Endgame: Black Ops 7's Most Interesting Mode
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has tried a few bold ideas this year and not all of them have landed. The campaign has some strange moments including a certain massive mystery character that has left players confused more than impressed.
But one new idea has clearly stood out in a good way. The extraction style Endgame mode has quickly become the most talked about part of Black Ops 7. It takes inspiration from extraction shooters and blends that with classic Call of Duty gunplay and progression.
Endgame only unlocks after you finish the co op campaign. Once you get in you drop into a new area called Avalon, complete objectives, grab loot, gain experience and then exfiltrate at specific points on the map. If you manage to escape, you keep your rewards and build up your combat rating.
The mode is built around risk and reward. You and your squad push through different zones that get more difficult the deeper you go. Enemies hit harder, the objectives get tougher and the pressure ramps up as you try not to lose your loot and progress before you make it to an exfil.
On top of that, Endgame offers unique weapon camos and other goodies that you can only earn by playing it. For a lot of players it has become the real endgame of Black Ops 7 which is fitting given the name.
Endgame Is No Longer Locked Behind The Campaign
There was one big problem with Endgame at launch. You simply could not touch it unless you finished the entire co op campaign or had a friend who had already unlocked it. If you wanted to try this cool new extraction mode you had to grind through a story you might not even like just to get access.
Treyarch has now fixed that.
In a recent official post the studio confirmed that Endgame is being opened up to everyone in Black Ops 7 from Friday November 21. You no longer need to complete the campaign. You no longer need a buddy with the unlock. You can just jump in.
The studio explained that response to Endgame from players who already had access has been very strong. With so many people praising the mode it made sense to let the whole player base try it out instead of hiding it behind completion requirements.
Once the change goes live every player will be able to:
- Drop into Avalon and take on escalating combat zones
- Team up with other players to complete co op objectives
- Increase their power and combat rating run by run
- Earn unique weapon camos tied directly to Endgame
- Exfil to safely bank loot and experience
For anyone who bounced off the campaign or simply did not want to slog through it this is great news. The mode that many consider the most exciting part of Black Ops 7 is finally becoming a core part of the game instead of a late hidden reward.
Rewards For Early Endgame Grinders
One obvious concern is what happens to players who already did the work. If you spent hours finishing the co op campaign just to unlock Endgame you might feel a bit burned now that it is being handed out for free.
Treyarch says early adopters will not be left hanging. If you already completed the co op campaign to unlock Endgame you will receive a batch of bonus rewards sent your way.
These rewards include:
- Three one hour double level XP tokens
- Three one hour double weapon XP tokens
- Three one hour double battle pass XP tokens
- Three Perkaholic Gobblegums
That is a nice boost for leveling your profile, your guns and your battle pass. It also adds some useful Gobblegums to your stash for future sessions.
Players who jump straight into Endgame now are not left out either. Treyarch is also throwing in several rewards that were previously only tied to the co op campaign along with extra experience and a dedicated camo path.
New Endgame players can earn:
- Irides One M15 MOD 0 weapon blueprint
- Phantom Shadow SK weapon blueprint
- Razorfire Vertex Ryden 45K weapon blueprint
- Grounded Mason operator skin
- Fifty five thousand XP
That is a solid set of cosmetics and progression right out of the gate. Between the blueprints, the operator skin and the XP burst you will have plenty of reasons to keep queuing for more Endgame runs even if you do not care much about the wider campaign story.
Overall this move feels like the right call. The campaign has landed as a mixed experience for a lot of players but Endgame has clear potential as a long term mode that keeps Black Ops 7 interesting. Opening it up makes the game more welcoming and gives everyone access to the content that is generating the most excitement.
If you have been curious about Black Ops 7 but were sitting on the sidelines or only touched multiplayer, this is a good moment to jump in. With Endgame going global and a pile of rewards on the line, Avalon is about to get crowded.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/treyarch-is-opening-up-call-of-duty-black-ops-7s-endgame-extraction-shooter-to-everyone-after-realising-that-most-people-probably-wont-finish-the-campaign/
