Fan-Favorite Game Mode Returns to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Fans of the Call of Duty (CoD) franchise have something new to rejoice about — developers at Treyarch have finally brought back the fan-favorite Gunfight mode into the game’s rotation.

The mode was first introduced in Modern Warfare (2019). Over the years, Activision has added new game modes to the CoD franchise since the release of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, including favorites like Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Infection, and Prop Hunt.

Reddit user FishStixxxxxxx recently shared a snap of a Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 screen, showing Gunfight as a Featured game mode. In the image, a Gunfight match is about to begin on the multiplayer map, Warhead. For newcomers to the CoD franchise, the Gunfight mode involves two teams of one or two players competing in round-based matches with randomized loadouts. Unlike some other game modes available in Black Ops 6, the absence of loadouts in Gunfight makes it a more competitive avenue for friendly competition.

Aside from the difference in weapon loadouts, the game’s maps will also be adjusted to meet the needs of Gunfight’s faster pace. Treyarch Level Design Director Phil Tasker explained that maps for Gunfight mode consider game flow, sightlines, and combat framing. Specifically, developers aim to strike a balance in map design so that players can easily find each other at match start but can still play around the map to execute sneaky or clever strategies.

Additionally, since the Gunfight mode doesn’t make use of the game’s Scorestreaks feature known for drones and VTOL strikes, entire Gunfight maps can take place indoors or even underground. This creates opportunities for CoD players to explore new and unique map designs.

Other Popular Call of Duty Game Modes

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As mentioned, the Call of Duty franchise has added various game modes throughout the years, some more popular than others. Prior to the confirmation of Gunfight’s return, players enjoyed the Prop Hunt game mode — a casual, party game mode that plays like a match of hide and seek. The game mode began as a community mod for Modern Warfare 2 (2009). It caught the attention of developers, who loved the concept and added it to Modern Warfare Remastered as a limited-time game mode.

Since 2009, the Prop Hunt mode has made multiple appearances in CoD titles like Black Ops 3, Modern Warfare (2019), Black Ops 4, and Black Ops Cold War. After Cold War, however, Prop Hunt was absent from the series and hasn’t appeared in the following titles. In the game mode, players are divided into teams of Props and Hunters. Players on the Props team can transform into different objects found on the game’s maps, like a guitar, a duffel bag, a box, or a lamp.

Impact on Call of Duty Esports

While game modes like Gunfight and Prop Hunt are meant to be casual, they are also a great opportunity for players to compete in friendly tournaments or showmatches. During the promotional period for Modern Warfare (2019), for example, Activision gathered some of the biggest gaming content creators and streamers for friendly LAN tournaments, including ones that featured the Gunfight mode. This included Canadian streamer and ex-Counter Strike esports professional shroud, who was able to show off his aim and CoD skills to fellow gamers, celebrities in attendance, and his audience.

Constant investment in the Call of Duty esports also helps the franchise maintain its loyal playerbase. Over the years, the Call of Duty League (CDL) has remained one of the industry’s more popular and active esports scenes. It has given avid CoD fans the chance to bet on Call of Duty using esports betting platforms such as the in-demand portal, Thunderpick. Aside from watching CDL matches and tournaments, confident players and fans can test their in-game knowledge and confidence in popular teams, like Toronto Ultra or Atlanta FaZe and players for a chance to win money.

Most recently, the CDL secured a multi-year deal with the Esports World Cup Foundation, the tournament organizer behind the newly established Esports World Cup. The deal will see EWCF commit to the growth of CoD’s esports ecosystem for the upcoming three years, including the league extending its 2025 competitive calendar into August for the Esports World Cup, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this coming summer.

In 2024, Call of Duty was one of the 22 video game franchises featured in the Esports World Cup, joining the likes of esports favorites like Counter-Strike, League of Legends, and Honor of Kings.

If you found this post interesting and still enjoy older CoD titles, you can check out our guide for Black Ops Cold War, which includes the importance of learning your perks and power-ups to best your competition.