The holidays sure have snuck up on us pretty fast, haven't they? To me, it feels like we're still in November, but nope — Christmas is now just over a week away, and if you're like me and not the best at planning your time, you're probably scrambling for last-minute Christmas gifts for friends and family like I am.
If you have a gamer in your life (or you're one, and you'd like to treat yourself to a gift), a great option to consider is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Newly released last month by Xbox Game Studios, Treyarch, and Raven Software, the action-packed shooter has already become one of the biggest games of the year, especially on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Get one of 2025's biggest new games for less
If the gamer you're looking to buy a gift for is big on shooter games, they'll be very happy to unwrap Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on Christmas morning or to pull it out of their stocking. After all, Call of Duty is one of the biggest gaming franchises in the entire world, and Black Ops 7 is one of the most ambitious new entries in it in years.
A direct sequel to 2024's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the latest title from Treyarch and Raven Software features a co-op multiplayer-focused story campaign, a new iteration of Call of Duty's beloved PvE horde mode Zombies, traditional PvP multiplayer fans of the series know and love, experimental modes such as the Battlefield-like Skirmish game type and the large-scale extraction shooter-inspired Endgame experience, and more.
Notably, Black Ops 7 also has deep integration with the free-to-play battle royale shooter Call of Duty: Warzone, as its operators and weapons are usable in the experience.
While the game isn't as grounded as I'd personally like it to be — indeed, Call of Duty is a far cry from the gritty military-focused series it once was, with plenty of fantastical elements now — I won't deny that this is one of the most varied releases from the franchise in a long time. Whether someone prefers PvE co-op, competitive PvP, or a mix of both, there's something for everyone in Black Ops 7.
Perhaps that's why Black Ops 7 is the biggest Xbox Game Pass game of 2025, and why it has a strong base of fans even with stiff competition from other big name titles like Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders that also came out in autumn. And with plenty of post-launch updates planned by the game's developers, it's only going to get better with time.
Before you buy it, though, something important to note is that there's a key difference between the PS5 and PlayStation Cross-Gen Bundle versions of the game. The former has better visuals and performance and only works on PS5, while the Cross-Gen Bundle is playable on both the last-gen PS4 and PS5.
Essentially, you'll want to buy the PS5 version if the game's recipient (or you) uses that system, and the Cross-Gen Bundle one if they play on PS4 now but plan to get a PS5 at some point. Thanks to Xbox Smart Delivery, the best version of Black Ops 7 is used on current-gen Xbox Series X|S consoles by default even though it remains playable on Xbox One, so there's no need for two separate versions.
FAQ
Is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, Black Ops 7 is playable through Xbox Game Pass, but only the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass (on PC only) tiers of the service.
Does Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 have crossplay or cross-platform play?
Yes, Black Ops 7 fully supports crossplay or cross-platform play between Xbox, PlayStation, and PC players, and has it enabled by default. On console, though, players can disable it by using the "Console Only" option in multiplayer settings.
Is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on Xbox One and PS4?
While the best version of Black Ops 7 is on Xbox Series X|S and PS5, it's also playable on last-gen Xbox One and PS4 consoles. Due to their less-capable specs, though, the game will look and play worse on these systems.
Will the game ship and arrive before Christmas?
GameStop's website says physical copies of Black Ops 7 will ship in 1-3 business days, so as long as you order one several days before Christmas, it should arrive in time. Alternatively, you can select the "Pick up in-store" or "Same Day Delivery" options to see if you can have it delivered sooner or go to pick it up from a GameStop yourself.
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