Call of Duty: Black Ops 6is the seventh entry in theBlack Opsseries, which started in 2008 withCall of Duty: World at War. It’s one of the most popular subseries within theCODfranchise, hosting some of the most memorable characters and missions. Naturally, players are eager to try outBlack Ops 6, but many may be wondering whether they need to have played the others first.
While there are plenty ofbeginner tips forBlack Ops 6playersto get them started with the gameplay, it can be easy to feel like there’s little point jumping into the seventh entry of an ongoing and slightly complex series. After all, much like with theModern Warfarereboot series, theBlack Opsgames share a lot of story beats, characters, and themes. However,Black Ops 6isn’t completely unapproachable, as newcomers to the series may be worried.
Black Ops 6 Can Be Played Standalone
Most Of The Story Can Be Understood From Context
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6can absolutely be played as a standalone experiencefor those who’ve never played aBlack Opsgame, or even aCall of Dutygame before. The controls and gameplay mechanics are all clearly explained, as they are in everyCall of Dutygame, ensuring that new players or returning older players are caught up to speed. No one will feel lost when it comes to taking out bad guys inBlack Ops 6.
More importantly, however,the story ofBlack Ops 6can technically be enjoyed without having played the previousBlack Opsgames, namelyBlack Ops,Black Ops Cold War, andBlack Ops 2. While it is a direct sequel, like even thepannedModern Warefare 3campaign,Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’sstory can largely be understood through context. It’s not quite as bad as jumping into a show in the middle of Season 5, and players will be able to figure out who is who and why they’re doing what they’re doing without too much trouble.
The story ofBlack Ops 6can be largely enjoyed without having played the previousBlack Opsgames, namelyBlack Ops,Black Ops Cold War, andBlack Ops 2.
As there are plenty of new andexciting features inBlack Ops 6’scampaign, it’s understandable that players would want to try it out without sinking hours into all the other games. Additionally, players who are experiencingCOD: Black Ops 6via Xbox Game Pass likely won’t have access to the otherBlack Opsgames, as they aren’t available on that platform. So,for those who are hoping to jump intoBlack Ops 6’s campaign without needing to play the other ones, it’s absolutely possible, although be prepared to not understand every reference.
There Are Still Plenty Of CoD References For Longtime Fans
It Is A Direct Sequel To Some Of The Previous Black Ops Games
Of course,longtime fans shouldn’t get the impression thatBlack Ops 6abandons the series' ongoing storyin favor of a new plotline. Rather, it directly continues the story threads explored in the previous chronological entries, specificallyBlack Ops,Black Ops Cold War, andBlack Ops 2. The plethora of characters and factions from the previous games all appear inBlack Ops 6and their stories are explored in greater detail.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6is absolutely a direct sequel, so fans of the original games will get a lot more out of the overall experience, as well as understandBlack Ops 6’ssurprising ending, far better than those who haven’t played any of the past entries. While it isn’t necessary to remember every little detail, there are quite a few story moments that may initially go over players' heads. Suffice it to say, it pays to have, at the very least, a broad knowledge of the previousBlack Opsgames, especiallyCold War.
10 Best Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Maps at Launch
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 contains numerous new maps for players to check out, but these are the best ten currently in the game at launch.
Fortunately, returning fans will also be delighted by the various new additions as well as the new cast members that help flesh out the wider conspiracy that’s being explored inCall of Duty: Black Ops 6. There are a lot of new juicy story details to get immersed in as well as even more of the strange sci-fi elements that the series is so well known for. Of course,it wouldn’t hurt for those who played the originalBlack Opsgames once back when they were released to give them another whirlbefore jumping intoBlack Ops 6.
You Should Play The Other Black Ops Games First
It Is Recommended To Play Black Ops, Black Ops 2, And Black Ops Cold War
It is absolutely recommended that people play theCall of Duty: Black Opsgames in chronological order leading up to the events ofBlack Ops 6, before hopping into it. While it can be enjoyed without prior knowledge, understanding each of the characters and their motivations, as well as how everyone is connected to one another and what the grander conspiracies are that have been explored in previous entries, will give players a far greater appreciation of what is going on.
to fully understand the events happening inBlack Ops 6, players will need to play the following games in this exact order:Call of Duty: Black Ops 1,Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, theCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warpost-launch content, andCall of Duty: Black Ops 2.
However, playing through all the necessary games just to playBlack Ops 6would take fans dozens of hours, and that’s not necessarily feasible. Luckily,Activision put together a Story So Far blog poston theCall of Dutywebsite that details everything prospective players need to know in order to enjoyBlack Ops 6. It goes over the events inBlack Ops,Black Ops Cold War, andBlack Ops 2, as well as giving character profiles for the major characters. There is also a handy video fromCall of Duty’s YouTube channel detailing everything players need to know for those who don’t fancy reading the admittedly very long blog post.
It’s a pretty handy tool for both newcomers and returning fans and also respects the fact that a lot of people may not have played or remember a game from 2010. For those who don’t have the time to play through the necessary games, this Story So Far trailer or blog post is the best way to ensure everything inBlack Ops 6makes sense. Of course, it’s also more than possible to just jump headfirst intoCall of Duty: Black Ops 6and enjoy its rollercoaster of a narrative without any prior knowledge.
