These classic COD maps need to return in Black Ops 7 & Warzone

Between Black Ops 7 and Warzone, the latest iterations of Call of Duty offer a combined total of 18 maps. These range from vast battlegrounds to compact arenas where your next gunfight is mere moments away. Credit to Treyarch and Raven Software, the two developers have done a great job of delivering a diverse map pool that has something for everyone.

The new offerings undoubtedly outclass the Black Ops 6 maps thanks to the return of traditional three-lane designs that offer superior flow. While there’s a lot to like about the maps in Black Ops 7, it’s clear that there’s still room to bring back some of the franchise’s best. With that said, here are seven classic COD maps that need to return in a future update. 

The Escapist recaps

• Black Ops 7 is bringing back some classic maps, but these are mostly older arenas that have already been remastered in past games.
• The post-launch content plan would benefit from adding lesser-known maps, especially those that were locked behind paid DLC, such as Berlin Wall and Casino, which many fans may have never had the chance to play.
• Black Ops 7 features wall jumping, making it the first game in years that could potentially feature maps from the jetpack era, like fan favorite Combine.
• Warzone has vaulted several maps, leaving its rotation surprisingly small. Bringing back the likes of Al Mazrah and Vondel would help fix this issue.

Hangar (Word at War)

Featuring as the oldest Call of Duty map on this list, the Hangar debuted in World at War. At the time, it was considered top-tier and one of the strongest entries in what was a seriously stacked map pool. Despite this, Hangar has never been remastered, leaving generations of Call of Duty players completely unaware of its special significance.

While most three-lane maps focus the action on the center, this map instead funnels players to fight it out over the hangar from which the map gets its name. Controlling this power position gives you the high ground to watch over the other lanes. It was a smart design that made action inevitable and kept players entertained for hours on end.

Berlin Wall (Black Ops 1)

Unlike World at War, a lot of maps from Black Ops 1 have been remastered over the years. Franchise classics like Firing Range, Nuketown, and Summit keep coming back, but the same can’t be said of Berlin Wall. Originally a DLC map, this hasn’t made an appearance in 14 years, which is a damn shame given how distinctive it is.

The defining feature of the Berlin Wall was no-man’s land, a death zone that split the map in half, where players would be gunned down if they crossed. To avoid this fate, you could use smoke grenades to blind the turrets, creating an entirely new lane. While this map isn’t perfect, there’s no doubt that it’s unique and would be a fun addition to Black Ops 7’s map pool.

Cargo (Black Ops 2)

Of all the Call of Duty maps to never be remastered, Cargo is probably the most surprising. Not only was this always a fan favorite, but it also debuted in Black Ops 2, which is widely regarded as one of the best Call of Duty games ever. Given this, you’d assume it would have returned multiple times like Hijacked and Standoff have, but that’s not the case.

For whatever reason, Cargo hasn’t made an appearance in many years. It’s unfortunate because this map played incredibly well in its time. The best part was the dynamic central area that changed as a nearby crane moved the shipping crates around. This constantly evolving part of the map was a real hotspot, making sure every gunfight was unpredictable and exciting.

Combine (Black Ops 3)

The reason that Combine has never made a return is pretty obvious. This map was designed with Black Ops 3’s movement in mind, so the lack of jetpacks in newer entries means it wouldn’t work. At least that was the case until Black Ops 7, as the wall jumping and enhanced omnidirectional movement mean a tweaked version of the Combine could be on the cards.

Ask most people what their favorite map from Black Ops 3 was, and there’s a good chance they’ll say Combine. This compact arena was fast-paced and hectic yet still offered plenty of options for flanking and had a clearly defined flow. There was something for everyone, and now that its return is viable at last, it would be a big miss for Combine to not make its comeback.

Casino (Black Ops 4)

Let’s be real, most of you probably haven’t even heard of this map. That’s because it was featured in Black Ops 4 as a paid DLC, which is hardly a recipe for popularity. Despite this, Casino was a fun addition that took place in Monaco, delivering an aesthetic that we had never seen in any other Call of Duty map.

Not only is this one of the rare night maps that is actually good, but it’s also one of the most beautiful maps in the franchise. Beyond aesthetics, Casino rewards players for learning the ins and outs of how it flows. While its layout is complex, this provides a platform for skill expression that would work great in a competitive game like Black Ops 7.

Vondel (Warzone)

Like most Warzone maps, Vondel was vaulted and is no longer playable. That’s unfortunate because the Vondel map struck the perfect balance between a full-scale battle royale map and a smaller Resurgence map. It somehow worked in both game modes, which isn’t really true of any other map to date, and certainly not of any map currently in rotation.

Verdansk is huge, and Rebirth Island is tiny. From what we know about the upcoming Haven’s Hollow, that is unlikely to fill the niche Vondel did either. If Raven Software doesn’t have a good option to fill this role, why not bring back Vondel instead? It was always popular, and there’s no doubt a lot of Warzone players would love to see it return.

Al Mazrah (Warzone)

It’s just a fact: Al Mazrah was never given a fair chance. The only reason this map isn’t popular in the Warzone community is that it was released alongside Warzone 2.0, by far the worst iteration of Call of Duty’s battle royale. The clumsy looting system, sluggish movement, and bizarre sniper nerfs alienated core fans who had fallen in love with the original game.

Things are different now, with Warzone having largely returned to its roots. Another big map would be a blessing, as Verdansk is currently the only option. We know Avalon is on its way, but why not go a step further and bring back Al Mazrah too? Raven could create a three-map rotation that would give Warzone more variety than ever before.

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