shooter. Now, industrious fans are finding more for players to be excited about, as two new map variants have been discovered buried in the latest update's files.

Titled "Firing Range Night" and "Seaside Sunset," these variants are time-shifted renditions of the "Firing Range" and "Seaside" maps currently available in Black Ops 4, offering players a new perspective on these familiar battlegrounds. Additionally, a rain weather effect has been added to this new version of "Seaside."

While the Call of Duty franchise is no stranger to unsubstantiated map leaks, this one has legs, and YouTuber NerosCinema has already shared gameplay footage provided by an anonymous source:

There is no information on how or when these variants will be released, but, in previous Call of Duty entries, these types of variant maps have been offered as free add-ons -- in his premiere, NerosCinema cites Call of Duty: World at War's "Makin Day" and Call of Duty: Black Ops 3's "Fringe Nightfall" as two such examples. Any suggestion that this will hold true for "Firing Range Night" and "Seaside Sunset" is merely speculation, however, this established release structure is all that is currently available.

In general, many of Black Ops 4's maps stand as variations on combat zones long established by the franchise. "Nuketown," "Jungle," "Slums," "Summit," and "Firing Range" are all remakes of maps from previous entries, and our writers have described the game's Blackout map as "essentially a compilation of numerous fan favorite maps from early titles." As such, it is not surprising to see Treyarch already working on introducing variant maps.

Of course, some fans feel that the development time spent on remakes and variations would be better used creating entirely new maps and weapons for the first-person shooter. The comments section of the YouTube premiere is filled with users calling Treyarch lazy for this approach, and some appear wary about the price tag that may be attached - a sentiment likely fueled by the recent Fall Firearms pack, which made a mere two gun skins available for $20.

However, without any official word on these maps, it is difficult to have an informed opinion on them. For now, we are just happy to see the developers working diligently on one of our favorite shooters of the year.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.