A Look at Black Ops 7's Version of Stakeout, could Black Ops 6 Maps be Coming to Black Ops 7?

 

With the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, many fans have wondered which maps will return from past Black Ops games, and that includes Black Ops 6. While opinions tend to be mixed, there are fan favorites many wish would return, and the reality is, most of them actually have; just not currently in the way one might think.

At this time, one if the biggest criticisms of the game is none other than its campaign. Rather than being a standard story with levels to work through, it almost feels like an entirely different game mode removed from Black Ops's reality—and that's because it is. This is not your typical Call of Duty campaign, and completing it unlocks "End Game," which feels like a Call of Duty take on RPG shooters such as Destiny. This mode in general features giant boss fights, monsters and zombies to survive, and countless enemies to take down as you work your way towards objectives. 

What makes this campaign unique is the fact that it all takes place in a giant open world, and there are plenty of hidden secrets for players to discover—including basically every single multiplayer map and location featured in Black Ops 6. Although you couldn't freely access the overall world in Black Ops 6, most of the maps were set within Avalon, which serves as the main setting for Black Ops 7 as well. This means all of the locations you could see in the distance in maps from Black Ops 6 are now here and can be fully explored, and by using landmarks players can easily track down the locations of their favorite maps. However, despite Black Ops 7 using Avalon, it is not a simple copy and paste from the previous title.

While the general layout of Avalon is the same, nearly every section of the world has seen modern improvements and map balances. This includes updating the maps to account for being able to jump off of walls, and fixing "problem areas" that were abused by players in Black Ops 6. 

But why go through the trouble? 

Maybe so they can one day reintroduce them to the multiplayer?

Of course, at this time, nothing is official, but the possibility is there. We have returning maps from other Black Ops titles, but nothing (outside of Nuke Town) from Black Ops 6 made the cut. It is completely possible the developers want to keep Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 as their own unique separate games, and encourage players to purchase (and play) both titles. Black Ops 7 isn't necessarily a replacement for 6, but it is the "latest and greatest" release that some players will migrate to. However, for the sake of this article, let's take a quick look at how they've changed one of the most popular maps from 6 for Black Ops 7, and how it would function if it does in fact become a part of the standard multiplayer.

This is how Black Ops 7 has updated Stakeout. 

Black Ops 7 Stakeout 2035:

Anyone who has played Black Ops 6 even for a few minutes will recognize the name Stakeout. This small apartment was a 6v6 map, and became a go-to for those who were looking for mass chaos. It consisted of two sides, each with a bathroom, kitchen, and living area, a hall that connected them, multiple balcony areas, side rooms, and the open center one could jump across. There were a lot of angles one could take when approaching this map, and there were favorite "camping spots" one needed to watch out for. It was a map players would either love or hate, and due to its popularity, it may have the best chance of returning in some form. Well, thanks to Avalon, we know what "form" that would be.

The First Apartment - 

 

Right from the start, this map has clearly been altered. The kitchen area facing the door that leads to a hall connecting the two apartments has had its counter removed. Players would no longer be able to hide behind this counter while shooting down the hall; however, a new balcony area has been opened up behind it, which contains two new doors. This makes the area much more open in general, and also gives players a new path to navigate while trying to sneak up on someone.

Additionally, the area has some modern furniture, but the hall and surrounding rooms remain mostly the same—including the bathroom. Even so, simply opening this area up more and providing an additional path would cause many to rethink their strategy. There is one change, however, with the bedroom, as the previously closed door just to the left is now open.

The Hall -

While the hall itself hasn't changed, the stairs to the upper and lower areas are not blocked in Avalon. By going up the stairs one will reach the little balcony area attached to the roof, while going down will lead to lower rooms, and eventually the ground level. 

 

 

While maybe all of these rooms wouldn't be utilized in a Black Ops 7 multiplayer map, the floor below does now connect to one of the balconies that players would previously use to camp. This allows from seamless transition between levels, incorporating at least two floors into the core layout of the stage.

 

 The Second Apartment -

Similar to the first apartment, the second one has also seen a handful of revisions. The kitchen on this side now has a small island, rather than its full counter, but it does not contain a balcony behind it. Players in this room are still cornered if they choose to stand here, with only a path ahead and to their left side to get out.

 

Outside of this, the rest of this side of the map does remain virtually the same. The apartment has once again been modernized, but overall there is less furniture and decorations compared to what we saw in Black Ops 6. The side rooms remain the same on this map as well, with a bathroom, office area, and a bedroom—both of which contain balconies that connect to the other side of the map.

But will Stakeout come to Black Ops 7?

Despite all the work put into altering this map, and balance changes, it is completely unknown if this map will be used in the standard multiplayer mode or not. The alterations will go a long way to help with Warzone as well, which could be its one and only use outside of the campaign. 

Black Ops 7 Stakeout Location: 

For those who are interested in checking out Stakeout for themselves, here is the location on the map. It is located within the Pier District, and out across from the ferris wheel.

And for more, here is a quick gameplay video showcasing the new version of the stage.

Gameplay: