The riot shield, a controversial item in the Call of Duty franchise, has made its way into Black Ops 6, albeit in an unexpected form. While not available as a functional gameplay item, the shield appears as part of a new finishing move.

With the season 4 update now live, the battle pass includes a riot shield-themed finishing move as one of its rewards. The “On the Ground” finishing move, found on page 9 of the battle pass, features the attacker striking their opponent with the shield before delivering a final blow with a pipe.

eagle-eyed players have noted that the shield appears to be the same model used in Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Activision had previously confirmed that the riot shield would not be included in Black Ops 6 at launch. True to their word, the shield is absent from standard gameplay, only appearing in the aforementioned finishing move.

the Riot Shield’s Contentious History

The riot shield can be notably frustrating to run up against in matches because it deflects incoming fire.

The riot shield has long been a divisive element within the Call of Duty community. Its ability to deflect incoming fire forces players to adopt alternative strategies, and skilled users can substantially influence match outcomes, particularly in objective-based modes like Hardpoint and Domination. the item has a dedicated fanbase,but also attracts considerable criticism.

Black Ops 6 offers an alternative defensive tactic, allowing players to use enemies as “meat shields,” a feature reminiscent of the Gears of War series. By sneaking up on an opponent, players can choose to use them as a human shield for a limited time or execute them promptly.

For a deeper dive, explore the new maps and guns introduced in the Season 4 update, and a breakdown of the battle pass contents. The Zombies mode receives a substantial update with the addition of Grief mode.