Call of Duty fans got a shock at the June 2025 Xbox Games Showcase: Activision officially unveiled Call of Duty Black Ops 7, confirming the series’ first-ever back-to-back Black Ops release. The new installment jumps ahead to the year 2035, roughly 40 years after Black Ops 6, placing players in a world ravaged by conflict and “weaponized fear” following events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. Activision has already confirmed that Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will launch later in 2025 across all major platforms, sticking to the franchise’s traditional fall release window.
Official Announcement and Release Plans
At the Xbox Showcase event, a cinematic trailer teased a global threat and highlighted Call of Duty Black Ops 7 futuristic setting. Activision confirmed that Treyarch and Raven Software, the team behind Black Ops 6, are leading development on the new game. The publisher says Black Ops 7 will release “later this year” (2025) on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC.
In terms of gameplay, Activision promises the “full Call of Duty package.” The campaign can be played solo or in an innovative new co-op mode, allowing squads of friends to experience the story together. Round-based Zombies mode also returns in a new Dark Aether chapter. Multiplayer will feature brand-new maps and near-future weaponry, building on the omni-directional movement introduced in 2024. No specific release date has been announced yet, but outlets note Black Ops 7 is “officially slated for release sometime later in 2025”, following the series’ usual October/November timeline.
Story Setting and Characters
According to official materials, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 is set in the year 2035, positioning it as a sort of direct sequel to Black Ops 2 (which was set in 2025). Players reprise the role of Alex Mason, now leading a specialized unit against a global conspiracy. Activision teaser narrative describes a “brink of chaos” scenario where an enemy force is using psychological warfare and fear as weapons. Details are still sparse, but promotional hints and reports suggest the story will tie together threads from the Black Ops universe in a big way.
Media reports also mention a high-profile cast for the campaign. For example, Milo Ventimiglia (known from Heroes and This Is Us) is said to portray Mason, and Kiernan Shipka (from Sabrina) plays a mysterious new character. Activision marketing team even confirmed that Mason in-game model will be subtly redesigned to resemble Ventimiglia. These Hollywood connections underscore the series’ cinematic ambitions. As Matt Cox, Call of Duty general manager, put it: “The Black Ops universe is amazing… our vision from the start was to create a back-to-back series experience for our players”.
Leaks and Rumors (Unconfirmed)
Industry insiders and dataminers have been busy with speculation, though none of this is official. Credible leaks suggest Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will heavily revisit the Black Ops 2 storyline. According to reports, the campaign may feature an open-world map (codenamed “Avalon”) designed for 4-player co-op, and it will bring back series protagonists Alex Mason and Frank Woods.
In multiplayer, datamined code hints at a return of advanced movement mechanics, for example, files referencing “AllowWallRun” suggest wall-running could make a comeback. The Zombies mode is said to be equally ambitious: leaks indicate the original Zombies crew (including Tank Dempsey) will return, and a massive “TransZit” style map is in the works.
Campaign & Timeline: Leaks indicate the story picks up after Black Ops 2 and is set in 2035. An open-world campaign map with four-player co-op is rumored (codenamed “Avalon”), though this is unconfirmed.
Characters: Insider reports claim veterans Alex Mason and Frank Woods will appear in the new game.
Gameplay: Datamines have surfaced about futuristic movement (e.g. wall-running) and other innovations in combat.
Zombies: Rumors predict the return of the original Zombies crew (Dempsey, Takeo, etc.) and a huge new Zombies map, possibly a remake of Mob of the Dead or Tranzit.
All of these details should be treated as speculation until confirmed by Activision. So far, the official teaser and announcements have focused on broad strokes setting, key gameplay modes, and overall tone rather than specific plot or mechanics.
With the initial reveal complete, attention now turns to the full gameplay reveal promised later this summer. Activision has confirmed that “the full reveal of Black Ops 7 is coming later this summer”, so fans can expect a deeper look at story and mechanics in the months ahead.
Until then, players should keep an eye on official Call of Duty channels and major gaming outlets for updates, including the exact Black Ops 7 release date. As the year progresses, the countdown to this futuristic Call of Duty title will intensify stay tuned for more news on Call of Duty Black Ops 7 as it arrives.
