Though the Call of Duty Zombies fan base adores PhD Flopper, players did not have all that long to fall in love with the beverage. This is because it only appeared in its traditional form in a handful of maps, never being seen again after Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. However, its impact in the first two Black Ops games was significant, so much so that fans have consistently asked for it to come back in its original form. With the next CoD Zombies mode, players may not have to use a substitute like PhD Slider, as dolphin dives are finally returning to Call of Duty with the new Modern Warfare 2.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s Dolphin Dives
Though Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will not feature Zombies, it does lay the groundwork for PhD Flopper’s return due to its new movement system. For the first time in the history of the franchise, players are no longer stuck with either diving or sliding, as both can be done in the same game. By tapping or holding the crouch button after a sprint, players will either slide or dive forward.
Leaks about Treyarch’s next Call of Duty game have indicated that it will be adopting many of the systems featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as well as its updated engine, with the goal to make each Call of Duty game feel similar in terms of the core mechanics and visual fidelity. Assuming this leak is accurate, and that plans do not change, movement mechanics are something that could be normalized across the Call of Duty series. As such, the next Black Ops game may have ledge hangs, slides, and dolphin diving - opening the door for PhD Flopper’s return.
The Next Call of Duty Zombies Mode Could Bring Back PhD Flopper in All Its Glory
While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s PhD Slider served as a decent stand-in for the original PhD Flopper, and was an improvement over Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s version, it was hard not to feel like something was missing. Though the explosive damage resistance helped make more weapons and play styles viable, sliding into a train of the undead was simply not as entertaining as diving into a large group of them.
Fortunately, dolphin diving being featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 could be a turning point for the series, with all games going forward offering the capability to both slide and dive. If this is the case, dives could be a mechanic in Zombies once again, which means the original version of PhD Flopper could return. Instead of small explosions when sliding into foes or falling, gamers could see a massive nuke go off when they dive onto the ground from a certain height.
As nostalgic as PhD Flopper is for longtime Call of Duty Zombies fans, as its appearances in Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2 were unforgettable, it made sense for it to skip Black Ops 3 and be reimagined as PhD Slider in Black Ops 4 and Black Ops Cold War. Creating and adding a dive mechanic for games that did not have it from the start would have been a waste of time and resources. Fortunately, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has brought diving back to the franchise, which means they could be due for a return in Zombies as well. Though it will be a long time before Call of Duty Zombies fans learn whether the original version of PhD Flopper will be returning, Modern Warfare 2’s use of dolphin diving is a good reason to be optimistic.
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