When is Black Ops 6 set? Timeline explained
ActivisionCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 brings a brand-new single-player campaign and Zombies experience, both of which are set in the same universe as other entries in the Black Ops series. But, with familiar characters returning, you might be wondering when BO6 is set.
Here’s when the story of Black Ops 6 is set and where it fits in the timeline of the other games in the sub-series.
When is Black Ops 6 set?
Black Ops 6 is set in 1991, as confirmed by Treyarch in the official blog post revealing the game. It is a direct sequel to 2020’s Black Ops Cold War, which took place in the early to mid-80s. The campaign will depict the Gulf War, which started in August 1990 and ended in February 1991 in real life.
Frank Woods, who appeared in the first Black Ops game from 2010, will play a pivotal role in the story as he adjusts to a “new role within the CIA” after being left wheelchair-bound by Raul Menendez at the end of Black Ops 2.
ActivisionBlack Ops 6 timeline explained
Since Black Ops 6 is set in the early 90s, it’s the fourth game in the Black Ops series canonically. This is because Black Ops 2 is split between two separate timelines, one of which focuses on Frank Woods and Alex Mason from 1986-1989.
Black Ops games in order of timeline
- Black Ops: 1961-1968
- Black Ops Cold War: 1984
- Black Ops 2 (flashback missions): 1986-1989
- Black Ops 6: 1991
- Black Ops 4: 2040s
- Black Ops 3: 2065
Are Mason & Hudson alive in Black Ops 6?
No, Alex Mason and Jason Hudson aren’t alive in the Black Ops 6 campaign. This was confirmed by multiple content creators and outlets who attended an early BO6 event, as Treyarch revealed that both the original Black Ops protagonist and his handler are dead by the time this story takes place.
This confirms that the ending in Black Ops 2 where Alex Mason is killed is canon after fans were left in limbo for years. The game has multiple different endings, including one where Mason survives being shot by Menendez and lives to be 93.
However, Black Ops 6 follows up the ending where Mason doesn’t make it out, so don’t expect to see the character show during the campaign, other than in flashbacks.
Black Ops 6 Zombies timeline explained
Black Ops 6 Zombies takes place in the early 1990s, around the same time as the events in the campaign. It continues the Dark Aether storyline by following directly on from Cold War, where Requiem managed to trap the Forsaken in the Containment Chamber with the help of Samantha Maxis.
Samantha’s heroics leave her locked within the Dark Aether, and the Requiem Strike Team are arrested and sent to Terminus, which is where Black Ops 6 picks up the story. The order to arrest the team was on behalf of Requiem’s Director, who was revealed as Edward Richtofen at the end of Cold War.
ActivisionThe theory is that Grigori Weaver was ordered to assassinate Richtofen by the CIA for unknown reasons. Samantha Maxis is believed to have given him information on the target and when to make his move. Weaver burnt Richtofen’s house down, believing he was the only one in, but his son and wife were the only two at home, leading to their deaths.
This is why Richtofen hand-picked Weaver for Requiem, knowing he would eventually be arrested and Samantha would be trapped in the Dark Aether. Richtofen even trained Samantha and unlocked her Dark Aether abilities as the Director of Requiem, keeping his true intentions secret.
Richtofen also left William Peck to die in the explosion at Test Site Anna, but he survived. Five years later, he has rescued those locked up in Terminus with a common goal – kill Edward Richtofen.
That was everything you need to know about the Black Ops 6 timeline and when the game is set. If you’re more of a multiplayer fan, many campaign locations will appear as new maps where you can try out the new omnidirectional movement and loadout system.