Black Ops 6’s Reckoning Splits the CoD Zombies Community—Here’s My Take

So, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 5, right? It’s wrapping up the Zombies stuff — and honestly, Reckoning mostly pulls it off. There’s some wild lore tidbits about, like, the announcer’s secrets and some big emotional scenes, especially with Grey’s reaction to Samantha’s fate. And the map? Fresh and kinda exciting. Still, not everything’s perfect. Some bits like Panos’ storyline feel… rushed. And the Gorgofex Wonder Weapon? Honestly, could be stronger. But hey, the main quest is intricate, has multiple endings, and those boss fights? Total win. But the ending? Well, opinions are all over the place.

If you pick different paths, it’s either SAM or Richtofen who comes out on top. If it’s SAM, you beat a mech-suited Richtofen, but he can’t save his family. So SAM gets her human form, plus her crazy powers. Richtofen’s ending — way happier. You beat the rogue AI, and he ends up back with his family. But here’s the kicker — neither ending is really what’s causing chatter. Nah, it’s what happens next. Both endings show new versions of the original gang stepping into the light, welcoming the Terminus crew — real cliffhanger setup for Black Ops 7. But me? Didn’t get me jazzed. Odd, ’cause usually these things do. Origins and Terminus both left me tingling for more.

The old Aether storyline, man, that was my jam. Teenage years full of cracking codes and following all those hidden Easter eggs. The community coming together? Magical stuff. Black Ops 3 finally laid everything out, and it was like… we were validated for all our theories. Black Ops 4 wrapped it up, but I wanted more. Like, a showdown with Dr. Monty or a Great War map. Retconning that? Not cool in my book. Bringing back old characters? Yeah, some folks are hyped, but me? Not so much. Feels like they’re messing with a classic, and it doesn’t sit right.

Why Black Ops 4’s Ending Being Retconned is Such a Shame

Primis and Ultimis, those guys deserved more than a slideshow send-off. We were supposed to get full cinematics, but most folks got reassigned to Cold War. Tag Der Toten, though? Still left a mark. Richtofen, trying to keep the inevitable at bay, but Dempsey, Takeo, Nikolai — no escape from their cycle. Needed both versions gone to end the undead threat. Nikolai did the tough thing himself.

The last bits weren’t just about campfire chats in Tag Der Toten or Samantha having to take out Primis Nikolai to seal the deal. It was about Sam and Eddie stepping into a new universe — hearing what their lives could’ve been. That stung, not gonna lie. Hit me right in the feels because it was, like, our farewell to these legends. Now, it’s just… hollow.

Oh man, CoD sure loves its nostalgia. Whether it’s repeats of Shipment and Nuketown, or Wonder Weapons making a return. BO6’s Prestige rewards scream old school. Blackout was all about honoring the past with its homage to classic maps and characters. But bringing back the old crew without a solid reason? It kinda messes with Nikolai’s big sacrifice in Tag Der Toten. Sure, the ending was maybe not perfect, but it felt like a proper send-off. Now, Treyarch’s gotta either justify bringing ’em back… or go big on explaining BO6’s cliffhangers and more.

Black Ops 7 Zombies Playing the Greatest Hits Doesn’t Feel Necessary

It’s a bit of a head-scratcher why Treyarch’s bringing back Richtofen, Dempsey, Nikolai, and Takeo given BO6’s success. They could’ve gone deeper into the Chaos story, maybe picking up from Ancient Evil. Terminals crew had potential, if given some more development time. But with everyone’s favorite old characters back, we’re probably looking at them being front and center, tossing Weaver and the like to take on more of a background role.

Sure, many fans are thrilled by the return of the old school gang. I get it. They’re also my favorites. But I wish we’d see new directions instead. It feels like a desperate nostalgia grab. Maybe like bringing RDJ back to the MCU as a totally new character. It’s not the same, but it makes past events feel less significant. Will we get attached to new Richtofen and co., only for their story to end and cycle into yet another reboot? It’s like a never-ending loop (no pun intended).

The Dark Aether was charting new territory, bringing in a few familiar faces. It was bold, finding its rhythm, and then — bam — we’re back to the “safe” game plan. Tom Henderson’s spot-on predictions about BO7 bringing back the OG four make his map claims seem believable too. At least NYC’s now a nuke zone — sounds epic. But frankly, with this nostalgia trip, I’m not as pumped about where Dark Aether’s headed. Once, CoD Zombies’ story was as big for me as gameplay. Now? Might just stick with the shooting for kicks.