The Mind-Bending Story of Black Ops 3 [2025 - 2070]

Hello, and welcome to a video telling the story of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. This was a truly mind-bending story. Not neccesarily in the best way, however, I must praise Treyarch for attempting to write something this bold.
CHAPTERS
Intro - 0:00
Post Menendez - 1:07
Coalescence Corp - 3:57
Nova 6 - 6:41
SP/CORVUS - 8:01
Team Phi - 10:29
Singapore Disaster - 13:26
Plot Part 1 - 15:15
54 Immortals - 18:10
Plot Part 2 - 19:44
Real Chain of Events - 43:57
Fate of the Player - 47:08
Who Are We - 48:33
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#gamingharry #callofduty #blackops

[@Butter_Warrior99]

To think this story was made by a CoD zombies dev. No wonder why it was so crazy.

[@CptJumper]

Explains a lot 😂

[@Anxmaly666]

Jason Blundell was on something when he made this story

[@Krexel]

​@@Anxmaly666 He was on something when he made the Zombies story too

[@Franz0818]

⁠@@Krexelbros on that Aether joint when making the Zombies storyline

[@CodLoreFacts]

Blundell was a campaign dev well before he got into the zombies stuff.

[@samuelgallegos5107]

If only took 9 years for someone to truly explain the bo3 campaign the right way

[@ironchapel7]

why

[@Aristocrat1cs]

M3rkmus1c should watch this video

[@ironchapel7]

yoooooo@@Aristocrat1cs forgot about him

[@RynoGunner24]

train go boom@@Aristocrat1cs

[@Axel060793]

​@@Aristocrat1cs he won't understand shit from this video

[@Aegis---]

i feel like this story would of landed so much better if it was a seperate title rather than a highly anticipated sequel to the black ops franchise, its a shame bo4 ditched the campaign entirely

[@Gallalad1]

Definitely. Its wild to think Treyarch could actually tell a complex, mature story like this. But it was definitely put in the wrong title

[@Gallalad1]

@AlexMason.1933 fake link. Nobody touch it

[@acidrage5206]

Black ops 4 didn't just ditch the campaign it was more all their work went into Rebirth and Zombies leaving the campaign less than finished so they just didn't release one. i actually prefer this from them.

[@Aegis---]

@@acidrage5206 they ditched it for blackout actually, which ironically, was really fucking poorly made

[@TRG_R17]

Reply 5

[@Pipperdude]

I forgot just how much of a mind-melter this game was, trying to figure out what actually happened. Thank you Harry for your hard work and effort!

[@hate-chan4369]

It’s not a “mind melter” it’s an AI that hacked into your brain, and cause the events because of its beliefs it got passed down by its creator and misinterpreted it all. In the game, you have brain augmentations. Which is connected to a network along with your other augmentations. It’s not super natural or some shit lol

[@praetor-009]

Taylor: "Conclusion? Train goes boom". My conclusion?: "I go boom".

[@brevingraham6143]

Brain go boom

[@AdamantWind2071]

Outcome? Train go boom 🙂

[@Danilio.]

*Brain Go Boom*

[@diobrando6737]

Apparently, bo3 campaign was supposed to be an open world experience but due to time constraints and activision bullshit, Treyarch had to scrap the open world game for a linear story hence why everything in this game is so out of whack in terms of story telling. You were supposed to find the lore pieces yourself as you explored the open world but that never happened. There's a ton more info about the development of the game from other youtube sources as lots of people have already covered it.

[@Derivedwhale45]

Lucky this year's entry will be open world ish during the Gulf War n won't be like MW3 2023 rushed open world experience since they have 4 years to work with

[@GlobalOutcast]

​@@Derivedwhale45 I wouldn't get my hopes up m8

[@acidrage5206]

@@Derivedwhale45 fuck this open world shit i hate it!!! i buy cod for story based campaign and Zombies. This DMZ Outbreak idea is just nonsense. i don't know about anyone else but without a structure of a mission i get side tracked and then just bored of the game. i hated outbreak and DMZ MW3 zombies is trash i want black op 1 n 2 style of horror within zombies and a dark gritty tale of the gulf war.... take me back to WaW sorry not BO1 n 2

[@smugplush]

AAA companies and the word "open world", i swear it's a drug to them.

[@TheBoss.-tq2vm]

That sounds AWESOME.

[@koltonlomas7111]

Hey, I know you said that the treyarch zombies storyline you'll probably won't do because it's too complex, but we're about the storyline from different developers like sledgehammer or infinity ward. I personally would like to see you do world war II zombies is lore

[@Vkiller711]

Yeah some infinite warfare content would be awesome too

[@thequietstag4366]

IW and WW2 Zombies are so underrated

[@koltonlomas7111]

Especially world war II. I thought its story and atmosphere was so good

[@VRock32]

Thank you Harry, the story of this game lived rent-free in my head since i played BO3.

[@StokenP]

Best Black Ops 3 explanation video I’ve ever seen on KZbin. This is the most in-depth one. No one else has covered what happened after Black Ops 2 before Black Ops 3 which is very important to the storyline. Thanks for taking the time to make this. This is definitely one of my favorite campaigns because of how great the mystery of what is actually going on is.

[@acidrage5206]

people deffo have cause i've seen them all

[@TheWunWhiteWolf]

Black Ops 3 will always have a special place for me because it had one of, if not the best zombies seasons COD has ever delivered.

[@tigerwoods373]

I was really enjoying mw3 zombies for a few days until the server crashed way too frequently. I can forgive an occasional crash but this was multiple times per day for 5 days straight. Probably more but I quit after I found the scorcher schematic just to get dc'ed.

[@deathraven7314]

The black ops 3 stroy is one of my favorite stories in the whole franchise. It's incredibly deep and complex with just a hunt of tragic. The ideas it's built on and the themes throughout are fascimating and cathartic. Train go boom

[@abbcc5996]

there are like 5 different psychological horror sections and 2 different zombie sections. i think it makes the game very unique for a fps. also i loved how corvus interpretated the frozen forest as a literal place, or rather the ptsd of the soldiers turned it into a literal place within corvus

[@waytothudawn]

Dude you've been killing it lately with these vids; appreciate you laying BO3's story out like this, no way in hell I would've been able to guess what specifically had happened. Got close though!

[@Deadblud]

ah sweet, black ops three video

[@The_Qure]

As I was already a huge fan of Ghost in the Shell before this, this game’s plot was fantastic. Just barely enough information hidden within tons and tons of world info, and a rogue AI that becomes a philosophy major. Chef’s kiss

[@XabzintheNBAGuru]

Perfect, I just started with my popcorn, right on

[@CERRYGREENBAY]

The gameplay of bo3’s campaign had me replaying it constantly. It’s very good. Story is so weird but man it’s a blast to play through.

[@wolfylegend5982]

I have to say, this channel is probably one of the best in terms of explaining the stories of Video Games! Thanks Harry!

[@hokanh579]

Thank you Harry for the video! I have never personally played CoD: Black Ops III, but I have watched several game movies and never understood what happened. This video actually clears it up!

[@DavidWaker]

Such fantastic videos and content. Awesome work Gaming Harry 👍🎉

[@vaxahlia]

Been watching bunch of your videos recently, these r top tier, thanks man.

[@vaxahlia]

I love black ops and have the numbers tatted on my chest, funny ice breaker when someone asks what do the numbers mean

[@joseand5814]

Years after no one explains BO3 well organized like Gaming Harry yes the game is a Mind Bender but Harry did very well and very professional how to deal with BO3 props to you ❤

[@damiantang8941]

Yooooo, thanks for the hard work man!!

[@ThenWhen]

I would like to see a similar video like this on the Nightmares Mode of the game. Like the videos keep up the awesome work!

[@andrewbravo5113]

Thank you I really enjoyed this story explained! It was confusing but it was so good now I like this story!

[@matthewmcshane399]

There's a cool detail that, in the mind of the player, corvus represents life in a twisted way forever in the Frozen Forest simulation while Taylor represents acceptance of death. They're 2 sides of the same coin. That's why corvus' voice is an altered version of Taylors voice.

[@WhyBeUgly]

LETS GOOOOO Been waiting this one since the Black Ops video dropped

[@Springfield_7.62x63mm]

He promised the content and he delivered, couldn't have done it any better. Love your lore videos so much Harry.

[@InfinitusVX]

This story should be turned into some kind of series for Netflix or Prime or any other media. The plot is too convoluted for a game but for a series it would be mind blowing. Jason Blundell should really look into that (He directed the campaign for BO3).

[@Jacket430]

I have been hoping someone would cover this story with the respect it deserves since it dropped, and FINALLY someone has. Thank you, holy shit.

[@Cewdipie]

I love this campaign thanks for the detailed video ❤

[@stitchfan93]

Great work Gaming Harry ❤😊

[@vornicucristian5762]

Wow nice explained videos on black ops storyline ! :)

[@srtgffykcgkcycficitcihhh8792]

amazing I finally understand what the hell happened in the campaign thank you 👍very well done video

[@MATRetroVideoGaming]

Excellent narrative so far! Cannot wait for explaining of Black Ops 4 story!

[@MATRetroVideoGaming]

I've finished your video. And, I do think about two theories of mine. 1) Player never died and John Taylor took over Player's DNI and controlling him. That's it. 2) Player died and Corvus created a simulated world within Taylor's memories by DNI. Taylor then erases Player and Corvus from his own body. P.S.: I do NOT think that Life mission based on your telling is NOT exactly what happened! "Hendricks is not there, Taylor just went there and promised to keep quiet after what he learnt about Krueger's tests etc." I say the first theory is TOTALLY right by me. Now you'd say all characters (Diaz, Maretti) are different than reality, and it's a lie. So... basically... Why shouldn't scrolling texts be just a lie for creating such plot twists?! Come on! If it was all lie, Kane'd say wtf Player: Controlling these robots are going to drive Hendricks insane just as Taylor. We have to stop him before he tears Zurich apart. Kane: You're TAYLOR already! Sorry but this video got me really confused. Or may be I'm just an idiot.

[@aity3669]

Damn bo3 is probably the darkest cod campaign out there EDIT: over waw, which is my fav campaign 15 years later

[@GGkING260]

You did a great job and the video made sense. I am now more enticed to play the campaing more than ever before because its now so interesting to me. I think the player is Corvus and John Taylor is battleing for cotrol and suceedes. I think it would have been interesting to see two versions one good ending (the main ending we have now) and like a bad ending where Corvus takes over as Taylor loses control and leads to some kind of disaster.

[@Dels]

As a massive convoluted lore junkie like myself, this has given me a newfound appreciation for the story of BO3's campaign. Great video!

[@Koichi72976]

God my head is spinning just from finishing this video

[@SenseiLlama]

I've always been a lore gremlin, i enjoyed the campaign immensely when i played it, and was confused why other people didn't. Rewatching this i get it now. It was a tad convoluted, certainly could've presented better.

[@pranker199171]

First game i ever played on the ps4, played the campaign and didn't know wtf happened. I'm listening to this while doing deliveries and I still don't know wtf is happening. Good video tho, u did your best I'm subscribing.

[@C01dEyes]

By the time I actually sat down and played Black ops 3 the modern warfare reboot was out for a year. So I personally didn't know anything about it outside of everyone saying they hated it. I had got my hands on the first two Black ops games and enjoyed playing through the campaign so when I saw ops 3 on sale I snatched it up. I remember feeling like something was off as I played through the game. Especially once you started doing the Cairo missions. I remember thinking to myself "Wait a minute isn't the uprising supposed to be behind us already?" Then you throw in the small details like why would Hendrix go through the same procedure as you did? How come you never hear your character's name spoken? Even to the point where if you have captions on the identifier says player and nothing more well everyone else is dialogue has their name next to it. The things going on between you and Rachel. Then to top it all off you've got Corvus and the symbolism that entails. When I made it to the end of the campaign and you hear Taylor's name spoken I went from thinking "where is this going?" To an immediate "wtf?!"... I took a break from the campaign to enjoy the amazing zombie mode but I jumped right back into the campaign to start piecing it all together. Even before I started looking up videos about this campaign plot I had a feeling we were dealing with a Jacob's ladder situation here. Personally I love the creativity behind it. There was no hand holding with this story and I personally think it's a masterpiece even with all of its flaws. It's way more interesting and creative than any of the bombastic Michael Bay level wankfest that we've seen in the franchise past and present. Treyarch should be commended for the balls that it took to step forward and put something out like this. Honestly I would love to see what they could do outside of COD using this kind of writing in a different type of project.

[@starstruckp4808]

I had a feeling it was heavily complex but loved it because of that fact. I’m happy that you’ve managed to clear up the insanity. Plus, I’m genuinely curious to where did you get the soundtracks for this video, they sound incredibly fitting, but I don’t recall them from Black Ops III. One theme I picked up and wished it was talked about more is the concept of death and how it’s perceived. A shame that a majority of people missed it or don’t wish to talk about that sensitive subject.

[@KingPeezy14]

This video is so good, but the game’s campaign was so ass 😭 during the other BO video, every single part of the plot, I was like, “Oh, I remember that!” But every part of the plot in this game, I’m like, “When tf did that happen?” The only thing I remember is, “Imagine yourself in a frozen forest.”

[@OmegaRejectz]

you don't remember Train Go Boom! ?😅

[@kaibrizbon]

It's crazy hearing you say Khalil with your accent, Great job! 💯

[@ardenhagman2148]

Great video!!!

[@cozmichazard9725]

Thank you, Harry. The BO3 story was always so confusing to me.

[@ryanmooney217]

23:57 hilarious that they have a tool specifically designed to cut off hands

[@dudewithtude4476]

mind bending? my minds more bent than my touchy feely uncle

[@Derivedwhale45]

I know Henry isn't the only one that gotten a headache while trying to explain the "plot" of this story here like everyone else did after playing this game

[@nolwil3659]

story was way too confusing for me. Needed this 🙏

[@Z3R0_CodeTalker]

W vid looking forward to mgs lore vid ❤

[@David-A.]

after replaying the campaign couple of times and watching this video the story of bo3 is not that bad and to a degree in my perspective it makes sense, the game was giving us a warning how technology in future will become so advanced and AI which makes the future scary to think about, technology what we use and rely the most, in other words it gave us an opportunity to explore how further technology would take us before we become disconnected from reality. in huge relation to the movie ready player 1. bo3 story was confusing at first but is actually very interesting and it arguably the most interesting best premise. my only complaints are the confusing parts were not explained so i had to do research and ofc the characters are not that memorable compared to previous black ops games. i think bo3 campiagn is overlooked. definitely overhated

[@XxFatJesus360xX]

God I love your vids.

[@BenTheTiger131]

I’ve say it once and it never gets old for me Outcome? Train Go Boom.

[@renriquez1994]

I love this. Thank you for your explanation. Will you be doing black ops 4? I only ask because even though it doesnt have a campaign, the lore in bo4, which is supposedly set in 2045, really goes against some key plot points that were shown in black ops 3.

[@hoked2194]

BO4 is one massive dropped thread. I doubt there's enough story there to justify a video. Maybe we'll get a connection somewhere down the line but I doubt it.

[@MightyMurloc]

I have the BO:3 "Ember" trailer saved in a playlist I use for videos with cyberpunk themes, it's 99% Akira and Serial Experiments Lain AMV's, but I keep it there as, effectively, a short film about where we could head.

[@ZynetESLD]

Train go boom...hang on a minute...Im, starting to wonder if underneath the meme of it, was meant to be a reinforced idea. The repetition of it, about how no matter your actions you undertake, it still leads to the same end result, the train blowing up, could be a metaphor for trying to find ways to defeat death itself. About trying to change the inevitable. Which, truthfully speaking, could end up being a pretty compelling case here. The "train" here is death, while the "boom" is inevitable. Train go boom, Death is Inevitable. This whole story, then, is a dying dream, about accepting the end. And being able to finally welcome it. The frozen forest, then, is what happens when someone cannot accept death. Its akin to purgatory. Frozen Forest, being lost in the time between life and death. Frozen, in time. Frozen, in time, lost, in a forest.

[@ShyitFard69]

No.

[@momentomori-rw6jp]

This video was awesome you should cover the OG MW games in the future

[@crisomamber8463]

I still remember when the player scream the line of frozen forest, the fear and desperate in their voice are something I never seen in COD series

[@jayjustjay7871]

That ending reminds me of the Callisto protocols dlc ending, where things happened in the story but to us the player looking at it from afar nothing we did really mattered as our fate was already sealed. The twist works better when there is a bit more of a fleshed out epilogue, I think.

[@jay_wats_]

Much respect to you, Harry. You've definitely made this alot easier to understand. However, I will forever consider this story a dumpster of hot trash. Steaming, burning hot trash.

[@danielvitale7788]

I also loved that Mitchell from Stargate (Ben Browder) was the PC voice actor

[@Doughnuts]

I finally appreciate BO3s campaign... Doesn't mean i like it, but i appreciate it lol. Absolutely incredible video, so well done!

[@HistoryMonarch1999]

I feel like the background conflict was a little better like this idea of the NRC and Egypt fighting over the Nile river and the background politics rather than the whole DNI and Corvus stuff over it. I don’t think the problem was the story itself I think it’s that it’s deliberately left out a lot of things and the real story is in the background or context found in a comic or fast moving text. Like when it’s all laid out it sounds like a great story it’s just the structure.

[@mauriziochirca8939]

The data vault is in the game and you can read about all the topics he explains in this video. The comics I don't see them that much relevant. Their only use is to have a context of who are the people on the scrolling text. Also the scrolling text, except for some details, it explains exactly the things you are playing but without the corvus infection. so this campaign was meant to be played as a whole community and not a singleplayer experience as usual. That's why of the coop. I think treyarch wanted to make a story like zombies with this campaign with people discovering things

[@lucasphilip4822]

Just goes to show that overcomplicating a story doesn't make it better, seriously what a mess. I respect you for going through this borefest and actually making an entertainment watch.

[@023Whiplash]

Terrible opinion

[@Devul1600]

😂 funniest shit I've seen today

[@youngstunna1594]

I see I’m not the only one who dove into the computer memos and see things that now scarily look like reality

[@xallenjr]

I will continue to say that Black Ops 3 is what Advanced Warefare should've been The gameplay and story telling is FNAF levels of lore and backstory that was too much for the Black Ops franchise. BUT if they kept Black Ops grounded with no tech, gave Advanced Warefare this amount of story with the cyborgs and took out the exo suits, Advanced Warefare would've been had a sequel. Advanced Warefare would've had a large ass fan based for the amount of theories and predictions to come out of every installment just like Modern Warfare and Black Ops

[@PropainActual]

I’m curious as to why they didn’t make a direct and cohesive connection to the second game, instead having to read some hidden text or read a wikipedia article. It tries to look deep but it ends up looking like fever dream.

[@Bearcrapsinwoods]

Another amazing video! I sadly don't really care for this interpretation of the story. Either way keep up the good work😃

[@Jerry66884]

I would love to see how you decipher the call of duty zombies lore

[@theogpaulmolnar3547]

Well, ur gon get a few view form me cuase i got a watch this like 4 times to digest all of it. Thx for the vid

[@Mr.noboody11]

Yeah, I never understood the story. For over a decade I never understood it. This uh, still leaves my brain scrambled. But there's structure to it!

[@dishanthakur8570]

Imagine making a movie on this story.

[@brainrich1358]

Gaming Harry, ever thought about doing a Lore and Order on the classic Splinter Cell series?

[@INVESTIGATE-0311]

Much obliged

[@itsmedjoom987]

U could’ve just shortened the video with train go boom and would’ve encapsulated the story perfectly, but respect on doing a deep dive.

[@mcwildstyle9106]

In all honesty, i actually enjoy this campaign. I think (and this is my opinion so take it as you will) you might be able to enjoy it more if you consume other media like it. For example: Serial Experiments Lain, Ergo Proxy, Jacob’s Ladder and maybe Ghost in the Shell and Psycho Pass if you wanna feel frisky

[@Dustrauma]

EMDR (eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing) and the IFS (Internal Family Systems) “Parts” therapy techniques are well-versed means of dissociating PTSD survivors from their trauma. EMDR was a late-80s invention, using hypnosis to “surrender the moment” (paraphrased) to a present-tense form-of absolution. The IFS tackles the PTSD through the identification of parts of self, stuck in a loop of triggered traumatic events that the therapy re-traces into a person’s life, to save the selves left-behind. I find it interesting to see a similarity (V.E.R.S.I.O.N.) in handling PTSD by way-of sci-fi programming.

[@AEngelcross]

Wonder if you'll ever attempt the zombies story

[@beck4715]

Holy crap all of this was lost on me when I played it. What a convoluted beautiful mess of a story, I love it!

[@ivanpantoja1757]

I can't wait till he does a video of the whole cod zombies storyline. I hope he does

[@LudaLuke]

I think your last theory at the end of the video is actually correct that the player is in fact Corvus, and its more like somewhere along the line its memory got corrupted or part destroyed so it is trying to piece together whats happened.

[@Devul1600]

Ive beaten this campaign more that 10 times and i enjoy it

[@ReSpark141]

until now i found it funny that the nightmares campaign made more sense that still holds true

[@diamondhamster4320]

That one time CoD forgot its core buying demographic are manchildren, dude-bros, horny teenagers and tried to do an SP campaign plotline in the vein of "I AM ROBOT", "Meeting with Rama" and other phylosophical sci-fi books when one of the main themes is "What it means to be Human".

[@sillygoose4263]

That one time cod tried making the goofiest most borning ass campaign that was just pure garbage

[@diamondhamster4320]

@@sillygoose4263 Well, I mean, for somebody who is a part of low intelligence and brainless rabble on top of suffering from Dunning-Kruger Syndrome, it would on surface level appear so.

[@dantealgre5631]

Soo basically we are Taylor form the get go and also we are Hendricks and we play as the player who's actually a reflection of Taylor memories . Who am i and who are you ?????? And why we are here ????? Where are we ?????

[@Krondon-SSR]

Only thing that was really good about the BO3 story was the ad campaign on instagram before release. So creepy and cryptic short clips, they had me HOOOKED

[@eckeck1723]

This story is kinda underrated

[@Folf_bb]

Keep going

[@arinleoczko1250]

None of this speaks on the most important piece of BO3 Lore: How FUCKING USELESS Hendricks is as an AI companion.

[@hawkdew3117]

This style and length of video would be amazing for a zombies story explanation a

[@ModdedMoon]

I always liked BO3 story line even though it was confusing at first. Once you understand it I think it’s really good

[@sp4cepigz174]

One thing this game didn’t get enough credit for is the amount of content they gave us and it all worked offline

[@W_R_A_T_H]

Harry has done what most people who played this game, simply cannot. He understood the story.

[@shaneh1872]

Funny how this campaigns story was written by Jason Blundell who wrote that mindfuck called the Aether zombies storyline

[@angeldaniel6943]

Hi Harry do a video on dreadout and siren games 😊🙏

[@user-pg7ow8oy8l]

Hey, you could do a video about the isometric zombie game project zomboid, its really a awesome game and it would be very cool that you made a video on it

[@Gerk_Jently]

Now what about Nightmare Mode? Does that tie into anything? Is that just an extra mode with nothing tied to it

[@davidjackson5966]

Bo3 was a mind bending experience just like bo1, bo2, and cold war, If the og characters were in bo3 and the story was kept the same, the community would’ve had more interest in it

[@SunnyDEElight]

All I remember about this campaign was getting brutally ripped apart by robots and turning it off because I thought I was about to play some cod/dead space/mech suit campaign and I wanted ZERO part in that