The first thing most Zombies players did after version 1.96 dropped wasn't check the store tab. They loaded Toten Reich and went straight to the old spots. That says a lot. The patch brought Double XP and some Modern Warfare 4 promo noise, but the real question was simple: did the favourite pileups survive? So far, yes. A lot of them still work, which is why chatter around fast XP routes, weapon levelling, and Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies has picked up again during the event.

The old pileups are still doing work

The Pipe Pileup near Speed Cola is still one of the first places people test, and it hasn't lost its appeal. You get zombies stacking in a neat enough line, you keep your angle, and the rounds start moving faster than they should. The Chain Pileup is also still alive, though it can feel a bit fussier if your movement is off. Then there's the Pack-a-Punch rock spot, which remains a favourite for players who want something reliable without spending half the match setting up.

Lighthouse routes need cleaner movement

The Lighthouse area is where things get more interesting. It's not the sort of place where you can just sprint in and expect free XP. You've got to hit the jumps properly, read the wall angles, and avoid getting greedy. Some players are still reaching spots that sit outside the usual map flow, letting zombies gather below or nearby while the player shoots from relative safety. Miss a step, though, and the map doesn't forgive you. Death barriers, awkward landing zones, and small bits of environmental damage can ruin a run fast.

Solo and squad setups still have their crowd

The more complicated out-of-map method is still being shared around, especially among solo players who like testing every patch. It needs a turret, Ether Shroud, and the Burst Dash augment, so it's not exactly casual. Once it's done, though, zombies keep grouping above while the player works from underneath the map. Squads have their own tricks too. RC cars, turrets, ziplines, and Support Group GobbleGums are still being used to push players into strange places the map clearly wasn't built for.

Double XP makes every shortcut louder

Any time Double XP is active, the community gets more impatient. Some players grind normally, some chase glitch spots, and some look at services like BO7 Boosting when they don't want to spend another weekend repeating the same rounds. Update 1.96 hasn't shut down the big Zombies talking points, at least not yet. With another patch always possible, players are making the most of the window while Toten Reich still has its rough edges.