We’re only a few days removed from the Black Ops 7 reveal. Sick of the discourse yet? I sure am! I’ve been dodging the rage bait and bad-faith takes, but it’s no secret that many Call of Duty players are genuinely burnt out on the series. If you’re one of them, I sympathise. It’s never a pleasant feeling to lose the spark, especially when many of us have been playing Call of Duty for over a decade.
Still, I can only call it like I see it: I think Black Ops 7 looks great. It’s a far more robust package than I expected, considering Treyarch released Black Ops 6 less than a year ago. I do have some reservations (and I still hate the fact that Treyarch had to go back-to-back), but there’s some cool stuff happening in each of the three pillars. Let’s have a swatch.
Section, Do You Copy?
Following David Mason after Black Ops 2 was something I’d hoped we’d see in Black Ops 3. I guess it’s better late than never! Haunted by Raul Menendez and thrust into a new conflict involving the global tech firm The Guild, Mason and his team (including Harper and Samuels) will battle across the globe and descend into the depths of madness. Even if the twist seems telegraphed from a mile away, I wouldn’t mind it. The Guild could serve as a timely reminder of the dangers posed by AI and corporations overstepping their bounds.
I’m cautious about the encounters around Avalon that aren’t traditional campaign missions. The inclusion of Verdansk in the Modern Warfare III campaign was neat on a narrative level, but it made the gameplay feel laborious. At least Avalon will feel like a new area to explore (though we know it was likely intended for Warzone at some point).
The Endgame mode, which sends 32 players into Avalon on a PvE extraction-style mission, is a welcome surprise, incorporating elements of MWIII’s open-zone missions, Modern Warfare Zombies and DMZ. It’s a smart way to keep Campaign players invested in the game after rolling credits, and cross-progression with Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone ensures they’ll be ready if they ever fancy stepping beyond the comfort of campaign.
I do wonder what its existence means for a potential Outbreak 2. Would Treyarch really want to add two open-world PvE experiences to Black Ops 7? There might be enough to differentiate Endgame and Outbreak, but I honestly don’t know. Kevin Drew appears to have been involved in development, which raises further suspicions. Perhaps the feedback from Vanguard and MWZ was so strong that Zombies will be all about round-based gameplay until further notice. I’m certainly not complaining about that, but I’m still a strong advocate for an Outbreak-like mode coexisting with a season of round-based maps, provided the Zombies Team is given adequate time and resources.
Smooth… Too Smooth
I’m a casual when it comes to Multiplayer, but I tend to dive in more during Treyarch’s games. Although the Black Ops 6 map pool was weak compared to Black Ops 4 or Cold War, I’ve enjoyed dipping in and out throughout the year.
Omnimovent is a joy when you hit a flow state; the momentum feels phenomenal. It’s back in BO7 with additional mechanics like wall-stepping, which I’ll reserve judgment on until I get my hands on the Beta. Combining omnimovement with gadgets like the grappling hook could make traversing maps even more fluid, or it could veer into exo-movement, which I was never a fan of.
Black Ops 7 addresses most of the issues I had with its predecessor. Tactical Sprint is finally off by default. If I were Treyarch, I’d have taken it out back and buried it for good, but hiding it behind a perk is a good enough compromise. We all know Infinity Ward will bring it back in COD 2026 anyway. (Don’t get me started…)
Sixteen maps is an excellent number, particularly when they are all 6v6 ones with no hybrid face-off maps. Black Ops 6 had too many meat-grinder maps used purely for camo progression—Babylon and Subsonic come to mind. Only three remakes at launch is also a promising sign, and you won’t hear me complaining about Raid, Hijacked, and Express returning with fresh licks of paint.
The HUD has regained some character, and there’s finally colour in maps again! Both have been sorely missed. I’m well over the dull, washed-out hues we’ve been stuck with since Call of Duty moved to the Unified COD engine. Cold War was the last game that popped, and after Black Ops 6, I was worried that even Treyarch couldn’t combat this issue.
Black Ops 7’s multiplayer looks a lot like Black Ops 2—what many consider the pinnacle of Call of Duty multiplayer. Honestly, I’m not sure I could ask for much more. Then again, I’m a Zombies player, not an MP one, so your mileage may vary. I’ll be keeping an eye on the multiplayer reveal, but as long as Treyarch sticks to the “guns always up” philosophy, I’ll probably have fun regardless of whacky skins, Skill-Based Matchmaking, or balancing issues.
Undead Operations
I’ve already covered Zombies, but to summarise: the mode being “Black Ops 6 Year 2” is fine by me, though I get why others may not feel the same. Having two crews is exciting, and the story has a lot of potential, but after the inconsistencies in Black Ops 6’s storytelling, the writing needs to improve significantly.
There’s not much more to say until the Zombies reveal in early September, so I’ll use this opportunity to give some love to Dead Ops Arcade 4. I’m thrilled the “on again, off again” streak continues in Black Ops 7! Every new Dead Ops entry has pushed the mode further, and the Dead Ops Arcade 3 advancements had me playing it more than I ever had before. In particular, The Wild, a quasi-hub world that was packed with dungeons and secrets, offered a uniquely Dead Ops experience.
The ability to start from your furthest reached stage meant scrubs like me could see all of the levels, even if I still struggled against the Mamaback. And while the bird’s-eye camera is a signature feature of twin-stick shooters, I loved having the option to play DOA3 in a permanent first-person perspective. It felt more like traditional Zombies, meaning I could appreciate every level and its enemies in full detail.
It feels like Dead Ops is an untouchable part of Zombies that still carries the original DIY spirit of the mode. We’ve conceded some elements over the years as the mode became more mainstream, but Dead Ops keeps getting more ambitious and weird! I can only imagine what surprises DOA4 has in store for us. I’ll take a punt that we get an “Oops, All Manglers!” level. I’ll allow it, as long as there isn’t a similar one for Amalgams.
Whoever Wins, We Lose
I am so tired of the Battlefield vs. COD debate. I thought it had died in 2016, but it still lingers like a bad smell. I have no doubt whatsoever that Battlefield 6 will be a runaway hit at launch, poaching a tonne of Call of Duty players who are fed up with complacency. The onus will be on EA not to squander the opportunity to claim ground in a genre that’s been a one-horse race for years.
Call of Duty leadership reportedly isn’t worried. And while that’s no surprise, it’s a damning indictment of the franchise’s current state: keep the COD mines open, the workers in line, and to hell with what the players think.
Maybe Battlefield 6 can serve as a catalyst for change in the Call of Duty series, but there’s no guarantee the proper lessons will be learned. Despite the arrogance of top-level executives, there must be concern among the rank-and-file developers. When Microsoft is so obsessed with lines going up and down that it’ll gut development studios like no tomorrow, the top brass won’t be pleased if its shiny new franchise starts losing players to EA, even if millions continue to play it.
Battlefield might not overthrow Call of Duty, but it can make it bleed. As someone interested in the video game industry, I’m fascinated to see how it all plays out. As a Call of Duty fan, I just want the series to focus on what matters. Of course, that means different things to different players, but I think we can all agree that Call of Duty should prioritise quality over quantity. There’s a lot of justified resentment towards the series right now, and the only way it gets better is if Activision loosens its grip on studios and listens to its community more. Why bother, though, when the money is rolling in…
Remember Forever
The Golden Era of Call of Duty (COD4 to Black Ops 2) was foundational to my love of video games. It was my generation’s Beatlemania: midnight launches, all-nighter Zombies sessions, heated debates in the school hall. Invoking those games is an easy sell to many, but the more it happens, the less natural it feels. The line between homage and creative bankruptcy is paper-thin. With Black Ops 7 marking the third Black Ops title in a row dealing with old wounds, it’s easy to see why some fans have grown jaded with familiar names and faces.
This isn’t just a Call of Duty problem, mind you. It’s everywhere in popular culture: movies, video games, television shows, books, pro wrestling, the list goes on. As project costs and expectations soar, many franchises break the nostalgia glass in case of emergency. Instead of making you feel something—anything—they sell your refurbished feelings back to you. Nostalgia is a weapon.
But it doesn’t have to be. When handled with care, nostalgia can enrich a story. Take the Primis crew, for example. Treyarch reimagined Richtofen, Dempsey, Takeo, and Nikolai as three-dimensional characters, far more fleshed out than the caricatures of the Ultimis crew. Conjuring up another Primis crew is easier said than done, but if Treyarch’s intentions are rooted in creativity rather than money or engagement metrics, that’s half the battle.
From what I’ve seen of Black Ops 7 so far, it’s treating the previous entries in the series with respect. Whether that is the case come launch (or post-launch), I don’t know. I’m hopeful that Treyarch understands the weight of the Black Ops series’ legacy, both in Campaign and Zombies. The pressure is high, and there can be no room for error. It’s Game 7 in more ways than one.
Nostalgia is a weapon, but what’s in the chamber? Spray-and-pray ‘member bullets that jangle like keys, or high-calibre reverence, each shell loaded with careful precision. I’m praying it’s the latter. Don’t let us down, Treyarch.
