"Call of Duty: Black Ops 7" Media Joint Developer Interview: Exploring the Latest Entry in the Series, Set in a Near-Future Japan, Crafted After Extensive Location Scouting

Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/918/G091840/20250925072/

Writer: Natsukami Shiki | 2025/09/25 10:50 (UTC)

Activision Blizzard’s latest installment in the “Call of Duty” series, and the follow-up to the 2024 release “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,” is “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” (PC / PS5 / Xbox Series X|S / PS4 / Xbox One, hereafter BO7). We’re pleased to present this exclusive joint media interview.

Scheduled for a November 14, 2025 release, the game is being developed jointly by Treyarch and Raven Software. An open beta test for all platforms is planned from October 3 to 9, just before launch—bringing us ever closer to unveiling its full scope.

PC Xbox Series X|S Xbox One PS5 PS4

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 releases November 14, 2025. Features campaign co-op with an endgame, 20v20 multiplayer, and round-based zombie mode

Activision and Treyarch have unveiled the latest details about “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Set in a world in 2035, it features an endgame campaign co-op mode, 20v20 skirmish multiplayer, and a round-based zombie mode with original characters.

[2025/08/20 03:15]

At the Tokyo Game Show 2025, a developer session for media was held at a venue in Tokyo. This event took place just before TGS 2025’s opening and coincided with the visit of the developers to Japan.

The speakers were Miles Leslie, Associate Creative Director at Treyarch, and Marc-Antoine Saindon, Lead Designer from Beenox responsible for platform-specific optimization.

From left: Marc-Antoine Saindon, Miles Leslie Thumbnail image No.001 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

By the way, as of today (September 25), a dedicated “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” corner has been set up at the Happy Games booth in Hall 7, Zone N12, during Tokyo Game Show 2025. The event will feature giveaways for early access beta codes and a gacha-style prize draw offering pins and original T-shirts—fans are encouraged to visit.

PC Xbox Series X|S Xbox One PS5 PS4

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 to distribute early access beta codes at TGS 2025. Gacha event offers pins and T-shirts as prizes

On September 22, 2025, Activision Blizzard Japan announced that “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7,” scheduled for release on November 14, will be featured at the Tokyo Game Show 2025. The event runs from September 25 to 28 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture. Early access beta codes for the upcoming October beta test are expected to be distributed at the venue.

[2025/09/22 15:04]

Official website for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Achieving the Vision: “BO7” Realizes What We Wanted to Create Through Near-Future Warfare and New Systems

Before diving into the interview, Miles Leslie and Marc-Antoine Saindon presented a fresh overview of the game. Here’s what they shared.

According to Leslie, the core concept behind this title is “unleashing the future introduced in BO6.” The development process builds upon BO6’s momentum while incorporating new elements, with the central theme being “embracing madness”—a hallmark of the “Black Ops” series aiming for a uniquely mad and chaotic gameplay experience.

Thumbnail image No.002 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

The game introduces numerous new weapons and gadgets—essential tools for gameplay—and effectively portrays combat in 2035. The introduction of a new movement system, “wall jump,” adds excitement to the experience, delivering next-generation combat.

Additionally, player experience (XP) has been reimagined beyond simple level-ups. Rewards are now distributed across more detailed aspects of gameplay, so players feel their own personal growth in skill and mastery—not just in-game progression.

Thumbnail image No.003 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

On the game mode front, they’re launching a round-based zombie mode with the theme of “unleashing zombies.” It features the largest map in series history, storylines surpassing previous entries, and beloved characters returning in new forms. Beyond that, multiple modes are planned:

6v6 multiplayer
Skirmish (20v20)
Co-op campaign (playable by up to four players)
Co-op endgame mode (PvE, playable after campaign completion)
Round-based zombie
Zombie survival
Dead Ops Arcade
4 WAR ZONE
Note: Mode names are provisional translations.

These modes will form the core of the overall experience. The campaign features returning characters such as David Mason and Raul Menendez, incorporating elements from both “BO6” and the classic “BO2.” According to Leslie, “While newcomers can enjoy it thoroughly, players who’ve experienced those two titles especially are likely to appreciate it even more.”

Thumbnail image No.004 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

At launch, multiplayer will feature 13 new maps plus three returning from “BO2”: “Hijack,” “Raid,” and “Express,” totaling 16 maps. Two additional large-scale skirmish-only maps have been added, bringing the total to 18 playable maps.

Notably, a significant number of these maps are set in Japan—six in total. These include both new maps and remastered versions of “BO2” maps reimagined with authentic Japanese landscapes. As detailed later, considerable effort went into crafting these Japanese maps; not only did the team communicate closely with local staff, but they even sent part of the development team to Japan for on-site location scouting.

The iconic “Express” map returns in a near-future Japan aesthetic Thumbnail image No.005 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

During this presentation, two maps were highlighted: “Den” and “Toshin.”

“Toshin,” which is playable in the beta test, features a crumpled train object spanning its central axis. Japanese landmarks such as bustling city streets, karaoke bars, and cat cafés are placed throughout, while narrow alleyways provide ideal spaces for wall-jump-enabled combat.

Thumbnail image No.006 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

Meanwhile, “Den” is set inside a Japanese castle but features an interior inspired by a “yakuza fantasy Japan” aesthetic from 2035. The contrast between exterior and interior creates unique tactical opportunities (apparently the setting involves transforming the castle into a guild’s stronghold). Other maps include a nighttime aurora-lit map of Alaska, where David Mason grew up; a Mediterranean-set map; and even a surreal “David Mason’s brain” map—details on these are eagerly awaited.

Thumbnail image No.007 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

A Game So Confident, Employees Volunteered to Test It

Now, we move on to the Q&A session with both developers.

—I heard there were originally three Japanese maps. But now it’s significantly more than that.

Miles Leslie (hereafter Leslie):
It’s our first time setting a “Black Ops” game in Japan. The team sent back an amazing array of location ideas from their scouting trips, and we realized we couldn’t do justice to all those locations with just three maps. So the number ended up growing—more than expected! It was the perfect chance to deliver visuals never seen before in the series (laughs).

—The campaign also features Japan. Why did you choose Japan as a setting?

Leslie:
As part of the “Black Ops” development team, we’ve long been interested in Japan. We knew there’s a strong fan base here already. But beyond that, Japan was the perfect fit for this game’s theme. That said, we didn’t aim to recreate real-life Japan exactly. What we wanted was our own interpretation—Japan as envisioned through the lens of “Black Ops.” The more we imagined what we wanted to show, the more maps it took to capture it all (laughs).

Japanese-style remake of “Raid” Thumbnail image No.008 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

—How did the location scouting influence map design?

Leslie:
The photos and ideas sent back from the scout team included many indoor locations. So they were just enjoying Japan at face value (laughs). That said, for example in “Toshin,” we placed iconic Japanese landmarks like karaoke bars and cat cafés. The team even suggested that a gunfight inside a karaoke bar would be fun. We also wanted to reflect the contrast between how buildings look from outside versus their interiors.

—“Den” has a castle exterior but futuristic interior—an interesting juxtaposition.

Marc-Antoine Saindon (hereafter Saindon):
This ties into the campaign’s story—the inside is set as the guild’s headquarters. The distinctive visual style stems directly from that background setting. While players can’t reach the top floor due to space constraints, we’ve designed areas where wall-jump-enabled three-dimensional combat is fully possible.

Leslie:
“Den” was actually one of our most challenging maps in terms of naming—“den” means “nest,” symbolizing a guild’s stronghold. It’s one of my favorite maps.

—How large are “Den” and “Toshin”?

Saindon:
Both are medium-sized. Given the inclusion of wall-jumping mechanics, we’ve kept most maps at this size to ensure natural gameplay flow. Of course, larger and smaller maps are also available—we’ve got a variety.

Thumbnail image No.009 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

—The co-op campaign for up to four players is a return after many years. What was the reasoning behind this?

Leslie:
This title places strong emphasis on “player connection.” Also, since there are four playable characters in the campaign, we wanted players to genuinely experience their backstories and relationships.

—How has Omnimovement from BO6 evolved here?

Leslie:
Interestingly, BO6 and BO7 were developed simultaneously. In BO7, wall-jumping significantly boosts player mobility. We’re focusing on that “can go anywhere” feeling—not just playing the map, but truly controlling it.

Saindon:
“Toshin” especially is built around extensive use of wall-jumping. Not only in direct combat, but also for smooth movement between landmarks—so we really want players to make full use of this new system.

—Why are characters from BO2 returning? What inspired that decision?

Leslie:
I’ve been involved with every “Black Ops” title, but “BO2” holds special meaning for me. There’s still so much untold story there—we’ve waited years to revisit it. In this game, we finally explore Mason’s hidden narrative. The 10-year gap from BO2 to BO7 made it possible to realize what we wanted. And now, we can finally tell Menendez’s story too (laughs).

—Tell us about the endgame after campaign completion.

The Mediterranean map “Avalon,” which appears in both multiplayer and the campaign, truly shines in the endgame mode. It’s a PvE experience where five teams of four players join forces. Players can bring over items and skills earned during earlier gameplay. The mission-based progression allows for item upgrades, with plenty of content to enjoy.
Additionally, as an epilogue to the campaign, it reveals storylines never before shared. Think of it not just as post-game content—but as a natural extension of the journey.

—It feels like five full games packed into one (laughs).

Leslie:
This game also incorporates elements from past modes such as Outbreak and DMZ/MWZ. While calling this an “epic culmination” might be overstating it, we’re confident that fans who loved those modes will find plenty to enjoy here. We’ve also created experiences unique to BO7.
Even internally, we’ve been testing all the way through the endgame—and people have been skipping work just to keep playing (laughs). Of course, we send reminders like “Back to your desks!” But so many are voluntarily testing even outside working hours. So from our perspective—this is already a hit game (laughs).

Thumbnail image No.010 / Joint media developer interview for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.” Dive into the series’ latest installment set in a near-future Japan after extensive location scouting

—Earlier you mentioned your impressions of the Japanese fan community. What’s your take?

Leslie:
We’re deeply grateful for how many fans worldwide love “Call of Duty” and especially “Black Ops.” I’ve heard that Japanese fans pay close attention to fine details, so we’re confident they’ll really enjoy these new maps. We put immense care into the details—so much so that even native Japanese players might find them feel realistic and authentic.
Just recently, a funny moment came up in our internal discussions: developers from North America and Europe often default to placing cherry blossoms when making games set in Japan. To us, relying on sakura feels amateurish. So this time, we used “momiji” (maple leaves) as part of the visual design—aiming for that seasonal atmosphere of changing seasons. This is one benefit of working closely with our Japanese team.

—Lastly, any message to fans in Japan?

Leslie:
I’d love for everyone in Japan to fully enjoy “BO7,” especially the maps we created with great care. We’re confident they’ll hold up even under critical eyes. I’m really looking forward to hearing your feedback and thoughts!

Saindon:
It turned out incredibly well. In the open beta, “Toshin” will be part of the map pool—so please join us and try it yourself.

—Thank you very much.