Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Call of Duty is a cash cow. That much has been obvious since Modern Warfare first arrived in 2007 and redefined first-person shooters forever. Infinity Ward introduced gameplay that was fast, satisfying, and unpredictable, alongside a progression system that rewarded those who put in the time and were willing to experiment and improve.
It would go on to be imitated countless times throughout the next generation, and wouldn’t be eclipsed for several years until live service juggernauts came along and showed players that battle passes and seasonal updates could be the next best thing. Without Call of Duty and the trail it helped blaze decades ago, we wouldn’t be standing here right now.
So, why has it become so tired in recent years, and why has the announcement for Black Ops 7 at the Xbox Showcase been met with such apathy?
Black Ops 7 Isn’t The Game That Call Of Duty Needs Right Now
Let’s start with the context, and what other announcements people might have expected to bring last week’s Xbox Game Showcase to a close. When Phil Spencer appeared to close out the show and talk about all the things that await us in the next year, such as Fable, the new Forza, and Halo’s return, it ended with him teasing one more reveal. What could it be? It has to be amazing. Right?!
The immaculately detailed CG trailer begins well enough with the description of a dodgy corporation responsible for manufacturing military technology being described to viewers while a couple of key characters interfact. At first I thought it could be Perfect Dark, and a release date for the upcoming shooter that should really be positioned as a tentpole title.
I only grew more excited when the trailer transitioned to a dream sequence of sorts where two sprawling cities folded into one another Inception-style, by a sequence of odd yet captivating visuals that could be anything, perhaps even something completely new. As things progressed though and numbers began to pop onto the screen alongside a handful of familiar terms and names, it sunk in. This wasn’t anything exciting, this was Call of Duty.
It opened a pit in my stomach because, despite being a Call of Duty fan and loving a good old-fashioned single-player campaign filled with excessive spectacle, my relationship with it has soured in recent months. Activision using generative AI to create cosmetics to stuff into seasonal battle passes and ignoring requests from players to address notable problems with balance and quality, have been met with silence, showing this is all about profit until the next annual release comes around, and the money pit can open all over again.
And It Sucks Black Ops 7 Is The Best Thing Xbox Has Going For It
Call of Duty never used to close press conferences or digital showcases, and for a long time was seen by Sony or Xbox as an annual franchise that sold millions of copies and needed to be featured, but wasn’t on the same level as first-party exclusives hardcore players hoped to see. You’d get a single-player demo here, a multiplayer trailer there, and perhaps some sort of multiplayer exclusivity deal announced to close things out. But closing an annual show by Xbox with a CG trailer announcing one of the most predictable games in existence? It’s wild.
Now Activision is owned by Microsoft, which finds itself losing a console war it started, it’s likely in a position where it needs to focus on guaranteed wins more than ever. If achieving that goal means putting Black Ops 7 at the end of its biggest show of the year, then so be it. While it might want to please fans, it’s the shareholders and people watching numbers go up who matter more than us. If they fail to appease them, everything comes crumbling down. In spite of vocal players decrying Call of Duty for its use of generative AI and lack of polish, it’s still one of the most popular games on the planet.
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At the time of writing, the reveal trailer is already nearing 40 million views on the official channel alone, so people are clearly ready for the return of Alex Mason. After all Mason has been through, how is he even still alive? I bet he’s a clone…
That matters more than Halo, Fable, Forza, or some other surprise return of a long-dormant favourite that would set the hearts of a select few ablaze, but it’s the masses who matter. It’s the sad reality of where video games are right now, as the field of triple-A experiences dilutes down to a select few big hitters, sequels, and a few live services who are almost too big to fail. Call of Duty is right there with them, and as bummed out as I was about Black Ops 7 being revealed in this way, I shouldn’t be surprised.
