Chris InglisTreyarch is preparing to launch players into the future with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 which promises “cutting-edge combat” in the year 2035. During a recent media preview headed up by Associate Creative Director Miles Leslie, a long-time Call of Duty developer, key details about the campaign, multiplayer, and zombies experience were revealed ahead of the game’s November 14 launch.
The developers confirmed that Black Ops 6 (initially set in 1991) and Black Ops 7 were developed in tandem, creating a connected narrative universe. The game is centered on the theme that “experience matters,” allowing players to unlock “untapped powers and potential with every choice.”
Black Ops 7 Campaign: A Co-Op Story with a Global Scale
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Campaign will directly bridge the narratives of Black Ops 2 (which featured Alex Mason in the 1980s and his son David Mason in 2025) and Black Ops 6.
- Story & Structure: The co-op story campaign features a “crazier story” with the return of “fan-fav heroes” for a thrilling ride. Missions are described as “diverse, epic” and take players to unique locations ranging from the Mediterranean Avalon to Tokyo.
- JSEC Squad: You can tackle the campaign missions solo or with up to 4 players as part of the JSEC squad.
- Progression & Endgame: For the first time in a Black Ops campaign, there is full integration of global progression systems, allowing players to unlock things through level 1-55 and build their operator arsenal for the endgame. After completing the first 11 Co-Op Campaign missions, players will unlock endgame. The campaign endgame serves as an epilogue to the story where all of Avalon opens up, challenging players to push through difficult zones—a “final proving ground of everything you’ve learned.”
Multiplayer: Black Ops 2 Evolved in 2035
The competitive multiplayer experience is built around three core pillars, focusing on high-tech combat and rewarding player commitment:
- Future Power Fantasy: Players will wield the powerful and kinetic weaponry of 2035, utilizing cutting-edge guns and gadgets to dominate the battlefield.
- Experience Matters: A dedicated focus on mastery means that player skill and experience directly improve and alter gameplay, allowing dedicated players to refine their loadouts and approach to the core mechanics.
- Black Ops 2 Evolved: Iconic Black Ops 2 gameplay flow and beloved content are being reimagined and updated for the new, futuristic setting, appealing to both veteran players and newcomers.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 introduces new movement and finishing mechanics to change the flow of combat, emphasizing player choice and speed:
- New Mechanics:
- Wall Jump: Adds a new vertical dimension to map traversal and outplaying opponents.
- Grenade Body Shield Finisher: A brutal new finishing move that offers a stylish and effective way to eliminate a staggered enemy.
- Move while Mounted: Increases flexibility and survivability by allowing minor adjustments while maintaining accuracy on cover.
- Combat Flow: Combat updates include new perks specifically designed for movement options and a focus on achieving “more fluidity” in minute-to-minute gameplay. Notably, there will be no Tac Sprint by default, a design choice intended to differentiate movement speed and pace from other Call of Duty titles.
- Launch Maps: Multiplayer launches with 18 dedicated maps, including confirmed locations like The Forge, Toshin, Exposure (set in Australia), Blackheart, Edge, and Tide.
Zombies: Trapped in the Dark Aether
The fan-favorite Zombies mode is being rebranded as Zombies Unchained—a new and expansive world featuring the biggest round-based map ever, with the crew trapped inside the mysterious and terrifying Dark Aether dimension.
- Crew & Story: The narrative will bring together the cast from Black Ops 6 to meet a new crew, setting the stage for a dramatic, interdimensional confrontation.
- Ashes of the Damned: This is the first Zombies story experience, built around the massive new map.
- Ol’ Tessie: The “Ol’ Tessie Wonder Vehicle” is confirmed as a core element of the map’s gameplay loop, and can be upgraded with scavenged items, offering a vital tool for survival and traversal.
- New Enemies: Players will face a variety of new threats, including the horrifying Zursa Zombie Bear (with attached bee hives that prevent hiding and create area denial) and Ravagers (small, gremlin creatures that will attempt to “zerg” the player in overwhelming numbers).
- Map Design: The map features 6 main Points of Interest (POI’s) connected by 7 “fog zones.” These areas contain unique secrets and stories, and passing through them involves a “sense of urgency,” likely due to environmental hazards or powerful enemies.
- Modes of Play: The mode introduces more ways to play for all skill levels, expanding accessibility without sacrificing depth:
- Core Modes: Standard Round-Based.
- Directed (Season 1): A guided experience that steps players through the main narrative, allowing them to experience the story for the first time without the traditional difficulty hurdles.
- Survival: Designed to help those “intimidated by zombies” connect to the experience, offering a more focused starting point, though veterans can still find it quickly gets “hard and fast.”
- Cursed Mode: A new, unforgiving mode specifically designed for the “hardcore zombies fans” looking for the ultimate challenge.
- Dead Ops Arcade 4: The popular top-down twin-stick shooter returns, offering a distinct arcade experience that is now integrated to allow players to unlock global progression rewards.
Launch and Seasonal Content
The launch on November 14 is just the beginning. Season 1 is slated to be “massive” with 30+ maps across all modes. The broader progression will also touch Warzone, with Verdansk receiving two new POIs (Signal Station and Factory). Additionally, a new Resurgence gameplay map called Haven’s Hollow is set to launch, which is tied to the Liberty Falls location from Zombies.
This coverage is thanks to Dentsu Creative PR and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches on November 14, 2025. You can find the game on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
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Yonan
Daniel Agius