Black Ops 7 campaign branded ‘the worst’ ever as fans complain about AI use

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 is out now and fans aren’t pleased with the campaign or its increased use of AI-generated artwork.

After a quieter than usual run-up to launch, Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 has finally been released worldwide, across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

This year’s shooter, while a follow-up to last year’s Black Ops 6, is a narrative sequel to 2012’s Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 – with the campaign following a squad led by David Mason in the aftermath of that game’s events.

Within the first 24 hours of launch, however, the growing sentiment is – on the campaign side at least – one of disappointment, with some branding it the worst in the series.

In a post on X, Call Of Duty leaker ModernWarzone wrote: ‘Just finished the Black Ops 7 campaign solo in four hours and 30 minutes of playtime. I can confidently say that is one of, if not the WORST, Call Of Duty campaign I’ve ever played in my life.

‘I give it a 3/10, legit think it was worse than [Modern Warfare 3] and way worse than [Black Ops 3].’

Like Black Ops 3, the Black Ops 7 campaign supports co-op for up to four players, but this has come with some annoying quirks for solo players. You can’t actually play the campaign without an internet connection, while others have complained about the lack of checkpoints.

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Just finished the Black Ops 7 campaign solo in 4 hours and 30 minutes of playtime.I can confidently say that is one of, if not the WORST, Call of Duty campaign I've ever played in my life. I give it a 3/10, legit think it was worse than MWIII and way worse than BO3. pic.twitter.com/zsUtZTBUaz

— ModernWarzone (@ModernWarzone) November 14, 2025

‘My first thoughts on the campaign of Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7? Disappointing,’ another fan posted on X, adding: ‘If you choose a specific mission, there’s no save point. If you close the game, you have to start over, so you’re forced to play the mission all the way through.’

Others, however, simply aren’t happy with the surreal nature of it, with one user comparing it to a ‘four hour Far Cry drug trip’.

Beyond the campaign, some players have highlighted the use of AI for in-game assets, such as multiplayer calling cards and prestige icons.

Loving the Unique style of art they've gone with for these calling cards pic.twitter.com/c583gv4Qpn

— Kume (@Kumesicles) November 13, 2025

The use of generative AI in Call Of Duty games isn’t new, as previous titles have also used the tool for similar types of assets – but it’s nevertheless a depressing sign of the times, and inexcusable for one of the most financially successful video game franchises.

If anything, Activision has been more open about its use this time around. As highlighted on the Steam page for Black Ops 7, it confirms the team has used ‘generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets’.

Activision didn’t send GameCentral a review copy ahead of time, so our review of Black Ops 7 will arrive next week. They’ve been like that with everyone though and currently there are only a handful of scored reviews on Metacritic.

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