Black Ops 7 campaign difficulty explained

How does campaign difficulty work in Black Ops 7? So, you've finally jumped into Black Ops 7 and dove headfirst into the campaign menu. But, wait, where are the difficulty options? Well, as it turns out, the alternating series cycle isn't the only formula the Call of Duty team's decided to throw out this year.

The Black Ops 7 missions list has been designed with co-op play in mind. With the promise of unlocking the new PvE mode Endgame for conquering all 11 story beats, you'll have the best time with this year's campaign when teaming up with pals. But that's not to say you can't have a great time playing through each showstopping set piece on your own. With that in mind, let's get you clued up on how the Black Ops 7 campaign difficulty works.

Black Ops 7 has thrown out its conventional, selectable campaign difficulty choices, opting instead for a dynamic system that alters gameplay toughness based on how many players are in a squad.

It's certainly an interesting choice, considering some of the best co-op shooter series campaigns of all time, including the likes of Halo and Gears of War, offered players control over how hard they wanted the experience to be.

In our experience playing through the campaign, we found the new system to skew towards the easier side. There are no punishments or restrictions when it comes to how many times players can be revived, and the only punishment for your entire squad falling is that you're pushed to a previous checkpoint.

Speaking to IGN back in August 2025, associate creative director Miles Leslie says: "We've baked it in because you have to approach a co-op campaign differently, and we wanted to make sure the missions felt right for solo players - we're not forgetting about you, we love you - but also because it is a social experience we want to make sure it's fun, but the right amount of challenging for two, three, and four players as well."

So that's how campaign difficulty works in Black Ops 7. RIP, Veteran clear bragging rights. If you're wondering how long it'll take you (or the gang) to beat the game, check out our clear time in our Black Ops 7 length guide.