Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Directed Mode Has Been Huge for Zombies

Activision confirms that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's Directed mode has significantly boosted main quest completion rates in the Zombies mode. While many players prioritize survival, Directed mode has successfully engaged a larger portion of the player base with the game's narrative.

The Zombies mode, a staple since World at War, has always featured a complex, evolving storyline. Despite a general decline in Black Ops 6's overall player base, the Zombies community remains strong. However, the wave-based gameplay often prioritizes combat upgrades over story progression. Introduced in Season 1, Directed mode provides structured guidance, dramatically impacting player engagement with the main quest.

Recent data reveals an impressive increase in main quest completion rates. Based on 480 million hours of gameplay, the completion rate has jumped from 4% to 8.23% since the November 14th launch of Directed mode. This doubling of completions demonstrates the success of Treyarch's design goal, though the studio acknowledges that over 90% of players still haven't completed the quest and are exploring further improvements.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's Directed Mode: A Significant Improvement

Directed mode, part of Black Ops 6's Season 1 update (which also included three new maps and two new game modes), provides a structured path through the Zombies storyline. This is particularly beneficial given the intricate, often convoluted narrative involving interdimensional travel, energy manipulation, and time travel. Unlike previous installments, which largely left players to navigate the story independently, Directed mode offers a more accessible experience.

This structured approach has already resulted in a higher completion rate for the main quest than ever before. Treyarch plans to continue refining both the Zombies mode and Directed mode in future updates to further enhance player engagement with the narrative.