CoD Black Ops 4's cancelled "War mode" gameplay got leaked

In a surprising turn of events, a leaked video has surfaced, showcasing gameplay of the canceled War mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Shared by @mysticaIfrog on X, the footage gives players a glimpse into what could have been an intriguing addition to the iconic franchise.

The leaked gameplay, dated October 31, 2016, features none other than David Vonderhaar, the Studio Design Director at Treyarch, demonstrating the early stages of the War mode.

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CoD Black Ops 4's canceled "War mode" gameplay details and more

One of the significant revelations from the leaked footage is the existence of several abandoned Zombies maps. Two planned Chaos DLC maps were shelved, along with a mysterious Chaos storyline map codenamed "zm_blue," which was intended to be released after the Ancient Evil map.

Additionally, datamined model strings pointed towards the return of iconic maps TranZit and Origins from Call of Duty: Black Ops II for both Chaos and Aether storylines.

Each scrapped map carried its unique design and setting, such as Morocco for the Chaos story and Russia for the Aether story. The zm_blue map — with references to an "Earth Throne Room" and a waterfall — remains a mystery, leaving fans to ponder what might have been.

The War mode itself was poised to bring a fresh dynamic to the Black Ops series. Gamers would have engaged in a territorial battle, taking turns attacking and defending bases.

The leaked tips from the game mode suggest the inclusion of exclusive abilities for different player roles, such as slayers utilizing double jumps and wall runs for flank routes and others having enhanced capturing and defending abilities.

The canceled mode reportedly also featured the notion of a forward spawn, providing attackers with a strategic advantage by spawning them closer to the objective. Defenders, however, had the opportunity to deactivate the forward spawn to level the playing field.

As the Call of Duty community absorbs this news, discussions are afoot about what could have been if the War mode had made it to the final release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. The leaked footage raises questions about the intriguing design choices and the stories that could have been told with these now-abandoned maps.