The Call of Duty franchise just pulled off something unprecedented: announcing two consecutive Black Ops games for the first time in the series’ history. Following the success of 2024’s Black Ops 6, Activision revealed Black Ops 7 at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 with a cinematic trailer that looks more like a fever dream than a typical military shooter.
The trailer itself is a trippy showcase that could have been ripped straight from a psychological thriller. We witness fragmented consciousness, cityscapes folding in on themselves in Inception-style reality bends, laughing TV sets, red butterflies made of data, and robot butlers escorting someone through disturbingly calm corporate offices.
Set in 2035, Black Ops 7 jumps forward roughly 40 years from its predecessor, creating a world ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. The game directly follows the narrative threads from both Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6, bringing back David Mason as the lead character.
Mason previously appeared in Black Ops 2 and made his last appearance in 2018’s Black Ops 4, making his return a big moment for longtime fans.
The story centers around Mason and his Black Ops team as they wield cutting-edge tech to fight against a manipulative enemy force that weaponizes fear as their primary weapon.
This psychological warfare angle seems to be more than just a plot device, as the surreal trailer suggests the game will heavily lean into mind-bending sequences and reality-distorting moments that the series has experimented with before.
Treyarch and Raven Software are collaborating on development, with the same structure that made Black Ops 6 successful. Raven is taking the lead on the campaign while Treyarch oversees multiplayer and the overall vision for the project.
This partnership hopes to create what Matt Cox, the general manager of Call of Duty, describes as a back-to-back series experience that embraces the unique creativity and storytelling depth of the Black Ops universe.
Black Ops 7 will feature several additions and improvements. For the first time, the campaign will support innovative co-op play, allowing players to experience the story either solo or with friends.
The multiplayer component also promises brand-new maps and near-future weaponry that fits the 2035 setting. Additionally, the beloved round-based zombies mode returns, continuing the Dark Aether storyline that fans have been following across multiple entries.
Most gamers will be pleased to learn that Black Ops 7 won’t abandon last-gen consoles despite being set for release later this year. The game will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC through Battle.net, Xbox, and Steam.
It’s clear that Activision sees value in maintaining the largest possible player base, even as the gaming industry continues to push toward newer hardware.
The game will also be available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from day one, making it accessible to subscribers without additional cost.
While specific gameplay details remain under wraps, the development team isn’t ready to reveal how they plan to evolve the mechanics introduced in Black Ops 6, particularly the omni-movement system that changed how players move around the battlefield.
The focus on cutting-edge tech in the storyline suggests that gameplay innovations will likely tie into the futuristic setting.
Activision has promised a full reveal later this summer, which should provide more concrete details about gameplay mechanics, story elements, and the psychological warfare theme that appears central to the experience.
The summer reveal will likely coincide with other major gaming events, giving the publisher a larger platform to showcase what they’ve been working on.
