Everything we know about Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 2

The first season of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is nearly over, and the game has already been integrated with the free-to-play battle royale game Warzone and 2019's Modern Warfare. Season 2 is coming very soon though and is bound to change things up for all three games that are supported now.

While there's still a lot we don't know about Season 2 of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Warzone, we've rounded up everything we know about it following the first trailer and release date announcement for the new season.

But first: How did gaming get you through the pandemic? We want to hear from you! Take this quick Inverse survey.

When is the Black Ops Cold War Season 2 release date?

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will receive a rolling update on February 24 between 12 a.m. Eastern and 2 a.m. Eastern. Call of Duty: Warzone will follow suit at the same times — 12 and 2 a.m. Eastern — on February 25. And Season 2 will officially begin at the stroke of midnight Eastern time on February 25, which is also when the Warzone update goes live.

The in-game timer on the Season 1 battle pass indicates that the first season will end on February 24, so this release date makes a lot of sense.

This release continues to follow the two-month cadence that Call of Duty seasons have been on since Modern Warfare. As such, we can expect this Season 2 of Black Ops Cold War to run through late April or early May 2021.

Is there a Black Ops Cold War Season 2 trailer?

Yes, there is! Ahead of the new season's launch on February 25, a cinematic trailer was released that continues the game's story. We see Frank woods and his crew in a firefight as they search for Russell Adler.

Then on February 18, Activision released the official gameplay trailer for Season 2 that overviews many of the new modes, weapons, and characters entering the fray.

The trailer gives us plenty of story context: A villain called Naga is trying to secure a shipment of Nova 6 (a biochemical weapon) he can send to Verdansk, but a team of soldiers is sent in via chopper to put a stop to it. These four will be some of the Operators in the new season. The trailer also showcases some of the new weapons and finishers coming to the game as well.

Who are the new Black Ops Cold War Season 2 Operators?

Terrell Wolf (left in the above photo), is an elite Delta Force sniper from the bayous of Louisiana that's part of Adler's rescue mission. He's joined by Karla Rivas (right), a guerilla fighter who grew up in Nicaragua surrounded by the Menendez Cartel. Both Rivas and Wolf will be available as part of separate store bundles in Season 2, along with Samantha Maxis, a classic Black Ops character who will be playable for the first time ever. She joined Requiem to fend off outbreaks in the Urla Mountains.

Kapano “Naga” Vang, this season's villain, will also be a playable Operator available during launch week.

What is the Black Ops Cold War Season 2 story?

A February 18 Call of Duty blog tells players to "Get ready to descend into the heart of the Golden Triangle as Frank Woods and his team go on the hunt for Russell Adler, who went missing at the end of Season 1 after being captured by Stitch."

"But the strike team finds a new adversary in the form of Kapono “Naga” Vang, a ruthless trafficker of Nova 6," the post reads. Naga seems to be the next main villain of Black Ops Cold War's story. A YouTube description adds, "In Season 2, head to a stronghold in the jungles of Laos to strike back, rescue Adler from captivity, and even the fight." In short, everything is about trying to stop Naga from doing something to Verdansk, the setting of Warzone.

What are the new Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 2 weapons?

According to the massive February 18 blog post, however, goes into much greater detail. There will be six new weapons:

1. FARA 83: Assault Rifle
2. LC10: SMG
3. Machete: Special
4. E-Tool: Melee
5. R1 Shadowhunter Crossbow: Special
6. ZRG 20mm: Sniper

What is Call of Duty Outbreak?

There will also be a new open-world Zombies mode called Outbreak, in which up to four players must work together to "complete deadly experiments that few have survived" across a sprawling map crawling with zombies:

Continuing the Dark Aether story, Outbreak takes place across massive play spaces throughout the Ural Mountains, packed with new enemies, team objectives, player rewards, and intel to discover on foot, in vehicles, or by jump pads. Whether its hunting down elite enemies using a satellite tracker, escorting a Rover that detects dimensional portals, or holding out against zombies in a confined Dark Aether zone, agents of Requiem will need to complete these investigations before they can Exfil … or risk entering a Dark Aether portal to a new region for even more rewards.

A new field upgrade called Frenzied Guard will distract zombie enemies and a new ammo mod called Shatter Blast makes all bullets deal explosive damage. Additionally, new Refined and Flawless Aetherium Crystal types will allow players to upgrade skills to Tier IV and V.

What are the new Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 2 maps and modes?

Season 2 will also introduce four new maps:

1. Apocalypse
2. Golova
3. Mansion
4. Miami Strike

The small-medium Apocalypse map seems most directly tied to the core story in a village where the CIA investigates Adler's whereabouts. It's a densely packed map that includes a town and temple fortress. Golova is a traditional Russian village in the Ural Plains with "a dark secret embedded" within that's perfect for multi-team play.

Mansion is set in the picturesque Hefe Mansion in Havana, Cuba, which mostly includes two courtyards in a tight overall map that's ideal for 2v2 and 3v3. Miami Strike is more geared towards 6v6 and is set in Miami's South Beach neighborhood.

In terms of modes, Season 2 will add the following:

1. Gun Game (Free-For-All)
2. Stockpile (6v6)
3. Hardpoint (Multi-Team)

What changes will Season 2 make to Call of Duty: Warzone?

Starting with Season 1 of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the game is now compatible and integrated into the free-to-play battle royale success that is Call of Duty: Warzone. In Season 2, there will be a number of new points of interest that "advance Warzone's story." Among them may be the cargo tanker Vodianoy that has gone missing.

"Meanwhile, within Verdansk, something major is beginning to rumble deep underground," the blog post reads. Does this hint at zombies emerging from the bowels of some underground base?

There will also be a new Exfiltration battle royale mode where Operators have to find a radio and hold onto it for long enough, but they'll be marked by enemies when they hold it. The popular Resurgence mode will also get an Extreme variation where up to 90 players drop into the same small island.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 2 will begin on February 25, 2021.