- The Black Ops 7 Gameplay Reveal Trailer has attracted plenty of criticism from fans online.
- The poor reception has only amplified the momentum gained by Battlefield 6, following its successful Open Beta.
- The sense of fatigue surrounding Call of Duty has led to players trolling Black Ops 7 online, and stating that they'll be switching to Battlefield this year.
Black Ops 7 took over Gamescom ONL yesterday with a gameplay trailer diving into its mind-bending campaign. The showcase was followed by a hefty intel drop, going over the title’s multiplayer, weapons roster, maps list, and more. Given the seismic rise in the stocks of Battlefield 6, Activision desperately needed the presentation to be a home run. However, reactions from a majority of Call of Duty fans spell trouble for the latest entry in the Black Ops sub-franchise.
2025 marks the first convergence point between Battlefield and Call of Duty since 2016, which saw Battlefield 1 and Infinite Warfare compete for consumer attention. Thanks to a largely successful Open Beta, Battlefield 6 has amassed a ton of positive press, with reports indicating that the title has already raked in $35 million in pre-orders alone. On the other hand, Call of Duty fatigue seems to have the community in a chokehold, and that sense of exhaustion is only amplified by the so-called ‘Fortnitification’ of the franchise, and its insistence on rehashing old ideas.
Given the troubled state of its primary competitor, fans have already hopped aboard the BF6 train, all while dismissing Black Ops 7 at every turn. The title’s gameplay reveal looks to be another failed attempt at regaining a bit of favor, as indicated by some truly brutal comments from players online.
Black Ops 7’s “Disappointing” Trailer Has Fans Pre-Ordering Battlefield 6
The Black Ops 7 Gameplay Reveal Trailer currently has an 80% dislike ratio, with over 132,000 dislikes sitting against around 33,000 thumbs up. And if that isn’t dire enough on its own, the most-liked comment underneath the video reads, “This actually made me Pre-Order Battlefield 6.”
Hundreds of viewers chimed in with similar comments, with one player saying, “This is the best Battlefield 6 ad I’ve seen yet!” Another user hammered in the general sentiment by stating, “People say COD is getting too much hate, I personally think they aren’t getting enough.” Fans are even likening this year’s Battlefield versus Call of Duty showdown to its 2016 counterpart, which saw BF1 blow its competitor out of the water: “Infinite Warfare vs BF1 vibes all over again.”
So why is Black Ops 7 attracting so much hate? The answer is complicated, to say the least. Unlike what most players are lazily claiming, BO7 doesn’t seem like a half-baked annual release at all. The game will release with 16 Multiplayer maps at launch, complemented by new mechanics like the Overclock System and a solid slate of weapons. On the campaign front, players can look forward to a globe-trotting adventure bookended by the new Endgame mode, which certainly looks like a fun time on paper.
From what I’ve seen, Black Ops 7 seems to have fallen victim to the general sentiment around Call of Duty as a whole. Players are tired of the quirky skins, the departure from the series’ mil-sim roots, and its repetitive annual release model. Pair this with a competent competitor in Battlefield 6, and you have the perfect storm.
I’ve yet to see a genuine slight against Black Ops 7, or a critique solely aimed at a shortcoming with the game. Yes, the return of Raul Menendez feels far too safe, and the futuristic approach certainly isn’t to everybody’s liking. But so far, there are no glaring red flags indicating that the title will be a misfire.
It’s unlikely that Black Ops 7 ends up being as bad as the community is painting it to be, but it’s clear that their allegiances have shifted, at least for the time being. Battlefield, after years of dwelling in the background, is finally on the ascendency. And alarm bells could finally be ringing at Call of Duty HQ.
