New Game+ & Replayability

Congratulations, soldier! You've completed your first tour of duty in Call of Duty: Black Ops III. But the fight is far from over. Unlike previous installments in the Black Ops series, Black Ops III offers a robust New Game+ experience that significantly enhances replayability, encouraging multiple playthroughs to uncover all secrets, maximize your Cyber Core abilities, and dominate the battlefield on higher difficulties.

Initiating New Game+

Once you've rolled credits on the main campaign, you'll be prompted to start a New Game+. This isn't just a simple restart; it carries over crucial progress from your previous playthrough. To begin:

From the main menu, select "Campaign."
Choose "New Game+" from the available options.
Confirm your desired difficulty. We highly recommend bumping it up to at least "Hardened" or "Veteran" for a fresh challenge, especially with your upgraded Cyber Cores.

What Carries Over:

Cyber Core Abilities: All unlocked and upgraded Cyber Core abilities (Control, Martial, Chaos) will be available from the very first mission. This dramatically changes early-game strategies.
Weapon Unlocks & Attachments: Any weapons you've permanently unlocked through campaign progression or collected during missions will be accessible from the Armory. Attachments purchased with Fabrications also carry over.
Fabrications: Your accumulated Fabrication currency will transfer, allowing you to immediately purchase desired weapons, attachments, and tactical gear.
Data Vault Collectibles: Any Data Vault collectibles (such as the "Cybernetics Research" or "Project Prometheus" files) you've found will remain unlocked in your Data Vault. You'll still need to re-collect any that you missed on your initial run.

What Does NOT Carry Over:

Mission-Specific Loadouts: While your overall weapon unlocks carry over, you'll still start each mission with its default loadout until you access a Wall Buy or Armory.
Tactical Rigs: Your chosen Tactical Rig (e.g., "Overclock" or "Rejack") will need to be re-selected at the start of each mission.
In-Mission Progress: Story progression, mission objectives, and enemy placements reset.

Strategies for Subsequent Playthroughs

Cyber Core Specialization

With all Cyber Cores available from the start, New Game+ is the perfect opportunity to experiment with different playstyles. Consider focusing on a specific Cyber Core tree that you neglected in your first playthrough:

Control Core Dominance: If you prefer stealth and manipulation, fully upgrade abilities like Remote Hijack (to turn enemy turrets against them) and Protocol Override (to disable enemy cybernetics). Missions like "Provocation" and "Vengeance" become significantly easier with these tools.
Martial Core Mayhem: For aggressive players, max out Rapid Strike for devastating melee attacks and Enhanced Movement for unparalleled mobility. Combine this with the Ripper specialist weapon for close-quarters annihilation. "Rise and Fall" on Veteran difficulty becomes a test of your martial prowess.
Chaos Core Carnage: Unleash havoc with abilities like Firefly Swarm (to disorient and damage enemies) and Adaptive Invisibility (for tactical retreats or flanking maneuvers). The Black Hat tactical grenade pairs exceptionally well with this core for disrupting enemy defenses.

Collectible Hunting & Data Vault Completion

The Data Vault contains a wealth of lore, character bios, and concept art. New Game+ is ideal for tracking down any missed collectibles.

Mission 2: New World: Look for the "Coalescence Corporation Annual Report" data log in the executive office area after the initial firefight. It's often overlooked behind a desk.
Mission 4: Provocation: The "Warlord's Journal" can be found in the safe room after you disable the first set of defenses. Check the table near the weapons cache.
Mission 7: Vengeance: Don't miss the "Project Nightingale Research Notes" in the laboratory section, typically on a workbench near the main console.

Refer to the "Collectibles Guide" section of this walkthrough for precise locations of all Data Vault entries.

Unlocking All Accolades

Each mission has a set of accolades for completing specific challenges, such as "No Deaths" or "Headshot Spree." Many of these are much more attainable with fully upgraded Cyber Cores and a better understanding of mission layouts.

"No Deaths" Accolade: On easier difficulties, focus on methodical clearing and utilizing your most powerful Cyber Core abilities. For example, use Remote Hijack to clear rooms before entering.
"Headshot Spree" Accolade: Equip precision weapons like the Drakon sniper rifle or the Shieva assault rifle. Engage enemies from a distance and aim for the head. The Tactical Rig: Overclock can help slow down time for easier headshots.

Nightmares Mode

After completing the campaign once, you unlock "Nightmares" mode. This completely re-imagines the campaign with a zombie-infested narrative and new objectives. It's a fantastic way to experience the familiar environments in a terrifying new light. Your Cyber Core abilities and weapon unlocks carry over, which is crucial for survival against the undead hordes.

Weapon Choice: Prioritize weapons with high damage and large magazines, such as the Dingo LMG or the Haymaker 12 shotgun, for effective crowd control against zombies.
Cyber Core Synergy: The Chaos Core's Firefly Swarm is incredibly effective at stunning and damaging groups of zombies, giving you precious time to reload or reposition. The Martial Core's Rapid Strike can be a lifesaver in close quarters.

Embrace the challenge, experiment with your loadouts, and delve deeper into the lore of Black Ops III. Your second (or third, or fourth) playthrough will be a vastly different and equally rewarding experience.