Let’s be real for a second. If you were playing Call of Duty back in 2015, you probably remember the absolute chaos of the Black Ops 3 Giant easter egg launch. It wasn't just a map. It was a statement. Treyarch took Der Riese—arguably the most perfect Zombies map ever made—and polished it until it gleamed with that weird, blue Element 115 glow. But here is the thing: a lot of people call it a "Main Quest," and honestly, that’s a bit of a stretch compared to the madness of Revelations or Gorod Krovi. It’s short. It’s sweet. It’s basically a rite of passage for anyone trying to understand the Aether storyline.
The Giant isn't just a remake; it’s a temporal fracture. We see the younger "Primis" versions of Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen confront the older, "Ultimis" Richtofen right as he’s about to teleport Maxis and Samantha into the void. It’s a heavy scene. Then, you’re just dropped into the snow. The pack-a-punch is locked, the Fly Trap is waiting, and you've got a lot of heads to pop.
Cracking the Code of the Fly Trap
Most people call this the "Fly Trap" quest because, well, that’s what Maxis calls it over the radio. To get the Black Ops 3 Giant easter egg moving, you need a Pack-a-Punched weapon. Don't overthink it. Just grab whatever is on the wall—the KN-44 or the HVK-30 work fine—and shove it into the machine once you've linked the three teleporters.
Once you have your upgraded gun, head over to the fence near the power switch. You’re looking for a very specific, very small panel behind the chain-link. Shoot it. If you did it right, a bunch of green objects—toys, basically—will go flying into the air. Maxis will start talking. He sounds disappointed, but he's actually guiding you.
"A better tomorrow is only possible if we blow up the moon." — Not actually said here, but that’s the vibe of the whole Bo3 season, isn't it?
Actually, Maxis says: "The vessel for Maxis is located... find the hidden signal." He’s talking about the beacons. You have to find three specific items hidden around the map. It’s a game of hide and seek with high-stakes consequences.
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- First, look in the furnace. It’s in the room near the teleporter by the bridge. There is a small teddy bear inside the fire. Shoot it.
- Second, check the water cooling vat. It’s tucked away on a ledge. Another bear. Another shot.
- Third, the balcony. You have to look up at the fire escape near the power area.
Once you’ve "collected" these by shooting them, go back to the mainframe. There’s a panel there. Hold your interact button, and the Annihilator pistol will rise out of the floor like a prize on a game show. This is your reward. It’s a one-shot kill for a while, and it counts as a specialist weapon. It’s also the "ending" of the map's main quest, which feels weirdly abrupt if you’re used to the hour-long boss fights in Der Eisendrache.
Why This Tiny Quest Matters for the Lore
You might be thinking, "That’s it?"
Yeah. That’s it. But the Black Ops 3 Giant easter egg isn't about the difficulty of the steps. It’s about the context. This map confirmed that the cycle was broken. When Primis Richtofen shoots Ultimis Richtofen in the head during the opening cutscene, everything changed. It told the community that the rules of the previous three games were gone.
The Annihilator itself is a wink to Multiplayer, sure, but in the context of the story, it’s an anomaly. Why is a futuristic specialist weapon from 2065 sitting in a Nazi research facility in the 1940s? Temporal displacement. The Giant is the epicenter of the fractures. If you listen to the radios scattered around—the ones you don't even need for the "main" quest—you hear Maxis getting increasingly desperate. You hear about the "Empty Earth."
It’s also worth noting the "Beacon" mentioned in the quest. When you finish the Fly Trap, a giant beam of light shoots into the sky. This is what Richtofen uses to signal Maxis. It’s the literal flare that sets the rest of the game in motion. Without this little quest in a snowy factory, the events of Der Eisendrache wouldn't have happened.
The Secret Perk and the "Hidden" Content
There is a big misconception that the Annihilator is the only secret. It’s not. There is the "Hidden Perk" which is basically the worst-kept secret in Zombies history.
To get it, you need monkeys. Not the animal, the bombs. Throw a Monkey Bomb into each of the three teleporters and teleport yourself immediately after. You’ll see a green light on the control panel near the Pack-a-Punch. Once all three are lit, hit the red button. A giant laser on the roof will melt a pile of snow outside the map, revealing a perk machine.
Usually, it’s Stamin-Up or Deadshot Daiquiri.
Back in the day, people swore there was a way to get a second perk or even a different machine like PH D Flopper. Spoilers: there wasn't. The code just isn't there. People spent hundreds of hours trying to find a "Super Easter Egg" on The Giant, fueled by YouTube theories and grainy screenshots. It's funny how a map so small can generate that much obsession.
Strategy for a Fast Run
If you want to knock this out quickly, don't wait until round 20. That's a rookie mistake. The zombies get too fast and you'll get trapped in the narrow hallways near the teleporters.
- Round 1-4: Stay in the spawn. Farm points. Use the RK5 if you have to, but try to knife for maximum cash.
- Round 5-8: Open the map. Link the teleporters. You need 5,000 points for Pack-a-Punch.
- The Gun Choice: Don't waste your time hitting the box for a Ray Gun. The Drakon is the king of this map. If you get the Drakon, you've basically won.
- The Fly Trap: Do it as soon as you Pack-a-Punch. The Annihilator is way more useful in the mid-teens than it is in the high rounds when it starts to drop off in damage.
The catwalk strategy is still the goat. Go to the back of the map, stay on the elevated platform, and just aim for the head. It's boring, but it's how you get to round 50 without breaking a sweat.
Common Mistakes People Still Make
The biggest mistake? Shooting the Fly Trap panel with a regular gun. It has to be Pack-a-Punched. I've seen people dump three mags of an LMG into that fence wondering why nothing is happening.
Another one is the Perk Bottle. Some players think you get a free perk for finishing the Fly Trap. You don't. You get a pistol and some XP. The free perk only comes from the teleporter/monkey bomb trick, and even then, it's just one extra slot.
Lastly, the radios. If you’re a lore nerd, don't skip the radios. There are several hidden around the map that flesh out the "Primis" characters' motivations. They’re not required for the achievement, but they’re required if you actually want to know why Nikolai is so grumpy or why Takeo is starting to doubt the Emperor.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Session
If you’re hopping back into Black Ops 3 today, here is exactly what you should do to maximize your Giant run.
First, use your Gobblegums. If you have "Extra Credit" or "Shopping Free," you can have the entire map open and the Black Ops 3 Giant easter egg finished by round 2. It feels like cheating, but hey, the game gives you the tools, use them.
Second, pay attention to the environmental storytelling. Look at the clocks. Look at the writing on the walls. The Giant is a bridge between the old-school survival maps and the new-school quest maps. It’s the perfect warm-up.
Go get that Annihilator, camp on the catwalk with a Drakon, and enjoy the nostalgia. It’s still the best way to grind weapon XP in the entire game, even years later. Just don't expect a cutscene at the end—the real reward is the 1,000 XP and the satisfaction of a job done.
Once you’ve mastered the Fly Trap, move on to Der Eisendrache. That’s where the real challenge begins, but you can’t get there without lighting the beacon here first. It’s all connected. Every bear shot, every teleporter linked, it all feeds into the grand finale of the Aether story.
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The Giant is a masterpiece of efficiency. It doesn't waste your time with 40-step puzzles or Simon Says games. It’s pure Zombies. Shoot, upgrade, survive. That’s why we still play it. That’s why it still matters. Go load it up and see if you’ve still got the aim for those balcony bears. You probably do.