The first big Black Ops 7 Zombies drop is here

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 intel is starting to heat up again. The promise of Zombies information in September was present during a preview event in August, and now we're starting to get more. Today, we saw the intro for the next map – Ashes of the Damned. Check out all the info from the Call of Duty Blog below, along with the cinematic and our preview!

After a tumultuous battle high atop of Janus Towers, celebrations are abruptly short-lived as Grigori Weaver, Dr. Elizabeth Grey, Major Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Carver, and Maya Aguinaldo are thrust into the Dark Aether dimension.

The crew don’t even have the time to pick themselves up from the ground before they’re startled by the arrival of a welcoming committee.

“It is a party. And y’all are the guests of honor…”

A Southern drawl echoes across the lobby. All eight turn as a mysterious figure slowly descends the lobby steps, his face hidden by a wide-brimmed hat. The man’s polite turn of phrase is unnerving, but it’s the caged totem skulls he carries in each hand that suggests a much more terrifying entity has entered the fray.

A skull detaches its jaw and violently expunges life force from the assembled crew, sucking essence into its maw while sharing its meal with its master, seemingly granting the mysterious figure more than a taste of their souls. Satiated, he slowly turns and leaves, but not before summoning some immediate, reanimated threats for the team to deal with.

The drained crew scrambles into action, forced into a ballet of blood and guts as they slowly tear apart the undead. It’s only after the eight of them step out into what was once the Janus Towers Plaza, that a full realization becomes apparent:

We’re not in West Virginia anymore.

Meet the Expanded Crew

How and why are the crew transported to the Dark Aether? Who are these never-before-seen incarnations of the original Zombies crew and how did they get here? Who can be trusted?

Find out in Black Ops 7 Zombies on November 14! Until then, let’s get to know all eight dedicated crew members, all over again as well as for the first time:

Grigori Weaver

A Ranger-trained CIA operative, Grigori Weaver’s combat acumen and espionage know-how have carried him through countless engagements. After his mother defected from the former Soviet Union, Weaver dedicated his life to exceptional military service in clandestine operations. Haunted by tactical errors and driven by a desire to fight for something he believes in, Weaver stands strong with those who fight beside him.

Weaver has been transformed by the fall of Janus Towers — no longer a shadowy spy master, he has become a hardened leader forged by sacrifice. With Requiem shattered, he gathers the broken pieces in the fight against the Dark Aether, determined to ensure his friends survive.

Dr. Elizabeth Grey

A highly educated and brilliant scientist, Dr. Elizabeth Grey is renowned for her groundbreaking discoveries in the study of Aetherium. However, turbulent events and sinister uses of her discoveries led her down a dark path. Transformed by years of imprisonment at the hand of the former Director of Requiem, she uses her genius and scientific mind to ensure her team maintains every tactical advantage.

Grey walks away from Janus Towers with her victories tempered by a growing unease: the gnawing doubt that science may not be able to truly mend the damage it has wrought. Once a steadfast believer in reason, she now is starting to suspect that survival may demand something beyond the equations and experiments that once brought her comfort.

Major Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Carver

Major Mackenzie Carver comes from a family line of military excellence and distinguished himself with exceptional skill and commitment to his country and brothers-in-arms. Despite being stripped of his rank, he maintained his mental and physical discipline throughout his incarceration, determined to restore his reputation.

Carver leaves Janus Towers with his fury at the Dark Aether sharpened, reforged into a burning clarity of purpose. No longer content to follow orders, he embraces the role of protector, seeking to carve out a future where humanity can stand on its own, free of masters either mortal or cosmic in nature.

Maya Aguinaldo

Trained in the family business of smuggling since she was a child, Maya Aguinaldo brings stealth, covert tactics, and a sharp mind to every engagement.

Street smart and deadly, her effectiveness in combat comes from long years of honing her skills in infiltration, evasion, and misdirection. Her knowledge of the criminal underworld and its unorthodox tactics often comes in handy, but unfiltered opinions and acid tongue can make it hard for her to win friends.

Her pursuit of the Syndicate that abducted her brother threw her into Requiem’s path when she helped free their leaders on Terminus Island. Though out of her depth in the science and machinations of the Dark Aether, her grit, grief, and hard-earned street instincts made her an essential ally in a fight far larger than her own.

Uncertain of her role within her newfound "family," the events at Janus Towers removed her luxury of choice, as once again she has to throw in with allies old and new if she is to have any chance of survival.

Tank Dempsey

This incarnation of Tank Dempsey is a battle-hardened U.S. Marine who most recently fought through the jungles of 1968 Vietnam with grit, sarcasm, and a relentless will to survive.

In this fractured reality, his distrust of his new companions and the unfamiliar surroundings have turned this otherwise dependable soldier into the unpredictable wild card of the group.

Takeo Masaki

Takeo Masaki is a disgraced ronin who wandered 1591 Feudal Japan without master or honor, carrying the weight of his exile as a yoke he cannot cast off.

Bound by a code he only still barely believes in, he seeks redemption in the chaos of battle — his blade both a burden he must bear, and a judgment on his enemies.

Nikolai Belinski

Soviet tank commander Nikolai Belinski arrives in the Dark Aether from the brutal, mountainous landscape of 1984 Afghanistan, where duty, disillusionment, and misfortune collided.

Scarred by war and haunted both by betrayal and his own decisions, he masks his bitterness with dark humor yet remains a steadfast warrior when the shells begin to fall.

Dr. Edward Richtofen

Dr. Edward Richtofen, a brilliant but unhinged scientist and hero of the Reich, finds himself torn from 1945 in a world where the axis powers triumphed over the allied nations.

Shaped by ambition and tainted by corruption, he masks his innate sadism and considerable ego behind quick wit and a charming smile. He vows that reality itself will ultimately bow to his designs.

Ripped from their respective timelines, our expanded crew finds themselves thrown together in an alien dimension, accompanied by old friends, uncertain allies… and something far, far worse...

Incoming Intel Blast: Full Zombies Reveal Next Week!

Head back here to the Call of Duty® Blog next week and prepare for a massive intel blast detailing extensive gameplay, systems, enemies, and feature content coming to Black Ops 7, direct from the Treyarch Zombies Team!

Black Ops 7 Beta Dates Confirmed

The Black Ops 7 Beta — divided into the Early Access and Open Beta periods — runs from October 2 to October 8.

Early Access Beta

Available to players who have pre-ordered the game on any platform (console or PC), as well as eligible Game Pass subscribers*, the initial part of the Beta is planned to launch on Thursday October 2 at 10AM PT, and concludes 72 hours later when the main Open Beta begins on Sunday October 5 at 10AM PT. The Beta is available on all platforms at the same time.

Open Beta

The second part of the Beta is open and free for all players on all platforms, and is planned to begin on Sunday October 5 at 10AM PT. The Black Ops 7 Beta is scheduled to conclude 72 hours later, on Wednesday October 8 at 10AM PT.

Internet access is required for participation.

Accessing the Beta and Beta Codes

Your path to access to the Beta Early Access period depends on the version of the game you preordered:

If you preordered any Digital Edition version, you do not need a “Beta Code”, as you’ll be automatically allowed entry into Beta Early Access (and subsequently, the Open Beta).

If you preordered a Physical Edition (consoles only), you should have received a “Beta Code” at the point of sale (at select retailer locations), enabling entry into the Beta Early Access.

If you don’t preorder Black Ops 7, you can still access the Open Beta period.

Preorder Black Ops 7 Now! Additional Intel to Come!

Be sure to stay danger close with the latest official Black Ops 7 information by checking the Call of Duty Blog as further communications are scheduled, including the massive intel blast on Round-Based Zombies incoming before Call of Duty: NEXT, the Black Ops 7 Open Beta, and the countdown to launch.

Preorders are available now at participating retailers, in-game, on platform stores, or at CallofDuty.com.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Development Credits

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is published by Activision. Development is led by Treyarch, in partnership with Raven Software.

Additional development by (in alphabetical order): Activision Central Design, Activision Central Technology, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, Digital Legends, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer Games.

Stay tuned to GamingTrend for more Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 news and info!

Affiliate Links