Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review
Treyarch and Raven’s 2024 Call of Duty, with omnimovement and round-based Zombies, is now in Game Pass Premium.
Editorial review · AI-assisted. Written with AI help and checked against the critic, performance and accessibility sources linked on this page. How we work · Player reviews are by real players.
Black Ops 6 launched in October 2024 and has been on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass since; on Sept 25 it also joined Game Pass Premium. You get a Gulf War-era spy campaign from Raven Software, Treyarch’s multiplayer built around the new omnimovement system (sprint and dive in any direction), and the return of round-based Zombies.
It remains one of the series’ best-reviewed recent entries: an 83 Top Critic Average on OpenCritic, with 91% recommending it. Critics agree that multiplayer and Zombies are the highlights. TheGamer said this Zombies might be its favourite in franchise history, and GameSpot (8/10) found omnimovement fluid, though close-range map design can feel limiting.
The campaign is where opinions split. GamesRadar+ called it the best Call of Duty campaign in years, and Digital Foundry highlighted its branching dialogue and free-roaming, Hitman-style missions. PC Gamer (70/100) called it tedious, and Eurogamer (3/5) felt the series had retreated to well-trodden formula. Most land in between: Hardcore Gamer (4/5) praised the characters and mission variety but thought the story fumbled its ending.
On Series X it’s a solid 60fps experience, with a 120Hz mode for VRR displays. Series S owners should expect a rougher ride (see How it runs). The campaign is about eight and a half hours on HowLongToBeat; multiplayer and Zombies are the long tail.
“With the best Call of Duty campaign in years, and a tweaked movement system that comes to life in multiplayer, Black Ops 6 is both a return to form and a great entry point for new or lapsed players.”— GamesRadar+
Hits
- Omnimovement makes multiplayer feel fresh
- Round-based Zombies is back and excellent
- Varied, ambitious campaign missions
Misses
- The campaign story splits critics
- Close-quarters maps can feel limiting
- Series S struggles to hold 60fps
…You’ve drifted away from Call of Duty and want the entry critics called a return to form, or you just want Zombies nights with friends.
Trailer
Official · Call of Duty on YouTubeWatch on YouTube ↗Loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play.
Gallery
Tap to expand · swipe to browse · Art: Activision (official Xbox Store listing)Deep dive
Time to beat
Campaign times: 458 / 363 / 42 players polled. Players logging multiplayer report about 67 hours on average (42 players).
Play now or wait?
It’s nearly two years into its life, and Premium members can now join in. Series S players should use a VRR display if they have one.
Tonight’s Play’s call, based on the sourced reviews and performance reports on this page.
How it runs
Xbox Series X
Digital Foundry (campaign, Nov 2024): a 4K target that scales down to 1920x2160, holding a tight 60fps most of the time. Expect brief hitches before auto-saves and occasional dips into the high 50s. An optional 120Hz mode ranges widely, mostly 70–100fps, so it’s best with VRR.
Xbox Series S
Digital Foundry: a 1440p target (down to 1280x1440) running at a more variable 50–60fps with tearing, dropping into the 40s at worst. VRR is the only way to smooth it out, and 120Hz mode runs 15–30fps below Series X.
PC
Not yet reportedAccessibility
Can I Play That details the audio options: Asymmetrical Hearing Compensation per ear (in Multiplayer and Zombies at launch), a Reduce Tinnitus Sound setting that replaces the concussion ringing effect, mono audio, separate volume sliders and mix presets, and an Enhanced Headphones Mode. Activision’s accessibility blog lists the rest of the options.
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