If you were there in 2015 when Black Ops 3 first dropped, you remember the chaos. Shadows of Evil was beautiful, sure, but it was also a convoluted mess for anyone just trying to shoot some zombies. Then The Giant arrived. It was a remake of Der Riese, the legendary World War II research facility, but something felt... off. The Giant BO3 Easter egg wasn't just a trip down memory lane; it was the moment Treyarch signaled that the storyline was about to get weird. Like, "multiverse-shattering" weird.
Most people think The Giant is just a simple survival map. They’re wrong.
While it lacks the massive, multi-stage cinematic quests found in Der Eisendrache or Gorod Krovi, the Giant BO3 Easter egg serves as the narrative glue for the entire DLC season. It’s the bridge between the old "Ultimis" crew and the new "Primis" versions of Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen. If you don't do the Fly Trap, you're missing the literal starting gun of the Aether cycle.
The Narrative Shock That Changed Everything
The map opens with a cinematic that still gives fans chills. We see the younger, "Primis" versions of our heroes confronting the older, "Ultimis" Richtofen just as he’s about to teleport Maxis and Samantha away. Then, younger Richtofen steps out of the teleporter and puts a bullet in his older self's head.
It was a total "reset" button.
Actually, it was more of a "refinement." By killing his older self, Richtofen secured a specific soul, setting the stage for the Summoning Key antics that would define the rest of the game. This wasn't just fanservice. It was a declaration that the rules of time and space in Zombies had been rewritten. Honestly, it’s kind of wild how much weight this tiny map carries. You aren't just playing a remake; you're playing the exact moment the timeline fractured.
Solving the Fly Trap: The Main Quest
The actual Giant BO3 Easter egg—often called the "Fly Trap"—is incredibly short compared to the four-hour marathons in Revelations. But it’s essential. To start it, you need a Pack-a-Punched weapon. Any weapon works, but most veterans just grab the RK5 or a Wall-buy and upgrade it as soon as the power is on.
Go to the teleporter area near the back of the map, specifically the one past the power switch. Look through the fence at the snowy wasteland outside the playable area. You're looking for a small control panel on a pillar. When you shoot it with a Pack-a-Punched gun, green orbs fly out.
That’s it. You’ve triggered the game of hide-and-seek.
Where the Items Are Hiding
Maxis starts talking to you over the intercom. His voice sounds distorted, distant, and honestly a bit creepy compared to the later maps. You have to find three hidden items around the facility.
- The Teddy Bear: Head toward the furnace room (the one with the VMP on the wall). Inside one of the furnaces, a small Teddy Bear is just chilling there. Shoot it.
- The Monkey Bomb: Go to the teleporter located in the animal testing labs. Look up at the fire escape balcony outside the window. A monkey bomb is sitting there. Shoot it.
- The Perk Bottle: This is the one people usually miss. It’s inside a vat of water near the power switch area. Look into the circular containers; one has a tiny bottle submerged. Shoot it.
Once you’ve hit all three, Maxis will tell you that "the beacon is lit" and a reward appears. A literal Annihilator pistol from the multiplayer mode rises out of the furnace. It’s a decent infinite-damage weapon for a few rounds, but the real "reward" is the XP and the narrative completion.
The Hidden Perk: The "Fourth" Teleporter
There’s a persistent myth that The Giant has a secret "major" ending. It doesn't. However, the Giant BO3 Easter egg does have a hidden gameplay element that many casual players never figured out: the sixth perk.
On the original Der Riese, you had your standard four perks plus a hidden one. In the BO3 version, there is a mound of snow near the teleporter in the garage/loading dock area. If you throw a Monkey Bomb into each of the three active teleporters and then teleport yourself, you’ll see the lights on the control panel near the Pack-a-Punch turn green.
Once all three are "charged" by the monkeys, you can interact with the panel. A giant laser fires from the robot head in the background, melting the snow pile. This reveals a hidden perk machine. Usually, it’s Stamin-Up or Deadshot Daiquiri. It's a small touch, but in a high-round run, having that extra perk slot without needing a Perkaholic gobblegum is a literal lifesaver.
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Why The Giant Still Holds Up in 2026
You might wonder why people are still googling the Giant BO3 Easter egg a decade after the game launched. It’s the simplicity. Modern Zombies maps are basically inventory management simulators. You’re collecting shield parts, building elemental bows, and memorizing Morse code.
The Giant is pure.
It’s just you, a catwalk, and a horde of undead. The Easter egg doesn't get in the way of the gameplay; it enhances it. It gives you a goal for the first ten rounds and then lets you focus on survival. Plus, the atmosphere is unmatched. The snowy, industrial gloom of the facility feels heavy in a way that the bright colors of Black Ops 4 or Cold War never quite captured.
The Cypher Mystery
For the hardcore lore hunters, the real Giant BO3 Easter egg isn't the Fly Trap—it’s the cyphers scattered around the walls. These coded messages took the community years to crack. They detail the movements of the different versions of the characters and hint at the "Cycle" that the characters are trapped in.
One of the most famous cyphers mentions "the blood vials." At the time, we had no idea what that meant. Looking back, it was a massive foreshadowing of the ending of Revelations and the "Blood of the Dead" storyline. Treyarch was playing the long game. They hid the ending of the entire saga in plain sight on a bonus map that came with the Season Pass.
Mistakes Most Players Make
I’ve seen a lot of people struggle with the Giant BO3 Easter egg because they overthink it.
- The Weapon Trap: You don't need a specific Wonder Weapon. A simple Pack-a-Punched pistol works. Don't waste 20,000 points on the Mystery Box trying to get the Ray Gun just to shoot the Fly Trap.
- The Monkey Timing: When trying to unlock the hidden perk, make sure the Monkey Bomb actually detonates inside the teleporter before you activate it. If you teleport too early, it won't count.
- Missing the Beacon: People often forget to pick up the Annihilator. It doesn't go into your primary weapon slots; it acts as a specialist weapon (press both bumpers/triggers depending on your platform). It’s great for taking out the dogs if you get cornered.
How to Master The Giant Today
If you’re hopping back into Black Ops 3—which, honestly, you should, because the modding scene on PC is currently insane—here is the most efficient way to handle this map.
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First, don't open the door to the stairs in the starting room. Leave it closed. Open the door toward the Thompson (Vesper) room instead. This forces the zombies into a predictable flow. Get the power on by round 5 or 6. Link the teleporters immediately. If you're playing solo, the Quick Revive is a non-negotiable, but on The Giant, Juggernog is your best friend because of how tight the corridors are.
Once you have Jugg and a Pack-a-Punched weapon, finish the Giant BO3 Easter egg (the Fly Trap). It takes two minutes. Then, grab your Annihilator and head to the "Catwalk." It’s the elevated platform in the back of the map near the teleporter. It is arguably the most famous camping spot in the history of the franchise. With four players all aimed at the stairs, you can easily reach round 40 without breaking a sweat.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
- Round 1-3: Knife only. Maximize points.
- Round 4: Open the first two doors toward the power. Buy a Vesper or RK5.
- Round 5-8: Get the power on. Link all three teleporters to open the Pack-a-Punch.
- The Quest: Immediately Pack-a-Punch your starting pistol or a cheap wall-buy. Shoot the control panel outside the fence.
- The Items: Hit the Teddy in the furnace, the Monkey on the fire escape, and the Bottle in the vat.
- The Reward: Grab the Annihilator from the furnace.
- The Secret: Use Monkey Bombs in the teleporters to melt the snow pile and get your free 5th/6th perk.
The Aether story might be "over" in the eyes of some, but the Giant BO3 Easter egg remains the perfect entry point for anyone wanting to understand how the Primis era truly began. It’s short, sweet, and carries the weight of a thousand timelines. Go get that Annihilator. Just watch out for the hellhounds—they’re faster than you remember.
The most important thing to remember is that this map was designed to be replayed. Unlike the newer maps that feel like a chore once you've seen the ending, The Giant is about the core loop. It’s about the perfect headshot. It’s about hearing Richtofen's manic laughter as he realizes he's just killed himself. It’s Zombies in its purest form.