Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is only days away. The latest entry of the espionage sub-series of the popular military shooter returns to expand on the long-running psychological warfare story while also including its popular online multiplayer experience.
Black Ops 7 is the Call of Duty entry this year and it marks the first time that the series has seen back-to-back Black Ops releases. Developers Treyarch and Raven Software created both Black Ops 6 and 7 simultaneously to launch them consecutively, connecting storylines between the two and linking back to Black Ops 2 from 2012. For players who skip the campaign, Black Ops 7 still delivers the online multiplayer action that keeps fans returning to the franchise each year.
When does Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 come out?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches worldwide on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2025, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S consoles.
Can I preorder Call of Duty: Black Ops 7?
Yes. Preorders for Black Ops 7 are available. The standard edition costs $70 and comes with the Reznov Challenge Pack and Guild Override Weapon Camo. CoD fans can spend $100 for the Vault Edition of the game that includes:
- Operator Collection
- BlackCell (1 Season)
- Reznov Challenge Pack
- Permanent Unlock Token
- Guild Override Weapon Camo
- Mastercraft Weapon Collection
- Ultra GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
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Is there early access for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7?
No, there is no early access for Black Ops 7.
Will Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 be available on Game Pass?
Yes. Black Ops 7 will be available on day one for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Game Pass Essential and Premium members will not have access to the game.
Can I preload Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 ahead of time?
Yes. Preloading was available on all platforms as of Nov. 10 for those who pre-purchased the game. The game takes up 116GB of storage space on the respective platforms.
Where in the timeline does Black Ops 7 take place?
Black Ops 7 takes the series back to the future. In this case, the year is 2035, about a decade after the events of Black Ops 2. While Black Ops 6 explored the final days of the Cold War, the new sequel picks up years later as global tensions evolve into technological warfare. According to Miles Leslie, associate creative director for Treyarch, Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 were developed side-by-side to create consistent narrative threads.
«One takes place in the 1990s, you know, early 1991, and the other takes place in 2035, and that really gave them very distinct identities from the start,» Leslie said. «There are threads from Black Ops 6 that weave into Black Ops 7, and it allowed us that opportunity to take the learnings from and really the momentum from Black Ops 6, and carry that into Black Ops 7.»
Even though there will be references to the previous games, especially Black Ops 2, Leslie insists that those who come in without any knowledge of the series will find themselves invested in the characters. Those who have been dedicated to the franchise and know the story in and out will be rewarded for their loyalty with a series of storyline payoffs.
What is the Black Ops 7 story?
Black Ops 7 revisits familiar faces and storylines from earlier entries. Years after the events of Black Ops 2, Raul Menendez, thought dead, is back and causing chaos again. This time, a global tech giant called The Guild claims it is protecting citizens in Avalon. David Mason, son of Alex Mason from the first Black Ops game, is not convinced. Teaming up with Frank Woods and an elite JSOC squad — Mike Harper, Leilani «50/50» Tupuola and Eric Samuels — David has to figure out Menendez’s real plans and what the Guild’s real motivations are.
Leslie said the development team wanted to explore what happens to soldiers who carry both physical and psychological scars. «We left Black Ops 2 and there was actually way more story to tell,» Leslie said. «David Mason, he’s carrying scars, both internally and externally, and the characters around him have also been affected.»
Black Ops 7 also has a return of Hollywood talent for some of the cast. Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy, Suicide Squad) as Mike Harper, Kiernan Shipka (Twisters, Longlegs) as Emma Kagan and Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us, Heroes) as David Mason.
What multiplayer modes will there be in Black Ops 7?
Like with every new installment of the Call of Duty multiplayer, Black Ops 7 looks to make the military shooter’s online matches bigger than ever before. There are 19 maps total at launch with 16 made for the traditional six-versus-six matches and two larger maps for 20-versus-20 skirmishes.
The online mainstay modes of Team Deathmatch, Domination, Search & Destroy and Free-for-All will be available along with some new modes. Overload is a new six-versus-six mode where teams fight to secure and escort a device through objective zones. At launch, players can choose from 24 operators, with some available instantly while others can be unlocked by leveling up or via a preorder.
The near-future setting adds new scorestreaks like combat drones and robotic companions, but tries to keep the future weaponry more grounded and not too sci-fi. For the players who want to focus on the story of the game, Black Ops 7 will offer a cooperative campaign mode for up to four players. After finishing the first 11 Co-op Campaign missions, players unlock the Endgame, where the squad must take on The Guild’s strongholds across an expansive city called Avalon. The Endgame lets teams level up their skill trees and combat rating, complete assignments, upgrade weapons and unlock rewards.
What is new with Black Ops 7 Zombies?
Black Ops 7 Zombies is shaping up to be the biggest version of the survival mode. Players will explore the world of the Dark Aether, which is «a purgatory where scattered places from other times and dimensions loom out of the fog.» The first map that is available for Zombies is Ashes of the Damned, which contains some familiar locations from previous versions of Zombies.
After their battle atop Janus Towers from Black Ops 6 Zombies mode, the Requiem crew — Weaver, Grey, Carver and Aguinaldo — find themselves teleported to a mirrored version of the plaza inside the Dark Aether dimension. They encounter alternate versions of Richtofen, Dempsey, Nikolai and Takeo. A mysterious figure soon appears, draining life essence from both groups and unleashing waves of zombies, forcing the crews to fight for survival while working together to escape the Dark Aether.
A new addition to this year’s Zombies is a pickup truck called Ol’ Tessie. Players can take a ride on the truck to travel around the map and give it some upgrades, but they must be ready to make a run for it if the truck takes too much damage and stops working. For Zombie mode fans, there is a new Cursed mode. Players can find cursed relics that, once activated, can add difficulty modifiers to a match, such as no ammo caches or limiting perks. By using these relics, players can unlock new powers and rewards.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will be released on Nov. 14 for $70 on the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S consoles.