Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is launching with 18 multiplayer maps, and this time, Japan takes center stage. For the first time in the Black Ops series, the country is not just a background but a major setting that shapes the game’s story, design, and atmosphere.
At the Tokyo Game Show 2025, Treyarch’s associate creative director Miles Leslie said Japan offered the right tone, scale, and contrast for what the team wanted to achieve. He explained that its blend of tradition and innovation reflects the game’s main theme of balancing loyalty, progress, and control in a near-future world. Treyarch design director Matt Scronce added that the setting helps ground both the story and gameplay, giving the game a strong cultural identity.
Players got a taste of this during the recent multiplayer beta, which introduced Toshin, a map set in the heart of Tokyo. It is a dense, fast-paced arena filled with glass towers, glowing billboards, and narrow alleyways. Traditional wooden structures sit beside modern skyscrapers, and tucked between the chaos are small details such as a cat café and a karaoke bar that capture Tokyo’s energy and personality.
Another map, Den, takes players to an ancient Japanese castle outside the city. Although it was not part of the beta, early footage shows a unique contrast between old and new. The peaceful indoor zen garden now sits beside server rooms and high-tech corridors controlled by the futuristic Guild faction.
Classic maps like Express and Raid are returning as well, redesigned to match the new Japanese theme. Treyarch has reworked them visually to make even familiar layouts feel different and fresh.
