Call of Duty season 2 brings back Gun Game and a fan-favorite Zombies weapon we haven't seen in 10 years

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The Ice Staff is back, baby

A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 just unveiled its big season 2 update, and it's a return home for fans of the OG Zombies experience as well as players who've been waiting not so patiently for Gun Game's comeback.

In a new trailer and accompanying blog post, the full breadth of new content coming in Call of Duty season 2 is laid bare. The three new maps coming to the main multiplayer mode include an Avalon crime boss's penthouse in Bounty, a shifty black market used car lot in Dealership, and a stolen yacht in Lifeline Strike. Comparatively, things are a little quiet in Warzone season 2 as Treyarch dedicates its resources to gameplay tuning and quality of life stuff, but Activision assures "a full selection of content is still accessible."

Season 02 Launch Trailer | Call of Duty: Warzone & Black Ops 6 - YouTube Season 02 Launch Trailer | Call of Duty: Warzone & Black Ops 6 - YouTube
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There's also some new Big Guns, rewards, and limited-time events coming in Season 2, but that's not going to be surprising at all is it? Let's talk about the new stuff that's eliciting YouTube comments like: "HOLY PEAK," "WE'RE SO BACK," and "EXCUSE MEEE."

Literally all of those were posted in reaction to the appearance of the Ice Staff at around 1:04 in the above trailer (timestamp). The Staff of Ice, as it's officially called, first appeared way back in 2012's Black Ops 2 in the Zombies map Origins alongside other elemental staffs like the lightning, fire, and wind versions. Only the Staff of Ice is seen in the trailer and it's the only one Activision confirmed in the blog, but it's possible we'll see the other variants crop up eventually.

Zombies is also getting a new map called The Tomb, which is an ancient and, naturally, cursed dig site that'll take you through some catacombs where I'm sure everything will be totally chill and relaxed. Actually, I can't even make that joke because I'm obligated to tell you Mimics, the shapeshifting buggers that have been deceiving and killing Call of Duty Operators since Black Ops Cold War, are returning in Black Ops 6 season 2.

Elsewhere in the Season 2 update is the long-awaited, oft-requested return of Gun Game, a free-for-all mode where all players cycle through the same set of 20 weapons by, you guessed it, killing people. You get what's on the tin, essentially.

Call of Duty: Season 2 kicks off next week on January 28.

Find out where we ranked your favorite in our list of the best Call of Duty games, and be sure to let us know how much you agree in the comments.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.