Activision has made an official statement about the negative feedback directed towards Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, confirming that the game did not meet the studio’s expectations. Black Ops 7 was the subject of harsh criticism and has been one of the most maligned games in the series.
The newest Black Ops game was met with sharp criticism from fans and critics alike following its debut in late 2025. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was met with largely mixed or negative reception, particularly towards Black Ops 7‘s single-player campaign, which many said was a downgrade compared to Black Ops 6. The launch of the seventh Black Ops received a dubious honor for the franchise, becoming the lowest-rated Call of Duty game of all time on Metacritic, even ranking lower than controversial past games like Call of Duty: Vanguard. Now, Activision is addressing the game’s negative reception ahead of Call of Duty‘s newest release.
Activision Addresses Black Ops 7 Criticisms
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Image via Treyarch / Call of Duty -
Image via GameRant; Source: Treyarch / Call of Duty -
Image via Treyarch / Call of Duty
In an interview with The Game Business, Activision chief marketing officer Tyler Bahl spoke about the criticism towards Black Ops 7. Bahl confirmed that the studio was “not happy with every aspect” of the previous year’s game, suggesting that Activision was listening to fan feedback towards Black Ops 7. The marketing executive acknowledged that releasing two Black Ops games in consecutive years did not go over well, with many fans wanting a fresher experience from one of Call of Duty‘s other subseries. He referenced the “tonal shift” between subseries as a major factor in many fans’ desires for new Call of Duty games.
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Bahl largely attributed the criticism to the studio’s work on the upcoming Modern Warfare 4. Bahl stressed that Activision and Infinity Ward put an emphasis on returning the franchise to being a “grounded military shooter” that is both “cinematic” and “authentic.” Activision has also confirmed that Modern Warfare 4 will be the last entry in the rebooted Modern Warfare series, with the intent of concluding the subseries that began in 2019 with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
Activision has already given fans plenty to look forward to ahead of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4‘s release. The newest Modern Warfare game will take the series to the Korean peninsula, putting players in the shoes of Private Park Hyun-jun in a reignited conflict between North and South Korea. The story mode is set to be the largest campaign in Modern Warfare history, with Activision previously sharing that it placed particular emphasis on providing players with a wide variety of missions to complete. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will officially release on October 23.
The Call of Duty franchise is gearing up for some big changes in the near future. With the previously mentioned end of the Modern Warfare reboot, Activision has confirmed that a new Call of Duty subseries is in the works, planned to officially debut as the 2027 entry in the series. The subseries is said to be developed by Sledgehammer Games, which previously acted as lead developer on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty: Vanguard. Fans of Call of Duty should be excited about what’s to come for the franchise, with a brand-new type of Call of Duty experience on the way soon.
- Released
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November 14, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
