Summary
Call of Dutyis one of the longest-running first-person shooter franchises,featuring a diverse roster of titles, each offering its own unique experience. From storming real battlegrounds during World War II to being flung into the future with robots and advanced weaponry, longtime players of the franchise have been in for a wild ride.
With the series running for as long as it has—and with several major studios developing each title—it’s only natural thatCall of Dutyhas gone through its fair share of features. Some have stuck around for years, while others have long since been forgotten. However, certain past features could have a positive impact on the franchise if they made a comeback. Here are justa few features from pastCall of Dutytitles that deserve to return.
1Pick 10 Class System
Classic Loadout System From Black Ops 2
Of all the features that could make a return inCall of Duty, thePick 10 Systemis arguably the most requested. The Pick 10 System was an integral part of the Create-a-Class feature in games likeBlack Ops 2andBlack Ops 3, giving players the ability toselect ten individual components for their loadout.Everything from weapons, Perks, Wildcards, and both Lethal and Tactical Equipment took up a slot, contributing to the ten total available selections.
With the Pick 10 System, players couldsacrifice certain parts of their loadout to free up space for customization elsewhere—such as adding extra attachments to a weapon, equipping multiple Wildcards, or stacking even more Perks. WhileBlack Ops 6offers some of these benefitsthrough the use of Wildcards, the return of Pick 10—or something equivalent—could provide players with much greater freedom in customizing their loadouts.
2Outbreak
Large-Scale Zombies Experience From Black Ops Cold War
Moving on to more Zombies-specific features, we haveOutbreak—a large-scale Zombies mode that differs greatly from the traditional round-based experience. Players diving into Outbreak found themselves on large maps, many of which were borrowed from Multiplayer’s Fireteam and Combined Arms modes. Here, players are tasked withcompleting objectives to progress through different zones, each one increasing in difficulty. Players also had the option to extract from the map, much like inBlack Ops 6 Zombies, and could evencomplete game-ending Easter Eggs.
With its vast play areas, intense boss fights, and unique objectives, Outbreak became a fun and refreshing alternative to traditional Zombies, gaining a dedicated fan base throughoutBlack Ops Cold War. WhileModern Warfare 3’sZombies mode took a similar open-world approach, many players are hoping fora true Outbreak experience to return—one that could very well be included in 2025’s premiumCall of Dutytitle.
3Grief & Turned
Fun Zombie Game Modes From Black Ops 2
Speaking of Zombies game modes, bothGrief and Turnedare long overdue for a return to theCall of Dutyfranchise. Both modes debuted inBlack Ops 2Zombies, and while they offered different experiences, each was a blast to play. For those unfortunate enough to have never played either mode, Grief and Turned departed from the traditional round-based experience many are familiar with, leading to some seriously fun gameplay.
Grief retained the classic round-based Zombies gameplaymany are used to, this time with two teams of four players who have to outlast each other.Turned, on the other hand, combined mechanics from Infection and Gun Game.It featured four players—three as zombies and one as a human. The human’s goal was to eliminate zombies, with their weapons changing after each kill. Zombies, meanwhile, had to take down the humans to switch roles with them. Each kill earned players points, with humans receiving a bonus, and the player with the most points at the end of the game won.
Fun and competitive modes like Grief and Turned provided a fresh experience forBlack Ops 2, and they could very well bea great addition to a future title.Witha rumoredBlack Ops 2sequel on the horizon for 2025, perhaps both modes could see a revival in the near future.
4Emblem Editor
Emblem Creation System Introduced In Black Ops 2
From unique gamemodes to custom cosmetics now with theEmblem Editor, a mechanic heavily featured inBlack Ops 2. This unique toolallowed players to create custom emblems, which were displayed on their user profiles and showcased during objective captures, Scorestreak calls, and more. The Emblem Editor included a wide range of preset shapes that players could manipulate to their liking. Thanks to the creativity of the community, this feature led to near-endless possibilities for some truly epic designs.
The Emblem Editor was one of the many beloved features outside ofBlack Ops 2’score gameplay, especially when paired with an unintentional bug thatallowed players to copy others' emblem designsfor their own use. However, while the feature did carry over to other titles likeBlack Ops 3andInfinite Warfare, the feature has not returned in recentCall of Dutytitles. Whether due to misuse by some players or the fact thatsuch cosmetics are now sold within each title’s stores, it seems highly unlikely that the Emblem Editor will make a comeback to theCall of Dutyfranchise.
5Paint Shop
Camo-Making Feature Introduced In Black Ops 3
Following the Emblem Editor is thePaint Shop, a mechanic that made its debut in the widely belovedCall of Duty: Black Ops 3. The Paint Shop functioned similarly to the Emblem Editor fromBlack Ops 2, but this time, itallowed players to create custom paint jobs for their weapons.While the feature was somewhat niche inBlack Ops 3, and players couldn’t apply paint jobs to the entirety of their weapons, it was still a nice addition that allowed players deeper control over their weapon personalization.
While recentCall of Dutytitles have introduced additional weapon customization options beyond Camos and Blueprints, such as Decals and Stickers, none of these features offer the same level of creative control as the Paint Shop. However, sinceBlack Ops 3managed toincorporate purchasable Camos alongside the Paint Shop, a similar feature could potentially be implemented in a future title—though it remains highly unlikely that the Paint Shop, as seen inBlack Ops 3, will be revived.
6DMZ
Extraction-Shooter Game Mode Introduced In Warzone 2.0
Last but not least isDMZ, a unique game mode thatdebuted during theModern Warfare 2era ofWarzone, also known asWarzone 2.0. DMZ is anextraction-shooter experiencewhere players can drop into various large-scale exclusion zones, either as a team or solo. The mode offers a great deal of freedom regarding how players can play, emphasizing objectives, securing better loot, and extracting safely to secure their acquired gear. Players can then stash their earned loot for future deployments, but if eliminated during a mission, they lose everything they had equipped.
Like more hardcoreextraction shooters likeEscape from Tarkov, DMZ incorporates similar mechanics likeseasonal wipes and mission resets, but also more original features like theconcept of insured weapons—customizable guns that remain accessible unless they go on cooldown after being lost in combat. Despite its more casual approach, the mode was pretty popular, attracting a niche playerbase that enjoyed completing challenges or engaging in epic PvP encounters more thrilling than those inWarzoneBattle Royale.
With heaps of exclusive content, such as additional exclusion zones, and a strong player base, DMZ was a great experience, leaving many fans hoping to see support for the mode going intoModern Warfare 3—which unfortunately did not happen. However, rumors suggest thatDMZ may make a comebackin the 2026 premiumCall of Dutytitle, hopefully giving fans the continuation that they deserve.
