Black Ops 7 is almost here. The next entry in the long-running Call of Duty series officially launches tomorrow, November 14 – but some regions are able to play right now.
- Release time
- Is it on Game Pass?
- Zombies
- How to play early
- Live coverage
A sequel to the fan-favorite Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Black Ops 7 promises “reality-shattering gameplay” with a mind-bending story campaign that can be played in four-player co-op.
It’s set to be one of this year’s biggest shooters, so join me as I bring you the latest news on all things Black Ops 7, including the latest release time info, tips on how to play early, and my first impressions once the game is officially available.
Black Ops 7 Release Time
The Black Ops 7 release date and time somewhat depends on your current region, with the game launching on November 13 or November 14 depending where you are. Your choice of platform also makes a big difference, as you will see below.
US West Coast release time:
- Xbox and Xbox on PC: 3AM – 10PM PT, November 13
- PlayStation: 3AM – 10PM PT, November 13
- Battle.net / Steam: 9PM PT, November 13
US East Coast release time:
- Xbox and Xbox on PC: 6AM – 1AM ET, November 13 – 14
- PlayStation: 6AM – 1AM ET, November 13 – 14
- Battle.net / Steam: 12AM ET, November 14
UK release time:
- Xbox and Xbox on PC: 11AM – 6AM GMT, November 13 – 14
- PlayStation: 11AM – 6AM GMT November 13 – 14
- Battle.net / Steam: 5AM, November 14
Is Black Ops 7 on Game Pass?
Black Ops 7 is available on Xbox Game Pass for Xbox consoles, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and PC via the Xbox app.
Not all Game Pass tiers will have access to the game, though. You will need to be an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscriber to play.
Does Black Ops 7 have Zombies?
Zombies is a big part of Black Ops 7, with the game containing the Dark Aether storyline from the series.
Round-based Zombies is available on day one, with new map Ashes of Damned available at launch. It’s the largest Round-Based Zombies map in the series so far, with loads of areas to explore.
There is also Survival and a highly challenging Cursed mode, plus a new version of Dead Ops Arcade in Dead Ops Arcade 4.
There’s a lot to dive into a launch, but even more Zombies content will be released in Season One.
How to play Black Ops 7 early
The classic ‘New Zealand trick’ works with Black Ops 7 and gives you the chance to play early – here’s how to do it.
Be aware that this is not an official way to play the game and may not work for every player, so proceed at your own risk.
The first step is to head to your Activision account settings and edit your address to somewhere in New Zealand.
Then try the following depending on your platform.
- On PC, adjust your system date and time to New Zealand Standard Time in your system settings
- Restart your PC, and you should be able to play
For PS5:
- Simply launch Black Ops 7 and you should be able to play
Xbox:
- Navigate to your system settings
- Change your location to New Zealand
- Restart your console and start Black Ops 7
Live coverage
Hello everyone!
Welcome to the very start of my Black Ops 7 launch day coverage. I’ll be leading you through the lead up to the game’s release throughout the rest of the day and then pick things up tomorrow for some first impressions.
Black Ops 7 multiplayer maps
Black Ops 7 is going to be one of the biggest Call of Duty games to date and launches with a total of 18 multiplayer maps. This includes 16 6v6 maps and two larger 20v20 maps for the Skirmish mode.
Here’s a quick rundown of what they are, so you’re fully prepared for launch day:
- Scar
- Homestead
- Blackheart
- Den
- Colossus
- Toshin
- Flagship
- Mission: Tide
- Retreival
- Paranoia
- The Forge
- Exposure
- Mission: Edge
- Cortex
- Imprint
- Raid
- Express
- Hijacked
Will Nuketown be available at launch?
Nuketown won’t be available in Black Ops 7 at launch, but don’t need to wait very long in order to play it.
Nuketown will arrive as Nuketown 2025 as part of the launch of the Black Ops 7 preseason on November 20.
This futuristic version of Nuketown is a remaster of the map as it appeared in Black Ops 2, which is very fitting.
Is there a Black Ops 7 pre-order bonus?
With time running out until the launch of Black Ops 7, those who have yet to purchase a copy might be wondering whether there are any good incentives for doing so ahead of launch.
Here’s what you need to know about the Black Ops 7 pre-order bonuses:
Pre-ordering Black Ops 7 gives you access to the Reznov Challenge Pack skin bundle. This can be used in Black Ops 6 and Warzone and instantly unlocks the Reznov SOG Operator skin. You can then unlock two additional skins through in-game challenges.
Pre-ordering the game also grants you the Guild Override Weapon Camo in Black Ops 6 and Warzone.
Those who pre-order will also get a Reznov Operator skin in Call of Duty: Mobile on launch day. To claim it, you need to log in to Call of Duty: Mobile with your Activision account before November 21.
Pre-ordering also granted you open beta access, though the beta has now ended.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers will also receive these bonuses automatically.
What’s in the Vault Edition?
With pre-order bonuses out of the way, the next logical question is whether the pricey Vault Edition version of the game is worth it.
Ultimately, that’s going to come down to how much you value certain items and how much you intend to play Black Ops 7.
The Vault Edition includes an Operator Collection, with the following multiplayer skins:
- Karma – Tech Guardian
- Harper – Warranty Breaker
- T.E.D.D. – Aether Assembly and Service Supreme
- Reaper EWR-3 – Mind and Metal
You also get a Mastercraft Weapon Collection with the following included:
- Blank Certainty Blueprint – Peacemaker MK1 (Assault Rifle)
- Authorized Destroyed Blueprint – Dravec 45 (SMG)
- Dire Experiment Blueprint – M10 Breacher (Shotgun)
- Ballistic Scyth3 Blueprint – VS RECON (Sniper Rifle)
- Shock Blade Blueprint – Flatline Mk.II (Melee)
These are cool extras, but the big draw here is the included BlackCell Battle Pass. This nets you 1,100 COD Points, 20 Battle Pass Tier Skips, Exclusive BlackCell skins, and full access to the regular battle pass.
Zombies players will also appreciate the Ultra GobbleGum pack, which unique Gobblegums to try.
Vault Edition owners also get access to a Permanent Unlock Token on day one, to help speed up progression.
When is Black Ops 7 set?
Black Ops 7 is set in 2035, ten years after the events of the futuristic narrative in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
The story picks up where Black Ops 2 left off, exploring the events after the death of antagonist Raul Menendez.
A new power, a mysterious tech company called The Guild, is threatening global peace, sending returning protagonist David Mason on a series of covert missions in the fictionalized city of Avalon.
In addition to the many Black Ops 2 connections, characters like Troy Marshall return from Black Ops 6.
How long is the Black Ops 7 campaign?
There’s no official word on the length of the Black Ops 7 campaign just yet, but the developers have confirmed that it is made up of 11 missions.
This is then followed by the new Endgame mode, which seems more like a separate thing.
Based on the length of previous Call of Duty campaigns, I would expect the 11 missions to last for around eight to ten hours in total – potentially even longer if you intend to seek of collectibles or chase achievements
Of course, we’ll be able to know the length for sure once the game is out.
Okay, but what actually is the Endgame?
I was just talking about how the Endgame fits into the overall campaign, but what actually is it?
It’s basically a replayable mode that appears right at the end of the campaign, with up to four players dropping into a large open-world map as a team.
In the map you need to work together in order to complete objectives and fight NPC enemies. There are no enemy players in this mode; it’s PvE only.
Before you drop in, you’re given the opportunity to customize your loadout and choose from a selection of available skills and a number of powerful abilities. These are a major part of Endgame, and include things like Active Camo or the War Machine grenade launcher.
Black Ops 7 features new campaign progression
Black Ops 7 shakes up the usual Call of Duty progression systems in some interesting ways.
The most significant of these is the fact that progression is now shared across every mode – including the campaign.
This means that you can actually increase your player level and earn unlocks just from playing through the story.
If you’re usually the kind of player who blazes straight past the campaign in order to start levelling up their multiplayer gear in online matches right out of the gate, this might prove a tempting enough reason to check it out this year.
If you haven’t played Black Ops 2 or Black Ops 6, or just fancy a quick recap of some of the events from those games, then it’s definitely worth checking out the official Story So Far Trailer above.
It details the most relevant events from those two games and should hopefully avoid you being too confused by everything when you jump into Black Ops 7.
We’re nearing the end of the working day here in the UK, and that means I’m going to be heading off soon.
Don’t go anywhere, though, as I’ll be back first thing tomorrow to pick up with some live Black Ops 7 impressions as I dive in to the game.
