Call of Duty Zombies is getting stale, but what could come next?

The Call of Duty franchise thrives on multiplayer gameplay, but its story campaigns and zombie modes are equally exciting to the first-person shooter fan base. Activision has released dozens of zombie maps throughout the years, and while some deviate from the norm, the overall round-based gameplay nearly always stays the same.

There are numerous directions that COD could take in 2026 and beyond, especially if Activision greenlights a brand-new IP in the coming years. We’re going to show you five routes that Call of Duty might go for a never-before-seen game mode to replace Zombies, even if only for a single title.

Zombies mode will always be a Call of Duty classic, especially for the Black Ops series, though standalone games like COD WW2 Zombies and Call of Duty Zombies Mobile also offer fun experiences. Despite its strong roots with the franchise, most new zombie maps barely innovate and reuse ideas from previous entries. While maps like Black Ops 7’s Ashes of the Damned offer a couple of new mechanics, the gameplay loop is still largely the same as maps that came before it.

Outside of Modern Warfare’s Special Ops, there haven’t been many alternative secondary modes implemented into Call of Duty, causing the gameplay loop to feel stale. Black Ops 6 was released in 2024, and Black Ops 7 in 2025, and their zombie modes are quite similar, too, so we think it might be time to shake things up for Call of Duty in 2026.

Between new concepts and rebooting old ideas, here are five directions that Call of Duty could go if it adds a new secondary mode to replace Zombies.

Parkour may seem like the furthest thing from Call of Duty, but it could actually work if implemented correctly. Mechanics like wall jumping, wall running, omnimovement, and even sliding have all been implemented in previous COD titles, and they’d be perfect for a movement-based parkour mode.

Activision could build linear levels that players run through with enemies around every corner and obstacles that you have to move quickly through in order to succeed. As Call of Duty’s movement becomes more in-depth, it opens up the possibility for an obstacle course experience that places you up against both NPC enemies and a variety of movement-based challenges.

Additionally, it could be implemented as a multiplayer mode that allows you to race against your friends.

If zombies are so popular in Call of Duty, then why can’t ghosts be as well? Implementing a new type of undead enemy could be just what Call of Duty needs to shake up its secondary offering in the next generation of games.

Zombies might be replaced by ghosts, and traditional guns could even be adjusted to shoot a new type of paranormal projectile, turning players into military ghostbusters. Call of Duty has replaced Zombies with a cryptid-based game mode in the past, so it isn’t far-fetched that ghosts or an alternative supernatural creature could be next on the list.

Call of Duty has occasionally experimented with top-down modes, like in BO7’s Dead Ops Arcade. However, we haven’t yet received a secondary mode that focuses on strategic gameplay where the player commands troops on a virtual game board.

There are various interesting ways that Call of Duty could create a military strategy sim, and it would be a much-needed change of pace. Dead Ops Arcade exists alongside Zombies mode in Black Ops 7, so a strategy sim doesn’t even have to replace another mode; instead, it could be an extra offering.

Extinction is one of the most unique experiences in COD history, as it was exclusive to Call of Duty: Ghosts. Players pair up into squads of four to fight NPC cryptids, which are terrifying monsters unlike what you’d usually see in a Zombies map.

Each participant can pick from one of four classes and upgrade their gear using money earned by progressing in the match. Players can complete a match of Extinction and receive an ending, too. Extinction deserves another chance due to its unique enemies and rewarding gameplay loop, even if it was never widely popular.

The most likely alternative mode to zombies is definitely Special Ops, which lets players fight waves of human enemies while upgrading their equipment as they get deeper into the match. Special Ops is a staple in the Modern Warfare franchise, as MW games usually include this mode instead of zombies.

With a fresh coat of paint and new mechanics, Special Ops could be remade into an even greater experience by adding more enemy variety and vehicles. Though it’s not entirely new, it would be fun to receive a new Special Ops mode since we haven’t gotten any new content for it in years.

Some FPS fans consider Call of Duty to be largely stagnant, but the reality is that Activision is always adding new elements to build upon the existing formula. We can see that in Black Ops 7’s Endgame mode, or even the addition of Directed for new zombie maps.

If Activision is willing to go the extra mile to create a new experience, then perhaps something like Ghosts’ Extinction mode could see the light of day again in the future.