Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 - Operation Absolute Zero features new specialist, weapons and Hijacked map for Blackout

News by Stephany Nunneley-Jackson Former News Editor

Published on Dec. 12, 2018

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 players have plenty of free content to look forward to throughout December.

Operation Absolute Zero the largest update yet for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and is now available on PlayStation 4, with PC and Xbox One players receiving the new features on December 18.

The content introduces the game's first new post-launch Specialist: Zero, a hacker available in both multiplayer and Blackout. In multiplayer, Zero can "disrupt and distract" her enemies using hacking tools. Zero can be unlocked by completing Tier 1 in the revamped Black Market.

Three new earnable multiplayer weapons will also debut in Operation Absolute Zero through Contraband tiers in the Black Market. These are the Daemon 3XB SMG, SWAT RFT assault rifle, and Secret Santa melee weapon. New Weapon Camos, Reactive Camos, and Reticles can also be unlocked.

Players can also get their hands on these new weapons immediately in Blackjack’s Gun Game, which will be one of the featured multiplayer playlists starting next week on PS4, and through Blackout weapon drops.

On Thursday, December 13 the Black Ops 4 Holiday Event will kick off on PS4 with new seasonal items.

Along with the aforementioned, players can expect improvements to the Black Market with the Operation Absolute Zero update, along with new unlocks for multiplayer and Blackout through gameplay. Details are below, straight from the Treyarch blog post.

Operation Absolute Zero: Blackout

On December 10, several "hotly-anticipated updates" are coming to the core Blackout experience for all platforms such as the new Armor repair system, audio improvements, SDM and Spitfire weapon balancing, and seasonal changes across the entire map.

The map’s visuals have been updated with seasonal changes in foliage and winter lighting along with new smoke trails. Subtle improvements will be coming to Nuketown Island, Hydro Dam, and Factory. Patch notes with more details on these updates will release next week.

On December 11, Hijacked debuts on PS4 for Blackout, and it's located on waters of the map’s northwest quadrant. The map was inspired by the classic Black Ops 2 multiplayer map, and once players disembark the luxurious super yacht, they can jump into the new ARAV armored vehicle with a friend and use the turret-mounted machine gun on enemies.

Players can also drop in as Zero after unlocking her, or as one of the four zombie-killing gladiators from IX after finding and completing the brand-new set of Blackout Zombies Character Missions.

New personalization items can be used in Blackout through the improved Black Market, including new unlockable Blackout characters, new Epic Specialist Outfits, shared Warpaints, and more items. Players will also find new weapons throughout Blackout starting December 11 on PS4, so drop into the Firing Range next week to try it before anyone else.

On top of the free content kicking off next week, there’s even more coming to Blackout soon with the addition of Custom Games, Weapon Camos, Stash interface updates on consoles, holiday map decorations, Snowballs, new seasonal Special Event Tiers, in-game promos, gameplay improvements, and more.

Operation Absolute Zero: Zombies

Three new free features for Zombies will arrive on all platforms next week: Daily Callings, the Black Ops Authenticity Stamp system, and Daily Tier Skips for Zombies.

Daily Callings provide new gameplay challenges which reward Zombies players with bonus XP and Nebulium Plasma upon completion. Each day players should check in at the Zombies Barracks for the daily challenge.

Treyarch is also introducing the Black Ops Authenticity Stamp system which allows players to "verify and share the results of their game online," with a personalized code generated at the end of each match.

The Black Ops Authenticity Stamp website tracks a variety of stats, including:

Number of kills, deaths, downs, revives, headshots, and rounds survived
Map selection, game type, numbers of players, and difficulty attempted
Special Weapons, Equipment, and Talismans used
Perks and Elixirs equipped
Number of Elixirs consumed
Match duration, score spent, final score, and more

Daily Tier Skip is also coming to Zombies. Starting next week, players can complete 15 rounds in one game of Classic Zombies each day for a daily bonus Black Market Tier.

The studio said it has more new features and gameplay content coming to Zombies in 2019, including Factions, new seasonal Event Callings, Phase 2 of the Black Ops Authenticity Stamp system featuring deeper player stats, and additional gameplay improvements, free for all players.

Evolution of the Black Market

A revamp has been made to the Black Market for the launch of Operation Absolute Zero. Starting December 11, the system will be streamlined, making Tier progression "simpler and more rewarding." The revamp also adds new types of commonly requested content along with the ability to mix and match Warpaints with different outfits. It will also allow players to gain Warpaints without having to own a corresponding outfit.

The Contraband stream will also feature 100 Tiers which Treyarch says will "deliver a more diverse and exciting collection of items to earn." The themes are built around every 25 Tiers and provide players with a greater opportunity to use personalization items.

Here’s a recap of what to expect on day one, along with other features:

100 Clearly Defined Tiers: Reducing the initial Tier showcase from 200 to 100. Every reward for the first 100 Tiers can be previewed in the Black Market which allows players to always track progress toward the next new item.
New Earnable Weapons: First batch of new earnable weapons in the Operation Contraband stream for multiplayer loadouts will include the Daemon 3XB SMG, SWAT RFT assault rifle, and Secret Santa melee weapon.
New Specialist Unlock: New Specialist, Zero, unlockable at Tier 1 for use in multiplayer and Blackout.
New Item Categories and More Diverse Content: Weapon Camos, Reactive Camos, Reticles, shared Warpaints and new Mastercraft cosmetic weapon variants will be added to the Black Market. Each Reactive Camo unlocked in the Black Market is uniquely designed for its designated weapon, while new Weapon Camos can be equipped across multiple weapons.
New Mastercrafts: Players can now earn new Mastercraft weapon variants in the Black Market, including new ABR 223 Mastercraft.
New Blackout characters: Ultimis Zombies heroes are coming to Blackout in the Black Market. Nikolai will be unlockable at Tier 45.
New Shared Warpaints: Warpaints can now be equipped with outfits across different Themes on the same Specialist.
Reserves Now Start at Tier 101: Players will earn cosmetic Reserve content after unlocking the first 100 Tiers of Black Market content, including all-new personalization items and a new Mastercraft. Reserve items from Operation First Strike are still included in Reserves for Operation Absolute Zero.
Content Changes: New Gestures, Calling Cards, and additional personalization items will be available; however, new Decals for Specialist Outfits will not be added to the loot pool. This will "ensure every item earned can be immediately equipped and enjoyed in the game."
Daily Tier Skip for Zombies: All Zombies players can earn a bonus Daily Tier Skip in the Black Market by completing 15 rounds in a game of Classic Zombies each day.