New ‘Call of Duty’ Trailer Teases a Conspiracy Between Saddam Hussein and George H.W. Bush

Call of Duty is going full Gulf War. In a reveal trailer released Tuesday, Microsoft has officially confirmed that the latest iteration of its annual military shooter, Black Ops 6, will at least partially take place during the geopolitical conflict of the early Nineties, and feature political figures from the era, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, as well as former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The live-action trailer sees actors portraying the historical figure all shrouded in darkness as they dole out ominous soliloquies about the nature of truth before revealing the game’s new logo — and potentially its protagonist, with an unnamed operative taking center stage.

“While we build your trust, the world falls apart around you,” whispers Bush, ripples of flame reflecting in his glasses. “If you weren’t so distracted, you’d realize nothing is as it seems.” The end of the monologue transitions eerily from Bush’s voice to Hussein’s, an audio trick indicating that Black Ops 6’s story will likely continue the trend of creating fictional conspiracies featuring historical figures that drive the interconnected narratives of the Black Ops games.

This isn’t the first time Activision has used fictionalized depictions of politicians in Call of Duty. Beginning with 2010’s original Black Ops game, which featured John F. Kennedy and a playable Richard Nixon, the Black Ops sub-series of the franchise has blended reality and fiction to heighten the drama of its twisting narrative. Ronald Reagan was a prominent figure in the previous entry of the series, 2020’s Black Ops Cold War.

Aside from the game’s setting, the trailer also confirmed that, from the day it’s out, the game will be released on Xbox Game Pass for Xbox consoles and PC, meaning that anyone with a subscription will have access to the game without needing to purchase. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is rumored to be launching in October of this year. The official launch date and actual gameplay details are expected to be revealed following the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9.