Call of Duty Launches Its Thinnest Multiplayer Map in Season 2 Reloaded

If you fancy playing Black Ops 6 as a walking bullet hose, you’ll fit right in on the newest multiplayer map.

As Season 2 Reloaded adds new maps, modes, events and guns to the latest Call of Duty game, the standout addition is the new strike map Bullet. Two teams of six will fight across (and on top of) a moving bullet train in various core multiplayer game modes.

Developer Treyarch is well-known for its three-lane map design, but Bullet is adopting a new, experimental one-lane design, maximizing chaos by forcing players to fight face-to-face as they take encounters from one train car to another.

Whether or not Bullet’s implementation is successful remains to be seen, but it could change how Treyarch approaches strike map design in future updates.

Bullet is the first real Call of Duty ‘hallway map’

Since launch, the Black Ops 6 map pool has been a mixed bag. Massive maps like Red Card, Rewind and Lowtown encourage slow play, with lots of downtime leading to matches running out the clock more often than not. The lack of action on these bigger maps feels antithetical to the arcade-y Call of Duty ethos.

On the other hand, strike maps like Warhead, Pit, Stakeout and the latest iteration of Nuketown turn into meat grinders as omni-movement traversal sends players careening down three tight lanes. Many of these maps (except for the wide-open Gala) have become fan favorites, as the constant adrenaline of picking fights within seconds takes the sting out of a respawn.

Treyarch has identified this trend and added more moshpit maps and playlists to the game. Stakeout 24/7 and Nuketown 24/7 playlists are often available on weekends and during special events, allowing players to play a variety of game modes on the fast-paced maps. Additionally, Racket, Lifeline and Heirloom have been added throughout seasons one and two, adding more map diversity to moshpit playlists.

This spurred many fans to joke that the game was on track to include a “hallway map,” where players would trade gunfire down a single lane. The new Bullet minimap doesn’t look much different from the mockup.

Of course, the train will feature different cars with fixtures to take cover behind, leading to what will hopefully be more dynamic gameplay. Sneaky flanks aren’t out of the question either, as more confident players can battle it out on the train’s roof as they push into the enemy team.

In a game full of risk-averse, engagement-driven design decisions, Bullet is a small breath of fresh air. Treyarch’s iconic three-lane philosophy has churned out some of the most iconic Call of Duty maps since Black Ops 2 — but it’s been 13 years, and it’s worth trying something new.

Whether or not Bullet is a hit, I’m glad they’re willing to take this baby step to buck a mostly tired formula.

More new maps, modes, events and weapons are coming to Black Ops 6 and Warzone

The long-awaited hallway map isn’t the only thing arriving to Black Ops 6 in Season 2 Reloaded. There are also freakishly realistic-looking Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Yes, a TMNT crossover event is coming to Black Ops 6 Season 2 on Thursday, Feb. 27, as well as a multiplayer moshpit mode that includes Ninja Turtles-themed scorestreaks, a Zombies Cranked mode with special power-ups, an event pass with new operator skins and a slate of new weapons. All event content will remain accessible until Thursday, March 13.

Players can earn a new secondary, the D1.3 Sector sawblade launcher, and a host of melee weapons, including a skateboard, katanas, bo staff, nunchaku and sai. You’ll be able to earn these weapons from the Armory if you miss them during the TMNT event.

Multiplayer load-outs will become even more kitted out with a belt-fed firing mode attachment for all LMGs, the new Hunter’s Instinct perk that marks the nearest enemy after elimination, and the Flyswatter wildcard that lets players carry a launcher in their dedicated melee weapon slot.

Warzone players will gain access to the new stealthy Low Profile perk, letting them move more quickly while crouched or prone and removing death markers from eliminated enemies. Zombies players will be able to access the Directed mode for The Tomb map, meaning the early rewards for easter egg completion are about to disappear.

When is Warzone Season 2 Reloaded’s release date and time in Black Ops 6?

The brand new season will launch new Warzone battle royale and Black Ops 6 content simultaneously when it releases Thursday, Feb. 20. Here’s when you’ll be able to play the new seasonal content in your time zone:

• Eastern Standard Time: Feb. 20, 2025 at noon.

• Central Standard Time: Feb. 20, 2025 at 11 a.m.

• Mountain Time: Feb. 20, 2025 at 10 a.m.

• Pacific Time: Feb. 20, 2025 at 9 a.m.

As is the norm with Call of Duty HQ updates, PC players will be able to preload the update ahead of time, while console players will only have access to the newest patch several hours before it hits the live servers.

As soon as the update releases, you’ll be able to jump into the action and fight your way down the brand-new Black Ops bullet train.