Category: PlayStation

Hello again, PlayStation community! I’m Sam Eng, the sole developer behind Skate Story – a game where you play as a glass-bodied demon, doomed to skate through the Underworld and devour the Moon to satisfy the devil’s contract. Today I’m proud to share that Skate Story is set to release on December 8 on PS5.

It’s been a while since the last PlayStation Blog where we announced Skate Story coming to PS5, but I wanted to fill you all in on some new gameplay features, a peak behind the creation of an all-new original soundtrack from Blood Cultures, as well as how the PS5 DualSense Controller can help shape your experience of the game.

Skate Story or true story

Did you know? Skate Story is based on a true story. Yes, that’s right folks. Sure, it’s slightly dramatized for effect, but it’s all totally 100% true. Of course, names and places have been altered as well, for the privacy of those involved. For example, it was not originally a Frog who ran the bagel shop, and the Skater actually had to get a lawyer before signing the Devil’s Contract.

Sound (track) of the city

Blood Cultures breathed real New York City life into a brand-new 12 track original soundtrack. The way they captured the city’s heartbeat – the chaos, the beauty, the endless motion elevates the game into something richer and more alive.

Their music doesn’t just accompany the world, it defines it. I tapped Blood Cultures to guide the statement above.

“When I was working on the soundtrack, Sam gave me some insane instructions. He was like, “I dunno, maybe make it sound industrial… it’s the underworld, you know?” Industrial? So I decided to apply for a job at the local train depot. I was worried they wouldn’t like the bag I keep over my head, but I figured everyone would be wearing masks anyway! They were actually really nice, but they kept insisting I take off my jacket. I’m not doing that! So I didn’t get the job. The foreman said “don’t trip on the way out!” I should have heeded the warning because I tripped on several metal beams. What a tumble! It sounded glorious! Then I realized… I should sample New York itself!

So then I went around the city, with my little pocket field recorder and a variety of little objects: spoons, chopsticks, my grandmother’s father’s watch, and started recording myself hitting objects! I eventually realized that inanimate objects work pretty good, and I was able to get some really nice samples from that. I recorded so many sounds of the city. I sampled obscure pillars under the bridge, to classic sounds like the rare subway screech at the last stop.”

– Blood Cultures

Dynamic board wear + stickers, stickers, and stickers

The best thing about skateboarding is getting a new board. So what better to make you get a new board than to completely shred your current setup? In Skate Story, every trick, grind, slide, will wear away your deck. If you do more nose pops, then the nose will wear away. If you do more tailslides, the tail will show scrapes.

As you skate your way to the Moon, you’ll come across various gift shops. These are gifts created specifically for your soul. You can then trade collected portions of your leased soul for new decks, fresh trucks, and stylish wheels. Make your own setup and then bless it with some new stickers.

Stickers add style, customization, and will help keep your deck from falling apart. However, keep in mind you can only use a sticker once! Once you stick it, it’s stuck. Unhappy with where you stuck it? Grind it off!

As you skate, the stickers on your board will wear off. Enjoy the ephemeral nature of the many adhesive designs you’ll find.

The DualSense controller lights will dazzle you in the dark

Playing Skate Story on PlayStation 5 with the DualSense Controller is a multisensory experience. I designed the DualSense light bar effect in Skate Story to give a beautiful effect to ambiently dazzle the darkness. As you skate through the underworld, your tricks will beam out the DualSense. The light bar will reflect the Skater’s glass body, a lens to the gritty underworld lights in that eternal night.

STOMP your combo to deal damage

To take down the celestial beasts of the underworld, you’ll need to deal some massive damage with your skateboard.

Every trick you do will add to your skate combo. The combo will increase more if you perform different, stylish tricks. Performing tricks at speed, over objects, gaps, and catching air will increase your combo higher. If you repeat tricks or skate too slowly, it’ll still go up, but not as much.

Keep your line by switching it up and chaining tricks at a stylish pace. In the light of the Moon, you can STOMP your combo to end it in explosive fashion. Every trick you’ve done in that line will be expelled as damage around you. All of your tricks and your combo will reset, allowing you to start a new line. Keep pushing. Chain a beautiful skate line. Stomp the lunar projection. A tasty Moon awaits.

Well, I think that’s really all for now – it’s been quite the journey leading up to the final months of development, and I hope you all get to experience Skate Story on PS5 when it launches on December 8.

Create an infinite number of unique islands to house prehistoric animals with Jurassic World Evolution 3’s Island Generator. The Island Generator will be available to players in game when it launches October 21 on PlayStation Store, and is available to pre-order now.

The powerful new feature in Sandbox Mode will allow players to create completely custom island layouts on which to build their sprawling Parks.

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Park Managers will have control over the Shape and Terrain of the island, as well as the amount of Trees, Water and Mountains, giving them the tools to create endless unique tropical islands at the tweak of a slider.

The Island Generator also comes with the full host of sandbox settings so Park Managers can build, manage, and control every aspect of their Parks.

Each island layout will have an Island DNA code, so players can share the seed and settings of their island. Inputting other players Island DNA codes will let them recreate other islands players have made. Players will also be able to upload Parks to the Frontier Workshop to share their Community Creations.

“We are so excited to bring the Island Generator to Jurassic World Evolution 3. This is a feature we have wanted to realise for a long time now, and with the incredible new environmental tools we’ve developed for JWE3, we are finally able to do it justice. Not only does this feature give players endless variety in their Sandbox maps, but the ability to share Parks on the Frontier Workshop means that people all around the world can see how you’ve developed your own unique starting point into a truly distinctive park. We also really love that players can use Monorails and Hyperloop transport systems to connect and extend their park out to any smaller islands that may have been generated away from the main landmass. The potential for elaborate and creative island parks is now greater than ever and we can’t wait to see what players do with these tools when the game launches.”

– Andy Fletcher, Game Director

Jurassic World Evolution 3 on PlayStation 5 Pro

Building on the success of the previous game, Jurassic World Evolution 3 pushes the boundaries with new and improved graphical technology. The team at Frontier have worked with brand-new console technology to create the best player experience possible.

PlayStation 5 Pro offers players incredible image quality with both PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and Ray Traced Sun Shadows. PSSR delivers super sharp image clarity with an extraordinary level of detail.

Without Ray Traced Sun Shadows, the shadows cast by foliage and dinosaurs are darker and interact with the environment less realistically.

Ray Traced Sun Shadows adds a great depth of realistic detail, with shadows cast by foliage and dinosaurs appearing softer.

Brand-new to the Jurassic World Evolution franchise, the delivery of Ray Traced Sun Shadows is made possible on console by the PlayStation 5 Pro’s upgraded GPU and Advanced Ray Tracing. Ray Traced Sun Shadows provides accurate penumbra for shadows using ray tracing to improve their quality, making the subtle details even more noticeable than before.

Without Ray Traced Sun Shadows, colours are brighter but have less contrast and shadows are more detailed but behave less realistically.

Ray Traced Sun Shadows have a more accurate penumbra, softening the shadows cast by foliage and scenery items.

This means sun shadows in Jurassic World Evolution 3 are very sharp near to the shadow-casting object and get blurrier further away, just like shadows in real life. This is one of two Ray Tracing features on the console with Ray Traced Global Illumination also available on PlayStation 5.

With Ray Traced Sun Shadows off, the shadows cast on to Psittacosaurus, as well as the dinosaurs shadows themselves, are harsher and more solid.

When Ray Traced Sun Shadows are on, shadows behave more naturally, adding a great depth of realistic detail.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 launches on 21 October and is available to pre-order now on the PlayStation store.

The Haunting returns in full force, bringing thrilling content to all three modes inspired by the rich history of horror films. Drop into map variants like Bootown and night versions of Verdansk and Rebirth Island, become the monster in Slasher Deathmatch, and face the undead in Haunted Havoc and Zombie Royale.

Experience all the scares alongside new maps, weapons, and more when The Haunting update goes live in Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone starting October 9.

Multiplayer overview

New Maps

Gravity (Launch): Explore the sprawling compound for the Advanced Technologies and Applications Gravity Division. Soar over foes in the Low Gravity room and fight through the concrete bunkers and outer walkway.

Rig (Launch): Stop over at this truck stop after dusk, where a turned-over rig has slammed into the gas station pumps. Move through the combo Restaurant and Shop and get above the action from the Garage and Motel balcony.

Mothball (Launch): Inspired by the cognitive research facility encountered in the Black Ops 6 Campaign, this Strike map sets combat around the base of the towering golden Statue and the outer wings surrounding it.

Bootown (Launch): Skeletons, spiders, and Jack-o’-Lanterns infiltrate the quiet cul-de-sac at night in this Nuketown map variant featuring a soundscape of menacing laughter and creaking doorways.

New Multiplayer modes

Slasher Deathmatch (Launch): Play as and face off against slashers inspired by some of horror’s most iconic villains in this new hide-and-seek mode. Through four rounds of play, two of the eight survivors are randomly chosen to take on the role of a slasher. Hunt down the remaining survivors who must use their wits to fight back and run down the clock before going down.

Slasher Deathmatch: Jason: Become Jason from Friday the 13, wielding a Machete and moving with an unnerving pace that quickens as he pursues his victims. The final living survivor is awarded the Pickaxe which, can eliminate Jason.

Slasher Deathmatch: Chucky: Slashers gain abilities inspired by Chucky, a serial killer trapped inside a doll’s body. Chase after survivors with the Combat Knife and get back up again with extra lives to stay in the fight. Survivors can fight back with their Shock Charge and Molotov.

Zombies overview

New LTM: Haunted Havoc (Launch)

Enter a relentless nightmare with lurking Mimics, treat-filled Jack-o’-Lanterns, and a forced Rampage Inducer making zombies faster and more aggressive from the start. Additionally, zombie health is reduced until Round 15, but their damage output increases much faster compared to Standard Zombies.

Haunted Havoc will be available across all six maps. Complete the Main Quest to unlock sweet rewards, including a pack of 5 unique GobbleGums, an Ultra GobbleGum, and 15,000 XP per map.

New GobbleGum: Jacked Lanterns

Transform zombie heads into pumpkin heads with the new Jacked Lanterns Whimsical GobbleGum, bringing the Halloween spirit even when you’re not playing Haunted Havoc.

Two New Leaderboard Events

In Death Pit, compete to gather the most Essence in Haunted Havoc. In Extinction Protocol, eliminate the undead with Scorestreaks or while Field Upgrades are active to score points and progress.

Call of Duty: Warzone overview

Verdansk and Rebirth Island Night Variants

Night descends on Verdansk and Rebirth Island. Play night map variants for both, setting the mood for the many zombified battles ahead, including the following limited-time modes:

New LTM: Casual Z (Launch)

Drop into a match against players, bots, and the undead. Regular and armored zombies roam the map, attacking living flesh on sight. Available on Verdansk and Rebirth Island.

New LTM: Zombie Royale (In-Season)

Zombie Royale returns to Verdansk, bringing new zombie abilities and map-wide features into play. In this mode, slain Operators are reanimated as zombies. Work with your remaining squad members to take down enemy squads and seek out special Anti-Virals to get back into the match as a living Operator.

Zombie Abilities: Disguise yourself as a prop and then reveal your identity when the enemy approaches, and tear them to pieces. Plus, disrupt human Operators and their gear with the EMP Blast and become the powerful Mangler with the Mutant Injection.

Portals: Enter portals for rapid traversal. Human Operators who enter a portal will redeploy in the air away from undead foes, while reanimated Operators will teleport to a random human Operator who is not part of their squad. 

General overview

New Weapons: In the Battle Pass, unlock the Dresden 9mm SMG and Merrick 556 Assault Rifle. Through in-game events, get wild with the X52 Resonator Special Weapon and the Chainsaw Melee weapon.

New Attachments: Up your fire rate with two new attachments, the GPR91 Double-Barrel Conversion and the GPMG-7 Muzzle Booster.

Events, Ranked Play 

Celebrate the season with several in-game events including The Haunting Daily Login, Echoes of the Dead, Chucky Event Pass, and Tapes of Terror. Earn rewards including new seasonal weapons, a new attachment, Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, and more.

Plus, prepare for a new season of Ranked Play for Multiplayer and Call of Duty Warzone, including Ranked Play: Battle Royale and Ranked Play: Resurgence. Earn new seasonal rewards based on the highest Rank obtained in the season.

The Haunting Battle Pass, Store content

Purchase the Battle Pass to immediately unlock rewards including, a seasonal 10% Battle Pass XP Boost, the new Jungle Hunter Predator Operator, and more, providing access to over 110 pieces of unlockable content. Get more with BlackCell.

Look for exciting new Store Bundles including, the Tracer Pack: Jason Ultra Skin, Tracer Pack: Predator: Badlands Ultra Skin, Tracer Pack: Fallen Icon The Replacer, Tracer Pack: Halfpipe Havoc Mastercraft, and more.

Free trial

Play Black Ops 6 for free for an entire week from October 9 through 16, including full access to the entire single player Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies.

The Haunting launches October 9

Black Ops 6 is available now on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Experience the spy action thriller Campaign, the in-depth tactical chaos of Multiplayer, and soak in the gory glory of round-based Zombies experience.

Plus, pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 today so you’re ready to go on its November 14 launch date.

Five years ago, Sucker Punch took us to new frontiers on “Tsushima Island”, where we were introduced to Jin Sakai, a samurai struggling between abandoning his code of honor and protecting his home from the first Mongol invasion of Japan.

Three hundred years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, a new warrior has risen. In Ghost of Yōtei, Atsu seeks revenge on the Yōtei Six after they ruthlessly slaughtered her family. As she takes on each of her enemies with an “underdog vengeance”, Atsu traverses the open world of Ezo and adopts the spirit of the onryō to pursue justice on those who took everything from her.

Ghost of Yōtei takes players through a sensory-driven, open world that offers players a unique perspective and experience. The original score, composed by Toma Otowa, is the perfect accompaniment to immerse you in a cultural adventure as you unlock hidden levels of beauty and brutality. East meets West when the sounds of traditional Japanese instruments merge with the modern Western influences to create a one-of-a-kind score that fully captures Atsu’s journey.

Ghost of Yōtei – Official Soundtrack Listening Party | October 15

The PlayStation Studios Music team and Sony Music Masterworks are thrilled to invite you to the official soundtrack listening party celebrating the recent release of Ghost of Yōtei!

Join our 60-minute livestream on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00 PM PT, featuring exclusive commentary, behind-the-scenes stories, and insights into the production of the game soundtrack.

We’ll be joined by four talented speakers, each offering their own unique perspective and contribution on the creative process behind the music and characters that bring Atsu and the open world of Ezo to life. 

Toma Otowa

Toma Otowa is a multi-award-winning film and game composer based in Los Angeles. He has worked on such Hollywood blockbuster films as Thor: Ragnarok, Croods: A New Age, Lego Movie 2, and Hotel Transylvania 3 with veteran film composer and DEVO frontman, Mark Mothersbaugh.

Otowa’s video game work includes Resident Evil 5, Afrika, Kinect: Disneyland Adventures, Halo 2: Anniversary, Knack, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which he co-composed with Mothersbaugh.

Jason Connell

Jason Connell is a Creative Director on Ghost of Yōtei and was Creative Director and Art Director on Ghost of Tsushima, leading lighting, cinematography, and concept direction. He has more than 20 years of game development experience, over half of which have been with Sucker Punch. Alaska-bred, he loves adventuring with his wife and two children. Jason lives in a beanie 99% of the time and abuses the word awesome.

Brad Meyer

Rev. Dr. Bradley D Meyer is an Audio Director at Sucker Punch with over 27 years of experience in game audio. He’s fortunate enough to have led the team that won both the BAFTA and D.I.C.E awards for best Audio in 2020 for Ghost of Tsushima. Brad now leads the team on Ghost of Yōtei. He has lectured extensively about game audio at universities and conferences around the world. He is an ordained minister and a Doctor of Metaphysics and Immortality, and you wouldn’t know if he didn’t plaster it everywhere his name appears.

Erika Ishii

Erika Ishii (all pronouns) is a well-known figure in games, animation, and comedy. They star as main character Rook in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Sektor in Mortal Kombat 1, Valkyrie in Apex Legends, and in October 2025 will play the titular lead in Ghost of Yōtei. Erika is considered an especially chaotic regular cast member on comedy streamer Dropout’s shows including Dimension 20, Game Changer, and Make Some Noise. They have appeared with Critical Role, hosted Marvel red carpets, and recently performed as a special guest in the Off-Broadway theater production Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern. Erika is the proud co-creator of the record-breaking narrative play and storytelling collective Worlds Beyond Number, along with Aabria Iyengar, Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Lou Wilson.

Now Streaming: Ghost of Yōtei Original Soundtrack

The Ghost of Yōtei original soundtrack by Toma Otowa is now streaming on all major platforms! This symphonic odyssey intricately weaves the haunting gravity of what Atsu has lost and carves the path of who she will choose to become. Listen now wherever you get your music.

If you liked what you heard, tune in to Twitch | YouTube on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00PM PT / 8:00PM ET to join the Ghost of Yōtei soundtrack listening party! Ghost of Yōtei is now available on PS5.

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here

Hey, everybody! Kristen and I are back this week to celebrate the launch of Ghost of Yōtei, discuss upcoming releases, and share the latest news. This episode also includes an interview with Erika Ishii, voice of Atsu from Ghost of Yōtei.

Stuff We Talked About

• Next week’s release highlights:
  • Ghost of Yōtei| PS5 (out now)
  • Digimon Story: Time Stranger | (out today)
  • Battlefield 6 | PS5
  • Little Nightmares III | PS5, PS4
  • Dreams of Another | PS5, PS VR2
• PlayStation 30th anniversary merchandise — A new large-format photography book is coming in Spring 2026, featuring a rich look at the history of the consoles, including hundreds of unseen images.
• My Hero Academia: All’s Justice character episodes — The new anime arena fighter is coming to PS5 on February 6, 2026, and you can get a first look at the new modes.
• Call of Duty Black Ops 7 hands-on — Get a full report of the multiplayer, zombies, and more as the latest entry looks to push the series forward.
• PlayStation Plus Monthly Games October
  • Alan Wake 2
  • Goat Simulator 3
  • Cocoon

The Cast

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Kristen Zitani –  Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE

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O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE

Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

MARVEL legends, assemble! Coming to PlayStation 5 in 2026, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls is a 4v4 team-based fighting game created in partnership with Arc System Works — renowned for Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball Fighter Z — PlayStation Studios, and MARVEL Games.

The game has captured the attention of both fighting game enthusiasts and MARVEL fans alike. We spoke with Arc System Works Producer Takeshi Yamanaka, Game Director and Lead Battle Designer Kazutoshi Sekine, and SIE PlayStation Studios XDEV Senior Producer Reed Baird about the game’s standout features, unique elements, and the debut of Spider-Man and Ghost Rider as playable characters at Tokyo Game Show 2025.

From Japan to the world – a tribute to MARVEL and its fans

PS Blog: How was the title MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls chosen?

Yamanaka: A beam of light flashes between the characters when they’re swapped, and we interpreted that light as a “soul,” which inspired the inclusion of “Fighting Souls” in the title. However, “MARVEL Fighting Souls” alone didn’t capture the Japanese identity we wanted to convey, especially when one of the project’s goals was to deliver something special from Japan to a global audience. That’s why we added the Japanese word “Tōkon,” which means fighting spirit.

With heroes and villains able to join forces, is the game meant to be an epic yet chaotic crossover of MARVEL characters?

Yamanaka: I can’t reveal specifics just yet, but each character has their own detailed lore and backstory. As for why heroes and villains can team up, we’ll have more to share in future updates.

What was most important to you when bringing MARVEL characters into a fighting game?

Yamanaka: We made sure to respect each character by retaining their iconic elements that fans know and love. At the same time, our goal was to showcase our unique Japanese perspective and the Arc System Works identity within the designs. MARVEL Games responded most strongly to Iron Man and Storm. With Storm, I believe we were able to deliver the vision they were hoping to see from Japanese creators.

What did you prioritize in terms of presentation?

Sekine: We gave the character select screen a fresh, distinctive look, drawing on both American comics and Japanese shōnen manga for inspiration. Matches that conclude with a stage transition or a super move are presented in a manga panel style, creating a unique effect unlike anything before.

Spider-Man and Ghost Rider were made playable for the first time. What was the concept behind Spider-Man’s design?

Sekine: Our intention with Spider-Man was to faithfully capture his defining traits while making him truly enjoyable to play. We wanted to make him easy to pick up, reflecting his role as the “friendly neighborhood” hero. We fine-tuned the way he plays, and I wanted to make sure we include Spidey Sense*, which has never appeared in a fighting game before.

*In this game, Spidey Sense allows Spider-Man to evade attacks and throws while automatically striking back.

What about Ghost Rider?

Sekine: Ghost Rider’s standout mechanic is the “Vengeance Gauge,” designed to resemble a tachometer. When the gauge overheats, Ghost Rider becomes vulnerable, but when it hits the red zone, his abilities grow stronger. This system encourages Ghost Rider — typically a long-range fighter — to move in close. Managing the gauge is tricky, but the exhilaration of entering the red zone perfectly captures his fiery spirit.

Reed: That kind of mechanic is exactly what makes Arc System Works stand out. Storm, which you mentioned earlier, also fights in ways we’ve never seen before, which is very exciting.

How has the feedback been from past demos and the closed beta test (CBT)?

Yamanaka: We’ve received a lot of feedback, and I didn’t expect it to be so overwhelmingly positive. Of course, we also received constructive criticism, and we will use that to make meaningful improvements.

Sekine: At EVO, the demo stations were always packed, which spoke volumes about how beloved MARVEL is and showed how well this game is meeting those expectations. The players’ passion is what keeps us going.

Yamanaka: A father stood by as his kids played, their faces glowing with big smiles. As a creator, seeing people enjoy the games I worked on is profoundly rewarding.

Lastly, do you have any words for fans looking forward to the game? Are there other details you’d like them to look for?

Reed: I hope playing this game will become a cherished memory for players. I still remember being deeply moved by fighting games when I was a kid. We’ve poured a lot of love into this project, and with the theme of “from Japan to the world” in mind, we hope to reach fans all over the world.

Yamanaka: We put considerable thought into the role of music in fighting games, so I’d love for players to pay attention to the soundtrack. Listen closely to how the music shifts as the battle unfolds.

Sekine: The CBT proved that battles run smoothly online, and the stage designs are a highlight in their own right. Our aim is to present MARVEL in a new light while also evolving the team-based fighting genre. The game is full of hidden treasures, and we can’t wait for players to discover them.

For the first time ever, Call of Duty fans are getting back-to-back Black Ops games with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 this year. Leaping ahead to the future of 2035, the game is a direct sequel to the story told in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 — but what’s really interesting is the way it builds on the foundation set by Black Ops 6, with its introduction of systems like Omnimovement and the return of round-based Zombies.

At Call of Duty: Next, I got a chance to jump into the combat boots of David Mason and a few other operators. I played on six new Multiplayer maps, tried out the updated Omnimovement, cleared Zombies off the new Wonder Vehicle, and picked a few dropzones on Warzone’s new Resurgence map and updated Verdansk.

You can check out just about everything we saw (and a few more things) in Black Ops 7’s open beta, which launches on October 5 if you pre-ordered the game, and on October 7 for all players.

Without further ado, let’s get to all the juicy hands-on action.

Gameplay Evolution

Even Omni-er Omnimovement: Treyarch is building on the foundation it established with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 last year, making a few tweaks and adjustments to the Omnimovement system that allows you to run, slide, and dive in any direction. The big one is wall-jumping—you can now fling yourself into the air with a wall jump to bounce around corners, cross gaps, and confuse opponents. You can chain up to three jumps together, but each jump will cost you some momentum. Other additions include moving while mounted and a new finisher that lets you attach a grenade to another player and kick them toward their friends.

Movement as a loadout option: While Omnimovement still offers a lot of agility to every player, Treyarch has made some adjustments to the system by turning a few elements into Perks. The double-time Tac Sprint, for instance, now requires a specific Perk and comes with the trade-off that your normal sprint is slower when you equip it. But other Perks boost movement too, like Lightweight, which increases your movement speed and lets you slide and dive farther, and Dexterity, which lets you reload faster and aim down sights during dives and slides.

Overclock your stuff: Getting good at nailing enemies with frag grenades while they’re flocking to the hard point? In Black Ops 7, successfully using items like equipment, Scorestreaks, and Field Upgrades builds up progress that allows you to Overclock those items, unlocking an upgrade that makes them more powerful. You can choose your Overclocks when you select your loadout, with each Scorestreak, Field Upgrade, and piece of equipment offering two possibilities, allowing you to tailor your preferred playstyle.

Become a Hybrid Combat Specialist: In Black Ops 6, choosing three Perks of the same type unlocked a Combat Specialist bonus that amped up a specific playstyle. Black Ops 7 gives you a little more freedom; you can now mix two of one type of Perk with one of another to unlock a Hybrid Combat Specialist bonus, so you can mix and match a little more and still get useful benefits.

Near-future technology: Black Ops 7’s setting in the 2030s brings some new robotic and drone threats that you can deploy in battle as Scorestreaks. The D.A.W.G. is a dog-like combat robot; the Rhino is Treyarch’s take on the Juggernaut, a robot wielding a minigun you pilot into battle; HKVs are Hunter-Killer Drones that are deployed from aircraft and seek out targets once they hit the ground; and the VOTL Warship returns from Black Ops 2 with some new upgrades to terrorize from the skies.

Share the load(out): Ever wonder what weapon and Perks the person who just took you out was using? You can see the loadouts of opponents on the Kill Cam, and in the launch version of the game, you’ll actually be able to nab their Gunsmith customizations for yourself. Gunsmith codes will let you share your weapon builds with friends or online, so if you ever see a gun you wish you were taking into battle, you can have it.

Guns—lots of guns: Black Ops 7 will bring 30 new weapons compared to Black Ops 6, and thanks to its near-future setting, that’ll include 16 that are all-new to the franchise.

Multiplayer

Black Ops 7 will launch with 18 multiplayer maps—15 new 6-on-6 maps, plus three remastered maps from previous games, and two large-scale 20-vs.-20. I fought across six of the new maps, which will appear in Black Ops 7’s multiplayer beta.

Maps

Blackheart — Round and floating, Blackheart is a lot like a small oil rig, laid out like a wheel. At the center is a room where teams converge for big fights, while the outer edges have longer sight lines for sniping and setting ambushes.

Toshin — A Japanese cityscape with lots of small interiors, tight corners, and crashed cars and trains that can be useful for cover, or might explode at the wrong moment. There are numerous ways to slip between locations in Toshin, provided you can find the right vent or elevator shaft.

The Forge — The paramilitary organization known as The Guild also appears to be a corporate entity that enjoys showcasing and selling its robotics and drone technology. The Forge is a facility that serves as a testing ground on the outside and a sleek showroom on the inside.

Exposure — Set near a series of solar panels, Exposure is something of a prefabricated industrial site where you can clamber over buildings and slip between structures for ambushes.

Cortex — Cortex gives off heavy supervillain lab vibes, with lots of spooky-looking tubes and panels to use as cover. It’s a map with exteriors that loop around a series of interior pathways, providing multiple ways to approach a given objective.

Imprint — A snowy mountain fortress, Imprint combines open exterior spaces with sparse cover, and tighter interior corridors and vertical areas where it pays to be aware of your surroundings..

Modes

In addition to a few classic Call of Duty modes—Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint—I also tried the new Overload mode at Connect. In the beta, you can also expect to play Kill Confirmed and Search and Destroy.

Overload — A new 6-vs.-6 mode, Overload, creates some frantic dashes, big team fights, and huge momentum swings. Two teams attempt to grab an overload device, and once one team has it, their goal is to reach one of two designated locations on the opposing team’s side of the map. If they can carry the device to one of the designated spots, they score a point; however, if the device is dropped, the other team can pick it up. As soon as a point is scored, the device respawns somewhere in the middle of the map, triggering another mad dash to grab it.

Skirmish — We didn’t play it, but at launch, Black Ops 7 also offers a massive new 20-vs.-20 mode that has its own dedicated maps to give you plenty of room to mix it up.

Zombies

In Black Ops 7, Treyarch builds on last year’s return of round-based Zombies with new maps and modes, along with new monsters to threaten you along the way.

Ashes of the Damned — The new map available at launch is the biggest Call of Duty has ever seen. It’s comprised of multiple locations to navigate and explore. They’re all linked together by roads, but between each of the main areas is a dense, deadly fog you’ll need to cross.

Meet Ol’ Tessie — To get around in Ashes of the Damned, you’ll need a ride, and that’s the new “Wonder Vehicle,” Ol’ Tessie. The truck starts as a bit of a clunker, but you can repair and upgrade it to turn it into a proper zombie-smashing crew transport—and even install a Pack-a-Punch Machine in the truck bed. You’ll need Ol’ Tessie to be tough, since the fog is home to unkillable zombies, as well as gremlin-like Ravagers that will attack your vehicle.

New ways to play — Zombies adds two new modes in Black Ops 7 that we didn’t play at Connect: Survival and Cursed. Survival mode takes place on smaller maps—in the beta, you’ll see locations taken from Ashes of the Damned—to provide a quicker, more frantic Zombies experience that still includes uncovering secrets while you fight for your life. And for the really hardcore Zombies fans, Cursed mode will offer an even steeper challenge.

Warzone

Haven’s Hollow: A new Resurgence map, Haven’s Hollow is set in Appalachia and draws inspiration from the Zombies maps Shattered Veil and Liberty Falls—before the undead ravaged the latter. The map features nine Points of Interest, including open fields at one end and a small but densely populated town at the other, with numerous buildings to hide in and rooftops to snipe from.

Updated Verdansk: Two Points of Interest are coming in Black Ops 7’s first season—the all-new Signal Station, and a remastered version of the Factory.

Try Multiplayer and Zombies in the Black Ops 7 Beta

Players who pre-order Black Ops 7 will get early access to the Black Ops 7 beta, running October 2-5. Activision is also offering an open beta for all players, no pre-order required, from October 5 to 8. 

The beta includes all the multiplayer maps I fought across at Connect: The Forge, Exposure, Blackheart, Imprint, Toshin, and Cortext. It also packs the new Overload mode, as well as classics Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hard Point, Kill Confirmed, and Search and Destroy.

The beta goes beyond multiplayer to include Zombies, as well. Starting on October 3, you’ll be able to try the new Vandorn Farm map and Survival mode.

Black Ops 7 introduces numerous small yet highly targeted and meaningful changes to Black Ops 6’s foundation, while offering a substantial amount of new content across all its modes. 

But you don’t have to wait to see for yourself—check out all Treyarch and Raven have to offer this week in the open beta. The full game launches on November 14.