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In case you hadn’t heard, Operation Absolute Zero is the biggest update yet for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. And, better yet? It’s available now for PlayStation 4. So, being the largest update to the game to date, you might be wondering – what exactly is in this thing? Well, we’ll get into that, but the amount of new content almost constitutes this as a mini-expansion.

In case you prefer to watch instead of reading, check out the explosive trailer below.

So, let’s get into it. We’ll start with the biggest stuff and work our way down. And as a note, this is all information available on an official blog post from Treyarch.

New specialist – Zero (Hacker)

This is the first addition to the specialist lineup from the base game. Zero joins the fray as “deadly hacker.” She is available in both standard multiplayer modes and Blackout. The posting noted that she can “disrupt and distract” enemy players with her technical wizardry and hacking abilities. While she’s available now, players must first unlock Tier 1 in the re-worked Black Market before she is accessible. We’ll get into those changes shortly.

Weapons, oh the weapons

Operation Absolute Zero appears to be Call of Duty Christmas. Three, count em’, three new weapons are being added to the game and will be unlockable via the Black Market. The weapons are the Daemon 3XB (SMG), SWAT RFT (assault rifle), and a “Secret Santa” melee weapon. What fun would new guns be if we couldn’t also decorate them with camos and gear? Well, Treyarch is offering plenty of new camos and reticles to the black market.

Revamped Black Market

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 - Call of Duty - Black Ops 4 - Operation Absolute Zero - Treyarch - Blackout - Black Market
Photo courtesy of Treyarch

The Black Market has been in need of a desperate overhaul. The customization options were very limited, the tier progression was slow which only became more frustrating when players learned they could buy their Tier progression with microtransactions. Treyarch has been listening to the feedback and they came up with something a bit different.

Going forward, there will be “100 clearly defined tiers.” This was a reduction from the 200-tier system before. As part of this system, new weapons such as the ones previously mentioned can be earned in this manner. And, as noted previously, the specialist Zero is unlocked after the 1st Tier.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The Black Market will feature weapon camos, reactive camos, reticles, warpaints, and Mastercraft versions of existing weapons. Also, warpaints will now be able to be used across all outfit themes. As a fan of customization, I was disappointed that warpaints were originally locked to certain outfit themes.

Blackout

With Operation Absolute Zero, Treyarch is introducing a new armor repair system to the Blackout mode. It’s unknown, just yet, how this system works, but we’ll see it in action soon enough. Additional seasonal changes will occur across the entire map. That means winter is coming (forgive the GOT pun). Changes will be noticed as soon as you “jump out of the helicopter.” Other environmental changes will be added but Treyarch is leaving that to the players to discover.

Now, let’s talk about the big one. The yacht from the Hijacked map in Call of Duty: Black Ops II is going to be added as a new Blackout destination located in the northwest quadrant of the map. So, in other words, don’t drop there if you want to last longer than a minute into the game as it’s sure to be popular and crowded until the newness wears off.

A new vehicle called the ARAV armored vehicle is also being added to the popular mode. This is exactly what I hoped for: more vehicle types and saturation on the map.  I’m not sure, yet, on the saturation part, but new vehicle types are certainly welcome. This armored unit will be packing a high-powered turret to mow down unsuspecting players or squads. So be on the lookout if you hear one of these vehicles rumbling around and take cover!

The new weapons mentioned in multiplayer will be found in Blackout games with this update. Additionally, there will be new unlockable Blackout characters, specialist outfits, and warpaints.

Zombies

Photo courtesy of Treyarch

Zombies mode will be getting three new features with this update: Daily Callings, the Black Ops Authenticity Stamp system, and Daily Tier Skips for this mode. Daily Callings are challenges that will reward players with XP and Nebulium Plasma once completed. The Authenticity Stamp system will allow players to use a personal code to share their results online. Meanwhile, the Daily Tier Skip is self-explanatory. It allows players to skip tiers in this mode to advance in the Black market.


That’s the bulk of the items in the newest update. Be sure to check out the blog posting for all of the finest details. Keep in mind that seasonal content will be coming to the game this week as well on Dec. 13. Holiday-themed decorations will appear in Blackout, and I’m sure there’ll be special items in the black market available to players. Do you think this big update covers the bulk of what fans have been wanting to see? Or do you think more should be done?

Treyarch has noted that more is yet to come as they’re constantly seeking to support the game. Let us know what you think of this major update in the comments below!