Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone Season 3 Launch Date and Key Highlights Revealed

Call of Duty Season 3 will arrive in Black Ops 6 and Warzone in April, and Activision revealed the big update will be released on two separate days. Season 3 is packed with content across all modes, including the return of Warzone’s Verdansk map, more multiplayer maps, and the Shattered Veil map for Zombies. Here is everything you need to know ahead of Season 3’s launch.

Call of Duty Season 3 start times

Unlike past seasons, Activision is splitting Season 3’s launch into two different days. The Black Ops 6 Season 3 update now arrives on April 2 for multiplayer and Zombies, while Warzone’s big Season 3 update is scheduled for April 3. It’s important to note that Warzone will go offline with the BO6 update, as the developer prepares for the new battle royale content.

• Black Ops 6 update on April 2
• Warzone goes offline on April 2
• Warzone update on April 3

These updates will go live around 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST across all platforms.

What to expect from Season 3

Season 3 is themed around nostalgia and the return of Warzone’s OG Verdansk map. The new battle pass features Jason Hudson from the Black Ops series and Mace from Modern Warfare 2019.

New weapons

Several new weapons are announced for Season 3:

• CR-56 AMAX assault rifle
• HDR sniper rifle
• Kali Sticks melee weapon
• Kilo 141 assault rifle
• The nail gun
• Ladra submachine gun.

All of the weapons can be unlocked for free either, with some included in the battle pass and others will be rewards for upcoming events.

Return to Verdansk

The Return to Verdansk event runs from April 3-15. This event includes a series of challenges all across Verdansk, including discovering map locations, looting safes, and more. In addition to the OG weapons, players can earn other nostalgic cosmetic rewards and XP tokens.

Black Ops Tribute

A Black Ops Tribute event runs from April 17 to May 1. This event includes 17 free Black Ops-themed rewards to earn, including a new skin for a character who is simply called John Black Ops.

4/20 content

Stoners can celebrate 4/20 with Jay and Silent Bob operator bundles. One set features the duo’s most iconic look, while a second bundle features their comic book alter egos known as Bluntman and Chronic.

Black Ops 6

On the multiplayer side, players can expect two new perks, three game modes, the Deathmachine scorestreak, and several more maps added to the rotation.

New MP maps

• Barrage: A new standard 6v6 map set in 1968 Vietnam
• Nomad: A brand-new strike map for 2v2 and 6v6 playlists, and this map is set in the fortified ruins of a settlement in Afghanistan.
• Firing Range: This popular map from Black Ops 1 is back in remastered form
• Haven: A brand-new 6v6 map set in a KGB safehouse
• Signal: A brand-new strike map for 2v2 and 6v6 playlists, and this takes place inside a submarine bay
• Blazetown: This is a Nuketown variant that Activision teases by saying, “light up the competition in a special Nuketown variant joining the map pool for a limited time later this season.” This means this map will likely be themed around stoners and the 4/20 holiday.

New Zombies map, Shattered Veil

For Zombies, the new Shattered Veil map arrives at launch. This map takes place inside the Liberty Falls mansion, and the iconic Double Tap perk is confirmed to return.

All the major highlights for Season 3 of Black Ops 6 can be found here.

Warzone

Verdansk returns

Warzone’s very first battle royale map returns in its OG form. Verdansk was rebuilt from the ground up to be a faithful remake of the original 2020 launch map, but designed with better technology than the original version, so it just looks even better than before.

A few quality-of-life changes were made in the rebuild. This includes additions of ladders, ascenders, and adjustments to windows, which are small tweaks that are designed to make certain areas more accessible and provide better lighting. Activision’s side-by-side comparison of Verdansk’s map changes can be viewed here.

Warzone changes and additions

Standard 150-player matches return with a classic and simplified feel. Plunder is also included at launch, while Ranked Play mode arrives later in the season.

New and casual players also have a new way to play Warzone. Battle Royale Casual is packed with bots, but the mode won’t count towards or against player stats.

The return of Verdansk also brings Warzone-specific changes to Omnimovement, classic Buy Stations, and more. Make sure to check out all of the major announcements highlighted for Season 3 of Warzone.