COD 2024 is named Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

UPDATE 2.30pm UK: Activision has now confirmed this year's COD will indeed be titled Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

This will be the 21st mainline Call of Duty game overall, and - fun fact - the first to have any number higher than four in its title. Eurogamer's original report delving into today's newspaper marketing for the game is below.

ORIGINAL STORY 10.30am UK: This year's just-about-still-under-wraps COD will be titled Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, according to newspaper advertising spotted by fans this morning.

Copies of USA Today have been pictured featuring a promotional suppement for this year's upcoming shooter, showing the game's logo and title, and a range of in-universe news stories.

Fictional news items detail the defacement of Mount Rushmore, as shown in the Call of Duty Black Ops 6 teaser website last night.

"Iconic presidents blindfolded in brazen act," reads the in-universe headline. The story explains how an unknown group scaled the American landmark at night to hang banners reading: "The Truth Lies". The culprits are thought to be either "anti-government extremists" or "anarchist pranksters".

Found these at work
byu/Deth3588 inblackops6

Other headlines detail the failure of the American Dream (now "beyond the grasp of an average citizen living in the US"), and an upcoming US election which is said to be dividing society.

"As the cycle ramps up, it appears clear that the deciding votes will be cast in a few key battleground states, which will determine the political puppet tasked with taking the blame for the counry's stalled legislative efforts for the next four years," the newspaper writes.

"As divisions deepen and trust in political leaders wanes, American families are left navigating an increasingly polarised landscape defined by uncertainty. As the cycle of empty platitudes perpetuates, the fabric of American society strains under the weight of disillusionment and division."

Once again, to be clear, this is all meant to be in-universe. I think.

An opinion piece meanwhile discusses a "culture war" in which "rationality and logic" have been "pronounced dead at the scene after succumbing to fatal injuries sustained in the crossfire". "Attempts were made to revive critical thinking and common sense through the administration of facts and appeals to shared humanity," the article continues, "but the efforts proved futile against the relentless onslaught of divisive narratives and deeply-entrenched biases."

Definitely in-universe, yes.

While all of this might point to more of a modern day setting, it's previously been reported that Black Ops 6 will feature the Gulf War. Indeed, some had expected the game's title to follow on from Black Ops: Cold War and feature the conflict in its title.

The fact it doesn't keeps its setting more vague, which may help broaden its appeal. It's also interesting to note that the title ditches the Roman numerals of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 - officially, Black Ops IIII.

(And yes, Eurogamer's Christian Donlan did indeed go to the British Museum to discover the truth about why IIII was used, as an alternative to the more standard Roman numerals for four - IV.)

Microsoft will fully unveil Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at its June Showcase event, and devote a full hour to detailing the game. We're still to see gameplay, of course, and learn a release date. We're also waiting to hear details of how Black Ops 6 will launch via Xbox Game Pass - reportedly perhaps via some new, pricier tier.