Call of Duty: Black Ops 7arrives at an inflection point for the long-running franchise. The connected era ushered in byCall of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)has had its ups and downs over the past three years, but the community seems to be at its wits' end. Connection issues, ridiculous skins, cheating and general burnout are at the top of many players' minds. While many had hoped the return of Black Ops in 2024 would help ail the issues of back-to-back Modern Warfare titles, it doesn’t appear they have. While the launch ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 6was well-received, general sentiment around the game has declined throughout the year. Much like how 2023 featured a back-to-back sequel, the same is true of 2025.Call of Duty: Black Ops 7launches this year to a community that might not be that hungry for a second Black Ops title. Can Treyarch and Raven Software pull off the Herculean task of getting players back on their side? We got to go behind-the-scenes at Treyarch to see what the studios have in store to win players back via the Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies modes.
The year is 2035. Raul Menendez, once thought dead, broadcasts a worldwide message that unleashes chaos upon the world. The Guild, a tech company and weapons manufacturer led by Emma Kagan, steps in to defend the world. Suspicious of The Guild’s activities, an older Troy Marshall puts together a new JSOC unit under the command of David “Section” Mason and sends them into Avalon to investigate. To their horror, they uncover a weapon capable of turning fear into a tool of war. Plunged into surreal dreamscapes where reality and nightmares blur, the team must find a way to survive and break the enemy’s control over fear.
Finally, answers
To help win fans over,Call of Duty: Black Ops 7finally delivers what players have asked for over a decade.Black Ops 7is a direct successor toCall of Duty: Black Ops II, which is still regarded by many as the best entry in the franchise. NeitherBlack Ops IIInor4revealed what branching storyline options were canon, butBlack Ops 7will.
Taking place ten years after the events ofBlack Ops II, Treyarch and Raven Software quickly confirmed a few details. Mason opted to kill Menendez, and Harper survived, meaning Farid opted to try and kill Menendez and ended up dying. These are answers fans have long waited for and the rest are likely to be showcased throughout the campaign.
In total, Treyarch and Raven Software confirmed that there will be eleven missions in the linear story campaign where you’ll be able to play solo or with up to four players. The studios are promising unique and unexpected moments that will blur the line between reality, memories and fear-induced hallucinations. We were able to see the initial level where Mason’s squad infiltrate The Guild’s Avalon base, which was a typical Call of Duty mission. Once the fear-based gas was introduced, however, the squad was transported back to a warped Nicaragua, Menendez’s home. Only, the world was twisted, giant machetes were falling from the sky and abilities like a High Jump were needed to traverse the environment.
The Nicaraguan level looked fun and intense as the squad scrambled to escape falling machetes and gunfire. What wasn’t so great was the Avalon section, which gave offModern Warfare IIIOpen Combat Mission vibes. There was action, but nothing spectacular. While the studios did highlight interesting levels, including ones set in Tokyo and Alaska, they were mum about how many times we’d need to visit Avalon. Given how weakModern Warfare III’scampaign was each time a mission took place on a section of the Warzone map, it’s clear why we should be worried each time Avalon is visited.
We’re in the Endgame now
What’s truly innovative aboutCall of Duty: Black Ops 7’scampaign is what comes after that eleventh mission. Since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022), each entry has been interconnected. Whether you want to play multiplayer, Warzone or the game’s third mode, you’ll earn rank XP, weapon XP and Battle Pass XP. Campaign has never been interconnected, but Treyarch and Raven Software are changing that through Endgame.
Think of Endgame like Modern Warfare Zombies. Players are given the opportunity to explore a Warzone map (Avalon), which has been divided up into different tiers of difficulty. You’ll land on the map, explore and complete objectives. Unlike Modern Warfare Zombies, however, the goal is to increase your Combat Rating with each run, level up your stats (i.e. health, mobility, etc.) and power up your abilities like High Jump, Grapple Hook, Active Camo and Deployable Shield among others. The goal is to get your Combat Rating to 60 and make it the most difficult section of the map.
Given how weakModern Warfare III’scampaign was each time a mission took place on a section of the Warzone map, it’s clear why we should be worried each time Avalon is visited.
Playing Endgame, like the other three modes, nets you rank XP, weapon XP and Battle Pass XP. It’ll have its own set of Calling Card Challenges, normal challenges, and for the first time ever, its own dedicated set of Camos. Thanks to Endgame, there’s now sixteen different Master Camos to unlock inCall of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Given the popularity of Modern Warfare Zombies, Endgame sounds like a great idea on paper. Players who enjoy the campaign can finally earn their own set of rewards from playing it, and those who don’t typically play the campaign might finally have a good reason to hop in. As fantastic as it is to be getting a proper sequel toBlack Ops II, the jury is still out on how good the actual campaign will be, especially after remembering how terribleCall of Duty: Modern Warfare III’scampaign ended up being. Treyarch and Raven Software have something intriguing here with aBlack Ops IIsequel and Endgame. We just have to hope they had enough time to get this campaign right.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7launches November 14 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS4 and Xbox One. To learn of Duty: Black Ops 7, be sure to check out our thoughts on Multiplayer and Zombies.
