Zombies Invade Call of Duty With Free Black Ops 6 Trial; Black Ops 7 Gears Up For Release

BO7 gets movement, perk, and aim-assist updates, but fans still want full Carry Forward support.

Black Ops For Free

Anticipation is running high for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s release to actually be worth playing on Nov. 14, after a beta test finished on Oct. 9. COD developers Treyarch and Raven Software, and publisher Activision, have announced changes coming to BO7 and Warzone, as well as details on Black Ops 6’s free trial.

This starts today and players can jump in and experience various multiplayer modes, including fan-favorite Zombies maps. Black Ops 6 is currently available on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and PC.

Meanwhile, Activision has also outlined what content players can expect when Black Ops 7 launches on the same platforms: “The biggest year in Black Ops history starts with BO7 launch, and it’s just the beginning,” the publisher said in a recent X post.

“Season 01 will be our most massive season yet: 18 MP maps and 2 Zombies experiences on Nov. 14, Nuketown 2025 on Nov. 20, 7 Multiplayer maps in Season 01, 3 Zombies maps in Season 01, and even more to be announced.”

Replacements And Battlefield Rivalry

Activision is currently running an ad campaign that suggests people are so looking forward to playing Black Ops 7 that they have to send replacements to do their jobs, with noted actors Terry Crews and Peter Stormare being two people thrust into positions they’re woefully ill-equipped to handle, from baristas to astronauts.

Gamers are less enthused, though, with many comments under the latest trailer accusing Activision of scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of trying to appeal to them. “Saying Activision is just out of touch is an understatement. They’re out of touch beyond the known galaxy,” is one popular opinion.

Other comments on social media have called attention to Battlefield 6’s recent ad campaign, which saw EA roll-out a trailer in which a four-man squad that references Call of Duty, headed by Zac Efron, gets blown-up.

The Black Ops 6 free trial has also seen gamers on X saying that they’ll be too busy playing Battlefield 6’s own free-to-play game, REDSEC, to try out Black Ops 6. REDSEC also launched today (Oct. 28) and is a battle royale mode featuring lobbies for up to 100 players.

Another point for players in favor of Call of Duty’s main competitor is that it has a fairer version of SBMM (skill-based matchmaking), which is especially timely given Activision

messed around with this
in the BO7 beta. However, Battlefield 6 hasn’t entirely escaped criticism as it’s been caught up in the recent controversy surrounding
Xbox Game Pass price hikes

Beta Feedback And COD: Warzone

Activision may have flip-flopped on SBMM during the beta, but it has revealed the tweaks it’s making to the base game before it launches, based on beta player feedback. These include ADS while sliding, diving, and Wall Jumping with no Perk needed; Perks themselves are being redistributed for more powerful choices.

Movement is getting finessed: footsteps are louder, and adjustments to slide speed and distance are being implemented. Players will also find faster mantling speeds implemented at launch. Finally, aim assist changes are coming across inputs and ranges, with more details to come.

It wouldn’t be a Black Ops game without robots, right?

However, an overwhelming request from players for Treyarch to add proper Carry Forward back to the game has so far gone unanswered. This was an option that let players select items like skins and weapons from a previous game, and transfer them over (as was the case for BO5 to BO6), but at the moment only Call of Duty: Warzone still lets players do this for full BO6 content.

Raven Software has outlined what else players will be able to do in the upcoming season in Warzone, as well as what to expect content-wise. Many of these updates and additions are in direct response to player complaints and feedback, including large maps and map rotation for battle royale matches, and a promise to “preserve the original Warzone launch experience.”

The Haunting, Zombies, And Other Spooky Treats

Gamers waiting to jump into Black Ops 7 can at least try Black Ops 6 right now. The free trial starts Halloween early, with six popular Zombies maps and The Haunting game mode. The latter is an annual COD Halloween update that pits players against horror movie icons across maps themed around the likes of abandoned buildings and creepy towns.

Zombies is also coming to BO7, which was part of the recent open beta for the first time. This has been a player-favorite since its introduction in Call of Duty: World at War (2008). What started as a bonus mode has turned into a self-contained game within COD, with an overarching narrative that sees players fighting round-based battles to escape the Dark Aether.

Gamers can also try out over 40 normal maps and more than 10 does in the base multiplayer game during the BO6 free trial until Nov. 3. As for BO7, this is set to feature 16 maps with 6v6 combat, and two 20v20 maps at launch, plus two Zombies maps (with three more available after release).

Black Ops or Battlefield? Contact Wayne via or