Why Round-based Zombies maps are so popular in Call of Duty?

With the exception of Modern Warfare 3 Zombies and Black Ops Cold War Outbreak, most Call of Duty titles have featured a Round-based Zombies mode. Despite the open-world experience that MWZ has for fans, many in the community tend to lean towards the Round-based maps. It is not merely an opinion but a fact as Call of Duty fans were elated when BO6 was announced to feature such maps.

On paper, the open-world experience that MW3 Zombies provides should appeal to most players. However, it didn't. Although there are some players who prefer MWZ, many in the community would rather pick a round-based map over the open-world Urzikstan any day. So why is that? Well, it goes beyond just nostalgia and the community has made it clear why they prefer one over the other.

In this brief article, we'll explore the three main reasons why Round-based maps in Zombies are popular among Call of Duty fans.

Why do Call of Duty fans prefer Round-based Zombies maps?

There are three primary reasons why Call of Duty fans prefer the Round-based Zombies maps over the open-world design. These reasons are as follows:

Nostalgia

Round-based Zombies map in Call of Duty: World at War (Image via Activision)

One of the main reasons why Call of Duty fans tend to lean towards Round-based maps is nostalgia. Many CoD players grew up playing a Round-based Zombies mode. It was introduced as a third game mode with World at War (2005) and has since made its way to several subsequent entries.

Growing up with the Zombies mode gave players a platform where they could team up together against AI enemies and how far they could go without dying. The objective wasn't to be the best player in the lobby but to explore various parts of the maps, find new routes, complete easter eggs, and most importantly, have a fun time with their friends.

This has been the case for quite a long time. Veteran fans of the series now want to return to simpler times and reminisce the memories they made with their friends back in the day.

Also read: When does Modern Warfare 3 Zombies end?

No time limit

Having no time limit is another reason for fans to prefer Round-based Zombies maps. While they can play as long as they want to, the rounds tend to get challenging over time, making it more fun. Furthermore, having no time limit allows players to explore the maps and other easter eggs at their own pace.

Unfortunately, in the latest Zombies mode, i.e., Modern Warfare 3 Zombies, there is a time limit of 1 hour. With the map being so big and with so little time in hand, players can hardly explore. Instead, the time is spent completing missions, contracts, and looting when not killing zombies. The limited time flies fast and this leaves a lot to be desired.

In fact, MWZ resembles the DMZ looter shooter than the classic Zombies mode in Call of Duty. This makes the maps stale over time as the clock is always ticking and if players don't make out in time, they may lose it all. The clock ticking in the back of the mind can be quite bothersome, especially for those who are looking to just unwind after a hard day at work or school.

Sense of accomplishment

Last but not least, players love the sense of accomplishment that comes with a round-based Zombies map. As mentioned earlier, MWZ tends to get stale pretty quickly. Sure there are new contracts to complete and items to unlock in the game but it is quite different from how the Round-based Zombies maps play.

The difficulty in MWZ isn't that high as long as you are playing with a squad. The map itself is divided into multiple zones with different levels of difficulty and you decide where you want to go.

If you find a fight tough, you will back away and try it again in the next infil because you know you can access it instantly by simply heading over to the same location. This isn't something that you can have in the Round-based Zombies maps, especially in the older Call of Duty titles.

In the Round-based Zombies maps, things kick off slowly and as the rounds progress, they get more difficult. There is no going back. If you can't survive a round and die, there's no going back instantly. You will have to start all over again from the first round.

However, completing a wave and getting to the next round adds a sense of accomplishment. Knowing you got better over time after struggling with a fight for so long is a feeling that most love.

This is one of the reasons why souls-like games tend to do so well among gamers. This sense of accomplishment is missing from the open-world Zombies maps and as a result, players tend to prefer the Round-based Zombies maps.

These are only some of the reasons why Round-based Zombies maps in Call of Duty are so popular. Other reasons such as the typical Call of Duty gameplay loop that fits perfectly with the mode are also something to be considered.

For more Call of Duty articles, check out the links below:

Edited by Shraman Mitra