Players returning to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 are expressing significant frustration over the persistent over-voting for a small handful of maps. Despite the game offering numerous map and mode options, a disproportionate number of matches are reportedly played on Nuketown, Raid, and Hijacked.
Nuketown, a consistently popular map since its introduction in the original Black Ops, is a frequent, often sole, choice for many players. Raid and Hijacked also see high voting rates, contributing to a perceived lack of variety in the game's multiplayer experience. This trend is leading to what many describe as an "annoying" and "borderline unplayable" situation.
Reports from various Call of Duty communities suggest that when a map other than these three is selected, a significant portion of the lobby will frequently back out. This behavior is exacerbated by the game's apparently poor lobby backfill system, which makes it difficult to replace departing players. Consequently, some players feel compelled to vote for Nuketown, Raid, or Hijacked simply to maintain a full lobby, or they select "random" with the hope that one of the popular maps is chosen, thereby avoiding the mass exodus.
This cycle of voting and leaving has become a point of contention, with some players suggesting that those who favor these popular maps should instead utilize the "NukeJacked" playlist, which is specifically dedicated to Nuketown and Hijacked. However, this playlist is often associated with hardcore modes and a higher player count (9v9), which does not appeal to players seeking standard deathmatch experiences on their preferred smaller maps.
The issue is not new, with long-time players noting that this map preference phenomenon has been present since Black Ops 2's original release in 2012. The desire for quick, chaotic matches on smaller, well-known maps appears to be a consistent aspect of the Call of Duty player base, leading to similar frustrations across different eras of the game's availability.