The Black Ops 7 Zombies mode is getting some big overhauls, and there’s great news if you’re as eager as I am to try out the old-school Cursed mode. In a post-beta Q and A, Treyarch design director Kevin Drew is joined by lead game designers Steve Bianchi and Mark Maestas to discuss feedback from the playtest and what’s changing for launch. Saw trap spam is on the chopping block, and a special HUD is incoming, as the team discusses which enemies from BO6 Zombies have made the cut for its new FPS game.
“The beta was super helpful,” Drew begins, “we’ve never had this before. It was really cool to get all sorts of data, especially at high rounds, and a lot of the tuning we’re going to be making is related to high-round strats and damage values, things of that nature.” While jumping into Black Ops 7 Zombies is easy enough, making it to the late game requires more knowledge and strategy, from the best Black Ops 7 Perk-A-Colas to which routes are safest to run when being pursued by the horde.
For those with the skills to push past round 30, however, one of the most common beta complaints was that even the best Black Ops 7 weapons started to feel inadequate. “We’re looking at the higher rounds and it’s important for us that players are able to continuously play and maintain their ammunition by killing zombies, getting points, buying ammo, and the cycle continues,” Maestas remarks.
He notes that augments, which weren’t available in beta, will make a big difference. “Day one, you’ll have access to anything you’ve unlocked in BO6, and that’s going to be really helpful for maintaining your economy.” Legendary and Pack-a-Punch damage multipliers are getting a buff, and in particular Maestas points to a new close-range damage bonus given to SMGs.
You can expect a couple of nerfs as well. The saw trap, which proved a very spammable option, will now cost more to use and draw enemies in a little less. The shock baton also takes a hit; “It was doing pretty significant damage during the beta,” Maestas says, “and we wanted to make sure we have room to grow with other weapons.” Treyarch has “seen the discussion” about the possibility of adding legacy weapons like the Olympia and PPSh-41, and is considering it, “but no promises.”
Drew says not to expect most of the previous game’s enemies to come over. “The evolutionary chain from Black Ops 6 of Parasite, Vermin, and Amalgam are not coming to Black Ops 7.” “No Manglers,” Bianchi adds with a smile and thumbs-up. The Doppelghast did make an appearance on Vandorn Farm, however; Drew calls it “a great intermediate between the Zursa and the normal zombies and the Ravagers,” but notes that you shouldn’t expect it in other maps.
The trio then turns their attention to Cursed, the new Zombies mode designed for veterans and expert players, which is designed to feel more like old-school entries. “I would love to tell you more about Cursed, but the mode is inherently built to be about discovery and letting the community figure out what is in there,” Drew laughs. “It’s a harder, more advanced mode, and once you’re in there you have the classic points system, no mini-map, you start with a pistol.”
The primary goal of Cursed is to find relics that, once uncovered, unlock permanent modifiers that you can switch on to ramp up the challenge and rewards. The first reward for hitting tier one, Drew reveals, is that golden armor will appear as a wall item you can buy. Bianchi adds that this extra protection will quickly become a lifesaver: “When you start stacking those relics at higher tiers, it’s essential.” In fact, there won’t be a relic to remove or limit armor.
While Cursed won’t be unlocked at launch, Drew acknowledges that a lot of players are eager to get involved. As someone who cut their Zombies teeth in the days of World at War and the very first Black Ops, it’s certainly what’s got me most excited to try BO7’s offering, so thankfully we won’t be waiting long. “What we’re going to do is unlock Cursed as soon as someone out in the world completes the main quest in Ashes of the Damned,” he says.
Drew recognizes the desire for a Black Ops 7 Zombies ‘super easter egg,’ but it sounds like it won’t be there on day one. “We know the community cares a lot about it, and we want to do it right. It’s something we’re looking into – this being a continuation from [Black Ops] 6 to 7, it makes a lot of sense, if we’re going to do one, to have it at the end of this year.”
The team also announces that a special HUD is coming to Zombies with the Black Ops 7 release date. Drew says it wasn’t ready to reveal at COD Next, but hints that it’s “very unique for the mode” and that we’ll get a look at it before launch. And just in case you’re wondering how far the best players got, Drew confirms that the highest round reached in beta was 617.
Call of Duty Black Ops 7 launches Friday November 14. I’m very much looking forward to giving Cursed a shot, so I’ll be cheering on all of you hardcore Zombies experts to get that first clear under our collective belt.
Make sure you’re ready for launch by checking the Black Ops 7 system requirements, and brush up on the Black Ops 7 mastery camos to make sure you look good.
Are you excited for Cursed mode, or worried that it won’t be challenging enough even in its stripped-back form? Join the PCGamesN Discord to share your thoughts and favorite loadouts with our writers and fellow readers.
