Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 – No Carry Forward, Release Date, Open Beta, Trailer, Story, And Everything Else We Know

The Call of Duty series is an annual franchise, and Activision’s 20-year streak of releasing new Call of Duty games every year continues in 2025 with the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The game was formally announced during the Xbox Games Showcase and then revealed further at Gamescom 2025. The latest big announcement came on August 26, which was when Activision announced that the Carry Forward program will not, in fact, come to Black Ops 7.

In this post, we’re rounding up everything we know, and what’s been rumored, about Black Ops 7. It’s a notable release in part because this is the first time ever that Activision is releasing Black Ops games in back to back years. The same two studios that made 2024’s Black Ops 6–Raven Software and Treyarch–are once again leading the development of Black Ops 7.

What is Call of Duty 2025?

This year’s Call of Duty game is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Announced at the Xbox Games Showcase, Black Ops 7 takes place in the year 2035 and is a sequel to both Black Ops 6 (set in the ’90s) and Black Ops 2 (set in 2025). You can check out the cinematic announcement trailer below.

Omnimovement is back

Call of Duty 2025 will continue to feature Treyarch’s omnimovement in all game modes, in addition to a new wall-running and wall-jumping mechanic. The new 20v20 Skirmish mode, meanwhile, takes place on massive maps and supports new abilities like wingsuits and grappling hooks.

No Carry Forward

The Carry Forward program, which allows weapons, operators, and skins from past games to move forward to the next one, was planned for Black Ops 7–but it’s no longer happening. “Operators, Operator Skins, and Weapons from Black Ops 6 will no longer carry forward into Black Ops 7,” Activision said. “Black Ops 7 needs to feel authentic to Call of Duty and its setting. That is why Black Ops 6 Operator and Weapon content will not carry forward to Black Ops 7.”

In a statement, Activision acknowledged the conversations online about “the identity of Call of Duty” and how the perception from some is that Call of Duty has “drifted from what made Call of Duty unique in the first place.”

Activision said it understands that people want Call of Duty to be and feel “immersive, intense, visceral and in many ways grounded.”

“That feedback hits home, and we take it seriously. We hear you,” Activision said.

The company did not, however, say what it’s doing to address this beyond cancelling the Carry Forward program for Black Ops 7. It appears Activision could be referencing the wacky skins that Call of Duty has become known for in recent years. Some part of the Call of Duty audience enjoys and embraces these skins, and others have said they are a detriment to the overall experience.

When will Black Ops 7 be released?

Activision has confirmed that Black Ops 7 will be released on November 14. Something working in Black Ops 7’s favor this year is the GTA 6 delay. Black Ops 7 will no longer have to compete with Rockstar’s open-world game, as it was delayed to May 2026. Black Ops 7 is launching about a month after EA’s highly anticipated Battlefield 6 debuts on October 10.

Will Black Ops 7 have a beta?

Black Ops 7 will have a multiplayer beta ahead of launch. It kicks off on October in early access for select Game Pass subscribers and those who preorder. Then on October 5, the beta opens for everyone and runs through October 8.

Preorder Black Ops 7

Black Ops 7 is now available to preorder, and it won’t be $80 like some expected. It’ll also be available to play via Xbox Game Pass.

Black Ops 7 trailer

The debut trailer for Black Ops 7 premiered at the Xbox Games Showcase. A cinematic trailer, it teased out some of the futuristic-themed story and hinted at the return of iconic Black Ops characters. It’s a doozy of a trailer full of twists and turns, which is to be expected for the series known for its mind-bending setups.

Another trailer debuted at Gamescom, and it was a mind-bender as well. In addition, a 17-minute Direct broadcast was published. You can find both videos below.

Black Ops 7 platforms

Activision has confirmed that Black Ops 7 will launch on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC, as well as last-gen consoles like the Xbox One and PS4. Microsoft is committed to bringing Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms, but as of yet, the company has not announced any Call of Duty titles for Switch or Switch 2.

Will Black Ops 7 be on Game Pass?

Microsoft put Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Game Pass at launch, and Black Ops 7 will be there on day one as well for Xbox and PC.

Black Ops 7 story, setting, and characters

The Black Ops storyline is full of twists and turns and wild political conspiracies, and Black Ops 7 will continue this trend.

The game is described as the “most mind-bending Black Ops ever” and the “evolution of Black Ops.” The game takes place 40+ years after the events of Black Ops 6 and 10 years following Black Ops 2. The story picks up in 2035, a time when “the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare following the events.”

The game’s description goes on: “Wielding cutting-edge technology, David Mason and his team must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else.”

Celebrity cast

Activision has a history of working with celebrities for its Call of Duty games, and that continues with Black Ops 7. Milo Ventimiglia from Gilmore Girls plays David Mason, while Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) plays Emma Kagan. Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy) returns to play Mike Harper, a role he also played in Black Ops 2.

Black Ops 7 game engine

The Call of Duty franchise is now developed on a singular, proprietary game engine for all major new releases, and this is expected to continue for Black Ops 7 this year.

Who’s developing Black Ops 7?

Treyarch and Raven Software are leading development on Black Ops 7, though it’s understood that Activision’s global network of studios contribute to new games beyond the “core” developers. Treyarch and Raven Software also developed 2024’s Black Ops 6.

What else is new for Black Ops 7?

Black Ops 7 marks the first time in franchise history that Activision is releasing Black Ops games in consecutive years. What’s more, Zombies is of course returning. For tons, tons more, be sure to read Activision’s ridiculously in-depth blog post that covers all the core details about Black Ops 7.