Call of Duty season is officially upon us with the release of Black Ops 6 on October 25, and Treyarch’s all-new multiplayer masterpiece has 16 maps to explore at launch. While Modern Warfare 3 was full of remakes, all the day-one maps for BO6 are completely new and built to play across all multiplayer modes.
All the CoD maps in BO6 are unique and described by the devs as “small to medium-sized,” featuring familiar three-lane routes. Core maps let you dive into the traditional six-vs-six gameplay, while Strike maps give you the choice between six-vs-six or two-vs-two lobbies.
Every Black Ops 6 core 6-vs-6 map
Here’s the name, overview, and official description for all 12 of the core 6v6 maps available on launch:
Babylon
“Battle amongst the ruins of an ancient city, climbing on its crumbled columns and crawling underneath the ancient ruins. There’s plenty of verticality to make use of here, so stay limber as you circle the central altar and seek out the best ground. Back out to the chapel or depot for more concealed views or get heated and rush the middle.”
Derelict
“Deep in the Appalachian Mountains, a train graveyard lies shrouded by a lush forest. Abandoned and forgotten, this derelict depot along the NAR Appalachian Railroad has become a prime ambush point for Rogue Black Ops and Crimson One to face off in a deadly skirmish.”
Lowtown
“Traverse a dockside neighborhood with a boat house, fishing shed, cobbler, and a gallery showcasing classic and contemporary art. Check out the stalls in the market or climb up the latticework for a view from the pizzeria. Swim in the canal — or if desperate, the sewer — to reposition and flank the enemy.”
Payback
“Deep in the Bulgarian mountains, the Rogue Black Ops Safehouse is under attack. Breach this cliffside mansion getaway, explore various oak paneled chambers and the operations room in the main residence. Payback is equipped with various elevations, windows, and many strategic angles throughout the mansion.”
Protocol
“Located off the shore, the Protocol Training Course doubles as a teaching ground and an island citadel fortified for war. The brick buildings include barracks, an armory, and an underground communications monitoring center, and the aged architecture built into this rocky outcrop provides a playground for Rogue Black Ops and Crimson one to go to their own skirmishes with each other.”
Red Card
“Compete from the main entrance of this stadium to the stands of an international soccer pitch. Race through the lobby and view the memorabilia upstairs near the best seats in the house. Outside, explore the promenade and fan festival stands, or swing back into the lobby or parking garage.”
Rewind
“Visit the Liberty Shopping Plaza right on the edge of Liberty Falls, West Virginia and wreak havoc through the strip mall. This 6v6 map has a unique layout, as two outer lanes are connected by multiple routes through and around the shops, a video store in the middle housing several major objectives.”
Scud
“Deploy to a desert military outpost following a devastating attack. The damaged radar dish and nearby buildings have taken several hits, the air thick with smoke from the surrounding fires. Bunker down in the depot or HQ or flank enemies in the trenches. Watch for snipers near the radar dish; its base provides a near 360-degree view.”
Skyline
“Take in breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside from the rooftop of a luxury resort featuring an exquisite penthouse with access to a lounge, kitchen, gym, and pool. Descend into the panic room to cross under the map or fight in the open around the victims of a recent hit job.”
Subsonic
“Fight in and around a small bomber team training facility. While one aircraft sits safely in the central hangar, another lies in flames by the runway next to a crater and an overturned truck. Follow the line of destruction down the perimeter or move inside to avoid threats from overhead.”
Vault
“No expense has been spared on this large, lush desert set within a rugged desert landscape. Monuments, murals, sculptures, and a trophy room adorn the central palace, featuring an opulent atrium and, more importantly, open access to the vault. Combat around this compound is expected to be fierce.”
Vorkuta
“A large storm is inbound and about to hit the Vorkuta mining facility that was once a Soviet labor camp. Both teams visit a place of Mason’s history to battle over key tactical positions. Covered with old machinery and exterior/interior transitions, both teams must stay on their toes if they wish to become victorious.”
Black Ops 6 Strike maps available at launch
There are four Strike maps at launch, available in traditional 6v6 multiplayer or intense 2v2 playlists. Below you’ll find the images, descriptions, and names of every BO6 Strike map:
Gala
“Explore the aftermath of an annual fundraising event in Washington, D.C. Get up on stage or kick back in the lounge. Along the sides, move through a makeshift bar, coatroom, and campaign stand. Every move counts on this tiny map, so get out there and punch the winning ticket. “
Pit
“Burrow into a small subsection of an underground mining tunnel and collide in the central cave. A ventilation shaft casts some natural light over the cave, the mine tracks within circling back to the narrow tunnels. Climb up the ladders to reach an overhead vantage point or weave between the mine carts for ground floor cover.”
Stakeout
“A stakeout in the Mediterranean region of Avalon has been compromised as Operators breach the small apartment, battling through the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and spilling out onto the balcony. Leftover surveillance equipment marks the progress of the conducted intel-gathering, a smashed-out wall giving the former agents easy access to their gear.”
Warhead
“Welcome to the Nuketown neighborhood! Positioned within bombing distance of one of the facsimile desert test sites, this set of dwellings has been reclaimed by the desert sands. Watch the debris scattered all over the maps, as enemies will use everything from the upturned sign to building wreckage to the bus for tactical cover across this fast-paced map.”
When is Nuketown coming to Black Ops 6?
Good news for vererans of the Black Ops franchise, as Nuketown’s arrival has already been confirmed. The classic map will be joining the rotation on November 1 as DLC.
Nuketown quickly became one of the most popular Call of Duty: Black Ops maps back in 2010 due its fast-paced and up-close combat, and has since become synonymous with the series. Set in a small 1950s Nuclear test town in Nevada, multiplayer games always ended with a nuclear bomb dropping on the map and destroying everything in sight. Since its original introduction, Nuketown has featured in numerous CoD games over the last 14 years.
What to expect from Black Ops 6’s multiplayer maps
All the CoD maps in BO6 are designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting gameplay, using the traditional three-lane system on small to medium-sized maps that have been “meticulously designed to fully realize the signature Call of Duty: Black Ops experience,” according to the developers.
“This means offering rapid, energetic combat,” the devs explain. “Along with a variety of scenic set-pieces, cover opportunities, and ranged thoroughfares to ensure your favorite style of play is catered to, from close quarter strikes to long-range sniping, with emphasis always on the action.”
As is the case with every Call of Duty title, other new maps will regularly be added to BO6, particularly around seasonal content releases.
Activision also plans to go back to its roots; the studio confirmed at CoD Next that Warzone’s OG map Verdansk would return in 2025. Before that, though, Warzone players will get to experience an all-new map called Area 99, which is described as the birthplace of Nuketown. Black Ops 6 integrates with the battle royale at the start of season one, which should come sometime in early December.
