Black Ops 6 fits into the Call of Duty timeline at a confusing point, but is the game a reboot or a continuation of Treyarch’s long-running story?
We’re just a handful of weeks away from getting to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and the game’s fanbase couldn’t be more excited.
Developer Treyarch’s long-awaited game will be another installment in the popular Black Ops franchise. However, despite returning to the numbered title system, it isn’t the last game chronologically.
If you’re confused about where exactly Black Ops 6 fits in the timeline, or you’re wondering what happened to Black Ops 5, we’ve got you covered.
As for whether or not the game is a reboot – let’s dive in!
Is Black Ops 6 a Reboot?
No, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is not a reboot. It is, in fact, a direct continuation of the story that takes place after the early timeline of Black Ops 2.
For those who didn’t play the second game in the series, 2012’s Black Ops 2 took place across two separate timelines.
The first followed Black Ops 1’s protagonist, Alex Mason, in the late 1980s, whereas the later timeline follows his son David in 2025.
As Black Ops 6 is set in the early 1990s, it takes place soon after the events of Black Ops 2’s early timeline, in which Alex Mason is shot and killed, and Frank Woods loses the use of his legs.
Although Mason can be saved in Black Ops 2, Activision has confirmed that the original protagonist canonically met his end in Black Ops 6’s timeline.
Due to its setting, Treyarch’s upcoming shooter is also a direct sequel to the first Black Ops game and Black Ops Cold War.
We know that Cold War, the fifth mainline game in the Black Ops franchise, will tie into the events of the upcoming game, as returning character Russell Adler appears heavily in Black Ops 6’s marketing.
Fans don’t necessarily have to play the earlier series entries as, like most COD titles, Black Ops 6 will likely function perfectly well as a standalone game.
But if you want an easy way to catch up on the story ahead of Black Ops 6, here’s a complete recap of the Black Ops story so far!