Call of Duty Zombies players on PC not only get to enjoy custom maps created by other users within the community, but they also have access to Plutonium, which is essentially offers more populated versions of Treyarch’s iconic co-op modes. Eight-player gameplay is an option to make the massive map TranZit feel even more expansive, anticheat is present to help players feel safe, and dedicated servers help with stability. With so many benefits, many of those that are still playing the original Black Ops and its 2025-set sequel on PC use Plutonium, meaning that plenty of gamers witnessed the April Fools’ joke which reversed the two games’ maps. For Call of Duty Zombies fans in particular, this felt especially strange and interesting.
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While the release of Black Ops 6’s Shattered Veil map just a day later saw that the discussion around the reverse map gag was short-lived, numerous posts featuring the backwards maps spread across social media on April Fools’ Day. It’s easy to see why so much intrigue surrounded the reverse maps, as one look at the gameplay footage players were sharing would be enough to leave an old-school Call of Duty Zombies fan stunned. Seeing the iconic staircases of Kino Der Toten reversed, for example, in addition to the lobby’s barriers, doors, and wall buys, made for a headscratching sight.
Though players quickly realized that the map changes were exclusive to the Plutonium clients of the FPS games, bringing an end to the confusion spreading throughout the player base, the mirrored gameplay remained interesting. Several commenters shared that seeing CoD Zombies’ iconic maps altered in such a way literally hurt their head, as they had the layouts of locations like Der Riese fully memorized thanks to the hours of gameplay the maps had provided. Others liked the added challenge and unique vibe that the reversed maps brought, as according to those who actually played the altered maps, it felt like an entirely new experience despite technically being the same map. This Plutonium stunt led to players requesting a permanent mod that flips maps, and while someone certainly could make that happen, Treyarch should not miss the chance to capitalize on the hype and introduce an official version of backwards maps to its latest game.
While fully mirroring the screen would have made the older Call of Duty games unplayable on April Fools’ Day, the HUD was kept intact, meaning that players did not have to struggle to read and could grow used to the in-game changes with time. The first-person model and weaponry also remained untouched.
Mirrored Maps Could Be a Perfect Black Ops 6 LTM
Thus far, limited-time modes in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 have been divisive. Jingle Hells’ surprising difficulty and restrictive weapon requirements turned some players away, few players liked the 10-round limit on Deadlight, Green Light, and the strict timer on Cowabunga Cranked kept it from reaching its potential. As such, Treyarch could really use a win with its next alternate form of play, and a mode going by “Mirror Madness” or some other clever name could be a winning formula.
If Plutonium was able to introduce mirrored maps so seamlessly for a one-day gag, then Treyarch would surely have little issue flipping the assets on its Black Ops 6 maps to make them feel fresh. No other changes to gameplay, side quests, or main Easter eggs would be necessary, as simply navigating backwards arenas would feel distinct. After all, it’s easy to imagine players struggling to survive the Sentinel Artifact battle in The Tomb with the arena turned on its head, as players have gotten used to the existing setup for the encounter. Before players even run the main quest, they will likely need to get used to the changes, as navigating the map and carrying out objectives could get confusing fast.
Just like with the Cowabunga Cranked LTM, players who complete the main quests on mirrored maps could be rewarded with a special Calling Card to mark their accomplishment. Instead of being just a small symbol in the corner, perhaps the entire card could be backwards, serving as a humorous reference to the hypothetical mode’s gameplay. Alternatively, a Wonder Weapon skin that makes Operators hold one of Call of Duty Zombies’ iconic killing tools the other way around could be a funny reward to chase, potentially being acquired by finishing every mirrored map’s main questline. Hopefully, Treyarch took notice of the community’s reaction to the “cursed” April Fools’ maps, as it would be great if console players (and PC gamers who do not use Plutonium or only play newer CoD games) could see what all the buzz was about.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
9/10
- Released
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October 25, 2024
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Engine
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IW 9.0