The Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War beta has kicked off, and while many players are having fun simply testing out the game for Activision and Treyarch, easter egg hunters have made an interesting discovery. On the Black Ops Cold War map Cartel, a major Nuketown easter egg has been uncovered that could hint at its inclusion in the game.
The leaked Black Ops Cold War beta map Cartel certainly lives up to the hype in terms of references. The home of Black Ops 2 villain Raul Menendez’s father can be found, featuring serious lore connections to the first two Black Ops campaigns littered around the house. Leaker and CoD YouTuber TheGamingRevolution has shown players that, within a building before Cartel’s main hangar, a photo can be discovered that shows off the back of a certain house from Nuketown.
With maps like Nacht Der Untoten being heavily expanded upon and reimagined in Black Ops Cold War’s Zombies mode, perhaps this game’s take on Nuketown will differ from the classic map. It could possibly be larger, resembling something closer to Blackout’s Nuketown Island than the small, traditional design. However, at the very least, the map will look much more like it originally did in its first Black Ops appearance than it does in its redesigns.
This would not be the first classic Black Ops feature returning to the game, as lead multiplayer designer David Vonderhaar recently teased the return of Ranked Play in Black Ops Cold War. While the mode is undoubtedly a positive addition, its inclusion has already opened another chapter in the seemingly endless skill-based matchmaking debate. Still, it joins features like the classic mini-map and theater mode as fan-pleasing features that are making a major comeback in Black Ops Cold War.
With new content being added to Black Ops Cold War’s beta every few days, there is no telling what new easter eggs will be discovered. Knowing Treyarch, there are likely some very complex ones that will not be discovered until launch, with the Nuketown songs and zombified mannequins being prime examples of how detailed the studio can be with its secrets. Regardless, it looks like Nuketown will be coming back in some form within Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and it will be taking on its classic appearance when it arrives.
While players will have to wait until launch to discover Nuketown’s future, fans can still explore the beta to find other near features. One such addition comes in the form of detailed weapon stats CoD fans have always wanted, showing that Treyarch has been listening to community feedback. Whether yet another Nuketown appearance is received positively or negatively remains to be seen, however.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be available November 13th on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.