Wow. I thought I had realistic expectations heading into the Black Ops 7 Zombies reveal, but calling it an information blowout would be an understatement! A ripper of a gameplay trailer, followed by a blog post exceeding 20,000 words had the Zombies community glued to their screens. That’s not even counting the additional post focused on augments or the various Intel Drop videos making their way online.
It would have been easy for Treyarch to release another five or six Zombies maps for Black Ops 7 with only minor alterations from Black Ops 6 and call it a day. Instead, Black Ops 7 Zombies is packed from top to bottom with changes that refine the modern Zombies formula. The return of Survival Mode presents players with the opportunity for a quick hit, while Cursed Mode is shaping up to be the traditional experience that I, and many others, have dreamed of for years.
And of course, it’s all capped off by a brand new map: Ashes of the Damned.
Ashes to Ashes
I’ll spare everyone the history lesson about why Black Ops 2’s Tranzit failed. All I’ll say is that the mode clearly had something about it, since we’ve been asking Treyarch to revisit it for something like eight years. From what was shown today, we may finally have our wish.
Ashes of the Damned feels like a fully realised Tranzit: six locations connected by a dangerous fog that conceals horrors and secrets in equal measure. Players traverse the map in an upgradable vehicle that shields them from the horde, though it isn’t invincible.
Putting players behind the wheel of Ol’ Tessie in Ashes is a game-changer. We’re no longer playing passenger. Missing the bus (or making your friends miss it) was a good laugh in Black Ops 2, but it became a frustrating mechanic when it was time to get serious. It also made solo play a write-off.
The Dark Aether is the perfect setting for a map with multiple points of interest. It’s a wasteland where anything can appear and danger lurks at every turn. It’s a far cry from West Virginia, that’s for sure. I skimmed the blog sections that detail Ashes, because I still prefer to explore a new map as blindly as possible. From the trailer, each point of interest appears diverse, and I appreciate the blend of nostalgia (Farm, Diner, and Ascension) with new ideas like Ashwood and the Lake.
The Dark Aether has been a much-requested location since its debut in Cold War. In Black Ops 7, Treyarch answers the call with every map taking place in the so-called “dustbin of history”. It’s a solid premise, I just hope we don’t see the same old fauna and purple hue all year round.
Ashes also delivers a new Wonder Weapon alongside both marks of the Ray Gun: the Necrofluid Gauntlet. Liberty Falls already rehabilitated the Jet Gun from its disastrous debut in Tranzit, so unveiling a brand-new wonder weapon in Ashes makes sense. Its spider-like design leaves the weapon begging to be upgraded, and I’m sure we won’t be disappointed.
By all accounts, Ashes of the Damned will be the most extensive Zomies map to date. Bigger doesn’t always mean better, but I’m confident Treyarch has taken key lessons from Tranzit, Outbreak, and even Terminus to create a goliath Zombies map that delivers thrills, chills and kills.
I’m Selfish, I Want All of the Curses
They’re doing it. They’re really doing it!
Black Ops 7 introduces Cursed Mode—a mode where veteran players jump in with no loadout, armed only with a starting pistol and a dream, just like the good old days! The classic point system also returns for the first time since Black Ops 3. Honestly, I never thought this would happen as long as rarity existed in Zombies, but Treyarch has found a way, and I couldn’t be more delighted.
I’m a fan of modern Zombies, but part of me has started to miss the classic elements over the years. Being able to experience them all over again, without Treyarch abandoning the path Zombies is currently on, is the best of both worlds.
As players progress in Cursed Mode, they’ll unlock Relics, powerful artefacts with ways to tinker with gameplay to make Zombies more difficult or complex. It’s reminiscent of Black Ops 4’s ill-fated Custom Mutations, but it sounds much more focused. It’s a mode for veterans and hungry up-and-comers.
The two confirmed relics so far show Treyarch isn’t playing around: a four perk limit and the removal of ammo crates. Ask a curmudgeonly Zombies expert what they’d want removed from the current version of the mode, and those would almost certainly be high on the list.
It appears Cursed Mode is unlocked after completing the Main Quest in Standard Mode. That will ruffle a few feathers, but it’s a sound decision. It’s tantamount to Resident Evil locking its hardest difficulty behind a completion, or Nazi Zombies appearing only after rolling credits on the World at War campaign. Instant gratification is everywhere in AAA gaming, and we’ve lost the art of working towards a goal that isn’t tied to 100 tiers of a battle pass or a camo grind. A bit of graft never hurts, and I expect Treyarch will unlock the mode for all players eventually.
The pursuit of a tailor-made classic experience sounds promising, because the ultimate reward is that players get to play Zombies their way. It isn’t a Gobblegum that expires on use, or a cosmetic you equip once or twice (not that these are bad rewards—they just aren’t long-term). On top of that, Treyarch has confirmed there are Easter Eggs locked specifically to Cursed Mode. It’s a mode for the most dedicated players, and in a world where video games constantly pine for the attention of the masses, that’s refreshing.
I’m excited to see how far Treyarch goes with Relics in both design and functionality. There are plenty of infamous items to pull from Zombies’ history, and in the Dark Aether, anything goes. The chances of seeing a Last Gen Richtofen totem that blurs your screen, or a Mangler helmet that recreates the “Oops, all Manglers!” meme, aren’t out of the question. The possibilities are limited only by Treyarch’s twisted mind.
I have minor worries about difficulty. Some of the more traditional elements of Zombies will naturally make the mode harder, and if you activate every relic, you’ll surely be up against it. But I hope it doesn’t punish players for wanting to play with classic mechanics.
Although there have been welcome changes to enemy AI in Black Ops 7, there’s concern that Cursed Mode could end up an unbalanced mess. Say there’s a relic that removes armour: is that a death sentence, or is enemy damage output and player health scaled differently? Hopefully the latter; otherwise, one of the selling points of Black Ops 7 Zombies could quickly become a mode only the 1% of the 1% can enjoy.
That said, it’s not the end of the world if Cursed Mode is tuned too heavily towards pain at launch. Treyarch can be proactive with its support. Now we’ve seen what Black Ops 7 Zombies is all about, that’s my primary request: keep the dialogue going. Cursed Mode was built from community sentiment, so continue that by adjusting the balance, adding new relics, and taking feedback from hardcore players.
Despite enjoying the modern Zombies formula, the downside of its sandbox is that it offers too much freedom, which dilutes the survival and intrigue the mode built its reputation on. It’s ironic, then, that the antidote may be Treyarch granting players even more freedom to restrict their matches. I’d still like to see maps feel more like curated experiences instead of just the latest arena to slay the undead, but Cursed Mode is undoubtedly a massive step in the right direction.
There will be teething issues at launch—there always are—but it feels like Cursed Mode is only the beginning. Based on what was revealed today, if Treyarch and the community support the mode, it’s destined to become the newest staple of Call of Duty Zombies.
Dead Service Live Service
I’m a self-confessed sceptic of live-service Zombies and the era of the “Unified COD Engine”—perhaps because Treyarch didn’t get off to the best start using it for Vanguard Zombies. However, I think we may finally be seeing the benefits of every studio singing from the same hymn sheet.
Black Ops 7 addresses an outrageous number of gameplay issues from Black Ops 6. All that work from Treyarch and the various support studios didn’t go to waste. The result feels like a major expansion to a live-service game such as Destiny 2 (before it died on its arse), with sweeping fixes and adjustments supporting an abundance of new content.
It’s an unusual feeling for Zombies players. Rarely do we see the mode iterated on in this manner. I’d wager that many would have loved to have seen Black Ops 4 build on Black Ops 3, rather than taking the risks it did (for what it’s worth, I’m a Black Ops 4 defender, but it was unquestionably a fork in the road). I’m all for Zombies experimenting, but it’s refreshing to have a foundation to build on instead of rewriting the rulebook with every new Treyarch game. Of course, there’s a balance to strike; we don’t want every iteration to feel samey.
One concern I had after Black Ops 7’s announcement was that the same perks, ammo mods, and field upgrades we spent the past year using would be drip-fed back to us over time in the guise of new content. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Aside from a couple of ammo mods and field upgrades arriving in Season 1, we’re heading into post-launch with a clean slate and lots of unknowns.
Survival Mode maps will effectively serve as a stopgap between new round-based experiences. I much prefer this approach to Black Ops 6’s limited-time modes, which were adequate on first playthrough but quickly became tedious on repeat attempts. The only exception was the Starting Room LTM, which I’d love to see integrated into a permanent set of “Starting Room” maps under the Survival Mode banner in Black Ops 7.
Echoes of the Dark Aether
There are so many things to cover that I’d be here all night, so I’ll stick to pointing out my personal highlights. If you haven’t already, I recommend reading the blog or watching Doughnuts’ video, which covers all the changes. From the sheer number of fixes and adjustments to Augments, to smaller, but heavily requested features like increasing the chance of pulling a Wonder Weapon from the box as the rounds progress, there’s a lot to digest!
Ammo with Aura
The return of the Origins mystery box is a welcome sight. I do wonder if there are lore implications or if it was simply brought back because it rocks. I’m a stickler for canon, but it would be understandable.
The Ammo boxes that have appeared since Cold War have always felt lifeless and not very Zombies-coded. It seems Mr Peeks decided enough was enough. Considering he already deals weapons and Gobblegums, adding ammunition was an obvious way to diversify his income.
The Armoury looks (and probably sounds) the same, which is a bit disappointing, and armour still seems to be the standard Warzone plates. There’s always room for improvement here. A fresh design would do wonders for the hostile reception. Make it feel more like a Zombies mechanic!
Wunderfix
In Black Ops 6, the Wunderfizz spawned in at Round 25. That was a last-minute change before launch, and was the best Treyarch could manage at the time, given the game’s imminent release. In Black Ops 7, the Wunderfizz spawns once every player on the map has purchased four perks. This is a much better compromise, though I’d still like to see it return to its role as the “mystery box of perks”. Perhaps there’s a Relic in Cursed Mode that can sort me out.
Reunited at Last
Fire Works was always my favourite Double Pack-A-Punch ability in Black Ops 3. I was heartbroken when it didn’t make the jump to Black Ops 4, and after being snubbed in Cold War and Black Ops 6, I was beginning to lose hope. Its return is a huge win.
Augments Galore
I’m a big proponent of in-game progression rather than resigning everything to the lobby, but I’m happy that Augments are carrying over from Black Ops 6. Zombies needs some tinkering in the menus to boost replayability and enhance player expression. Buildcrafting can be fun!
On top of the 126 returning Augments, Black Ops 7 introduces 66 new ones to unlock. Among them are some highly requested features, like the Close Shave melee perk (added to Black Ops 6 Multiplayer mid-life) and the ability to automatically plate up armour.
Several Augments have also been rebalanced to align with global changes in Black Ops 7. For example, Stamin-Up’s Dasher Augment now enables Tactical Sprint. I try not to judge, but if you’re equipping that one…
The T.E.D.D. Movie
Tranzit only had a few redeeming qualities, and one of them was T.E.D.D. The mouthy bus driver deserves the love he’s getting in Black Ops 7, and as a card-carrying member of his fan club, I couldn’t be happier. I mean, look at the trial station. It’s a work of art!
Get to Ze Phone Booth
With Raptor-One nowhere to be found, I wondered how Treyarch would handle Exfil. A mysterious phone booth wasn’t what I expected! It looks familiar, but I’m not going to pull at that thread quite yet. Introducing an HVT boss into the process should increase the tension of the last stand, and providing players with the ability to exfil independently is a blessing for public matchmaking. Not something I’ll encounter much, but still a neat addition.
Dead Ops Back 4 More
Dead Ops Arcade is the unsung hero of the Black Ops sub-series. It’s still the same mode it was fifteen years ago, just more fleshed out and expanded upon. Dead Ops is like an indie band that went global, signed a record deal, but never lost its trademark sound.
The fourth is business as usual, and that’s a good thing. I can’t wait to see all the new and returning enemies and power-ups the twin-stick shooter has in store. Thanks to the addition of Gobblegums, maybe I’ll finally complete a Dead Ops run. I was so close in Cold War, but the Mamaback always got the better of me.
The Beta Way to Play
In the past, it never made sense for Zombies to have a beta. It would ruin the mystery, and if Easter Eggs were disabled, the map would feel barren. Why burn out on half an experience before launch?
With the return of Survival Mode, that’s all changed. By letting players test gameplay in a smaller environment, like Farm Survival, Treyarch can gather feedback that leads to adjustments before Black Ops 7 launches in November. All without spoiling the main course of Ashes of the Damned.
I still plan to limit myself to only a few games to avoid overdoing it. The month-plus wait will be brutal if I get too comfortable playing Black Ops 7 (especially since I’ve got five other games I want to finish before Zombies takes up all of my free time).
“Worth Every Stinking, Bloody Corpse”
Before I go, I’ll state the obvious: a game looking good in a blog post doesn’t guarantee success. We’ll need to wait for November to give a definitive verdict, but the potential of Black Ops 7 Zombies is undeniable, and maybe, just maybe, this is the year Zombies delivers without compromise.
What the reveal makes clear is that Treyarch is actively listening to the community. It proves the fire to create a complex Zombies mode is still burning, raging on despite crunch and corporate mandates. You can see from the various Intel Drops that Zombies is more than just a paycheck.
The gameplay is in a fantastic place, but fears remain about the story. The narrative team has a lot to prove in Black Ops 7, and I hope that challenge inspires them to knock it out of the park. Craig Houston’s absence from the latest Intel Drop won’t calm any nerves, but I’ll reserve judgment on the writing until I’ve played Ashes of the Damned. I hope Craig’s doing alright, wherever he is.
Before the reveal, I anticipated that Black Ops 7 Zombies would feel like Black Ops 6 Zombies (Season 2) in all but name. Treyarch quickly put those expectations to rest. It’s a sequel, yes, but it’s far beyond what any of us could have imagined under the circumstances.
Everyone at Treyarch is betting big on Zombies this year—and who can blame them? Only the cursed survive.
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