Black Ops 7: Revitalized Multiplayer and Zombies Can’t Save a Stumbling Warzone

Treyarch is back with another Black Ops title, and this time, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 takes us to a futuristic battleground. It boasts an expansive round-based Zombies map and introduces Haven’s Hollow, a new Resurgence map for Warzone. Our hands-on experience at Call of Duty: Next revealed that while the futuristic multiplayer and innovative Zombies mode offer a refreshing change from previous entries, the Warzone integration feels surprisingly underdeveloped.

Futuristic and refined multiplayer

Historically, Call of Duty thrives on its rotating developer schedule, where different studios bring unique styles, modes, and features, preventing the annual ‘CoD fatigue.’ The shift between franchises like Modern Warfare and Black Ops always felt revitalizing.

Given the quick turnaround for another Black Ops game, my primary concern was whether Treyarch could make Black Ops 7 feel distinct, avoiding the stagnation experienced with consecutive Modern Warfare releases. Thankfully, the multiplayer experience feels genuinely fresh and exciting.

The decision to transport Black Ops from its previous 90s setting to 2035 significantly transforms the multiplayer dynamics. Treyarch fully embraces this futuristic theme, introducing exciting scorestreaks like the robotic dog D.A.W.G. and the formidable Rhino, a mechanical evolution of the classic Juggernaut.

Players can customize their loadouts with cutting-edge futuristic tech and gadgets, setting Black Ops 7 apart. Field upgrades enable drone deployment, temporary cloaking, and even the creation of holographic decoys to outsmart opponents. While not entirely new to Call of Duty, these high-tech additions, reminiscent of earlier jetpack-era games, deepen the immersion in Black Ops 7’s advanced combat.

The omnimovement system, first seen in Black Ops 6, has been significantly upgraded in Black Ops 7, resulting in faster, smoother, and more dynamic player movement. Tactical sprint has been removed, now requiring a specific perk, while base movement speed is faster, and a new wall jump mechanic allows for chained maneuvers to access previously unreachable areas in traditional Call of Duty gameplay.

During my playtest, I executed some impressive wall jumps, gaining extra height to surprise enemies mid-air or quickly eliminate a stunned sniper through a window—a tactic impossible in the previous game. Even for an average player like myself, these movement enhancements open up exciting new strategic possibilities for navigating maps and engaging in gunfights. This subtle yet impactful change promises to revitalize the moment-to-moment gameplay in Black Ops 7.

The maps I experienced were generously sized, providing ample room for these advanced maneuvers. Unlike Black Ops 6’s predominantly small, chaotic maps, Black Ops 7 offers medium-sized layouts that encourage more strategic gameplay and give players room to breathe.

Treyarch’s associate design director, Matt Scronce, and senior director of production, Yale Miller, revealed that the game’s maps are intentionally designed to evoke the classic feel of Black Ops 2.

Miller emphasized that their map design philosophy centers on fairness and fun. As a spiritual successor to Black Ops 2, the game embraces its core principles of three-lane map layouts, ensuring each lane serves a clear purpose and that power positions are balanced across the map.

Forge stood out as my favorite multiplayer map, where we played Domination within a Guild research and development center. It features two expansive indoor wings and an outdoor central hub for the B flag, which is uniquely surrounded by continuously rotating cover. This dynamic environment offered numerous tactical opportunities: the moving cover could either expose an enemy or leave me vulnerable. The curved exterior walls also provided excellent spots for flashy wall-jump maneuvers.

The developers noted that Forge was also the most challenging map to create.

Miller noted that the challenge wasn’t just in the design itself, but in the intricate implementation of dynamic elements, such as the rotating cover, which required careful engineering.

He further added that the map presented significant technical complexities.

Miller elaborated that the map features extensive use of glass canopies and other translucent materials, necessitating complex reflection and refraction effects to accurately render light and shadows.

Scronce and Miller also confirmed the return of dedicated training grounds in Black Ops 7, offering a safe environment to hone the enhanced omnimovement skills. The Forge map, with its ample space, serves as an ideal training ground for practicing wall jumps and other advanced maneuvers.

Additionally, Black Ops 7 features an intelligent movement setting designed to assist players with wall jumps.

Scronce clarified that a ‘wall jump assist’ option is available in the movement settings, allowing players to automatically execute a wall jump by simply jumping at a wall.

These features, coupled with the dedicated practice map, are expected to significantly aid players in refining their movement capabilities.

While Black Ops 7 retains familiar weapons, perks, and attachments, the standout aspects for me were the innovative map design, fluid movement, and futuristic technology. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced action of wall-jumping and deploying drones, and I’m eager to explore the full range of maps when the game launches.

The Wonder Vehicle changes the Zombies experience

Black Ops 7 unveils “Ashes of the Damned,” an unprecedentedly large round-based Zombies map. Unlike traditional designs, this map features a road-centric, figure-eight layout inspired by Black Ops 2’s Tranzit. Instead of a bus, players take control of “Ol’ Tessie,” a unique Wonder Vehicle—an old truck that can be driven and upgraded throughout the match, becoming central to navigation.

According to Design Director Kevin Drew and Lead Game Designer Steve Bianchi, “Ashes of the Damned” was meticulously crafted with Tessie at its core.

Bianchi stated, “The entire map was built around the vehicle. Its scale perfectly complements Tessie’s role as a core element, essentially making it the fifth member of your squad.” He added that the treacherous, fog-laden roads connecting map sections were designed to be both streamlined and exciting for vehicle travel.

During my brief Zombies session, driving Tessie and plowing through hordes of undead was incredibly satisfying. While I couldn’t explore all the upgrades, I did reach a point where the vehicle could be equipped with a Pack-a-Punch machine, allowing for convenient, on-the-go weapon upgrades.

Venturing on foot exposes players to “Ravengers,” a swift enemy type that swarms, making traversal difficult. Traveling with Tessie offers a safer alternative, though our experience saw tense moments when the Wonder Vehicle was disabled by enemies or crashes. While Treyarch mentioned a repair mechanism, we weren’t able to discover it during our playtest.

As with other Zombies maps, “Ashes of the Damned” offers a compelling main quest, a distinctive Wonder Weapon, and numerous secrets. Classic features like Wall Buys, GobbleGums, and the Mystery Box are all present. A welcome change is that Treyarch has included all perks from Black Ops 6 at launch, rather than drip-feeding them through updates. Additionally, a new perk, Wisp Tea, is introduced, which summons a spectral orb to assist in combating zombies, though I didn’t get to experience it firsthand.

Beyond its size, “Ashes of the Damned” also boasts the most extensive character roster in Zombies history, featuring the four-person crew from Black Ops 6 alongside fan-favorites Takeo, Dempsey, Nikolai, and Richtofen. These eight characters can be mixed and matched for up to four-player co-op, each with unique voice lines that Drew noted might change based on party composition. While story-related dialogue was withheld during our session, I’m eager to see how Tessie and this new narrative unfold in Black Ops 7.

Warzone lacks meaningful changes

Black Ops 7’s integration with Warzone is slated for Season 1, though a release date remains unconfirmed. This update will introduce map alterations to Verdansk and a new Resurgence map, Haven’s Hollow.

While Verdansk’s return as Warzone’s primary battle royale map is unsurprising given its popularity, I was taken aback by the underwhelming nature of its changes during our playtest.

The Season 1 update will introduce two new points of interest: Factory and Signal Station. Factory, a large industrial building near Superstore, is unfortunately forgettable. Signal Station, however, offers a more engaging experience with objectives that reward players with enhanced Tac Map intel, revealing enemy density in colored quadrants. While potentially useful, my overall experience on this updated Verdansk felt largely unchanged from pre-integration matches.

Haven’s Hollow, the new, smaller Resurgence map, is set in Liberty Falls—the same town featured in Black Ops 6’s Zombies mode, but in its pre-outbreak state. Stripped of any zombie elements or destruction, it’s merely a charming West Virginia town. While it incorporates familiar landmarks like the church, bowling alley, and bank, the playable zone also expands beyond the original Zombies map boundaries.

While Haven’s Hollow is visually striking with vibrant colors, a rarity for Warzone maps, it ultimately fails to be a memorable battleground. Liberty Falls, already the least engaging Zombies map, becomes even less compelling without its undead inhabitants. This mundane 90s West Virginia setting feels like a missed opportunity to deliver a futuristic experience aligned with Black Ops 7’s theme. Though my initial impression after a few matches left me underwhelmed, I acknowledge the map might improve over time, but it certainly lacks any immediate “wow” factor.

It would have been much better to see a brand-new futuristic map or an updated Verdansk with Black Ops 7’s signature futuristic aesthetic, complete with advanced lighting and robotics. Warzone’s annual integration typically introduces fresh, innovative content, but this year’s update feels like the most uninspired offering yet for the battle royale.

Treyarch did confirm that Black Ops 4’s popular Blackout battle royale mode will return on the Avalon map, but this new experience isn’t scheduled until Spring 2026, and no details were revealed at Call of Duty: Next. Despite my disappointment with Warzone, I’m genuinely curious about Blackout’s revival in Black Ops 7, even if the long wait post-launch is frustrating.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, Warzone’s uninspired maps and lack of new content are a significant letdown, leaving battle royale fans like myself to wait until Spring 2026 for any substantial changes—a major disappointment for this annual integration. Nevertheless, Black Ops 7’s multiplayer and Zombies modes genuinely excite me for the full launch. The refined omnimovement system makes gameplay exceptionally satisfying, and if the remaining maps match the quality of those I previewed, Black Ops 7 promises another action-packed and enjoyable year.