Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Zombies will introduce a powerful new technology that was previously thought impossible - saving and returning later.

You can tell a Treyarch Call of Duty is coming when rabid Call of Duty fans start using lingo that I left behind during the 2010s, like "Pack-a-Punch", Juggernog," or "Speed Cola." Treyarch has returned to the basics with Black Ops 6. That's right. Zombies are back on the menu. This means that the PvE Horde mode will be round-based, instead of borrowing the Warzone Map like last year's Modern Warfare 3 did.

Activision published a 44-part "intel barrage", which explains in detail how Black Ops VI Zombies works. We've got classic enclosed map (two at launch, according to Activision), unlockable routes and power-ups. The random box is also included.

Black Ops 6 Zombies builds on the popular format of 2020's Cold War with its crafting system, permanent upgrades and pretending that last year's Modern Warfare Zombies didn't happen (though this was a DMZ-esque mod which was surprisingly good). It's a game of familiarity with some new features that excite this former Zombies player. You can save the progress you've made in a Zombies game and return later. Who would have thought we'd be here today?

The blog states: "For the very first time in Zombies you can save your Solo match whenever you want, as long as you're not downed, dead or actively engaged in Exfil." "Load your save file to continue." If enough time passes, the game will save your current game state, so you won't have to worry about losing your progress!

Activision claims that saving is one feature meant to mitigate potential headaches caused by Black Ops 6 Zombies always-online requirement. (boo). But I can see how saves will have a major impact on the way people engage with this mode moving forward. Zombies is a solo-only game, but it has always been like a train without brakes, rushing forward at full speed, until a catastrophic crash brings it to a halt. It takes a lot of time to go the distance. It will still be for co-op lobbying (which is the best way to play Zombies), but adding saves to the mix is a welcomed acknowledgement by Treyarch that many people grind these modes on their own. Why not let them pause, and come back later?

You may need to use the cooldown period as you progress in a match. Black Ops 6 Zombies is also harder than Cold War. Once a Zombies game reaches the "higher rounds" (not sure which round this is), stronger zombies will enter the map.

"Zombies begin to move more quickly, from a shamble, to a run, and then to sprint. The blog warns that it is even more important to know the escape routes and circular routes, as well as each zombie nest. Otherwise, you could be hemmed in or overwhelmed in seconds. "The horde grows as rounds increase. This includes the number of Armored Zombies and Heavy Zombies as well as Manglers.

The cherry on top: Self-Revives are limited to only three purchases per match. This puts an end to the strategy that I imagine was most reliable to stay alive in earlier Zombies iterations. This blog post is a tome, and I have barely scratched the surface. If you have any questions about Zombies this year, please read on.