Activision finally showcased gameplay of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, even if the premise of “Somehow, Raul Menendez returned” is a bit iffy. Nevertheless, for those wondering why Treyarch and Raven Software have lined up the title just a year after Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 released, it’s because both games began development at the same time.
Treyarch associate creative director Miles Leslie told IGN, “They were started at the same time. So obviously, they have different production ramp-up times, but they were started in parallel and greenlit at the same time. That was a really unique challenge, but also fun to be able to know that you’re going to do that. Black Ops 6 is going to be 1991 rogue team, and now how do you flip the script on Black Ops 7 in 2035?”
The process also means that several mechanics carry over into the sequel. “Yeah, you get the payoffs. And a lot of the things that we innovated on with Black Ops 6, you’re going to see in Black Ops 7, and so it’s a great connector,” said lead narrative producer Natalie Pohorski.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches on November 14th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC alongside Game Pass on day one. For the first time in the series, it offers a co-op campaign for up to four players. David Mason returns, leading a JSOC team in the wake of Menendez’s newest threat, but how it involves tech giant The Guild and its army of robots remains to be seen.
A full multiplayer reveal is planned for Call of Duty NEXT, so stay tuned for more details.
