Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 4 Reloaded went live on June 25, 2026 and it’s a big one. The mid-season refresh dropped the new Kowakujō round-based Zombies map, brought Nicolas Cage into the game as a fully playable Operator, introduced the returning AN-94 Assault Rifle, added new and remastered Multiplayer maps, and kicked off the Summer of Action daily login event — all in one update. Here’s everything that’s new across every mode.
Kowakujō: The New Zombies Map Explained
The headline addition for Zombies players is Kowakujō, a new round-based map set inside a feudal Japanese castle located in the Dark Aether and surrounded by active volcanoes. Lava rivers run through the map as an actual environmental hazard — step in and you slow down, take damage, and probably panic while zombies close in. That said, you can use them offensively against enemies too, though you’ll almost certainly forget that option exists the first time you’re getting overwhelmed at round 15.
Story-wise, Kowakujō advances the ongoing Zombies narrative by sending the crew after the final Shadowsmith and recovering the so-called World Seed MacGuffin that’s been building across recent maps. Three new enemy types debut here:
- Oni — a heavy armoured supernatural elite swinging a spiked kanabō war club with electrical-based powers. Treat them as elites and prioritise accordingly.
- Scorched Zombies — fire-drenched standard enemies that deal damage on contact. Keep your distance until they burn out.
- Hellhounds — back again, still on fire, still a nuisance. Classic.
Treyarch did something they’ve never done before with this map’s Wonder Weapon: they fully redacted it from the patch notes. No name, no description, no teaser. Early players who’ve gotten hands on it are reporting it’s a katana, which fits the feudal Japan setting perfectly, but nothing is officially confirmed — Treyarch clearly wants people to discover it in-game. A maneki-neko bomb — based on the traditional Japanese lucky cat — can also be found on the map, which is either charming or slightly cursed depending on your outlook.
The Hellping Hound Legendary GobbleGum also makes its debut with Kowakujō. Use it and you summon a friendly Hellhound to fight alongside you for five minutes in round-based Zombies, or three Hellhounds for one round in Dead Ops Arcade. Also dropping into the Mystery Box is the PPSh-41 SMG as an ultra-rarity legacy weapon, with stats reportedly approaching Wonder Weapon territory — large magazine, fast fire rate, and full Pack-a-Punch and Ammo Mod compatibility.
For players chasing rewards, completing the Kowakujō Main Quest earns the Purified Takeo Operator Skin, Calling Cards, and XP. Players who finish the Main Quest before Directed Mode arrives also unlock a unique variant Calling Card. A Kowakujō Cursed limited-time mode runs alongside the main map, offering Pack-a-Punch camos, Calling Cards, and XP for players who want to push the challenge further.
One important note for Zombies completionists: Kowakujō is the second-to-last Zombies map in Black Ops 7. The final map is slated for Season 5 Reloaded, meaning the storyline is heading toward its conclusion sooner than some players expected.
Nicolas Cage Is Now in Call of Duty — Here’s What You Get
The Nick Cage Event Pass is live and running until July 23, 2026. The premium track costs 1,100 COD Points and includes the Nick Cage Operator along with an additional Operator Skin. The free track includes the AN-94 Assault Rifle and the Executioner’s Duet dual-axe melee weapon — meaning you don’t need to spend anything to unlock the new weapons themselves, only if you want the Cage cosmetics.
As leaked before launch, the Cage skin is modelled on a younger version of the actor — he’s 62 in real life but appears in his late 30s or early 40s in-game. The character isn’t based on any specific film role. He’s just playing himself, which honestly feels more appropriate for a Call of Duty crossover than mapping him to Face/Off or Con Air would have been. Cage is playable across all four modes: Multiplayer, Zombies, Endgame, and Warzone.
New Multiplayer Maps and Modes
Two maps join the Multiplayer rotation with Season 4 Reloaded:
- Zenith — a brand-new medium-sized map set in a luxurious cliffside jungle compound. State-of-the-art security systems, high-end architecture, and a layout designed for both 2v2 and 6v6 playlists. A hidden passage behind a bloody handprint leads to running water below the compound, which is either a shortcut or a trap depending on who finds it first.
- Launch — a full remaster of the iconic Russian rocket launch facility from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010). The rocket is lifted and moved into position during the match, which functions as a mid-game environmental event. One of the most beloved maps in franchise history, so expectations are high.
Two new modes also arrive with the update. Team Blueprint Sharpshooter is a 6v6 playlist where Weapon Blueprints rotate throughout the match — you’re constantly adapting to new loadouts, with bonuses for elimination streaks. Knife Fight is a 2v2 close-quarters mode where ranged weapons are off the table and players battle with melee options including the H311-SAW, Flatline MK.II, Knife, and Ballistic Knife.
Black Ops Classic mode also becomes a permanent addition to Black Ops 7 with this update, expanding its map pool with Launch (BO1), Fringe (BO3), Hacienda (BO4), and Gridlock (BO4). If you’ve been enjoying the throwback format, it’s not going anywhere.
Summer of Action Daily Login Event
Running for the remainder of Season 4, the Summer of Action daily login event rewards players just for opening the game each day. Rewards include Battle Pass Tier Skips, Double XP Tokens, and the Catharsis X9 Maverick Assault Rifle Weapon Blueprint as a standout cosmetic. It’s a low-effort event designed for players who want to make progress on the Battle Pass without having to grind specific challenges — log in, play a bit, collect rewards, repeat.
A free trial of Black Ops 7 Multiplayer and Zombies is also planned within the Season 4 Reloaded window, including access to the new maps and Kowakujō. Exact start dates for the trial haven’t been confirmed at the time of writing.
AN-94 and New Weapon Additions
The AN-94 Assault Rifle makes its return to Call of Duty for the first time since Black Ops 4. It retains its signature hyperburst mechanic — the first two shots fire at an accelerated rate before transitioning to a standard firing pattern, which makes it uniquely punchy at the start of every burst. It’s earnable through the free track of the Nick Cage Event Pass.
Joining it is the Executioner’s Duet, a dual-axe melee weapon with high damage and fast attack speed at the cost of limited reach. Three new attachments are also coming through Weekly Challenges: the XR-3 Ion Vulcan Minigun side-mounted foregrip, the DS20 Mirage Dual Fire Kit that swaps ADS for high-powered slug rounds, and the Velox 5.7 Carbine Chassis that converts a pistol to full-auto with improved range.
Weapon Balance Changes
The patch includes a round of tuning across several weapons. The Maddox RFB received partial reversals of nerfs applied in Seasons 1 and 2, slightly increasing its damage and range after the gun fell out of the meta. The AK-27 got a new max damage profile that makes close-range headshots more punishing. The Kogot-7, Warden 308, Grimhawk, and Voyak KT-3 also received adjustments across damage, range, and damage profiles. The mid-season tuning pass is fairly standard for where Black Ops 7 sits in its seasonal cycle — addressing things that went too far in one direction over the past several weeks.
For more gaming news this week, check out the Overwatch Season 3 Excavation Initiative breakdown on how to earn all 17 free Loot Boxes. We also covered the GTA 6 PS5 and PS5 Pro enhanced features Sony just confirmed, the Pokémon TCG Pocket Everyday Wonders expansion launching June 29, and everything pointing toward the God of War Laufey February or March 2027 release window.
