Treyarch continues to drop more cryptic teasers forCall of Duty: Black Ops 6. And each one deepens the mystery of what fans can expect from the upcoming Zombies maps. Whether it’s some cryptic writing on the wall or an eerie Gobblegum machine, each teaser gets theCall of Dutycommunity abuzz with speculation and theories.
One major theory that stands out is about the German scientist Edward Richtofen, also known as The Doc. WithBlack Ops 6coming out on June 18, 2025, it’s time to address this fan-favorite theory head-on and see if it might actually affect the narrative of the upcoming game. Luckily, it is known what the Richtofen theory is all about and whyBlack Ops 6could have the most significant revelation in Zombies lore yet.
Fans Have Theorized That Richtofen’s Son Is Trapped in the Dark Aether
In theCall of DutyZombies storyline, it’s been heavily theorized that Samantha andGrigori Weaveraccidentally assassinated Richtofen’s son and wife by burning their house down. This tragic event is believed to have been the catalyst for Richtofen’s actions in the subsequent games. After that, Richtofen sneakily weaved his way into the Director position at Requiem. He handpicked Samantha, Weaver, and the rest of the crew, setting in motion the events ofCold War: Zombies.
But fans think there are more layers to this. The theory suggests that Richtofen used his knowledge of the Dark Aether to send his son there, but something went wrong. It’s suggested that instead of escaping, Richtofen’s son got trapped in an artifact in theDark Aether storylineor maybe developed a strong connection to one. This artifact could be the Blue Mystery Box Bunny — Mr. Peeks — which has replaced Samantha’s teddy bear from the older games.
Black Ops 6 Should Reveal the Richtofen/Mr. Peeks Connection at Launch
If the theory about Richtofen trying to save his son is what the Zombies storyline is building toward, Treyarch should reveal this connection right from the start. The first two maps at launch — Liberty Falls andTerminus Island Map— are the perfect places to unveil this plot point. TheLiberty Falls teaseron Instagram already featured Richtofen and made it clear that the game is going to dive deeper into his backstory, goals, and motivations. By revealing the Richtofen/Mr. Peeks connection in these launch maps, the storyline can be further explored and neatly concluded in the upcoming maps.
IfCall of Dutydeveloper Treyarchwaits too long to reveal this connection, they risk losing the momentum that these teasers have built up. TheCall of DutyZombies storyline is already complicated enough as it is. If the reveal is delayed, and the devs use these maps to add even more elements to the mystery, players might lose interest instead of looking forward to the new twist.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Promotion Has Been Leaning Hard Into Mr. Peeks Teases
Treyarch created a website for the promotion ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 6Zombies. When users visit the website and switch to Channel 4, they can view a teaser for the new Gobblegum machine which is heavily themed around Mr. Peeks. There was also an Instagram post with cryptic writing on the wall teasing Mr. Peeks’ role in the upcoming Zombies campaign. To top it off, it even introduced aMr. Peeks plush toyon its website as part of the Black Ops 6 promotion. All of this points to Mr. Peeks being a central figure in the upcoming Zombies storyline.
Mr. Peeks Represents Richtofen’s “Rabbit Out of the Hat”
InCall of Duty: Black Ops 4, a Tag der Toten campfire conversation saw Richtofen mention pulling a “rabbit out of a hat” as some last-minute saving antic. He claimed to be “all out of rabbits” when they all had to die to reset the universe. This line is crucial in the Zombies storyline, with Forsaken even echoing it inCold War: Zombies, “You are all out of rabbits. Do you know what that means? It means no more escapes.”
However, this time Richtofen actually has a rabbit in his hat. Mr. Peeks — who is a literal rabbit — could represent his chance to save his son and help him escape the Dark Aether. InCold War: Zombies, players also found a note written by a child connected to Mr. Peeks. The note confirmed that Mr. Peeks has been keeping this child safe in the Dark Aether. Interestingly, the note had burnt edges which further supported the theory that the child might be Richtofen’s son who was burned to death. To make it more obvious,Cold Wareven introduced a “pulling Mr. Peeks out of a hat” emote. This hinted back to Richtofen’s campfire conversation fromBlack Ops 4.
Here’s Why the Mr. Peeks Theory Makes Perfect Sense for Black Ops 6
There’s a high chance that Mr. Peeks’s storyline will be further explored in the upcoming Zombies campaign. It’s mainly because Mr. Peeks isn’t just a random addition to theCall of DutyZombies universe, nor did he replace Samantha’s teddy bear for no reason. He could be a key part of Richtofen’s grand plan. Just like Samantha’s teddy bear was connected to her, Mr. Peeks could be connected to Richtofen’s son to bring the story full circle.
The lastCall of DutyZombies storyline teased thatEdward Richtofenis finally ready to act on his plan when launching something called Project Janus. Players will get to see the consequences of Project Janus play out inBlack Ops 6Zombies. While the details of Project Janus are still a mystery, the name “Janus” comes from Roman mythology where Janus is the God of beginnings, gates, and passages. This further ties into the theory that Richtofen is trying to open a gateway to the Dark Aether to save his son.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
