Call of Duty Zombies has had a complex history, with it taking an incredible effort to fully comprehend the Aether story and its various timelines. However, Call of Duty Zombies attempted to introduce a new universe in Black Ops 4, though it did not go as planned.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Chaos Story was entirely separate from the Aether narrative, as the only crossover between the two universes was the use of Zombies as enemies. While the Aether timeline was based primarily on science, the Chaos universe was centered around mythology, with Gods and legendary creatures serving as a major focus. It also featured an entirely new cast, something that many players were not willing to invest in with the Aether story not yet complete. However, some appreciate the Chaos universe, and now they want to see it explored further.
Ancient Evil’s Cliffhanger
Ancient Evil was widely regarded as the best map of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and for good reason. Alongside standout Wonder Weapons and a stunning setting, the Chaos story finally began to grab players’ attention with this map. Medusa was revealed as the main villain, while the fates of the Chaos crew were left up in the air. While Treyarch clearly had plans to continue the story, that did not happen, and Redditors like Saufmalmehr are still frustrated about the cliffhanger years later.
Leakers have reported that a second Season Pass full of Zombies content was planned for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, but it never came to be due to the negative response to the mode and Treyarch being pushed to make Call of Duty 2020. The Chaos characters and narrative had a lot of potential, and Ancient Evil proved it. Unfortunately, attempting to tell two stories in the same game proved to be a poor move, as gamers’ unwillingness to accept the Chaos Story led to its unfortunate cancelation.
The Other Strengths of Chaos
As seen through comments from Redditors like Mikey_9835, the Chaos story resulted in some excellent gameplay and map design as well. Having the freedom to move beyond a mode grounded in reality allowed Treyarch to introduce new things, like Vampires, Werewolves, and the hulking Gegenees from Ancient Evil. Fresh weaponry had to be introduced, like the Homonculus taking the place of the Monkey Bomb. While many are happy with the Dark Aether story being more straightforward and using iconic characters like Samantha Maxis, there is something to be said for the uniqueness of the Chaos maps.
Unfortunately, unless something like a standalone Call of Duty Zombies game happens, fans will likely never see the Chaos characters again. Treyarch seems poised to move ahead with the Dark Aether story in Call of Duty 2023, which is certainly understandable. Regardless, it is a shame that the Chaos story will always be an example of what could have been. Had Chaos started after the Aether story was concluded, fans would have been more open to it, and it could still be going strong years later. Unfortunately, Black Ops 4 proved to be too ambitious, and Call of Duty Zombies fans that enjoyed the Chaos story will likely be left wanting more forever.