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The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: World at War. The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops. The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops (Nintendo DS). The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty Online The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops III. The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: WWII The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Mobile The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Vanguard The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III The subject of this article appeared in Zombies mode The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: WWII Nazi Zombies
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For the utility in Zombies (Infinite Warfare), see Magic Wheel.

Quotation Regular Mystery Box Theme QuotationReverse

"The Mystery Box contains wondrous weapons, but you must find the box before you can use it, and you must pay a fee for each use. The location is random, and after buying a few weapons from the box, it has a tendency to vanish and appear elsewhere. You can find weapons in the Mystery Box that can’t be acquired anywhere else, some of which are quite powerful."
— From the Zombies Manual Guide for Black Ops III.


The Mystery Box, also known as the Random Box, Weapon BoxTreasure ChestMystery Chest, Devil-Box, Magic Box, Box of Mysteries or just simply Box, is a random weapon generator featured in all Zombies maps in Call of Duty: World at War, Call of Duty: Black Ops (except Dead Ops Arcade), Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Call of Duty: Black Ops III (except Dead Ops Arcade 2: Cyber's Avengening), Call of Duty: WWII, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Vanguard, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III as well the Cyborg Rising mode of Call of Duty Online and the Nightmares mode of Black Ops III. Mystery boxes were added to Call of Duty: Mobile's Battle Royale during the Halloween Update, but removed at the end of the season.

Appearance[]

Standard[]

The Mystery Box is usually a large, narrow, wooden box with a colored beam emitting from it into the sky to show the players its location. There are two glowing question marks imprinted on the lid of the Box, side by side and with the right one being vertically reversed. Inside the box lies bunches of hay and a glowing light, which is where the weapon ascends from and descends into.

The Box sits on various things in the levels; the most common being a small wooden table over a few cement bricks. In a Box spawn location where the Box is not currently present, there is instead a teddy bear sitting upon three small, black, metal containers.

When the box is opened for 950 points, a small music-box like music will play, and will stop just after the weapon appears.

When the player rolls a teddy bear (or bunny-rabbit in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War), it means the current Box is used up and will teleport to a different spawn location. When the bear appears, the Demonic Announcer will laugh at the player and the plush animal, then the Box will shoot up into the sky, removing the beam, and refunding the player's points.

Call of Duty: Black Ops (DS)[]

In Call of Duty: Black Ops (DS), the Mystery Box takes the form of a locker instead. It also does not give the option to refuse the weapon shown or a teddy bear.

Mob of the Dead/Blood of the Dead[]

In the Call of Duty: Black Ops II level Mob of the Dead, the Box appears more similar to a metal chest than a cubed container, with a curved lid. It also has a more devilish appearance to fit the theme of the map; it is dark brown/black in color and emits spikes from its lid. Inside the Box is filled with flames. This version also has a different theme, emitting faint screams when used rather than music. It seems to float over a small stand that is lit with flames. When the Box is not currently present in a spawn, the stand has no flames. This box returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blood of the Dead.

The teddy bear is replaced by a large, black padlock with a glowing red keyhole. When obtained, a low-pitched bell sound will play, followed by the lock turning with the sound of a key turning in a lock. Afterwards, it will fall into the box, which will close, rise slightly into the air, and fall into the stand.

Origins[]

In Origins, the Mystery Box resembles a stone sarcophagus with two tusks, one broken. Glowing with the blue light of the 115. The teddy bear is still present when the box moves. Unlike in previous maps, the power is required to use the Mystery Box (The 115 power station must be active for the Mystery box near that particular power station to work). Like Mob of the Dead, this version uses another theme, this time being machinery noises.

Shadows of Evil[]

In Shadows of Evil the Mystery Box is wooden but has a stone look to it with a squid/octopus laying on top of the box. It has a look similar to the Origins Pack-A-Punch machine and emits a watery blue light when opened. It also doesn't have a musical jingle when activated, instead playing eerie ambient noise.

Chaos Storyline[]

In the Chaos storyline, the Mystery Box is composed of the bone and flesh of humans transformed during a Sentinel Trial. Four moving bodies are found on the corners of the lids. In structure, it is similar to the aforementioned Origins and Shadows of Evil boxes. When opened, a misty blue light is emitted. It doesn't have a musical jingle but rather it screams. The teddy bear is replaced by a skull with glowing eyes. The skull will chatter, before descending into the box.

Call of Duty: WWII[]

In Call of Duty: WWII, the Mystery Box retains its wooden box like appearance, but now has red lights on the side to signify if the box is active or not. It also opens differently compared to other Mystery Box incarnations, and has no jingle.

Call of Duty: Mobile[]

During the Halloween Update, in random locations Isolated a group of zombies spawns. Once all zombies are killed, a Mystery Box with medicals, munitions and a legendary weapon can be opened.

Beams[]

The beams emitting from the box are differently colored throughout the levels; normally, the Box emits a blue beam. However, the World at War level Shi No Numa's Box emits a yellow beam, Mob of the Dead's Box emits a red beam and Revelations' Box emits a green beam. In the World at War levels Nacht der Untoten and Verrückt, the box emits no visible beam.

In Call of Duty WWII, the beam is slightly visible but will disappear the closer the player gets to the box.

In Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the color of the Box' beam (once a weapon is obtained) will change depending on the rarity of the item received (Green for Uncommon, Blue for Rare, Purple for Epic, Orange for Legendary, and Yellow for Ultra/Wonder-Weapons). Before being opened, however, the Box' beam is white.

In Call of Duty: Mobile mystery boxes emitted a cyan beam visible from all the island. The beam disappears when a player opens the box.

Use[]

Zombies[]

In order to open the Box, the player must be next to the box and press and hold the 'use' button. When activated, the available weapons will randomize, ascending, until a weapon is chosen. This process takes about four to five seconds. If the weapon is not picked up within ten seconds (the time is shown by the weapon descending back into the Box (except in Nacht der Untoten in World at War)), the Box will reset and it will be able to be opened again in two seconds. It costs 950 points to use, regardless if the player takes the weapon or not. If the player receives the teddy bear or lock, the player will receive a refund and the Box will relocate somewhere else on the map.

If a player receives the Fire Sale Power-Up, all Box spawns will be occupied and the price for a weapon will be 10 points, but only for a limited time, unless someone in Moon recently hacked the box location.

Nightmares[]

In Nightmares, Magic Boxes are located at random points throughout missions. They can be activated by holding the "use" button when near one. It does not cost anything to use. Just like in Zombies, it will give the player a random weapon, except it has a chance of having a camouflage and attachments. It only selects weapons available in the campaign.

Behavior[]

The Mystery Box appears in all the Zombies maps except Dead Ops Arcade, Dead Ops Arcade 2: Cyber's Avengening, and Dead Ops Arcade 3: Rise of the Mamaback. In Nacht der Untoten, the Box is located in the "Help Room" and will never move. Verrückt is the first level to have the Box relocate and is the only level for the empty Box spawns to be rubble, and Moon, Mob of the Dead, Origins, Shadows of Evil, Voyage of Despair and IX are the only levels for the empty Box spawns to be platforms; said maps except for Moon are specially designed to fit the theme of the maps, lacking a teddy bear and containers. A radio in Origins reveals that the Mystery Box can pull out weapons from different eras, either from the past, present or future, explaining why futuristic weapons appear in maps of the past and vice versa. In Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, it can pull weapons and support equipment ranging from Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, and Ultra (Wonder-Weapons).

Spawn locations (by level)[]

Nacht der Untoten[]

  • In the "Help Room", in a corner to the left of the door connecting the room to the starting area

Verrückt[]

  • Power room, across from the power switch (initial)
  • Left upstairs, next to the wall barrier
  • Left balcony, next to the door to the power room
  • Right hallway, directly in front of the door
  • Spawn room, next to Juggernog on the right side

Shi No Numa[]

  • Down the stairs from spawn room (always initial on World at War, Black Ops, and Black Ops III; possible initial on Vangaurd)
  • Doctor's quarters
  • Storage hut
  • Communications room
  • Fishing hut
  • Next to spawn room (possible initial on Vangaurd)

Der Riese and The Giant[]

  • Courtyard, opposite the power switch (initial on Der Riese)
  • Front of Teleporter A
  • Balcony in Teleporter B room
  • End of catwalk in Teleporter C room
  • Animal testing lab
  • Far wall adjacent to furnace in garage

Kino der Toten[]

  • Spawn room (never initial)
  • Upper hall, in front of the door
  • Lower hall, near the door to the alley 
  • Back room, next to a window
  • Near power switch in theater
  • Near Juggernog in theater
  • Dressing room
  • Foyer room
  • Alley way

"Five"[]

  • Animal testing lab
  • Weapons testing lab
  • Small lab room
  • Either side of the spawn room (never initial)
  • In the war room (never initial)

Ascension[]

  • Power room (initial)
  • Down the stairs from the power room near Mule Kick
  • Across from the rocket launch bay
  • Right by all three Lunar Landers
  • Next to Stamin-Up
  • In the corner of the spawn room

Call of the Dead[]

  • Top of the lighthouse
  • Spawn area (never initial)
  • On the other side of the lighthouse in front of a pool
  • On the balcony in front of the lighthouse
  • At the far end of the ship, in front of Mule Kick
  • In the room directly below the power room

Shangri-La[]

  • In the cave near the AK-74u
  • In the waterfall area near Mule Kick
  • In the spawn area (never initial)
  • Directly across the power switches (never initial)

Moon[]

  • Receiving Bay next to Quick Revive (never initial)
  • Power Room next to the Stakeout
  • Outside by the teleporter
  • Bio-Dome, next to PhD Flopper

Nuketown Zombies[]

  • Near yellow house garage
  • Near garden patch in green house backyard
  • Near doghouse ruins in yellow house backyard (possible initial)
  • Near fallout shelter in green house backyard (possible initial)
  • Inside the green house near the stairs

Green Run[]

  • Diner (initial)
  • Bus depot
  • Balcony in house in farm
  • Upstairs in bar in town
  • Back alley in town
  • Power room

Bus Depot[]

  • Sidewalk outside

Town[]

  • Upstairs in bar
  • Back alley, near Double Tap 2.0

Farm[]

  • Balcony in house

Die Rise[]

  • Upside-down half of building (initial)
  • "Forbidden Corner"
  • Food Court

Mob of the Dead[]

  • Warden's Office (possible initial)
  • Cafeteria (possible initial)
  • Docks
  • Catacombs
  • Infirmary

Buried[]

  • Outside general store (initial)
  • Near Quick Revive
  • Upstairs Courthouse
  • Two potential locations in the maze
  • Upstairs gunsmith
  • Room above Arthur's jail cell

Origins[]

  • Inside the Tank Station near Generator 2 (possible initial)
  • Next to Generator 3 (possible initial)
  • Generator 4 opposite Juggernog
  • Generator 5 opposite Stamin-Up
  • Near Generator 6 in the church
  • In the spawn room in between the two initial barriers

Shadows of Evil[]

  • In the Canal District, at one end of the canal. (possible initial)
  • In the Canal District, below the Ruby Rabbit.
  • In the Footlight District, next to the perk machine. (possible initial)
  • In the Footlight District, near the station stairs.
  • In the Waterfront district, below the perk machine. (possible initial)
  • In the Waterfront district high street, near the Train Station.
  • In the subway station underneath Junction, next to the Apothicon Swords.

Der Eisendrache[]

  • East side, by the dragon head (possible initial).
  • West side, in front of an AA emplacement (possible initial).
  • In the Juggernog room, opposite the Juggernog machine.
  • In the church, to the left of the dragon head.
  • Next to the Death Ray, adjacent to the door leading into the power room.
  • In the hall between the Teleporter and the Rocket Test Fire site, to the left of the Teleporter.

Zetsubou No Shima[]

  • In the area with the pillars where the four skulls are held (possible initial).
  • In the area with the airplane jet engine trap (possible initial).
  • In the green water area, behind the giant 115 rock.
  • In the docks, in front of the door.
  • In the artillery cannon area, next to the 500 points debris.

Gorod Krovi[]

  • In the Armory, next to the path leading to the Department Store (possible initial).
  • In the Infirmary, by the Bridge (possible initial).
  • In the Dragon command, inside the room left to the dragon platform.
  • In the Department Store, on the balcony above the spawn area.
  • In the Supply Depot, to the left of the entrance, next to the air valve.
  • In the Tank Factory, inside the room above Double Tap, next to the dragon platform.

Revelations[]

  • In Origins, in the Generator 3 area, where it was originally found (possible initial).
  • In Der Eisendrache, inside the room with the four statues that bear the Order of the Keepers symbol (possible initial).
  • In the Spawn area, right next to the area that the player spawns.
  • In Nacht der Untoten, where it was originally found.
  • In Origins, in the Excavation Site area.
  • In Mob of the Dead, in the Cafeteria, opposite the door that led to the Infirmary.
  • In Verrückt, in the room that the power switch was originally found.
  • In Kino der Toten, on the stage.
  • In Verrückt, near the stairs
  • In Shangri-la, next to the jump pad.

Prologue and Gröesten Haus[]

  • Inside the secret room, which can be opened after shooting all ten lanterns around the map.

The Final Reich[]

  • Inside the Command Room, near the door leading to the Laboratory (initial).
  • In the Courtyard, to the right of the Lee Enfield.
  • On the bridge leading to the Tower.

The Darkest Shore[]

  • At the Overlook, near the buildable radio system (initial).
  • On the Beach, to the far right of the Machine Pistol weapon locker.
  • In the bunker within the Bluffs, across from the Type 100 weapon locker.
  • Inside Bunker 3, across from the Grease Gun weapon locker.

The Shadowed Throne[]

  • In the back of the Church, next to the map of Germany (initial).
  • In the Destroyed Building, to the right of the Reichsrevolver weapon locker.
  • In the Cabaret, between the Lee Enfield and STG-44 weapon lockers.
  • In the Museum, behind the M1 Garand weapon locker.

Bodega Cervantes[]

  • In the kitchen of the winery house.

U.S.S. Mount Olympus[]

  • On the lower deck, directly across from the first Ubersprengen device.

Altar of Blood[]

  • In the altar room, where the Überschnalle battery would be found in "Beneath the Ice" within The Tortured Path.

Voyage of Despair[]

  • Upper Grand Staircase (possible initial)
  • Lower Grand Staircase (possible initial)
  • Aft Decks
  • Boat Deck
  • Mail Rooms
  • Dinning Hall
  • 1st Class Lounge
  • Boiler Room

IX[]

  • Fallen Hero (initial)
  • Altar Rooms of Danu, Ra, Zeus and Odin
  • Danu Arboretum
  • Ra Burial Chamber
  • Odin Cauldron
  • Zeus Bath House
  • Cursed Room

Blood of the Dead[]

  • Power House (possible initial)
  • New Industries (possible initial)
  • Recreation Yard
  • Docks
  • Cafeteria
  • Administration
  • Warden's House

Classified[]

  • Porcine Research
  • Weapon Testing
  • Morgue
  • Side Passage
  • Deserted Hallway
  • War Room: Lower Level
  • Main Offices (possible initial)
  • War Room: Upper Level (possible initial)
  • Server Room

Dead of the Night[]

  • Grand Staircase
  • Forest 
  • Library (possible initial)
  • Cemetery
  • Dining Room (possible initial)
  • Gardens

Ancient Evil[]

  • Offering of the Attalids (possible initial)
  • Spartan Monument
  • Gymnasium Bathhouse (possible initial)
  • Castalian Spring
  • Cliff Ruins (Location will change to either spawn when going to the Dark Side)
  • Python Pass by the Altar of Charon (Location will change to either spawn when going to the Dark Side)

Alpha Omega[]

  • Backyard of Prisoner Holding (possible initial)
  • Backyard of Transfusion Facility (possible initial)
  • Backyard of Yellow House
  • Cul-de-sac
  • Beds
  • APD Control

Tag der Toten[]

  • Frozen Crevasse
  • Lighthouse Level 1 (possible initial)
  • Cargo Hold (possible initial)
  • Forecastle
  • Navigation
  • Beach
  • Lighthouse Station
  • Human Infusion

Die Maschine[]

  • Crash Site (possible initial)
  • Pond (possible initial)
  • Omega Outpost (original Nacht der Untoten box spawn)
  • Yard
  • Particle Accelerator
  • Weapons Lab
  • Medical Bay

Weapons available[]

Main article: Mystery Box/Weapons available

The weapons available in the Mystery Box are largely the same throughout each map in a game, although the weapons available do occasionally change, normally due to the addition of a new Wonder Weapon, or the unconventionality of a weapon in the map (such as Crossbow's absence in Moon due to the possible issues with low gravity). In addition, each game mostly features weapons only seen in that game, there being very few recurring weapons apart from Wonder Weapons such as Ray Gun.

Teddy Bear[]

"Bye, bye!"
Demonic Announcer

In all maps except the Call of Duty: Black Ops (DS) Zombies maps and maps with only one location for the Mystery Box, it is possible to obtain a Teddy Bear (or what replaces it) from the box. In Mob of the Dead, a lock appears instead, having the same function as the Teddy Bear, and in Shadows of Evil, the teddy bear will have an alien head. The Teddy Bear causes the box to shake, rise up, vanish and teleport elsewhere on the map with no useful weapon dispensed; a voice in the background laughs at the player; first was from a child, then the other one which is maniacal-like. The 950 points are also refunded to the player, except on the iOS version. It is interesting to note that in the Call of Duty: World at War version of Verrückt, the box respawns only in an area that the player has opened unless only one room has been opened.

In Kino der Toten, the location is revealed on the wooden maps with green lights on its current location, while in Shi No Numa, Der Riese, Ascension, Call of the Dead, Shangri-La, Moon, Green Run, Nuketown Zombies, Die Rise, and Mob of the Dead, the box can respawn anywhere, but is marked by a beam of light, yellow in Shi No Numa, red in Mob of the Dead, and blue in Der Riese, Kino der Toten, Ascension, Call of the Dead, Shangri-La, Moon, Green Run, Nuketown Zombies, Die Rise, The Giant, Der Eisendrache, Zetsubou No Shima, and Gorod Krovi. In "Five", as well as Ascension, the Mystery Box's location is shown on small television screens above each possible box location. At some locations, some players actually hope to get the Teddy Bear, as the box may move to a more convenient place.

The chances of the Teddy Bear appearing in the box increase depending on how many times the box has been used in its current location. The Teddy Bear will never appear on the first three uses of the box. The fourth through seventh uses have a 15% chance of choosing the Teddy Bear. Uses in the range of eighth to twelfth have a 30% chance, and any rolls after that have a 50% chance. When the box is in the starting location, however, the Teddy Bear will always appear after eight uses.

Alternative Versions[]

In Mob of the Dead and Blood of the Dead, the Teddy Bear is replaced by a spinning padlock.

In Call of Duty: WWII, the Mystery Box doesn't have a teddy bear. Instead, the red lights on the side of the Mystery Box will deactivate while opening up, signifying it has relocated to another location.

In the Chaos Story maps for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, the Teddy Bear is replaced by a laughing metallic skull.

In Alpha Omega, the Teddy Bear is replaced by a A.D.A.M. head.

In Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Vanguard, the teddy bear is replaced by a stuffed bunny-rabbit named Mister Peeks.

The Mystery Box logically cannot move to a new location on maps with only one spawn point for it. Thus, the Box will be permanently fixed in place and never spawn a Teddy Bear.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

Call of Duty: World at War[]

  • The early name for the Mystery Box was possibly the "Treasure Chest", judging by the model name mtl_treasure_chest".
    • The Mystery Box is also referenced as the "Treasure Chest" in a loading screen tip.
  • In Nacht der Untoten, there is a higher chance of getting the Ray Gun in the Mystery Box in earlier rounds than other maps.
  • In Verrückt, there is writing on the stairs on to the barrier downstairs warning that if the Mystery Box is used too often, it will move. Its exact words are "Wish too often and your wishing well will run".

Call of Duty: Black Ops[]

  • On the pre-order poster, there is a phone number that when dialed plays Mystery Box jingle in reverse.
  • Weapons that are bought off the wall do not appear in the Mystery Box, unlike in Call of Duty: World at War (except for the AUG on the Wii version of the game).
  • Xbox LIVE players can purchase a Mystery Box for their avatar.
  • The spawn point of the Mystery Box is marked by a pile of boxes with a Teddy Bear on top, except in Verrückt, in which it is indicated by a pile of rubble with a Teddy Bear on top. The same goes for Call of Duty: World at War.
    • In Shi No Numa, the boxes are different, as they are white with Japanese writing on them.
  • On Wii versions, the texture of the mystery box is different. The wood is darker and noticeably rougher and more damaged, and there are a few stickers placed around the box. The texture of the white question marks have been replaced by one of orange, burning embers.
  • There's a box spawn in every spawn room except the World at War maps.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II[]

  • If a player throws an EMP Grenade at the Mystery Box, the Mystery Box will shut down, the weapon will vanish, and points will not be refunded.
  • When the Mystery Box disappears, it spins two times around and then bursts into the air, unlike in the previous games where it shakes from side to side. In Mob of the Dead and Origins, it instead hovers in the air and then falls down into the base below it.
  • Russman despises the Mystery Box, and insultingly calls it a "Devil's Box".
  • In the June 27, 2013 patch, the indicator says "Press 'use button' for Mystery Box" as opposed to "Press 'use button' for Random Weapon."
  • It's much more rare to get the Ray Gun Mark II from the Mystery Box on maps other than Buried, where it's more common to receive.
  • The "Toybox" Persistent Upgrade allows the player to have a higher chance of rolling better weapons from the Mystery Box.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III[]

  • Oddly, there is a pair of pants, a head and a hand in the box on Nightmares mode. All of which are unobtainable.
  • The Mystery Box in Shadows of Evil has silhouettes of a tailed four-legged monster inside which is reminiscent of the Facehuggers within Eggs from Alien.
  • The symbol on the Mystery Box in Shadows of Evil is the Apothicon word Urgnoth, which translates roughly to "Magic Box", clearly referring to the Mystery Box itself.
  • There is a minute chance for the Teddy Bear on a box location pedestal to float up, turn to the right and then float back down. This has been captured on The Giant with the old initial spawn.
  • Revelations has the highest amount of box locations, with ten possible locations.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4[]

  • This is the first game in which DLC weapons were retroactively added to the box, allowing players to wield them in every map.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War[]

  • The traditional Teddy Bear has been replaced with another stuffed toy: a rabbit named Mr. Peeks.
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