Eight years after its introduction in the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 2’s Raid could finally be returning in a mainline entry as files for the iconic map have been uncovered in Black Ops Cold War.
Treyarch’s fan-favorite Black Ops 2 released in 2012. Since then, we’ve seen eight new titles come and go. In that gap, Raid has only made one other appearance in a global title, that title being Call of Duty Mobile.
While other maps have been rereleased countless times, including seven remakes of Nuketown alone, Raid has been left in the past. However, that’s about to change according to the latest leaks.
After an extended period in the shadows, Raid could finally be thrown back into the spotlight soon. Dataminers have uncovered a line of code relating to the map in Black Ops Cold War, suggesting that we’ll see it return in Season 1.
LEAK: The iconic Raid map from BO2 may be returning in #BlackOpsColdWar Season 1!
Dataminers found "s1_mp_raid_tu_cairo" in the game’s files 👀
(via @BlackOpsLeaks) pic.twitter.com/tkiDNyR26U
— Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) December 2, 2020
As a huge influx of Season 1 content slipped through the cracks on December 1, one key line stood out from the pack. ‘S1_map_raid_tu_cairo’ was plucked directly from the latest version of Black Ops Cold War.
Obviously, this doesn’t outright confirm Raid is a guarantee for the next Season. This is the first official reference to the map in quite some time, though, so it’s safe to assume Treyarch has been working to bring it back to life.
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The original map quickly became a favorite for its unique design. There were distinct sections that paved the way for vast combat opportunities. Both close-range and long-range loadouts could feel right at home on Raid. On one side you had a wide-open area with a high ground advantage for one team next to a
On the other, you had a circular area perfect for flanking opportunities. Meanwhile, in the middle lane, you’d often catch snipers peeking across from either side in a near-symmetrical layout.
One of the more interesting tidbits from this datamine is the final word. Cairo is the capital of Egypt. The original version of Raid was set in Los Angeles. So when we see this new version, it could have a fresh coat of paint to fit the locale.
It was an extremely popular competitive map throughout the year of its initial release. Given it worked quite well with essentially all objective-based game modes. From Hardpoint to Search and Destroy, Raid was often a favored pick.
Season One of Black Ops Cold War kicks off on December 10. There’s no confirmation we’ll see Raid in-game from this point on, so do take this leak with a grain of salt until then.
