Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is crammed full of multiplayer maps and modes built for all-guns blazing, close-quarters shootouts.
You could start off controlling zones in Hardpoint as enemy players pelt you with grenades and guided missiles, only to be thrust into heart-pounding duels in Kill Confirmed in the next match.
If the action wasn’t frenetic enough, the addition of new gameplay features, chief among them a new “omnimovement” system, makes the new CoD a breeding ground for sweats (translation: maddeningly competitive players).
To help you get your bearings, and an edge on the battlefield, we’ve assembled this quick guide on the need-to-knows for Black Ops 6. Want to turn those losses into wins? You’ll need to tweak your loadouts, perks and controller settings first - here’s how.
The best guns in Black Ops 6
Needless to say, this explainer is completely subjective. Every player is different. Some prefer sniping from a distance and others like to take the fight to the enemy squad.
Still, we’ve made sure to include at least one gun from each category, so there’s something here for everyone, no matter your play style. Just note that not all guns and attachments are available from the jump; you’ll need to play matches to unlock them.
With that disclaimer out of the way, these are the guns you should familiarise yourself with ASAP.
Assault Rifles
Having sunk an entire weekend into the game, we’ve noticed that players love the XM4 assault rifle (AR). This could be because it’s one of the first ARs you get when you unlock loadouts by reaching level 4.
Nevertheless, it’s still a solid all-rounder: a fully automatic gun with a decent mag that can hold 30 bullets (which you can extend to 45 without forsaking handling).
For added accuracy, check out the Ames 85 (unlocked at level 19) or the GPR 91 (level 28). The latter is a semi-automatic AR, so stick a Dobrych 4x optical scope on it and watch enemies go down in a couple of headshots.
The Ames 85 also comes in a modified Plague Doctor weapon blueprint model, which is part of the Black Ops 6 Vault Edition (the pricier version of the game). Alongside the green ooze effect, this alternate comes equipped with the Merlin reflex sight and grenade launcher underbarrel, making for slightly increased accuracy and explosive firepower.
SMGs
SMGs may be getting a bad rap online, but nothing beats them when it comes to blasting opponents full of holes.
They also make for a solid secondary weapon with the Overkill Wild Card equipped (more on that below).
If you’ve got your sights set on SMGs, the C9 is a good place to start, thanks to its higher accuracy. The Jackal PDW, meanwhile, is arguably top of its class thanks to its effective blend of damage, range, and mobility - though you’ll have to reach level 43 to unlock it (unless you have the Vault Edition, which also grants you a mightier Scourge blueprint).
Outside of the light machine guns (LMGs), the PP-919 SMG (level 37) has the highest base magazine with 64 rounds. That makes it ideal for players who always forget to reload in time.
LMGs, shotguns, snipers and more
Speaking of LMGs, the XMG (level 13) is a formidable firearm that carries 100 rounds straight off the bat and packs a potent mix of accuracy and firepower. Lugging these bigger weapons around will slow you down, though.
If you like to run and gun, head straight for the Marine SP: a great starter shotgun capable of one-shot kills.
For snipers, the LR 7.62 can take down foes with one press of the trigger. Alas, you’ll have to wait till level 49 to snag one, unless you have the Vault Edition, which also gets you two blueprints with added accuracy and handling.
Finally, marksman rifles, with their semi-auto or burst modes, sit between ARs and snipers. The end result is extra firepower and accuracy with good enough mobility. In this category, the Tsarkov 7.62 (level 22) can obliterate enemies in just two shots.
The one thing to know about Perks
If you’re picking perks at random, you’re doing it wrong - and missing out on an additional boost. By equipping the same combat class of perks across all three of your perk slots, you’ll get an extra speciality perk.
Perks are colour-coded, making it easy to gain this extra ability. We’d recommend sticking with the blue Recon class to grab the speciality that lets you see players through walls at the start of a match, helping you gauge where they’ll be on the map. You’ll also get a heat indicator that flashes orange when an enemy is lurking outside of view.
As for the rest, the red Enforcer speciality generates extra speed and health when you kill an enemy, while the green Strategist bonus gives you more points for completing objectives and destroying equipment.
Oh, and don’t forget to add a Wild Card. Think of them as an additional modifier for your loadout, giving you the ability to equip two primary weapons (Overkill), an additional lethal equipment (Danger Close) or field upgrade (Prepper), among other extras. You earn Wild Cards between levels 15-54.
Best Black Ops 6 controller settings
Omnimovement and supine prone are hands down the most significant changes in the latest CoD. Not only can you now slide and dive in all directions, you can also swivel around freely while lying flat on the ground.
Once you get a feel for it, the new movement system can make all the difference in multiplayer. You’ll have more flexibility when ensconced out of sight in Control, allowing you to mow down approaching foes from all angles. Get it right, and you might even be able to dive out of range of grenades and incoming fire.
As with every new CoD, there’s plenty of noise about the right controller settings. Here are some of the tweaks people are raving about and what they mean:
Input settings
Without changing the sticks you move with, this layout makes it quicker to slide and dive, while increasing sensitivity so you can turn and aim faster.
Movement settings
Enabling Sprint Assist allows for smoother movement and quicker reactions, while hybrid slide behavior should prevent accidental dives.
Aiming settings
These modifications enhance your aiming precision, especially when switching zooms on guns or aiming at targets at varying distances.
It’s best to think of these settings as a starting point on your Black Ops 6 journey, and continue to experiment with different configurations to find what feels right.
How to gain XP and level up fast
Just like Modern Warfare 3 before it, the quickest way to rank up in Black Ops 6 is to hit those daily challenges.
For rookies, these are objectives linked to gameplay, weapons, and equipment. At their best, they keep the game feeling fresh by encouraging you to use items you may have otherwise overlooked.
Adversely, they can also feel like a grind, in which case we’d advise taking a break or just sticking to the weapons that work best for you. After all, you’ll gain XP just by playing the game, so challenges can take a back seat when you’re feeling frustrated.
Here’s how they work: Each day at around 4pm, Black Ops 6 adds three new daily challenges for you to complete in 24 hours. You might have to get a certain amount of kills overall or with a specific gun, for instance. Tick all three off and you’ll automatically complete a fourth challenge and walk off with around 10,500 XP every day.
When playing matches, you can grab extra points by using certain gear and scorestreaks. Equip the Signal Lure field upgrade, which pings your location to enemies, and you’ll earn a bonus for eliminations and surviving the onslaught. Meanwhile, an active UAV scorestreak also doles out points by counting kills by your teammates as assists.
In addition, you'll earn Mastery Badges as you progress through the game. These unlock automatically in three tiers when you use various equipment and weapons, primarily through kills. For non-lethal items, progress is gained by defeating enemies affected by the device, like blinding rivals with flashbangs. To reach Diamond Mastery, and grab a whopping 10,000 XP, you need gold Mastery Badges on multiple items of the same type, such as all seven assault rifles.
The game automatically showcases your top three Mastery Badges for bragging rights, but you can adjust them manually in the Barracks. Notably, badge progress is tracked separately for Multiplayer and Zombies, allowing different mastery levels across game types.
