There will be a tremendous number of new and exciting features for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. One of the biggest will be the Co-op Campaign, which you can play solo or with up to four players, that will redefine the Black Ops experience with a global progression system across the entire game. For the first time, every elimination, objective, and breakthrough in the Co-Op Campaign fuels your growth, contributing directly to Global XP. You will also visit spectacular locations like the streets of Japan and the Mediterranean coast (and even into the human psyche). And naturally we’ll have the return of Call of Duty’s signature Multiplayer with sixteen 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch, as well as the legendary Round-Based Zombies mode. 

We were eager to learn more about what else is planned for Black Ops 7, so we caught up with Treyarch Associate Creative Director Miles Leslie and Raven Software Lead Producer Natalie Pohorski to talk about the world of Black Ops 7, next-level Omnimovement, as well as how progression will carry through to all your activities, no matter which mode you’re playing. 

Please briefly set the scene for us — what is the world like that players will be dropping into at the start of Black Ops 7? Treyarch Associate Creative Director Miles Leslie: Black Ops 7 drops you into 2035, our version of the near future. It picks up about a decade after the events of Black Ops 2, but don’t worry if you haven’t played that game. The Black Ops 7 story stands strong on its own. 

Raul Menendez is back, and his return sends shockwaves across the globe. You’ll face cutting-edge tech, a rising global threat, and familiar characters wrestling with the fallout of their past decisions. Whether you’re here for nostalgia or diving in fresh, Black Ops 7 delivers a bold new chapter in the Black Ops universe. 

Black Ops 7 sees the return of David “Section” Mason. What is it about his character that makes him so important to both the story you want to tell, and to the Black Ops franchise? 

Raven Software Lead Producer Natalie Pohorski: At its heart, Black Ops 7 is David Mason’s story. He’s been carrying the weight of what happened in 2025, decisions he made, actions he regrets, and the fallout that followed. For years, he’s tried to make peace with what he sees as personal failure. But now, with Menendez back and the world on edge, David and his team are pulled into a mission that forces them to confront their deepest fears. 

This isn’t just about global threats and high-tech warfare, it’s about facing the past, reckoning with memory, and pushing through fear and regret. David is a complex character, and we felt this was the right moment to bring him back into the spotlight, with a performance that brings depth and humanity to David’s journey, and we’re excited for players new and returning to experience it. 

Can you tell us a little bit more about The Guild? Who are they, how long have they been operating, and what are their goals? 

Pohorski: Some players might recognize The Guild from Black Ops 6, where they first appeared as a powerful crime syndicate operating out of the coastal city of Avalon in the 1990s. In Black Ops 7, they’ve transformed into something much bigger, and far more influential. Now a massive tech corporation more than four decades later, The Guild offers cutting-edge protection and has positioned themselves as a key player in the new world order. 

The reveal trailer hinted at some unique psychological environments we’ll play through, some of which looked like what we experienced in Black Ops 6 during the “Separation Anxiety” Campaign mission. Could you tell us a little bit about what that experience will be like? What were some of the elements you learned in crafting those levels of Black Ops 6 that you’re potentially bringing forward here? 

Pohorski: Black Ops 7 is all about embracing the madness. The Black Ops series has always provided players with new twists and mind-bending experiences, where you don’t know who you can trust, or even what’s real. We took players to some trippy places in Black Ops 6 throughout those missions, and the response from the community really motivated the team to keep pushing the boundaries for this Co-Op Campaign. Players are in for a wild ride this time around. 

Could you talk a bit about the Co-op Campaign that you’re bringing to Black Ops 7? How many players will it support at once? 

Pohorski: We are so excited to be bringing a Co-Op Campaign to Black Ops, and we wanted to make sure every part of the game could be experienced with friends. You can play solo or team up in a squad of up to four players, and the way the story unfolds mirrors what our four main heroes are going through as they unravel the mystery at the heart of the game. 

The narrative pulls players in and out of Avalon, a key location where past decisions and buried memories resurface. It’s a story designed to immerse you, whether you’re chasing it alone or with your squad. And as the Campaign builds, it all leads to a massive new experience for up to 32 players… the Endgame. 

It sounds like you’re working to really innovate the Endgame design for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Could you share more about this? 

Leslie: Endgame is a brand-new way to experience a Call of Duty story. It’s the final chapter of the Co-Op Campaign, a new kind of experience that flips the script on what players expect from a Black Ops Campaign. 

As you progress through the Campaign missions, you’ll unlock new abilities and face increasingly intense challenges. Endgame is where it all comes together. It’s where the world of Avalon fully opens up for the first time, and you and your squad take on high-stakes assignments designed to push everything you’ve learned to the limit. You’ll be able to select Operators in addition to the four main Campaign characters, craft custom Loadouts, and level up your Combat Rating as you take on new challenges in Avalon. 

We’ve never done anything like this before. It’s built to be the perfect place to jump in with friends, continue your global progression, and truly test yourselves after everything you’ve been through. 

Could you talk about the decision to create the Global progression system, where Campaign, Zombies, and Multiplayer all feed into Battle Pass progression? 

Leslie: Global progression is coming to Black Ops 7, including in the Campaign. We wanted to make sure players will be rewarded for everything they do in the game across all modes, which means you can level up your weapons, complete Daily Challenges, and progress your Battle Pass while experiencing the story. We’re even adding a dedicated camo track to Campaign for the first time, including a unique set of Mastery Camos for players to unlock and show off in their favorite modes. It’s all about making every minute feel like you’re progressing toward a new goal. 

Multiplayer is going to launch with 16 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps – which is awesome. Of these, what are some of your favorite new locations that players can look forward to playing on? And of the returning maps, what made you decide to focus on bringing these to Black Ops 7? 

Leslie: Of course we love all our maps equally, and we’re really excited to deliver a wide variety of locations across our launch portfolio this year, from Alaska and Avalon to Japan and the Australian Outback. We also know our players have a deep love for Black Ops 2 classics, so we wanted to bring a few of them into 2035 at launch, all set in near-future Japan. You can see just how beautiful Raid looks in this new setting in our Black Ops 7 Direct showcase. 

We’re also releasing two 20v20 maps at launch for an all-new mode called Skirmish. The team is really excited to see players jump into this and create large-scale combat chaos with the ability to wingsuit around the map. 

Talk to us a little bit about how Overclock upgrades will work. What will an upgraded Field Upgrade, Scorestreak, or Equipment look like versus one that’s not upgraded in the field? Can these upgrades carry over to other game modes as well (e.g. Zombies?) 

Leslie: We’ll be talking more about this system at our Multiplayer Reveal at Call of Duty: NEXT, but we’ll use Active Camo as an example: by using this Field Upgrade in Multiplayer over time, you’ll earn your first Overclock to unlock the ability to increase the charge speed on your Active Camo. Keep using it successfully and you’ll eventually unlock a second Overclock that allows you to recloak after firing. You only get to equip one or the other, so you’ll have to make a choice to fit the playstyle you’re feeling for the next match. Every Field Upgrade, Scorestreak, and all Lethal and Tactical Equipment in Black Ops 7 Multiplayer will have two Overlocks to choose from, and the feature is only available in MP. 

The Omnimovement system is returning to Black Ops 7, can you tell us what’s how it’s evolved this year? 

Leslie: Black Ops 7 features next-level Omnimovement beyond what we introduced in Black Ops 6. This includes new ways to outmaneuver your opponents across the game, including Wall Jump for tactical evasion and, in our 20v20 Skirmish mode, Combat Roll for reduced fall damage from high drops. We’re integrating feedback on core movement as well, by removing Tactical Sprint by default and allowing players to build into that and other combat options through the updated Perk system. 

The little we’ve heard so far of Zombies for Black Ops 7 has excited us, with several returning heroes. Could you share some more details on what we can expect here with this latest iteration of a fan-favorite mode? Will ‘psychological’ gameplay some into effect here as well? 

Leslie: Zombies is back in Black Ops 7 with the biggest Round-Based Zombies map ever, the return of Survival Maps, and even Dead Ops Arcade 4, plus plenty of new twists and turns for fans to discover. After the events of the Black Ops 6 Zombies story, the crew becomes trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether and collides with an alternate version of the original crew — Richtofen, Nikolai, Takeo, and Dempsey. Let’s just say the Zombies story is about to go to some wild places. There’s plenty more I’d love to tell you, but you’ll have to wait for our full Zombies reveal coming up soon! 

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches November 14, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox on PC, Battle.net, and Steam.