Call of Duty Zombies has experienced some major ups and downs in recent years, but its community remains loyal despite that. While some may be returning to older Zombies maps and games instead of playing the significantly different Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies, a love for the mode and the experiences it has provided remains. Often, that appreciation has turned into requests for a standalone Call of Duty Zombies game.

Recent rumors suggest that a separate Call of Duty Zombies game could be dropping in 2023, serving as a stand-in for Treyarch’s next title. With the next Treyarch-made Call of Duty supposedly being pushed back to 2024, giving Treyarch a longer development cycle and time to master a new engine, it would make sense for a Call of Duty spin-off to take its place. Fortunately, a Zombies game makes sense for more reasons than just the Call of Duty brand needing another yearly release.

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Zombies Chronicles 2 Content Is Supposedly Ready To Go

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While a standalone Zombies game has been leaked by reputable insiders such as Tom Henderson, so too has Zombies Chronicles 2. Last year, Henderson claimed that the remastered maps that would feature in the expansion were mostly finished, with Treyarch simply waiting for the right moment to release them. This is hardly the first time that Zombies Chronicles 2 has been rumored, as the expansion was supposedly meant to come alongside Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 at one point in time.

However, the supposedly finished Zombies Chronicles 2 maps are in an interesting position, especially if they were made for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Call of Duty’s engine has evolved in recent years, and so has the gameplay. As such, it makes little sense to release Zombies Chronicles 2 content as part of Call of Duty: Vanguard, as different systems like the approach to Perks mean entirely new assets would need to be created. While a Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War release would make a bit more sense, even that would have its hang-ups.

A standalone Call of Duty Zombies game could be the perfect way to drop Zombies Chronicles 2. Treyarch would not have to worry about updating the supposedly finished remakes of TranZit, Buried, and Die Rise to fit a new engine and different systems. Further, the studio would not have to worry about Operators in a standalone game, meaning the maps could feature the Victis crew like they did originally. With time and resources already put into the map remakes according to several leakers, sitting on that content forever and never releasing it would make little sense. The rumored standalone Zombies game could be the perfect place to drop these updated maps, as Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard would be odd games to house the content.

CoD Zombies Has Grown Enough To Support Its Own Game

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Aside from being a good way to release Zombies Chronicles 2, a standalone Zombies game would be a perfect way to keep the mode’s massive fan base engaged. While it is still treated like a third mode, the success of expansions like the original Zombies Chronicles cannot be ignored. The Call of Duty Zombies community would undoubtedly support a standalone game, purchasing a copy or buying cosmetics if a free-to-play approach was taken. Further, with Call of Duty: Vanguard being so divisive, a standalone game would be an excellent way for Activision to win fans back.

Over the years, Zombies has featured dozens of different maps, but no game has collected them all into one place. While Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 brought some of the best maps to one game, making it the most complete Zombies experience thus far, it is still missing classic maps like Mob of the Dead as well as everything released after Black Ops 3. A standalone game could become the definitive Zombies experience, allowing fans of the mode to play every single map through a single application. With the file sizes for each Black Ops title being so massive, and some older games not playable on current consoles, switching between games is not a viable option for many players.

A standalone Call of Duty Zombies game would also give Treyarch the opportunity to rectify some mistakes. A proper ending for the Chaos story could be provided, for example, as such a game could celebrate the mode’s entire history. Further, those that saw the Aether story’s conclusion as rushed could get an extra map that fleshes things out. A Great War map that features the original staves and sees players fight Dr. Monty could be incredibly memorable, and it is just one possibility. Treyarch could market the game as a celebration of Zombies’ past, giving the old storylines one last hurrah before continuing with the Dark Aether narrative in Call of Duty 2024.

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The Potential To Take CoD Zombies In New Directions

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Lastly, it is worth noting that a game focused purely on Call of Duty Zombies could allow the mode to evolve in far bigger ways than it normally can. As a third game mode, the resources dedicated to Zombies have always been limited. With a standalone game, though, that could change. Treyarch could be free to explore a number of new features, doing more with Zombies since there is no need to split attention between campaign and multiplayer.

This could result in something like the long-requested Zombies campaign. Thus far, the only attempt at this concept was seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 with Nightmares mode. However, Nightmares was essentially Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’s campaign with Zombies thrown into the mix, as the same assets were reused and there were no unique levels. The story was also disconnected from any other Zombies narrative, giving fans little reason to care. With a standalone game, Treyarch could deliver a singleplayer or co-op campaign that is full of unique missions and fills in some gaps for the Aether or Dark Aether universe.

A deep map creator could be added to the console versions of the standalone Call of Duty Zombies game, giving players access to the endless variety of maps seen on PC. The community could keep the game alive for years to come, especially if they have access to tools from every Zombies map and mode. VR Zombies maps could be another interesting feature, with Treyarch either giving the tool to creators or making official VR versions of classic maps. With the community needing something exciting after Vanguard, the Call of Duty series needing a 2023 replacement, and several map remakes supposedly being ready to go, next year seems like the perfect time for a standalone Zombies game to become a reality.

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