How to unlock all operators in CoD Black Ops Cold War

Call of Duty Cold War Operators are your characters in the shooter’s Multiplayer and Zombies modes. You can also use Cold War Operators in Warzone. Unlike earlier installments of the series, Cold War grants no mechanical advantages to specific characters. Instead, those characters present a purely aesthetic choice. They determine your avatar’s available cosmetics, voiced lines, and Finishing Moves. While four base Operators may be used from the start, the others must be unlocked first. Read on to learn how you can step into the shoes of all available Operators.

Available Operators

The addition of Cold War new Operators has become one of the highlights of the game’s episodic content updates. There were 13 Cold War Operators in Season 1. By Season 6, that number has grown to 36. Unfortunately, not all of those characters can be unlocked at present. Operators from earlier seasons’ Battle Passes, such as Stitch from Season 1, are locked away for those who did not earn them in-season. Operator cosmetic bundles that you could purchase online also tend to only be around on a temporary basis. For instance, Samantha Maxis, one of the Cold War Zombies Operators, could be acquired in Spring 2021 through her reactive bundle. This appearance is not available anymore.

As for the remainder, the 9 unlockable Operators from launch day may be obtained by completing challenges in any of the shooter’s modes. Others could be purchased online, together with some related cosmetics. Additionally, you can unlock some Operators by purchasing or earning an alternative skin. Note that this would not grant access to their default appearance. While all the Operators belong to one of the two main factions, there is nothing stopping you from playing agents on both sides. You can move between factions seamlessly in Multiplayer and Battle Royale, whereas in Zombies the distinction seems completely meaningless.

NATO Operators

Here is a full list of the currently accessible Operators for NATO (excluding temporary bundles):

• Adler: Carry out ten eliminations using Scorestreaks in Multiplayer;
  
• Baker: Carry out 100 eliminations with a sniper rifle in Multiplayer;
  
• Bulldozer: Purchase Tracer Pack: Bulldozer Operator Bundle;
  
• Hunter: No unlocking necessary;
  
• Mason: Purchase the Season 6 Battle Pass;
  
• Park: Exfiltrate successfully three times in Zombies;
  
• Salah: Purchase Tracer Pack: Salah Operator Bundle;
  
• Sims: Disable ten hostile vehicles or Scorestreak rewards in Multiplayer;
  
• Song: No unlocking necessary;
  
• Woods: Carry out ten eliminations in one life 15 times in Multiplayer.

Warsaw Pact

Here are their less numerous Warsaw Pact opposite numbers:

• Beck: Carry out 200 eliminations using a Pack-a-Punched weapon in Zombies;
  
• Fuze: Purchase Tracer Pack: Fuze Operator Bundle;
  
• Garcia: Explode or help your team in exploding five Dirty Bombs in Multiplayer Fireteam
  
• Portnova: Eliminate 50 opponents that have been exposed using Field Upgrades or Scorestreak rewards in Multiplayer;
  
• Powers: No unlocking necessary;
  
• Stone: Carry out 14 Finishing Moves in a Multiplayer mode;
  
• Vargas: No unlocking necessary.

Combat Challenges

While simply purchasing an Operator’s likeness has the advantage of being straightforward, there is nothing quite like earning the right to use it for free. The combat challenges vary considerably in their difficulty and other parameters. Some may be taken care of casually even by a player early into the Cold War Weapons Leveling progression. Others may only be attempted in earnest by those with considerable game experience or Cold War Coaching. The following tips should help you fulfill all those challenges without wasting too much time and effort:

• Adler: the goal can be reached over the course of several matches. Success is nearly inevitable, so long as you use offensive Scorestreak rewards. That said, more expensive Scorestreak rewards such as the Attack Helicopter could potentially wrap up the goal in one match. Non-damaging options such as Spy Plane could be disregarded in favor of missiles and strikes;
  
• Baker: playing on Hardcore will all but guarantee one-hit sniper rifle kills, provided you can handle the weapon. It can also be a very effective route for acquiring Sniper Reticles. Whether you go for it or not, playing in a group will help you take advantage of the assists counting towards your progress. Sprawling maps like those featured in Combined Arms will favor a sniper and offer plenty of targets;
  
• Woods: the main concern here may be finding enough enemies in time, so larger game modes such as Combined Arms or (for more defensive players) Team Deathmatch would be optimal. The optimal approach would be ambushing groups of enemies with the help of Proximity Mines, ideally killing some foes and softening up the rest for quick disposal;
  
• Park: a successful Exfil rewards preparation. You will not be able to escape before Round 10, but you can identify likely escape routes early on and keep them clear of the undead. It is possible to do this solo, but much simpler to go in with a well-coordinated group of friends to keep the zombies off your backs;
  
• Sims: any vehicles count for this challenge, including the ubiquitous spy planes. Tracking them down will be easier with the Engineer perk. It is possible to score vehicle kills with proximity mines, cruise missile Scorestreaks, or persistent primary fire. Nevertheless, your best call against both spy planes and more formidable machines would be to use the secondary guns known as launchers. Cigma 2’s lock-on capability makes it ideal for this purpose, all but ensuring hits;
  
• Beck: assembling the Pack-A-Punch device will likely be the hardest part here. Take care that you are properly armed and otherwise fully prepared before you attempt it. Pick the weapon you want to upgrade wisely. A fast-shooting shotgun like Gallo SA12 is probably your best option for taking on large hordes of the undead at once. Alternatively, you can choose a weapon you wish to unlock the Golden Viper camo for, as this will certainly be an opportunity to make good progress there;
  
• Garcia: the mode is virtually unplayable without a solid team of allies. It holds some similarities to Plunder, as you need to harvest materials before setting off the bombs. Land side by side and don’t lose track of each other while looting. Given adequate allied support, capturing any given bomb should usually be quite simple;
  
• Portnova: the Spy Plane Scorestreak and the Field Mic Field Upgrade are your best options for this assignment. The former can always chance upon an exposed target, whereas the latter could be deployed in hard-to-reach places where it will scan nearby strategically important locations while being difficult to remove. That will give you the opportunity you need to gun down eligible opponents. A brisk and long-range primary gun, like a tactical rifle, will be ideal here;
  
• Stone: having to come literally within arm’s reach of your enemies makes this the hardest task on the list. Your best approach is to use stealth, closing in for the kill before the target has an opportunity to stop you. The Ninja perk, which increases speed and decreases noise, would be invaluable here. You can also help your odds by playing on a medium or smaller map with many tight spaces, like Moscow or Miami. A chaotic mode like Free-For-All can work out well, as all potential victims are likely to be distracted by each other.

Challengs do not always register progress if you quit matches before they are over. For that reason, you should probably focus on faster modes like Hardpoint, Domination, or Free-For-All. Their design means there will be few pauses between engagements. Racking up kills will take less time if enemies can be expected to come into your killzone easily. Ambushes are a nearly universal recipe for success when it comes to those challenges. As a bonus, you can simultaneously farm kills for Cold War Zombies & Multiplayer Camo unlocks.

Final Thoughts from CakeBoost

The Call of Duty Operators Cold War roster continues to expand, adding welcome visual variety to its firefights. Hopefully, the colorful agents who are currently unavailable will make a comeback in the online store at a later point. In the meantime, working through those challenges could be a good way of sharpening your skills and improving your arsenal while advancing towards a coherent goal. Some definitely find this rewarding. Still, if you decide that you need help, CakeBoost is here for you. Our offerings for this title include Cold War Reticles Boost services, weapons leveling, and more. Ask us to unlock Operators, and they are as good as yours!

Questions and Answers

Q: Can I play as Cold War Operators in Modern Warfare?

A: No. Despite rumors to the contrary and attempts to discover how to use Cold War Operators in Modern Warfare, it is impossible to play those characters in Modern Warfare proper. You could field them in Warzone, though, and fight MW combatants there.

Q: How to unlock all Operators in Cold War?

A: Operators are unlocked by reaching special objectives, buying the seasonal Battle Pass and advancing through its tiers, or purchasing packages or individual skins online. Not all CW Operators are available right now, though they might reappear later.

Q: How do I select an Operator?

A: Go to the Operators menu from the Zombies or Multiplayer menu. Select the appropriate faction. Then, select an unlocked Operator and confirm the selection. In Warzone, you can go straight to picking an Operator from the menu.

Q: What are the benefits of getting different Operators?

A: By design, Operators are mechanically identical and therefore can’t influence the gameplay. They provide flavor and serve as a means of self-expression. There have been accusations that some skins provide an advantage, but such effects were unintentional and quickly addressed.