Zombies (Air Studios)

*For other uses, see Zombie (disambiguation).*
*For similarly named game modes, see Zombies (War Games) and Zombies (Shadows).*

"*Survive the Zombie hordes alone or cooperatively. Repel wave after wave of increasingly deadly Zombies in a number of frightening locales. But be warned: there are more than just Zombies lurking these dark hallways...*"
— *Call of Duty: Black Ops* game manual description
**Zombies**, originally **Nazi Zombies**, is a game mode created by Air Studios. It first appeared in *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare* and became highly popular upon the game's release, resulting in the mode returning in *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare II*, *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III*, *ShooterofIO: Guardians*, *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4*, *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5*,*ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III*, and most recently *ShooterofIO: Ultimatum*. In Zombies, players face off against zombies of various nationalities depending on the location of the map, including Germans, Americans, Russians and Asians. Zombies content is only considered canon in its own universe.

Up to four players, must survive endless waves of attacking zombies, earning points from killing or damaging zombies and repairing barriers. These points can be used to purchase weapons and Perk-a-Colas in the process, or unlock new areas and activate other special objects. Zombies enter the player-accessible area of the map via windows, holes in walls, or climbing out of a "dirt" surface, which are initially barricaded but will be rapidly demolished by zombies.

The match will end when all players have been incapacitated or killed by the Zombies. A game can also end if the player completes the main easter on the map (if that map has a easter egg, of course.) In *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5* and *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III*, players can exfil the map after completing one final wave of the undead.

Zombies become stronger, faster and in higher numbers upon the completion of each round, forcing players to make tactical decisions about point spending and progressing through the map. On occasion, zombies will drop various power-ups such as Max Ammo, Nuke, or Insta-Kill upon their death, making the round easier.

Zombies is also known for carrying on the tradition of odd Easter Eggs within *ShooterofIO* games. Some of the maps have "major" Easter Eggs known as Main Quests, which upon completion, grant the player(s) an achievement/trophy, in addition to an in-game reward, usually in the form of weapons, Perks, or Calling Cards.

## Mechanics

### Health

The zombies' health grows rapidly, with each round bringing in more and more resilient zombies.

Before round 10, their health increases at a decent rate as they start with 150 health, and 100 is added each round until round 9, at which point they have 950 health per zombie.

Starting at round 10, their health increases by +10% each round. This eventually grows into massive numbers; at round 15 they have 1683 health, at round 30 they have 7030 health, at round 50 they have 47295 health, at round 100 they have 5.5 million health, and so on. For reference, automatic bullet weapons typically do somewhere between 50-200 damage per shot. Wonder Weapons and other extraordinary tools that do infinite damage (or otherwise extremely high damage) eventually become the only way to realistically kill even a single zombie at higher rounds.

However, due to the health becoming too high for the engine to handle at around round 200, zombies from this point on have the health of round 1.

### Amount

The amount of zombies per round also increases each round, though not as drastically as their health.

### Point System

There is a point system in the game mode that awards players for killing Zombies or doing unique actions. Points can be used to purchase different items and features, such as weapons or open doors and barriers. Some special zombies give reduced or no points:

* Non-Critical kill: 90 points
* Critical kill: 115 points
* Melee kill: 115 points
* Lethal explosive kill: 90 points
* Scorestreak kill: 90 points
* Repair a barricade: 10 points

## Maps

### ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare (2009)

#### Undead Forest

**Undead Forest** is the first map of the Zombies gamemode. The Zombies in this map are less deadly than the ones in other maps, as they do not reach through windows and they're the least smart in terms of AI. The map features buildables, a small easter-egg, and five perks.

#### Der Palace

**Der Palace** is the second map of the Zombies gamemode. The Zombies in this map are more developed and are less glitchy, as they now fairly destroy window barriers and they're the most smart in terms of AI. The faeture features many new features, easter-eggs, and six perks.

#### Der Bruch

Der Bruch is the third map overall and is a big map in general and features a huge easter-egg.

### ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare II (2012)

#### Dunkles Reich

**Dunkles Reich** is the first map in Dark Warfare II and fourth map overall in the Zombies franchise. This map is best known for the introduction to Objective Focused gameplay.

#### Die böse Küste

**Die böse Küste** is the second and final map in Dark Warfare II and the fifth map overall in the Zombies franchise.

### ShooterofIO: Guardians (2014)

#### Das weltliche Übel

**Das weltliche Übel** is the first and only map in Guardians and the sixth map overall in the Zombies franchise.

### ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III (2015)

#### Nuketown

**Nuketown** is the first map in Dark Warfare III and seventh map overall in the Zombies franchise. It is best known for the introduction to the Surge Formula.

#### Standoff

**Standoff** is the second map in Dark Warfare III and eighth map overall in the Zombies franchise.

#### Plaza

**Plaza** is the third map in Dark Warfare III and nineth map overall in the Zombies franchise.

#### Das wilde Tor

**Das wilde Tor** is the fourth and final map in Dark Warfare III and tenth map overall in the Zombies franchise. It is best known for being the first map to be round-based after a long time.

### ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4 (2018)

**ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4** featured all the Multiplayer maps as Zombies Surge experiences, and have been confirmed to not be in the Zombies franchise, and instead a "side-mode" that has Zombies in it.

### ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5 (2021)

#### Box World

**Box World** is the first map in Dark Warfare 5 and eleventh map overall in the Zombies franchise. Box World is also an expanded reimagining of Undead Forest, which features the classic layout with an entirely new look.

#### Untote Wüste

**Untote Wüste** (German: **Undead Desert**) is the second Zombies map for ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5. The map is set in Egypt and the Dark Realm itself. Untote Wüste is the second map in the Elder God Saga, and is the twelfth map overall. The map was released alongside Season Two of content in the game.

### ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III (2023)

#### Widerstand

*Main article: Widerstand*
**Widerstand** is the thirteenth map, and the first map in *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III*. The map is set in a small town that is set in New York that was once occupied by the Nazis. In the map, a vandalized, beaten down Resistance remake is seen.

#### Undead Forest

*Main article: Undead Forest (Modern Ops III)*
**Undead Forest** is the fourteenth ond **Zombies** map and the second featured in *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III.* This is the second map set in the Dark Aether Saga storyline. It is set within a abandoned forest. This map is a recreation of Undead Forest.

#### Leben der Toten

*Main article: Leben der Toten*
**Leben der Toten** (German: **Life of the Dead**) is the third map featured in *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III* and the fifteenth map overall. Officially released on May 26, 2024, as part of the game's Season Four content update, this map occupies a unique narrative and gameplay space in the ongoing Dark Aether Saga storyline. As the fifteenth map in the overall Zombies series, Leben der Toten brings players into the unsettling confines of "Operations," a seemingly innocuous home basement that harbors dark secrets and treacherous challenges. This map adds new dimensions to the unfolding narrative, while also serving as a high-stakes battleground where players must confront hordes of undead creatures.

#### Operation Deadbolt

*Main article: Operation Deadbolt*
**Operation Deadbolt** is the fourth and final map featured in *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III* Zombies. Officially released on September 29th, 2024, as part of teh game's Season Six content update, this map occupies a unique narrative that concludes the story that began in Widerstand. As the sixteenth map in the overall Zombies series, Operation Deadbolt brings players to three different locations: The Base of Operations from Leben der Toten, the Forest of the Dead, and Widerstand once again.

### ShooterofIO: Ultimatum

#### Palace of the Dead

*Main article: Palace of the Dead*
**Palace of the Dead** is the first Zombies map for *ShooterofIO: Ultimatum*. Palace of the Dead is the fifth map in the Dark Aether Saga storyline and is the seventeenth map overall. The was released on November 22nd, 2024 alongside the launch of *ShooterofIO: Ultimatum*.

## Story

*Main article: Zombies (Air Studios)/Story*
There are multipel storylines featured in Zombies overall. The first being the Overworld Saga which began in *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare* and concluded in *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III*. The second storyline, the Elder God Saga which wasn't really positively recieved, prompting Air Studios to move onto the third and current storyline the Dark Aether Saga storyline which began with *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III*.

The first of the storylines was the Overworld Story, an entirely unique take on Zombies. It wasn't really a story but more of a experience.

The second of these storylines was the Elder God Story, a filler story that didn't last more than a couple of games.

The thir of these storylines is the Dark Aether Saga, taking place between rifts of ShooterofIO and Call of Duty Zombies.

## ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare*
Zombies is a brand new take at a Survival Type mode. The first of it's kind in the ShooterofIO franchise.

## ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare II

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare II*
Air Studios brings Zombies to a different style of gameplay that fans loved when playing the Siege gamemode in *Dark Warfare*. But changes have been made for it to work better, the Studio changed it and made it where players can do more than just 10 objectives. After every objective the round increases. Earning Points is much easier than ever, you'll get rewarded with Bonus Points after every Objective.

The studio announced that the game would have less content due to the production for ShooterofIO: WWII, but Air Studios produced a new game throughout. They duped the Siege mode, and made many alterations in order to make the experience newer and more fun. Giving a never-ending experience, Air Studios announced on launch that the game has no round limit. The game also is the first to feature Demon Powers, a new way to empower the player to protect them from death situations or help destroy enemy armies!

## ShooterofIO: Guardians

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Guardians*
Zombies mode returns in *ShooterofIO: Guardians* and is developed Air Studios. The game features the exact same perks from Dark Warfare II. Pack-a-Punch has been redesigned into something much more improved; there is now three "tiers" of pack-a-punch, with each increasing the power of the chosen weapon which in return allows players to use any weapon for however long they wanna use the weapon. The game also features Power Chips, a feature that offers players many unique little abilities to help destroy the undead armies. While with Customization, players are now able to spawn in with their own loadout which can be customized and personalized within the menus. Demon Powers also return in the same form as from Dark Warfare II. The game launched with the map Das weltliche Übel, this is a hub map that consists of 4 objectives from the previous Zombies experiences and offers ways to empower the power that the player dishes out in multiple different ways. In Season One of Content, 4 more Power Chips were introduced and the Hardpoint Objective was added to the map Das weltliche Übel. In Season Two of Content, 2 more Power Cips were introduced and a new mode was released known as Serge. In Season Three, 1 new Power Chip was introduced and the lobby map got updated to introduce three new areas into the hub. In Season Four, 8 new Power Chips were introduced.

## ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III*
Zombies mode returns in *ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III*. The game features the exact same perks from Dark Warfare II. While with Customization, players are now able to spawn in with their own loadout which can be customized and personalized within the menus. Demon Powers also return in the same from as from Dark Warfare II. The game launched with the maps Nuketown and Standoff. In Season One, a new map was released known as Plaza along with a brand new Elite Zombie enemy known as the Chemical Beast, which is super strong and can poison the player, and transform normal Zombies into Poison Zombies. In Season Two, Power Chips were released into the game with a brand new style. Players are able to choose one of them in their loadouts before they play. Season Two also saw the release of the first ever Round Based map Das wilde Tor.

## ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4*
The cooperative Zombies mode returns in *Dark Warfare 4*. The mode is a expansion on classic features in previous Dark Warfare games. At launch, the game features all the Multiplayer maps, each remade to feature Perk Machines, a Custom "Quest" for Pack-a-Punch, Buyable Doors, Wall Buys, Mystery Box Locations, and plenty more. While this does make the gamemode feel more like Round-Based, it does play like *Dark Warfare III*. Surges have returned to being just "rounds" and a small-break occurs between each Round. The mode is back at Round Based. In Season Three, a new map was released and was a complete remake of the *Undead Forest* map from the original Dark Warfare game, with Round Based mechanics.

## ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5*
Zombies mode returns in Dark Warfare 5, featuring the Elder God Saga. The game launched with Box World. A big reimaging of Undead Forest. Like previous installments, players are able to spawn in with a loadout and a Demon Power. The four classic perks return. With the week three update, the Rampage Inducer was added to the map. Air Studios released Untote Wüste as part of Season Two on February 6th, 2022. On March 10, 2022, Outbreak was released into *Dark Warfare 5* as part of Season Two Reloaded.

## ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III*

Zombies mode returns in *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III* and is developed by SOI Studios. It is the first game to be set in the Dark Aether Story that is being worked on by Air Studios alongside SOI Studios. The launch map is called Widerstand. The game features the return of Perk-a-Colas such as Juggernog, Speed Cola and Deadshot Daiguiri. Like the other games, you'll be able to play as your multiplayer operators. The mode uses modern day technology to make the game feel like its set in the present day.

The game launched with the map Widerstand. The map features a easter egg, multiple side-quests, and a musical easter egg. On top of that, the map features seventeen pieces of intel that is unlockable through playing the map.

The second map which is called Undead Forest was released alongside Season Two on February 1, 2024. The map is a faithful remaster of the Air Studios map. The map features a easter egg, multiple side-quests, and a musical easter egg. On top of that, the map features seventeen pieces of intel that is unlockable through playing the map.

The third map which is called Leben der Toten was released alongside Season Four on May 25th, 2024. The map is a original location and features a boost in the Dark Aether Saga storyline. It introduces a brand new perk called PhD Flopper and introduces a new wonder weapon. The map features a easter egg, multiple side-quests, and a musical easter egg. On top of that, the map features seventeen pieces of intel that is unlockable through playing the map.

Operation Deadbolt is the fourth and final map featured in *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III* **Zombies**. Officially released on September 29th, 2024, as part of teh game's Season Six content update, this map occupies a unique narrative that concludes the story that began in Widerstand. As the sixteenth map in the overall Zombies series, Operation Deadbolt brings players to three different locations: The Base of Operations from Leben der Toten, the Forest of the Dead, and Widerstand once again.

Alongside the fifth season, a new playlist called "Onslaught" was released. This mode is played on every Multiplayer map and featured over 20 pieces of intel within the mode itself. Onslaught isn't traditional round based and instead uses a Surge system. At the start of Zombies Onslaught, the player will spawn in alongside a Dark Aether Orb, which itself is encased by a glowing, purple dome. Exiting the dome will result in the player(s) taking damage. Zombies will begin to spawn within the Dark Aether Orb-affected region, and must be killed in order to increase the Orb's power to 100% (a bar on the left showcases the Orb's Power, with each kill adding 10% to the progress). Once the Orb Power is at 100%, the Orb will explode and kill all remaining enemies in the area, whilst moving to a different location. This completes what is known as a "Surge". After another Surge is completed, the Orb will move once again and set down, enlarging itself and allowing an Elite enemy (or 2 Special enemies, which are referred to as Elites in Onslaught as well) to spawn, while also counting the Elite spawn by itself as a Surge. Once the enemies are defeated, they will drop a Random Perk Power-Up, as well as various other items, such as weapons or equipment. This completes an "Elite Surge". The Orb will move to a new location, repeating the process indefinitely. Elite Surges also drop Aether Tools, which appear as Dark Aether Wrenches. Picking up one of these Aether Tools will result in the currently equipped weapon being graded by one Quality Tier. Another item that may also drop from Elites are Weapon Chalices, Which depending on the grade, will also provide the currently equipped weapon with a pack a punch upgrade. (Bronze for tier 1 Pack a Punch, Silver for tier 2 and Gold for tier 3). Please note that Weapon Chalices are separate and unrelated to Surge chalices, which are earned through completing a set number of Elite surges in a single game.

In Season Six, a new variant of the game mode, Onslaught Containment, was introduced, bringing a fresh twist to the familiar gameplay. Unlike the original Onslaught mode where the Orb moves and a confining bubble limits the playable area, Onslaught Containment offers a static Orb and eliminates the restrictive bubble altogether. This change opens up the entire map for exploration and combat, offering a more liberating gaming experience. To balance this newfound freedom, however, the mode is available exclusively on Gunfight maps, which are generally more compact and intensively designed. This carefully considered alteration maintains the challenge and excitement while offering a whole new tactical landscape for players to navigate.

## ShooterofIO: Ultimatum

*Main article: ShooterofIO: Ultimatum*

Zombies mode returns in *ShooterofIO: Ultimatum* and is developed by Air Studios. It is the second game to be set in the Dark Aether Story that serves as a prequel to the events of *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III*. The launch map is called Palace of the Dead

Zombies mode returns in *ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III* and is developed by SOI Studios. It is the first game to be set in the Dark Aether Story that is being worked on by Air Studios alongside SOI Studios. The launch map is called Widerstand. The game features the return of Perk-a-Colas such as Juggernog, Speed Cola and Deadshot Daiguiri. Like the other games, you'll be able to play as your multiplayer operators. The mode uses modern day technology to make the game feel like its set in the present day.

## Ranking systems

### ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare, Dark Warfare II, Guardians, Dark Warfare III, Dark Warfare 4

A ranking system is a new feature that was introduced in Black Ops 2. It has a total of five levels, a bone, a cross bone, a skull, a skull stabbed with a knife and a skull with two shotguns.

A consistent good performance is rewarded, including high rounds survived and lack of downs. The player can get demoted to a lower rank for lowering their performance, typically by going down often at low rounds.

The tally marks on the emblem depend on the player's recent activity. The player will get a tally mark each day they play at least one match. Not playing will reduce one tally mark per day.

### ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5 and Modern Ops III

In both *Dark Warfare 5* and *Modern Ops III*, the Multiplayer and Zombies features a unified progression system, having the rankings being the same over both modes.