The ESRB has officially issued a Mature 17+ rating for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, offering a deeper look into the game’s tone, gameplay elements, and narrative focus ahead of its 2025 launch. The next major entry in Activision’s long-running series promises a return to gritty storytelling, graphic violence, and controversial themes that have long defined the Black Ops sub-series.
Rated for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, and Use of Drugs, Black Ops 7 appears to be leaning heavily into its darker roots. Players will once again take on the role of elite operatives in a futuristic setting, this time navigating a global conflict in 2035. The plot follows a team led by David Mason, a character familiar to longtime fans, continuing the narrative arc first established in Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
The ESRB summary paints a vivid picture of what players can expect. The game involves high-intensity combat scenarios across outdoor and urban settings, where weapons range from traditional firearms to futuristic gear. Players will face human enemies as well as robotic and otherworldly foes, with realistic gunfire, explosive effects, and bloodshed at the forefront of the experience. Execution moves, including repeated stabbings and dismemberment, are highlighted as key elements, especially in zombie and hallucination sequences where graphic decapitations are featured.
Adding to its mature tone, the game includes scenes in which the player character smokes marijuana from bongs or joints, occasionally tied to execution animations. Some weapons are outfitted with marijuana paraphernalia as part of their design. In addition, collectible identity cards will return as part of player customization options, with some depicting female characters in sexually suggestive outfits.
Beyond single-player, Black Ops 7 will continue the franchise’s emphasis on multiplayer gameplay and co-op content. The round-based Zombies mode is confirmed to return, maintaining its long-standing place in the series. The game will also feature live service elements such as in-game purchases and interactions between players, consistent with recent entries.
Co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, Black Ops 7 is the twenty-second installment in the Call of Duty franchise and the eighth main entry under the Black Ops banner. It is scheduled to release in 2025 across multiple platforms including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PC.
