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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Updated: 12/20/2025, 12:50:59 PM Wikipedia source

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a 2025 first-person shooter video game co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software and published by Activision. It is the twenty-second main installment of the Call of Duty series and is the eighth entry in the Black Ops sub-series, following Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024). Set in 2035, Black Ops 7's story—playable in single-player or co-op—follows a JSOC unit led by David Mason as they investigate the apparent return of deceased terrorist Raul Menendez. As with previous Call of Duty titles, the game also includes a multiplayer component and the cooperative round-based Zombies mode. Development on Black Ops 7 took place concurrently with the production of Black Ops 6, with both games being green-lit at the same time. Marketing for the title began in June 2025 with the release of a cinematic trailer during the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase event; a full reveal debuted on August 19, at Gamescom. Black Ops 7 was released on November 14, 2025, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Critics praised the multiplayer and Zombies modes, but were mixed on the co-op campaign. Player reception was negative, and the game was the subject of review bombing on Metacritic, with criticism for the campaign and the use of generative artificial intelligence for in-game assets.

Infobox

Developers
mw- TreyarchRaven Software[a]
Publisher
Activision
Director
Jon Zuk
Producer
Natalie Pohorski
Designers
Matt ScronceKevin Drew
Artist
Wil Wells
Composer
Jack Wall
Series
Call of Duty
Platforms
PlayStation 4PlayStation 5WindowsXbox OneXbox Series X/S
Release
November 14, 2025
Genre
First-person shooter
Modes
Single-player, multiplayer
Writer
Dan Laufer
Directors
Jon ZukMiles Leslie

Tables

· Plot › Zombies
1
1
No.
1
Title
"Ashes of the Damned"
Original release date
November 14, 2025 (2025-11-14)
Following their battle atop of Janus Towers, the "Requiem" crew—Grigori Weaver (Gene Farber), Elizabeth Grey (Abigail Marlowe), Mackenzie Carver (Keston John), and Maya Aguinaldo (Chantelle Barry)—have been teleported to a mirrored version of Janus Towers within the "Dark Aether" dimension. As Requiem is greeted by alternate incarnations of Edward Richtofen (Nolan North), "Tank" Dempsey (Steve Blum), Nikolai Belinski (Fred Tatasciore), and Takeo Masaki (Nelson Lee), both crews are confronted by a mysterious figure, calling himself "the Warden", who proceeds to drain life essence from them and dispatch waves of zombies; this forces the group to fight their way out of the facility and work together to survive across multiple different locales, each torn from the real world at different points in time. They later meet an entity (Morla Gorrondona), who reveals that the Warden personally sought out each of them after they had separate encounters with ancient powers in their own worlds, and he seeks to claim their essence to empower himself. It also says that the Warden controls a group of ancient beings in the Dark Aether, called "Shadowsmiths", who currently possess the group's essence; by freeing them from the Warden's grasp, the Shadowsmiths would return the essence. They confront one such being, named Veytharion, and defeat his corrupted form, allowing him to restore the essence and memories of Maya and Dempsey. The entity then teleports the group to a pocket dimension to temporarily safeguard them from the Warden.
Following their battle atop of Janus Towers, the "Requiem" crew—Grigori Weaver (Gene Farber), Elizabeth Grey (Abigail Marlowe), Mackenzie Carver (Keston John), and Maya Aguinaldo (Chantelle Barry)—have been teleported to a mirrored version of Janus Towers within the "Dark Aether" dimension. As Requiem is greeted by alternate incarnations of Edward Richtofen (Nolan North), "Tank" Dempsey (Steve Blum), Nikolai Belinski (Fred Tatasciore), and Takeo Masaki (Nelson Lee), both crews are confronted by a mysterious figure, calling himself "the Warden", who proceeds to drain life essence from them and dispatch waves of zombies; this forces the group to fight their way out of the facility and work together to survive across multiple different locales, each torn from the real world at different points in time. They later meet an entity (Morla Gorrondona), who reveals that the Warden personally sought out each of them after they had separate encounters with ancient powers in their own worlds, and he seeks to claim their essence to empower himself. It also says that the Warden controls a group of ancient beings in the Dark Aether, called "Shadowsmiths", who currently possess the group's essence; by freeing them from the Warden's grasp, the Shadowsmiths would return the essence. They confront one such being, named Veytharion, and defeat his corrupted form, allowing him to restore the essence and memories of Maya and Dempsey. The entity then teleports the group to a pocket dimension to temporarily safeguard them from the Warden.
No.
Following their battle atop of Janus Towers, the "Requiem" crew—Grigori Weaver (Gene Farber), Elizabeth Grey (Abigail Marlowe), Mackenzie Carver (Keston John), and Maya Aguinaldo (Chantelle Barry)—have been teleported to a mirrored version of Janus Towers within the "Dark Aether" dimension. As Requiem is greeted by alternate incarnations of Edward Richtofen (Nolan North), "Tank" Dempsey (Steve Blum), Nikolai Belinski (Fred Tatasciore), and Takeo Masaki (Nelson Lee), both crews are confronted by a mysterious figure, calling himself "the Warden", who proceeds to drain life essence from them and dispatch waves of zombies; this forces the group to fight their way out of the facility and work together to survive across multiple different locales, each torn from the real world at different points in time. They later meet an entity (Morla Gorrondona), who reveals that the Warden personally sought out each of them after they had separate encounters with ancient powers in their own worlds, and he seeks to claim their essence to empower himself. It also says that the Warden controls a group of ancient beings in the Dark Aether, called "Shadowsmiths", who currently possess the group's essence; by freeing them from the Warden's grasp, the Shadowsmiths would return the essence. They confront one such being, named Veytharion, and defeat his corrupted form, allowing him to restore the essence and memories of Maya and Dempsey. The entity then teleports the group to a pocket dimension to temporarily safeguard them from the Warden.
2
2
No.
2
Title
"Astra Malorum"
Original release date
December 4, 2025 (2025-12-04)
Some time later, the entity sends the group to outer space, where they crash-land on a skull-shaped asteroid, housing a mysterious 20th century-era observatory, in search of Caltheris, the second Shadowsmith and Veytharion's sister. They navigate the observatory and eventually uncover the body of Dr. Silas Thurston, the astronomer who once oversaw the observatory, and carve out his brain, then use a device to secure it and allow him to speak to them. With Thurston's assistance, the group rebuilds a portal to a temple on Mars, where they confront Caltheris, revealed to be taking the form of the asteroid itself. After defeating Caltheris' multiple forms, she restores Nikolai's and Grey's essence and memories. However, the group is discovered by the Warden, who sends zombies to pull them underground to an unknown location and captures the entity, while Caltheris escapes.
Some time later, the entity sends the group to outer space, where they crash-land on a skull-shaped asteroid, housing a mysterious 20th century-era observatory, in search of Caltheris, the second Shadowsmith and Veytharion's sister. They navigate the observatory and eventually uncover the body of Dr. Silas Thurston, the astronomer who once oversaw the observatory, and carve out his brain, then use a device to secure it and allow him to speak to them. With Thurston's assistance, the group rebuilds a portal to a temple on Mars, where they confront Caltheris, revealed to be taking the form of the asteroid itself. After defeating Caltheris' multiple forms, she restores Nikolai's and Grey's essence and memories. However, the group is discovered by the Warden, who sends zombies to pull them underground to an unknown location and captures the entity, while Caltheris escapes.
No.
Some time later, the entity sends the group to outer space, where they crash-land on a skull-shaped asteroid, housing a mysterious 20th century-era observatory, in search of Caltheris, the second Shadowsmith and Veytharion's sister. They navigate the observatory and eventually uncover the body of Dr. Silas Thurston, the astronomer who once oversaw the observatory, and carve out his brain, then use a device to secure it and allow him to speak to them. With Thurston's assistance, the group rebuilds a portal to a temple on Mars, where they confront Caltheris, revealed to be taking the form of the asteroid itself. After defeating Caltheris' multiple forms, she restores Nikolai's and Grey's essence and memories. However, the group is discovered by the Warden, who sends zombies to pull them underground to an unknown location and captures the entity, while Caltheris escapes.
No.
Title
Original release date
1
"Ashes of the Damned"
November 14, 2025 (2025-11-14)
Following their battle atop of Janus Towers, the "Requiem" crew—Grigori Weaver (Gene Farber), Elizabeth Grey (Abigail Marlowe), Mackenzie Carver (Keston John), and Maya Aguinaldo (Chantelle Barry)—have been teleported to a mirrored version of Janus Towers within the "Dark Aether" dimension. As Requiem is greeted by alternate incarnations of Edward Richtofen (Nolan North), "Tank" Dempsey (Steve Blum), Nikolai Belinski (Fred Tatasciore), and Takeo Masaki (Nelson Lee), both crews are confronted by a mysterious figure, calling himself "the Warden", who proceeds to drain life essence from them and dispatch waves of zombies; this forces the group to fight their way out of the facility and work together to survive across multiple different locales, each torn from the real world at different points in time. They later meet an entity (Morla Gorrondona), who reveals that the Warden personally sought out each of them after they had separate encounters with ancient powers in their own worlds, and he seeks to claim their essence to empower himself. It also says that the Warden controls a group of ancient beings in the Dark Aether, called "Shadowsmiths", who currently possess the group's essence; by freeing them from the Warden's grasp, the Shadowsmiths would return the essence. They confront one such being, named Veytharion, and defeat his corrupted form, allowing him to restore the essence and memories of Maya and Dempsey. The entity then teleports the group to a pocket dimension to temporarily safeguard them from the Warden.
2
"Astra Malorum"
December 4, 2025 (2025-12-04)
Some time later, the entity sends the group to outer space, where they crash-land on a skull-shaped asteroid, housing a mysterious 20th century-era observatory, in search of Caltheris, the second Shadowsmith and Veytharion's sister. They navigate the observatory and eventually uncover the body of Dr. Silas Thurston, the astronomer who once oversaw the observatory, and carve out his brain, then use a device to secure it and allow him to speak to them. With Thurston's assistance, the group rebuilds a portal to a temple on Mars, where they confront Caltheris, revealed to be taking the form of the asteroid itself. After defeating Caltheris' multiple forms, she restores Nikolai's and Grey's essence and memories. However, the group is discovered by the Warden, who sends zombies to pull them underground to an unknown location and captures the entity, while Caltheris escapes.
Aggregate scores
Metacritic
Metacritic
Aggregator
Metacritic
Score
PS5: 67/100 Win: 67/100 XSXS: 66/100
OpenCritic
OpenCritic
Aggregator
OpenCritic
Score
34% recommend
Aggregator
Score
Metacritic
PS5: 67/100 Win: 67/100 XSXS: 66/100
OpenCritic
34% recommend
Review scores
Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Publication
Eurogamer
Score
3/5
GameSpot
GameSpot
Publication
GameSpot
Score
7/10
Hardcore Gamer
Hardcore Gamer
Publication
Hardcore Gamer
Score
4.5/5
IGN
IGN
Publication
IGN
Score
Campaign: 6/10 Multiplayer: 8/10 Zombies: 6/10
The Guardian
The Guardian
Publication
The Guardian
Score
4/5
Publication
Score
Eurogamer
3/5
GameSpot
7/10
Hardcore Gamer
4.5/5
IGN
Campaign: 6/10 Multiplayer: 8/10 Zombies: 6/10
The Guardian
4/5

References

  1. Windows version developed by Beenox. Additional development work by Activision Central Design, Activision Central Techno
  2. An update on November 21, 2025 unlocked access to Endgame for all players, regardless if they have completed the campaig
  3. As depicted in Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012)
  4. The same toxin that was originally developed by the paramilitary group "Pantheon" in the 1990s, as depicted in Call of D
  5. As depicted in Black Ops 6
  6. GameSpot
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  8. IGN
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  59. Hardcore Gamer
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  60. IGN
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  62. IGN
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  63. The Guardian
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  65. Pure Xbox
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  67. Eurogamer
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  71. Destructoid
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  72. Vice
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  73. GameSpot
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  74. TheGamer
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  76. PC Gamer
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  80. Eurogamer
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  81. Eurogamer
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  82. Eurogamer
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  83. Video Games Chronicle
    https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/call-of-duty-black-ops-7-stumbles-in-european-launch-with-sales-63-below-battlefield-6/
  84. Push Square
    https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/11/call-of-duty-black-ops-7-just-had-the-worst-japanese-retail-launch-in-series-history
  85. Eurogamer
    https://www.eurogamer.net/call-of-duty-black-ops-7-underperforms-on-steam-during-launch-weekend-but-does-that-mean-the-games-sold-badly
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