Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is set to release on October 25, 2024, and will include the highly anticipated Zombies map Liberty Falls. This map will feature classic round-based Zombies gameplay in a small West Virginian town. While the Ray Gun and Jet Gun are confirmed to be available in the mystery box, the absence of one major weapon in the initial gameplay for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been a hot topic among fans.
The weapon in conversation is the Wunderwaffe, and since it was featured in the Liberty Falls trailer, players are still hopeful it will appear in the gameplay in some way, though it’s not yet clear how. However, it’s also possible for it not to make an appearance at all, and the franchise might consider that single trailer appearance an Easter Egg as it previously occasionally has.
Why the Wunderwaffe Should Be in Call of Duty Black Ops 6
With the Ray Gun and Jet Gun already being in the Mystery Box in Liberty Falls, the absence of the Wunderwaffe in Call of Duty feels like a strange omission, especially after showing it off. However, if it’s not in the map at all, it could potentially be saved for future maps or updates, though that’s not quite as satisfying for players hoping to get their hands on it now.
Plus, it would be disappointing for it not to be in the game especially when the franchise is selling one in relation to Black Ops 6 with a camo in Call of Duty MWZ. This also reinforces the idea that it wouldn’t take much effort to bring it over. Selling the camo and teasing it in the trailer without actually making the weapon available could feel like a big missed opportunity for the franchise, both from a fan service and marketing perspective.
Call of Duty Has Previously Teased Weapons That Never Made It
The cinematic intro for Origins (from Black Ops II) briefly shows the Olympia shotgun during the cutscene. However, despite this tease, it is not an accessible weapon in the actual game. This comes after the fact that Olympia was a common starter weapon in previous Call of Duty Zombies maps (like Kino der Toten and Nacht der Untoten), but it was missing from Origins.
Similarly, in Mob of the Dead (also from Black Ops 2), the Python revolver is seen in the intro cinematic while being used by the main characters. Yet, like the Olympia in Origins, Python is absent from the actual gameplay too.
The Wunderwaffe Could Be Incorporated Through Easter Eggs
To have Wunderwaffe being part of an Easter egg quest where players could descend to where Richtofen was in the intro, after completing the main quest, to retrieve it, could be a nostalgic and satisfying throwback. This concept works well with the tradition of Call of Duty Zombies Easter eggs, where players work through intricate steps to unlock secret locations or weapons.
Having the Wunderwaffe dropped by Edward Richtofen and locked away, only to be retrieved through a post-Easter egg event, fits in perfectly with Zombies lore too, and the kind of storytelling Black Ops fans would also appreciate. The idea also echoes the Call of the Dead Easter egg where the Wunderwaffe was unlocked as a reward. However, it is to be taken with a grain of salt as the needles so far only indicate that the Wunderwaffe might never make it to the final gameplay. Especially since the franchise has previously inclined toward treating single-trailer appearances as Chekhov’s guns that never fire.
Chekhov’s gun
is a principle by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, who famously said: if in the first act, you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise, don’t put it there.