As Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 gears up for release on November 14, the stakes have never been higher – both in-game and in storytelling. Set in the year 2035, this latest installment dives deep into a world teetering on collapse, where familiar faces return and new powers rise from the rubble.
At the heart of it all is one of the franchise’s most infamous villains – Raul Menendez. If his name alone sparks memories of betrayal, revenge, and tragedy, that’s no accident. The upcoming title revisits his legacy while introducing The Guild, a mysterious tech-driven organization that’s changing the rules of war.
So before the bullets fly and the servers go live, here’s a look back at how we got here – and what lies ahead.
A Legacy Built on Vengeance
Raul Menendez first entered the Black Ops universe back in Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and he wasn’t your typical bad guy. He wasn’t just a warmonger – he was a man broken by loss. When a CIA mission led by Frank Woods and Alex Mason went horribly wrong, Menendez’s sister, Josefina, was killed in the crossfire. That moment defined him.
From that point on, vengeance wasn’t just a motive – it became his entire identity. His fury transformed into a populist uprising known as Cordis Die, a movement that portrayed him as the “voice of the oppressed.” Behind the slogans, however, was a ruthless mastermind manipulating global chaos for his own ends.
Players watched as Menendez’s hatred tore lives apart from Woods’ brutal injuries to Alex Mason’s tragic death at the hands of his own friend. Every move he made left a scar, and every scar told a story of revenge, manipulation, and control.
The World After Menendez
Fast-forward to the near future, and the chaos Menendez left behind never truly vanished. His ideals the distrust of power, the fight against elite control lingered long after his supposed death.
Enter Black Ops 7. It’s been years since Menendez’s downfall, and humanity is still struggling to rebuild. Power vacuums, misinformation, and digital warfare have become the new normal. Out of that storm rises The Guild, a tech conglomerate promising peace through innovation.
Led by CEO Emma Kagan, The Guild is more than just a Silicon Valley dream. Beneath the polished corporate image lies a shadowy past – one rooted in organized crime and manipulation. Its reach is global, and its promise of security feels eerily similar to the control Menendez once sought to impose.
It’s no coincidence that his return coincides with The Guild’s sudden rise. In Black Ops 7, those two forces collide one representing the chaos of rebellion, the other the order of domination. Neither side feels particularly clean.
David Mason’s Return
Front and center in this conflict is David Mason, the son of the late Alex Mason and one of the series’ most grounded protagonists. Having carried the emotional baggage of his father’s death and his mentor’s injuries, David has seen firsthand the cost of unfinished wars.
In Black Ops 7, he leads an elite JSOC task force alongside returning operatives Mike Harper, Leilani “50/50” Tupuola, and Eric Samuels. Their mission is to uncover the connection between Menendez’s reappearance and The Guild’s growing influence.
What starts as an intelligence operation quickly turns into something far more personal. Mason’s past and his father’s legacy begin to intertwine with the new global order, raising one question that has haunted Black Ops since the beginning: Who really controls the war?
The Guild’s Hidden Agenda
One of the more intriguing aspects of Black Ops 7 is how it blends old-school espionage with futuristic moral tension. The Guild positions itself as a savior, using cutting-edge AI and surveillance networks to “protect” civilians. But as missions progress, it becomes clear that their idea of safety involves manipulation and control.
Their base of operations, Avalon, serves as a focal point for the game’s campaign and endgame content. Once a neutral Mediterranean state, it’s now a high-tech fortress city, where corporate militaries and mercenary forces patrol neon-lit streets. It’s here that the player uncovers the full extent of The Guild’s ambitions and the chilling new weapon they’ve created, one that weaponizes human fear itself.
Operation Endgame
The campaign’s structure centers on 11 cooperative missions leading to a finale called Endgame. In this closing act, players venture deep into Avalon to dismantle The Guild’s control centers and contain a spreading toxin that’s destabilizing the city.
It’s a fitting name, not just for the campaign, but for the story arc that’s been unfolding since Black Ops II. The ghosts of the past finally meet the machinery of the future, and neither side walks away clean.
Early previews suggest Endgame combines narrative-driven storytelling with large-scale, player-coordinated objectives, a nod to fans who’ve long wanted Black Ops to return to its roots while embracing modern gameplay systems.
Looking Ahead
Black Ops 7 doesn’t just continue the saga; it reframes it. It’s a story about how power shifts but never disappears, how the heroes and villains of yesterday evolve with time, and how war itself has become more digital than human.
Menendez’s return is more than fan service, it’s a reflection of a world that never learns from its mistakes. And The Guild’s rise serves as a chilling reminder that not all evil comes with a gun; sometimes, it wears a suit and speaks the language of progress.
If Black Ops 7 delivers on its narrative promises, players can expect one of the most politically charged and emotionally layered stories in the franchise’s history.
