Black Ops 6 Announces Arachnophobia Mode

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Introduces Arachnophobia Mode and Accessibility Enhancements

Activision has unveiled exciting new features coming to Black Ops 6, launching soon on October 25th and included with Xbox Game Pass on day one. This launch has sparked considerable analyst speculation on its impact on Xbox's subscription service.

Black Ops 6 Zombies Mode Gets Arachnophobia-Friendly Update

To enhance player experience, a new arachnophobia toggle has been added to the Zombies mode. This setting alters the appearance of spider-like enemies without affecting gameplay. As shown below, the spiders now lack legs, giving them a strangely unsettling floating appearance. While the developers haven't detailed the impact on hitboxes, it's likely they've been adjusted to match the visual changes.

Another welcome addition is the "Pause and Save" feature for solo players in Round-Based mode. This allows saving and reloading games at full health, significantly impacting gameplay, especially considering the punishing nature of starting over from scratch after death.

Black Ops 6's Game Pass Debut: A Potential Game Changer?

The inclusion of Black Ops 6 in Xbox Game Pass (Ultimate and PC Game Pass) on day one has analysts predicting a substantial increase in subscribers. While some predict a surge of 3-4 million new subscribers, others estimate a more conservative 10% increase (approximately 2.5 million), with many of these being existing subscribers upgrading their plans.

The success of this strategy is crucial for Microsoft's gaming division, as the Activision Blizzard acquisition was partly driven by the need for growth. The performance of Black Ops 6 on Game Pass will be a significant indicator of the platform's future success.

For more in-depth coverage of Black Ops 6, including gameplay and our review (spoiler alert: Zombies is fantastic!), see the links below.