This past weekend saw the official reveal ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 7, scheduled for release later this year, which many fans immediately criticized as “too soon.“Black Ops 7was revealed as part of the Xbox Games Showcase, itself part of Summer Game Fest weekend, in an explosive trailer that teased the return ofBlack Ops 2protagonist David Mason and antagonist Raul Menendez. The story trailer also revealed a futuristic setting, which makes it a bit of a black sheep among the rest of the subseries - although it’s not the first game to do so.
However,Black Ops 7is set to followBlack Ops 6immediately, a development that the officialCall of Dutywebsite calls"the first-ever consecutive release within the series.“In general,Call of Dutygames are a little more spaced out, with Infinity Ward or Sledgehammer Games putting out a title in a different subseries - usuallyModern Warfare- interwoven with Treyarch and Raven Software’sBlack Opsgames. This release strategy is part of what’s allowedCall of Dutyto remain an annual franchise amid the growing complexity and lead time required of game development.
Many fans surprised by this development are concernedBO7could be coming too soon. Players worry that Treyarch and Raven developing two games back to back could put undue pressure onBO7, leading to a rushed and broken final result. The staggered release structure does allow eachBlack Opsgame to feel fresh. However, it could be argued thatBlack Ops 7couldn’t have come soon enough, because it represents an interesting (if not unprecedented) shift for the franchise, one that could represent a pretty monumental shakeup to howCoDgames are released in the future.
Call Of Duty Is Finally Returning To The Future
Black Ops 7 Is Set in 2035
One of the more interesting aspects of theBlack Ops 7reveal wasits futuristic setting. It’s not too distant - the game takes place in 2035, a short ten years into the future. This isn’t the first timeCall of Dutyhas traveled into the future (see below), and it’s not even the biggest leap through time it’s made, but futuristic technology is on full display in this first trailer. The opening shot has a pair of elevator doors opening to reveal a humanoid robot, who displays images of its own heroics on a wall-sized screen.
ABlade Runner-style robotic butterfly then lands on its shoulder while a hologram narrates some recent developments in combat technology, including robotic dogs and walking tanks. It all looksa little moreMetal Gear Solid 4thanBlack Ops 7, and despite the massive differences between the two series, that’s a compliment.
Black Ops 7’s Setting Is A Nice Shake-Up For Call Of Duty
CoD Hasn’t Gone Into The Future In Almost A Decade
This makesBlack Ops 7stand out among the rest of the series. In recent years, the three settings ofCall of Dutyhave been divided up among the three teams that work on the series: Sledgehammer handles more distant past settings like World War 2, whileBlack Opshas typically stuck to the more recent past, with games set amid the Cold War and Desert Storm. EachModern Warfaregame is, of course, generally set right around its release year, withMW3taking place between 2021 and 2023 (in Zombies mode only).
This is the firstCoDgame set in the future sinceBlack Ops 4, which came out seven years ago. That one actually takes place a little further ahead in time, beginning in 2040. Even so, this new setting represents a pretty massive shakeup for the series.Black Opshas always been beloved for its period settings: shooters set in the modern day or World War 2 are a dime a dozen, but the recent past is a font of inspiration.
That said, the Cold War has gotten a bit stale when it comes toBlack Ops. Future settings are even more open to interpretation. Writers and designers love them because they offer almost total freedom - while there’s a need to be realistic in such a near-future setting like 2035, you can invent whatever kind of weird, impossible technology you want with a shrug, as if to say, “Well, anything could happen.” In that way, at least,Black Ops 7isn’t coming too soon afterBlack Ops 6- this kind of shakeup is overdue.
How Black Ops 7 Could Make Use Of Future Tech
Near-Infinite Potential
PreviousBlack Opsgames have made extensive use of their settings for flavor and story; the politically fraught nature of historical events like the Cold War makes for an excellent backdrop for its military conspiracy narratives. I’m curious to seehowBO7’s future setting will impact its gameplay, and, despite its almost exclusive focus on story, the initial trailer does give us a few hints.
These begin with thefuturistic combat vehiclesthat appear as part of the hologram. A smaller RC car - perhaps a bomb-defusing robot, a lightweight drone, a sort of robotic dog with mounted guns, and a four-legged walking tank - I believeBO7’s gameplay will have more of a focus on these vehicles, which may appear in-game as perks. The tank’s four-legged structure makes me think it’ll be especially handy at getting over difficult terrain, perhaps even walking up the sides of buildings like a spider, and withBO7’s more futuristic setting, I’d say we’re likely to see at least one map with some sort of skyscraper.
Beyond vehicles, the more humanoid robots, who appear to be characterized as medics here, could also play a role. Perhaps they’ll be playable characters, with more of a support function in combat. There could also be new technology-based movement and stealth mechanics, like grappling hooks or cloaking devices. It all depends on how willingCall of Duty: Black Ops 7is to explore its futuristic setting, and how that translates to gameplay.
