Activision adds new maps & modes in mid-season update

Activision is adding new content to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone in its Season 04 Reloaded update, expanding multiplayer, Zombies and Warzone modes.

The mid-season release introduces two multiplayer maps: a new map, Zenith, and the return of Launch from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops. It also adds two multiplayer modes, Team Blueprint Sharpshooter and Knife Fight. Black Ops Classic will become a permanent mode in Black Ops 7, with Launch, Fringe, Hacienda and Gridlock added to its map rotation.

In Zombies, players will get a new round-based map, Kowakujō, set in a feudal Japanese castle within the Dark Aether. The map adds new enemies, including the Oni, Hellhounds and Scorched Zombies, along with a new Wonder Weapon, a legacy weapon in the Mystery Box, and gameplay features such as the Hellping Hound GobbleGum and Ghostly Rifleman Trap.

Warzone is also getting new limited-time modes. Squad Gun Game will have teams of three cycle through every weapon across Resurgence maps, while Buy Back Quads will return later in the season as a weekend mode.

The update also brings back Champion's Quest in Warzone for qualifying squads that complete a multi-step mission ending in an explosive finale. Rebirth Island is being refreshed with brighter summer conditions, while areas introduced earlier in the season, including Turbine, will remain.

Broader rollout

Beyond competitive multiplayer and battle royale, Activision is expanding Endgame with Operation King Killer, a set of 10 escalating challenges in Zone III and higher. Players who complete the operation with Samuels, Wei Lin or Emma Kagan can earn a weapon camo, while an animated camo is unlocked by finishing it with all three characters.

Endgame is also getting a new Guardian Skill Track, an Exotic Skill, a Nightmare Skill and the Psych Grenade Minor Ability. The mode will remain free to play through the end of Season 05, giving players access to its co-operative gameplay and rewards without buying the full title.

Across all modes, Activision is introducing the Executioner's Duet melee weapon and bringing back the AN-94 assault rifle. New attachments include the XR-3 Ion Vulcan Minigun, the DS20 Mirage Dual Fire Kit and the Velox 5.7 Carbine Chassis.

Event tie-ins

The update also includes a themed in-game event built around actor Nick Cage, alongside daily login rewards and ranked events for multiplayer and Resurgence. Additional rewards include loadout items, weapon camos and double XP tokens.

Store additions are planned as part of the same content cycle, including new skins and bundles tied to the mid-season release. One featured package includes the Chronovox Mastercraft Weapon Blueprint for the AN-94.

Activision is also opening a limited-time free trial for Black Ops 7 multiplayer and Zombies. The trial includes access to Zenith, Launch and the Kowakujō Zombies map.

The update reflects the continued reliance of major publishers on seasonal content drops to maintain engagement across both premium and free-to-play parts of a franchise. For Activision, Call of Duty remains a multi-part live-service business, with new maps, modes, cosmetics and timed events used to keep players active between larger annual releases.

That model has become central to how large publishers support long-running shooters. Mid-season updates now serve as both content refreshes for existing players and entry points for new or returning users through free access periods and high-profile crossover themes.

Separate from the game update, British Army Esports won the Call of Duty Endowment Bowl VII trophy at San Diego Race Weekend. Gibbo received the Monster Energy MVP ring, while TeeP won USAA's Solo Yolo for the second time.