The fact that Zombies has existed since 2008 but has not yet received its own game (aside from some mobile-only titles) is confusing. After all, Zombies Chronicles for Black Ops 3 was one of the most successful pieces of DLC ever released, and though the co-op mode has struggled recently, many would surely jump on a standalone release. Unfortunately, it is unclear if that will ever happen, as Warzone continues to be the main focus for Call of Duty.
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A Standalone Call of Duty Zombies Game is Long Overdue
When looking at how successful Warzone 2’s launch has been, it makes sense why the franchise has been built around the free-to-play battle royale. However, many have felt that this focus has been detrimental to the other aspects of the series, with the multiplayer and co-op offerings in the premium games suffering since everything is tied to Warzone. With Zombies players already bothered that the mode’s fully voiced playable characters were stripped away in favor of Operators, the existence of Warzone Caldera feels like a continuation of the problem.
Despite Zombies Chronicles 2 being leaked and a standalone Zombies game rumored for many years, neither have come to fruition. Meanwhile, Call of Duty: Warzone is getting two significant releases back-to-back, with yet another on the way in Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. Though Zombies has always been a bit of a niche mode, it is still hugely popular, and the fact that it has not gotten its own game after over 14 years is absurd, especially when Warzone - which only debuted in 2020 - is getting so much love.
Given how many studios are under the Call of Duty umbrella, there is no reason Zombies should be left to rot until the next Treyarch release. Leakers and dataminers have indicated that content is ready for a standalone game, yet it may never come, much like how Black Ops 4’s second season pass was done away with. This is a shame, as Zombies could find a ton of success through a paid game of its own or even a free-to-play release like Warzone.
A collection of every Zombies map in one place, a proper campaign, a map creator for Call of Duty fans on consoles - these are all things that a Zombies-only game could provide. After Call of Duty: Vanguard’s massive failure to shake things up, the mode needs a big win and a return to form, and a dedicated game might just be the one thing that can revive the Zombies community. Sadly, as Warzone continues to get separate games and more content, it seems like it is all that matters to Activision.
In a perfect world, Zombies would be able to thrive alongside the heavy hitters like Warzone, but it is consistently treated as something smaller than what it really is. Fans have held out hope of a dedicated Zombies release for some time now, yet as time passes, all the leaks and rumors seem less likely to come to fruition. Meanwhile, Warzone players can find multiple apps on their consoles dedicated to the battle royale title, with another coming to their phones in 2023. Though it is great that battle royale fans are getting so much content for their favorite mode, this stellar support also highlights the continued mistreatment of Call of Duty Zombies, and it is a shame that its many fans get nothing like Warzone 2 or Warzone Caldera to sink their teeth into.
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