Black Ops II Zombies Modes: Survival, Grief, and TranZit
A first-party overview of Black Ops II Zombies player counts and the distinct goals of Survival, Grief, and TranZit.
Three modes, different decisions
The official Black Ops II manual describes Zombies for 1–8 players and distinguishes three named experiences.
| Mode | Official framing | First planning priority |
|---|---|---|
| Survival | Classic survival against increasingly dangerous waves | Economy, weapon access and a repeatable hold or training area |
| Grief | Competing groups of survivors | Survive while denying the other group advantages without direct weapon damage assumptions |
| TranZit | Strategic travel through Green Run | Route order, team regrouping, buildables and transport timing |
The correct guide depends on the selected mode. A TranZit bus and area route does not apply to a contained Survival match, while a solo survival setup does not answer the competitive pressure of Grief.
Choose the guide before the loadout
For Survival, decide how the group shares early points, opens access and prepares for later waves. For Grief, agree on survival roles while observing the opposing group's position. For TranZit, name the next stop and regroup rule before transport separates the team.
The manual also warns that undead are not the only danger in Green Run. That supports cautious routing, but it does not replace map-specific evidence. Use the dedicated TranZit guide for turbine, power, Town and Pack-a-Punch details, and keep this page as the mode-selection reference.
Verify the selected lobby
Before starting, read the lobby mode and player count, confirm any downloadable map requirement, and make sure every player expects the same objective. Many bad strategies begin with a Survival assumption in a TranZit or Grief lobby.
Record the chosen mode beside every strategy note. Include map, player count, round reached and whether the team was cooperating or competing. A useful Survival observation should not be copied into Grief without testing, and a Green Run TranZit route should keep its transport and area context. This small label prevents the wiki from blending three distinct rule sets into one vague Zombies guide.