Call of Duty Zombies’ New Art Book Might Be Hiding a Bigger Secret

When Treyarch announced Call of Duty Zombies: The Art of Treyarch, longtime fans were thrilled.

The book promises never-before-seen concept art, character designs, and development insights spanning over 15 years of Zombies history — from World at War’s Nacht der Untoten to Black Ops Cold War’s Forsaken.

The community is eager to see early sketches of the original crew — Richtofen, Dempsey, Nikolai, and Takeo — and key figures like Samantha Maxis, as well as cut content and early enemy prototypes.

But beyond the nostalgia, it’s the cover art that has set off alarms across the Zombies fandom.

🩸 A Familiar Image: The Zombies Chronicles Connection

Treyarch’s art book cover reuses a striking visual: the severed hand motif from Black Ops 3’s Zombies Chronicles DLC.

This design choice, whether intentional or not, has sparked wild speculation that the studio is teasing a long-rumored sequel — Zombies Chronicles 2.

Fans have been waiting for years for this follow-up. Early insiders claimed a second Chronicles was planned during Black Ops 4’s lifecycle, featuring remastered maps like TranZit and Die Rise, along with a continuation of the Chaos storyline.

However, that content was reportedly scrapped when Treyarch had to pivot to develop Black Ops Cold War in 2020, replacing Sledgehammer Games.

Now, with the art book directly referencing imagery from Zombies Chronicles, fans are convinced this could finally be Treyarch’s subtle confirmation of the long-awaited expansion.

🧩 Why Fans Think Zombies Chronicles 2 Could Still Happen

While the Zombies: The Art of Treyarch release is a celebration of the entire mode’s history, several factors make Zombies Chronicles 2 more plausible than ever:

• Treyarch’s extended support plan for Black Ops 7: With no Zombies mode expected in the 2026 Call of Duty title, Treyarch may have extra time to expand Black Ops 7’s Zombies content post-launch.

• Long-term DLC potential: Instead of releasing new maps every few months, Treyarch could roll out remastered classics from 2026 through 2027.

• The art reuse: The intentional callback to Zombies Chronicles feels too deliberate to be coincidence.

Even if this is just fan speculation, the timing aligns perfectly — Black Ops 7 could become the longest-supported Zombies title yet.

🗺️ What a Zombies Chronicles 2 Could Include

If Zombies Chronicles 2 is real, fans have a good idea of what maps might make the cut.

Based on the art book’s imagery and community leaks, possible remasters could include:

• Dead of the Night

• TranZit

• Moon

• Shadows of Evil

• Der Eisendrache

• The Archon

However, maps from Vanguard Zombies are unlikely candidates. A more realistic selection would focus on fan-favorite maps from Black Ops 1 and 2, such as:

• Five

• Call of the Dead

• Mob of the Dead

• Buried

• Die Rise

• TranZit

• Nuketown Zombies

Treyarch could even introduce smaller Survival versions of these remasters between major updates, mirroring how Ashes of the Damned integrates mini-map experiences in Black Ops 7.

🔥 The Future of Call of Duty Zombies

If Call of Duty 2026 really brings back DMZ mode instead of Zombies, players could face a long undead drought until 2028 or beyond.

That gives Treyarch the perfect opportunity to keep Black Ops 7’s Zombies mode alive longer than any before — using Zombies Chronicles 2 as an anchor for ongoing content.

Whether or not the art book cover is a direct tease, one thing’s clear: the Zombies community’s excitement is fully reignited. With Treyarch celebrating the past while shaping the future, the undead may rise once again sooner than anyone expects.

Explore more Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 news and Zombies updates on the 1v1Me blog