Doom joins Call of Duty Black Ops 7 as its final season kicks off a horror show

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 6 has just begun, and Treyarch is going all-out for what's set to be its final ranked season before attention shifts across to the upcoming Modern Warfare 4. With October in touching distance, that means it's Halloween season, and The Haunting is back once more with a range of new, re-themed, and limited-time event maps. There are also more weapons to get your hands on, and even a special Doom event pass that lets you become the Doom Slayer himself, if you're willing to pay for it.

"Thank you to everyone who threw down in Black Ops 7 ranked play this year," Treyarch remarks. "We've appreciated your feedback and reactions to our ongoing SR changes and updates, and your collective passion and dedication continue to make our competitive community stronger." It notes that BO7 Season 6 Ranked is "a three-week sprint," so you don't have long to earn your spot. "Rank up, and we'll see you again in MW4," the studio signs off.

The new Season 6 multiplayer map is Quantum, a "Guild quantum computing facility buried within the Arctic ice" that promises dense cover, but with flanking routes and openings on all sides. There's also Bloodstead, an overhauled Homestead where zombies lurk around the map. In keeping with that is the Hordepoint mode, Treyarch's seasonal twist on Hardpoint where the undead will lurch at anyone who gets too close.

Then there are the 6v6 TEDD Trials, which bring three Zombies maps into regular MP. There are five trials that will cycle throughout a match, with the first team to reach the score limit claiming victory, and you'll also be able to snag Ray Guns along the way. The locations are Roadkill, based on Ashes of the Damned's Exit 115; Inferno, the ancestral castle from Kowakujo; and Lost, the remote lighthouse found on Totenreich.

Four new weapons are up for grabs. The first two come from the battle pass: the full-auto VMP submachine gun is fast and versatile, with reliable accuracy and damage output, making it ideal for flankers. The TR51 Para assault rifle is a "very" high-damage assault rifle with high bullet velocity, making it great at range. It starts out as a semi-auto weapon, but with the ability to be configured to full-auto instead.

The other two new weapons are event rewards. The Arcblade is "a near-future spin on a bladed tonfa, combining a knifelike blade attached to the underside of grip and frame for maximum speed and stability." It's fast, with moderate range and high damage. Then there's the Roc 20m, a semi-auto cannon that delivers "devastating damage output." It also boasts the ability to convert it to full-auto firing, but keep its vicious recoil in mind.

Black Ops 7 Zombies has a new survival map too, Tenshu, where you'll be tasked with holding out for as long as possible in a confined section of Kowakujo. There's also directed mode for Rex Infernus, which helps you along the quest path, and Starting Room, which takes us back to the first Nacht der Untoten from World at War. Stuck in the initial two-story house with limited resources to hand, how long can you hold back the hordes? Rogue Run gets more pedestal rewards, Avalon has a night mode with a special summoning event, and there's a new 'super easter egg' that can unlock The Warden as an operator.

Warzone rolls out Haunted Hollow, where darkness has fallen over Haven's Hollow. As "cosmic tentacles dominate the skyline, heralding the arrival of unknown eldritch horrors," you'll have to deal with raging fires in the lumbermill and a dangerous gravity vortex at the mansion. One of the best sources of loot is the Ghost Train that roams the world, but in order to snag it you'll need to first phase the train back into reality. There are also festive pumpkins to collect, which will either bestow you with a treat… or a trick. You have been warned.

Also joining the Warzone lineup is the 64-player Giant Infected mode, where survivors must attempt to build a DNA bomb before they're overrun by the Infected. Eight people start on the zombie team, and anyone who falls joins their ranks. The undead grow stronger the longer they survive, and can amplify this by taking out survivors and collecting DNA for themselves. Should team survivor still manage to activate the device, they'll have to defend it until it goes off to secure victory.

The Doom event pass runs for a limited time only, and has a set of free rewards up for grabs that include the 'Researcher' operator skin for Wei Lin, the 'Scientist' operator skin for Falkner, and the aforementioned Roc 20mm. Upgrade to the paid track, and you'll get Doom Slayer as a new operator for JSOC, along with an alternative 'Doom Guy' skin. Elsewhere, two new operators can be found in the Season 6 battle pass - digital intrusion specialist Revenant joins JSOC, while the "uniquely resourceful" Blackjack arrives for Guild.

Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Season 6 is live now. Whether you're looking for some seasonal spice, looking to try out the Doom Slayer, or simply there to send off BO7 before Modern Warfare 4 arrives, it's certainly an extremely packed offering.