Activision will roll out the free mid-season update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone globally on June 25, 2026, with no additional cost for all existing players. The drop is the centerpiece of the publisher’s 2026 “Summer of Action” event, and leads with a full Nick Cage crossover integrated across core multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone modes.
All current owners of Black Ops 7 and free-to-play Warzone users will get automatic access to the content at launch, with no separate purchase required for any free content included in the update. Call of Duty Blog
The update rolls out worldwide on June 25, 2026, with no purchase required for access to any of its free content. All current owners of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and free-to-play Warzone players can download the full update automatically at launch, with no separate download steps for individual content drops.
The Nick Cage crossover is integrated into multiple core multiplayer and Warzone modes as the headliner of Activision’s 2026 Summer of Action event lineup, with exclusive operator skins, weapon blueprints, and limited-time event modes tied to the crossover available at no extra cost to all players. Call of Duty Blog
Operation King Killer Endgame Campaign Adds 10-Step Narrative Arc
The headline addition to the free-to-play Endgame mode is Operation King Killer, a 10-step escalating narrative campaign that concludes the season-long story arc against the antagonistic faction The Guild. The operation is locked exclusively to Zone III and higher difficulty tiers of the Avalon map, with each step scaling in difficulty to match higher tier unlocks. Early steps of the campaign focus on vehicular combat objectives and collecting anomalous data points to pinpoint the physical terminal housing The Guild’s Central Command Node, while later steps introduce puzzle and stealth elements to progress. Call of Duty Blog
The final step of Operation King Killer pits players against the Prime Target Glitch boss on Nightmare Difficulty, the highest available tier for Endgame mode.
Completing all 10 steps of the operation unlocks 10 tiers of cumulative, account-wide rewards, including the exclusive “Coolant Leak” weapon blueprint, the animated “To the Grave” calling card, the “Hot Hands” emote, and the “Dutybound” loading screen.
All rewards are available at no extra cost to players who complete the operation, with no paywall requirements for any of the listed unlocks. Call of Duty Blog
New Guardian Skill Track and Psych Grenade Expand Endgame Arsenal
The update adds a new six-tier Guardian skill track built specifically for frontline tank playstyles in Endgame mode. The first three tiers of the track include Payback, which reflects incoming damage back to attackers; Battle Cache, which increases ammo and armor resupply drop chance on eliminations; and Power Tap, which grants equipment recharge when picking up resupply packs. Call of Duty Blog
The remaining three tiers of the Guardian track include Fortified, which reduces incoming damage per equipped armor plate; Iron Grip, which reduces hip-fire spread and flinch from incoming fire; and Rescue Pulse, which revives downed allies via proximity. A new Psych Grenade minor ability is also added to the Endgame arsenal, deploying a lingering hallucinogenic damage cloud designed for area denial in chokepoints and objective zones during competitive matches. Call of Duty Blog
Kowakujō Lava-Filled Zombies Map Debuts With New Wonder Weapon
Round-Based Zombies mode receives its first new map of Season 04 with the launch of Kowakujō, a Japanese feudal castle setting partially engulfed in flowing lava that introduces new traversal and environmental hazard mechanics for players to navigate. The map launches alongside an unnamed new Wonder Weapon with unannounced special abilities, marking the first new Wonder Weapon added to Zombies mode in the 2026 season. Call of Duty Blog
A new main quest line tied directly to Kowakujō’s unique lore is also added with the update, with a series of unique challenges that reward exclusive weapon blueprints, operator skins, and XP boosts for full completion. The update also adds the new Hellping Hound GobbleGum consumable for Zombies mode, a new limited-use item for the mode’s GobbleGum rotation. Call of Duty Blog
Multiplayer and Warzone Add Remastered Maps, Summer of Action Modes
For core Multiplayer mode, the update adds a mix of new original maps and remastered classic maps pulled from prior entries in the Call of Duty franchise, with no official list of returning map names released by Activision ahead of launch. Limited-time modes tied to the 2026 Summer of Action event are also added to the Multiplayer rotation for the duration of the Season 04 Reloaded window. Call of Duty Blog
Warzone Core Battle Royale sees the return of the Champion’s Quest, a high-stakes progression track designed for elite competitive players. The track offers exclusive cosmetic rewards for top finishers in standard Battle Royale matches, with no gameplay-affecting rewards tied to the progression system. Call of Duty Blog
