Open Moshpit Lands in the Black Ops 7 Beta
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta just added a fresh wrinkle for multiplayer fans: a new playlist called Open Moshpit. This mode brings back a more relaxed matchmaking experience where skill ratings aren’t the primary gatekeeper, inviting players of all levels to jump into a rapid-fire rotation of familiar maps and modes. Treyarch describes Open Moshpit as a gateway for players who want to jump straight into action without worrying about standing in a ladder-based ranking system.
In addition to Open Moshpit, the beta now supports two more playlists: Moshpit and Open Moshpit. While Moshpit keeps the traditional, skill-driven matchmaking vibe, Open Moshpit emphasizes accessibility and a broad mix of community-favorite objectives. This shift mirrors the studio’s ongoing effort to balance competitive depth with casual accessibility ahead of the game’s full release.
What Modes Are Included in Open Moshpit
Open Moshpit consolidates classic multiplayer modes into a single, fast-moving feed. Players can expect:
- Team Deathmatch
- Kill Confirmed
- Domination
- Hardpoint
- Overload
These selections provide a broad cross-section of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s multiplayer toolkit, from straight combat to objective-driven gameplay. The design goal is to let players sample varied playstyles without strict matchmaking constraints.
New and Returning Content in the Beta
The beta’s content slate has also expanded with the introduction of the Blackheart map, joining a rotation that already includes The Forge, Cortex, Exposure, and Imprint. The addition of Blackheart adds new sightlines, verticality, and strategic choke points for teams to contest. Alongside map diversity, the beta has raised its level cap from 20 to 30, offering more progression and unlock opportunities for players testing out weapons and attachments.
Open Hardcore Moshpit and Open Search and Destroy
Treyarch introduced Open Hardcore Moshpit and Open Search and Destroy, two adjacent playlists leveraging the same low-skill matchmaking system found in Open Moshpit. Open Hardcore Moshpit applies hardcore rules—likely reduced health or stricter HUD options—while maintaining accessible matchmaking. Open Search and Destroy keeps the classic objective mode intact but participates in the same accessible matchmaking ecosystem. These options give players a broader palette to experiment with the core balance changes and new weapons in a low-pressure setting.
Weapon Balancing and Player Feedback
Based on community feedback, developers are actively tuning the Black Ops 7 arsenal. In particular, the Dravec 45 and M8A1 have been identified as high-impact choices in terms of time-to-kill (TTK) and usage rates. Treyarch stated that these weapons are ahead of the pack in TTK data and usage, prompting adjustments to their stats and range. The ongoing balance work aims to preserve competitive integrity while ensuring a wide variety of guns can feel viable in both casual and more serious play.
Zombies Survival and Additional Quality-of-Life Improvements
Beyond multiplayer, Zombies Survival remains a major draw in the beta. The mode has been extended longer in response to positive player feedback, and a new Zombies Training Course has been added to help newcomers grasp fundamentals more quickly. General improvements to movement, spawns, and stability continue to roll out, addressing reported issues and smoothing the overall experience as the game approaches launch.
What This Means for Players Ahead of Release
With Open Moshpit and its companion playlists, Treyarch is testing a broader spectrum of player interactions and matchmaking dynamics. The beta’s audience numbers tell a nuanced story: a strong peak but a mix of engagement across platforms. On SteamDB, the game hit a 24-hour peak around 75k players with a historical high near 377k, while Twitch viewership hovers in the mid-teens thousands. These figures matter for how Riot developers calibrate matchmaking, spawns, and map pacing in the final product.
Looking Forward
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is slated for release on November 14, 2025, across PC, PlayStation 5/4, and Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One. The current beta trajectory—open access to Open Moshpit, new maps like Blackheart, and ongoing weapon balance work—signals a push toward a polished launch. If the studio continues to solicit feedback and iterate quickly, the final game could strike a compelling balance between nostalgic, pick-up-and-play multiplayer and deep, competitive play.
