Eagle-eyed Call of Duty fans have spotted an interesting detail in recently released key art for the forthcoming Black Ops 6 – and it appears to hint that the game will include a mission related to 9/11.
The artwork, which features the Black Ops 6 logo, reveals little concrete information about the game. However, when social media sleuths zoomed into the image, they spotted the date “2001” and what looks like “/11”.
The 9/11 attacks took place on September 11, 2001. Al-Qaeda terrorists flew airliners into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York City, and another plane was flown into the Pentagon.
2,977 people died and many more were injured. The attacks are regarded as one of the most significant events of the 21st century, largely due to the ensuing geopolitical and economic consequences.
While 9/11 may seem like an unusual and questionable choice for a campaign mission, the Call of Duty series is no stranger to handling controversial levels related to terrorism.
2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 included the mission “No Russian”, which is both infamous and highly-regarded among Call of Duty fans for its grim portrayal of a mass shooting.
In the mission, players control an undercover CIA operative who is forced to participate in a terrorist attack at an airport. Players can choose to shoot civilians as part of the attack.
The level sparked significant controversy in the mainstream media and was censored in some countries. Players could skip the level entirely with no lasting effects if they didn’t want to play it.
Despite the negative press, No Russian helped generate incredible interest for Modern Warfare 2. The game has since been praised by Call of Duty fans for its daringness to include such harrowing subject matter.
The series has gradually shied away from controversy, with recent Call of Duty titles featuring by-the-book military stories. As a result, fans have been clamouring for CoD to take more risks with its plot lines.
Whether Black Ops 6 and a potential 9/11 mission will deliver on fans’ hopes for the series remains to be seen. However, reports suggest the game is the first CoD to receive a full four-year development cycle as well as two years of play testing. A game designer at Treyarch recently posted to X: “i’ve been playtesting this one for 2 years! y’all aren’t ready”.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is set to launch towards the end of 2024 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and last-gen consoles. Its full reveal is set for the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9th at 10 AM PT. This will be followed by a Call of Duty Direct show immediately afterwards.
In the meantime, you can check out the key artwork over on the official Call of Duty website, along with the game’s The Truth Lies teaser trailer.
Are you excited for Black Ops 6 and do you want it to include a 9/11 mission? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
