Black Ops 7 Absolutely Clears Battlefield 6

After months of anticipation, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is here, and while it’s been a divisive and controversial addition to the franchise, there are plenty of gamers diving into a new chapter this weekend. As a longtime Call of Duty fan, the announcement for Black Ops 7 had me feeling conflicted. On the one hand, I was intrigued by the game’s futuristic setting and themes, but on the other hand, I thought that some of the choices taken by developers might be too risky.

Well, now that Black Ops 7 is here, I’ve played the campaign, and while it’s got some notable problems, it’s a solid time. I know not everyone is interested in Call of Duty campaigns, as they’re often incredibly short and sometimes just downright not fun. Black Ops 7‘s campaign definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but when it comes to its number one competitor, Battlefield 6, the former definitely comes out on top.

When it Comes to Campaigns, Black Ops 7 is Simply More Entertaining Than Battlefield 6

I enjoyed Black Ops 7‘s campaign. There, I said it. It’s definitely igniting controversy, since a lot of wild decisions were made during development, but when it comes to the overall experience, I simply had more fun than I did with Battlefield 6. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had a great time with Battlefield 6, but solely with multiplayer. As much as I wanted to enjoy Battlefield 6‘s campaign, I simply couldn’t get locked into the story. For a game that has such action-packed multiplayer, the excitement really gets dampened once the campaign is given a try. There are plenty of fans who weren’t thrilled with Battlefield 6‘s campaign, and since the franchise has mainly thrived on multiplayer, anyway, it’s not surprising. However, I definitely wasn’t expecting to enjoy Black Ops 7‘s as much as I did.

I Was Fully Prepared to Hate Black Ops 7’s Campaign

The first trailer for Black Ops 7 looked like more psychological horror than military shooter, and while I love that type of story, it wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for in another Call of Duty game. However, despite the psychological elements being a little outlandish and the ending falling flat, the risks taken by Treyarch and Raven Software felt mostly refreshing, even if I initially desired something different.

It took a little bit to get used to such a different approach to a Call of Duty campaign, but after a while, I stopped thinking about the flaws and just focused on having fun. Black Ops 7‘s campaign definitely isn’t a classic Call of Duty experience, and that has already disappointed plenty of players. For me, though, I found myself really intrigued by the developers’ vision of what the landscape of the military and the world of tech could look like in 10 short years.

The Guild’s robots are incredibly reminiscent of real-life products from Boston Dynamics, while reports like Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek investing in AI military company Helsing feel incredibly close to the subjects that Black Ops 7 touches on. Granted, since the campaign takes only around five hours to beat, it’s not like the story dives particularly deep into these topics, which is a shame, but it’s a fascinating premise that I wanted to learn more about.

Black Ops 7’s Biggest Campaign Issues Shouldn’t Be Ignored, Though

• The campaign is online.
• Players have been kicked out of the campaign for inactivity, which is incredibly frustrating.
• There are no checkpoints in missions.

Black Ops 7’s Launch Weekend is a Defining Moment

The rivalry between Battlefield and Call of Duty has come back into full swing this year. Neither game is perfect by any means, but with Battlefield 6 being one of the strongest entries in a long time, it definitely puts Black Ops 7 in a tricky position. Ultimately, the success of either game simply won’t be determined by whether the campaign is good or not. At this point, campaigns in Call of Duty and Battlefield games are just an extra dose of action alongside multiplayer. Beyond this launch weekend, how Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6 both approach post-launch content will probably matter a lot more than the quality of their campaigns down the road.

A Story Doesn’t Have to Be Groundbreaking to Offer a Good Time

Yes, I had a decent amount of fun with Black Ops 7‘s campaign, but it’s far from an ideal story and experience. It’s still a watered-down version of what it could be, but I applaud the developers for not being afraid to take risks with level designs and the approach to difficulty levels. Black Ops 7 isn’t going to be taking home any awards for its story, but I didn’t find myself mentally checking out like I did with Battlefield 6, and that definitely counts for something. Frankly, it’s actually impossible to mentally check out when the campaign essentially holds you hostage with its lack of checkpoints and inactivity punishments, so maybe that has something to do with it, too. Also, before reaching Black Ops 7‘s Endgame, the campaign stands on its own as an interesting story, and while I think this take on a finale is intriguing, it just didn’t pay off the way I was hoping for.

The campaign is a solid option for what it is, and it’s important to remember that not every story in a game has to be something mind-blowing. It can just be fun. I’ve been a gamer for over 20 years at this point, and over the years, I’ve constantly gravitated toward titles that have thought-provoking stories. The Last of Us, Alan Wake, God of War, and Death Stranding are some of my favorites, but sometimes it’s also beneficial to just sit back, relax, and take in an interesting story that isn’t too emotionally overwhelming, and Black Ops 7 balances that quite well while still featuring plenty of fun gameplay.

Released

November 14, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs