Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies fans have been waiting patiently for new Survival content, and fortunately, it is on its way. A new map has been confirmed for Season 4 Reloaded, which means fans only have a month to go until they are slaying the undead. Fortunately, Treyarch has provided a few teasers to keep fans talking, which include the Subway car clip and the first screenshot from the map itself. Fans also know the name of the next location, as their next trip will be to Mauer Der Toten.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War fans know that the map will be set in Berlin, and the screenshot confirms that it will have a nighttime setting. However, the name Mauer Der Toten might just be the most exciting thing known about the map thus far. While the image and Subway teaser offer little in terms of what the map will actually play like, its title seems to imply some serious story developments and gameplay opportunities. As such, the name Mauer Der Toten could be fans’ biggest clue as to what will be happening next in the Dark Aether storyline.
Why The Name Mauer Der Toten Should Excite Call of Duty Zombies Fans
In Call of Duty Zombies’ long history, the “Der Toten” title has only been used in a few maps. These maps are Kino Der Toten and Tag Der Toten. The former was the launch map for the original Black Ops game, while the latter served as the final map in the Aether storyline. Both maps are a big deal in the Zombies community, as one put the mode on the map while the other closed out a 10-year narrative. As such, Mauer Der Toten taking a similar approach in its title implies big things.
One connection that fans can instantly make is to Kino Der Toten itself. Though the classic map has not been seen since the Zombies Chronicles expansion in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, it has left a lasting mark on fans. As such, many have been wondering if it would return in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, something that has been furthered by leaks. According to these unofficial bits of info, the new map will include part of Kino Der Toten’s theater in its play space. This would make sense given Nacht Der Untoten’s role in Die Maschine, and with Kino set in Germany, a comeback is plausible. With Mauer Der Toten taking on a similar title, too, the theater returning seems more likely than ever.
However, the title could be much more than a hint at Kino Der Toten’s involvement in the map. Tag Der Toten, the last map to feature this naming style, served as the ending for the original storyline. Samantha Maxis had a huge role to play in this map, as she killed Nikolai and escaped the old Aether universe with Eddie. Considering that some of the latest Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies intel is bringing up Eddie once again, there is a chance that Tag Der Toten is referenced heavily in Mauer Der Toten. If this happens, the title makes sense, as the names make a direct link between the two maps seem clearer.
The final thing that is interesting about the Mauer Der Toten title is seen on the map’s logo. While it simply looks like concrete with some graffiti and and bullet holes attached, players can see the demonic blue bunny hidden on the “Der” portion of the logo. Due to this hidden detail, it seems like fans may finally be learning more about the teddy bear’s replacement in the Mystery Box. With the creepy rabbit taking on a bigger role via the crate easter egg from Firebase Z, it clearly has some importance to the story. Based on its appearance in the map’s main graphic, Mauer Der Toten may finally be bringing fans some answers about who or what is controlling the blue bunny.
Why Mauer Der Toten’s English Translation is A Big Deal For Call of Duty Zombies
While Mauer Der Toten’s German title is interesting from a story perspective, its English translation is exciting from a gameplay angle. The map’s name means “Wall of the Dead,” and given the fact that it is set in Cold War-era Berlin, there is only one explanation for the title. It seems like players will be fighting the undead on and around the Berlin Wall, something that has some interesting implications for gameplay. For starters, the wall itself may feature heavily in the map’s main quest easter egg.
The main quest could see players destroying the Berlin Wall itself, with a bit of revisionist history playing out inside of the map. This would not be an entirely new idea for Treyarch, as Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Chaos Story saw the crash of the Titanic being caused by a Zombie outbreak. With this in mind, the Mauer Der Toten main quest could mimic Voyage of Despairs, with Requiem being the ones to tear down the Berlin Wall. This could make for a fun ending to the main quest, though with the campaign and Zombies universes now intertwined, Treyarch will need to be careful with how it is presented.
Outside of a potential objective for the next Zombies easter egg, this Berlin Wall focus sets up some exciting gameplay opportunities. Players could see the undead hordes climbing the walls like the infected in World War Z, with the hordes piling up to attack the player. This could be truly intense and terrifying in first person, as Zombies piling over the barricades could keep players on the edge of their seats. Players could also man the turrets inside of the wall’s watchtowers, gunning down the undead that roam the long path in between the walls.
Another possible use for the Berlin Wall would see it surrounding the Pack-A-Punch machine. Treyarch could place the machine at one end of the wall, with the undead rising from the snowy ground in the center. Players would need to run all the way to the other end to upgrade their weapons, with the undead constantly spawning and following behind them. This could keep players pressured to upgrade fast, as the Zombies would be closing in behind them. Another option would be to place Pack-A-Punch in the center, meaning that Zombies come from all angles and players need to watch each other’s backs. With a timed Pack-A-Punch system like Moon used, Treyarch could make the Berlin Wall a defining feature of the map.
With Treyarch already having made a Berlin Wall multiplayer map in the first Call of Duty: Black Ops, and the location featuring briefly in the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War campaign, it should have no problem making an exciting Zombies experience out of the historical setting. While fans will have to wait a bit longer to play the map, the title is promising, as it gives the mode’s community a lot to speculate about. There will be some new intel to collect and a second Outbreak quest to enjoy until then, too, so gamers should be able to survive the next few weeks.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.