The new Call of Duty was officially unveiled at the start of gamescom and is breaking new ground in terms of its campaign. Find out what you can expect from the futuristic shooter in our preview.
During the opening night of gamescom, the Call of Duty creators at Treyarch and Raven Software finally let the cat out of the bag about what the upcoming installment in the series, Black Ops 7, will be about and how it will play.
The previous teasers had already hinted at a futuristic setting; now it’s clear: The new Black Ops is set in the year 2035. However, it won’t be quite as futuristic as Advanced or even Infinite Warfare.
We were able to get some exclusive insights into the new Black Ops ahead of Opening Night and can now reveal everything there is to know about the 24th CoD spin-off. In addition to the campaign and multiplayer modes, the game will of course also feature a fresh Zombie mode.
Setting and campaign
Black Ops 7 takes its cue from current debates surrounding the use of targeted fake news, AI, and robots in warfare and sends its players 10 years into the future. In 2035, the world is once again threatened by the terrorist Raul Menendez, who was believed to be dead but is now spreading fear and terror everywhere with the help of a new secret weapon. Older players will remember the cartel boss from Black Ops 2, on whose storyline BO7 is largely based.
Since the US government is powerless in the face of this, a private military company is seizing the opportunity and generously offering its help.
With its army of drones and combat robots, the so-called “Guild,” led by CEO Emma Kagan, promises to finish off Menendez. But can the Guild really be trusted?
Definitely not, says the CIA, which sends an elite team led by David Mason to capture Menendez and prove his possible connections to the Guild. Also part of the team are Mike Harper from Seal Team 6, former Secret Service agent Eric Samuels, and bionic New Zealander Leilani Tupola.nbsp;Long-time CoD fans can look forward to seeing many familiar faces.
The single-player campaign will comprise a total of eleven missions that will take you around the globe in true Black Ops style. Already confirmed locations include Nicaragua, Los Angeles, the jungles of Angola, the neon-lit skyscrapers of Tokyo, a winter landscape in Alaska, and the mysterious Avalon map, where the guild’s headquarters are said to be located.
Rumor has it that this map could also be the setting for the Battle Royale mode. During the campaign, we will also be transported to an alternate reality with flying islands and giant machetes falling from the sky – no joke.
Each player takes control of one of the four squad members, but co-op is optional.
Playing the campaign is rewarded, as progress from single-player is carried over to multiplayer and zombie mode thanks to the Connected Campaign. However, the biggest innovation in terms of the campaign is hidden behind the 12th mission, the so-called Endgame, which leaves single-player behind.
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Endgame: Multiplayer against your will
A few days ago, we reported on a leak regarding the end of the campaign, which mentioned the integration of multiplayer elements into the single-player mode. These rumors have now been confirmed almost exactly as reported.
After completing the eleventh story mission, you will find yourself on the Avalon map, which will then be fully revealed, and the so-called Endgame will begin. This twelfth mission is a battle for up to 32 players, in which you must complete various tasks and then leave the map in time. You will need several game sessions to complete the Endgame.
The developers describe the mode as “pretty hardcore” and a kind of “ultimate test of everything you’ve learned in Black Ops so far.” You’ll be able to freely customize your operator’s loadout and skills. However, if you die, you’ll lose your character progress.
According to the developers, you will be able to play this mode alone, but it is unclear whether the remaining 31 slots will be filled with bots. However, it is currently doubtful whether single-player fans will like this forced multiplayer invasion. For the CoD creators, however, this is the biggest innovation in the new Black Ops.
What else has been revealed?
In keeping with the futuristic setting, Black Ops 7 will naturally feature all kinds of contemporary gadgets in multiplayer, such as handy drones, energy weapons, and a hardlight shield. A total of 30 different weapons will be available at launch, 16 of which have never been seen in a CoD game before.
The developers have not yet revealed whether you will be able to carry over your weapon and soldier skins from Black Ops 6 to the next installment.
Movement is also set to become more futuristic again: The movement system known as Omni Movement from the predecessor BO6 serves as the basis and is expanded to include elements such as wall jumps and a grappling hook, as well as significantly longer jumps and the so-called Combat Run, making gameplay much faster.
This is explained by the augmentations of the super soldiers in 2035. However, it won’t be quite as fast as with the exosuits from Advanced Warfare. That was obviously too unrealistic for many CoD players. It should also be possible to move weapons that are placed on cover.
Multiplayer maps at a glance
The multiplayer maps that will be included in Black Ops 7 at launch have also been revealed. There are a total of 18 maps this time around, three of which are returning from Black Ops 2.
- Express (B02)
- Raid (B02)
- Hijacked (B02)
- The Forge
- Toshin
- Exposure
- Cortex
- Scar
- Den
- Homestead
- Colossus
- Imprint
- Drydock
- Retrieval
- Paranoia
- Blackheart
- Mission: Edge
- Mission: Tide
New Skirmish Mode
Treyarch didn’t want to reveal all its cards when it comes to game modes, but it’s already clear that there will be at least one completely new mode: In Skirmish
, you compete in two teams of 20 players, each consisting of four squads.
Your mission objective is to capture control points on a large map, destroy specific targets, and escort people. You can also use vehicles and wingsuits, which reminds us of Battlefield.
New Zombie Mode
The popular Zombie mode is also back, of course, with a few new features in store for you. According to the developers, the mode is now turn-based
; the new map is divided into several areas, between which you travel back and forth in a self-driven bus after completing the current objective.
Overall, the Zombie mode is intended to be a “spiritual successor” to the one from Black Ops 2.
We can’t say anything yet about how the new Call of Duty will play. The material shown at gamescom was a hand-off presentation, in which only selected gameplay clips were shown. However, you won’t have to wait much longer, as the new Black Ops is expected to be released in three months.
There is no official release date yet, but a recent leak suggests that November 14, 2025, will be the release date. This would also fit in well with the established Christmas rhythm of the Call of Duty series.
However, it has already been confirmed that Black Ops 7, like its predecessor, will be included in Xbox Game Pass right from launch. Subscribers to the service will therefore have immediate access to the shooter at no additional cost.
Are you looking forward to Black Ops 7, or are you more critical of the latest installment in the series? Let us know in the comments!