‘COD: Black Ops 3 – Awakening’ DLC Get February Release, Map Details

Activision announced the release date of the first Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 DLC pack Monday. Awakening is targeting an early February release for the PlayStation 4, with other platforms coming approximately one month later. The publisher also released details for each of the four new maps and the new Zombies experience, plus a preview trailer from Treyarch.

The PlayStation 4 will receive Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 – Awakening first on February 3, 2016, as part of a timed exclusivity deal between Sony and Activision. The Xbox One and PC will receive the pack approximately one month later. This is the same timed exclusivity setup that Microsoft enjoyed for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 prior to the timed exclusivity contract running out and Sony stepping in to snatch it.

The Awakening DLC pack will cost $15 by itself and is included for free as part of the $50 Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Season Pass. PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners will not have the DLC pack available for purchase.

Black Ops 3 fans can look forward to an all-new Zombies adventure with Der Eisendrache. This is the first chapter in a new storyline that will unfold over the course of the four DLC packs that are planned for the shooter. The map takes the original characters of Richtofen, Nicolai, Takeo, and Dempsey to an eerie snow-covered medieval castle where many dark, occult-like events have taken place over the centuries. Additionally, it is home to massive deposits of Element 115, the meteor element that is used to create zombies and powers many of the outlandish weapons and devices.

Four new mega-gumballs will also be introduced to the Zombies experience with the Awakening DLC. There aren’t any details on what these power-up items will do, however.

The four new multiplayer maps – “Skyjacked,” “Rise,” “Splash,” and “Gauntlet” – all use the same three-lane design that is favored by the team at Treyarch. Things are mixed up some, such as with “Gauntlet” using a completely different environment for each of the lanes.

The rest of the maps are re-imaginings of previous maps from the Black Ops series. The most striking of these is probably “Skyjacked.” This is a remake of “Hijacked” from Black Ops 2 but set on an Avengers Helicarrier-like setting versus a luxury yacht. The new Black Ops 3 movement system looks to set up some hair-raising moments as players can wall run on the outside of the VTOL.

Meanwhile, “Splash” takes place in the water while “Rise” is located in a snow-covered factory near Zurich. The two appear to be inspired by “Grind” and “Silo,” respectively. You can check out the official description for each of the maps from Treyarch and Activision below.

• Gauntlet: Grounded in a military training facility, Gauntlet plays up the core philosophy of Treyarch’s classic three lane map structure with distinct variety in visuals and gameplay. Each of the three primary lanes has a unique environment as players battle through a sprawling jungle, sub-zero artic zone and rainy urban cityscape.
• Splash: Set in an abandoned water theme park, this vibrant and playful map delivers an imaginative environment complete with waterslides, a wrecked pirate ship, and a lazy river ride that winds through a fantastical forgotten city. Splash is designed to drive an open flow of combat, including plenty of opportunities for underwater gameplay.
• Rise: Set in the snowy outskirts of Zurich, Rise is a Coalescence Corporation construction project for a massive subterranean research campus. The design of the map caters to a mix of classic Call of Duty cover combat alongside strategic core movement opportunities, with each section of the map offering distinctly different styles of gameplay.
• Skyjacked: Set on a security VTOL in the clouds over urban Zurich, Skyjacked is a reimagined version of the popular Call of Duty: Black Ops II multiplayer map Hijacked, and retains the same fast and frenetic gameplay from one of the most popular maps in Call of Duty history, but with a twist. Skyjacked gives players the opportunity to explore the map in a variety of new ways thanks to the all-new core movement system in Black Ops III.

One notable absence is the mention of any special weapon being introduced with the DLC. This was a common occurrence with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Call of Duty: Ghosts. The introduction of the Black Market with microtransactions may be a big reason why though.

What do you think of the Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 – Awakening DLC? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image via Treyarch]