What are all the Black Ops 7 Zombies modes? There are four modes available in Zombies so far: Standard, Survival, and Cursed, with Directed being added with Season One, each offering different incentives and experiences to players, from intense waves of enemies to a more relaxed narrative focus.
We're hoping for new modes or events when BO7 Season One arrives, alongside the new Zombies maps we already know are coming. In the meantime, here's what each current Zombies mode entails, including the brand new Cursed mode in Black Ops 7, and what you need to know about Dead Ops Arcade 4.
Black Ops 7 Zombies modes
Here are the Black Ops 7 Zombies modes:
- Standard
- Directed
- Survival
- Cursed
- Dead Ops Arcade 4
Standard
This is the Zombies that you know and love; round-based waves of enemies, starting in the massive Ashes of the Damned map, and continuing the Dark Aether story. It features all the secrets you'd expect from Zombies alongside the main quest and side easter eggs. The standard mode is available when Black Ops 7 launches, and this is what most players will opt for. It has been recommended for experienced players, as unlike some of the other modes, you need to search for clues and uncover easter eggs on your own, without any hints.
If you want some help with the first main quest, take a look at our Ashes of the Damned easter egg walkthrough.
Directed
This Zombies mode was first available in Black Ops 6. It's an easier version of Zombies as it gives you guidance and on-screen instructions to the main quest, giving you a step-by-step walkthrough of how to complete tasks and find easter eggs. If you want to focus less on fighting Zombies or searching for clues, and more on exploration, Directed is the best mode, but it's worth noting that side quests are disabled to focus on the story.
There's also a max round cap, so the Zombie hordes never get too intense, making Directed essentially a chiller Zombies experience. Like Black Ops 6, Directed mode won't be available at launch, but Directed Mode comes to Ashes of the Damned as part of the Season 1 update. If you want the exclusive rewards for completing the main quest, you must complete it before that time arrives.
Survival
If, however, you don't want to focus on the story at all and what you enjoy from Zombies is, well, killing zombies, then Survival is making a comeback. Survival mode is all about staying alive as you and your pals fight waves of enemies in a small part of the Ashes of the Damned map. There's no story, main campaign, or quests; it's just you and your team fighting it out to survive relentless and increasingly difficult waves of undead enemies, and the aim is to hold your own for as long as possible.
The first Survival map is a smaller version of the Vandorn Family Farm, complete with accessible caches and machines as well as crafting tables and wall buys to fully stock up and use Essence and Salvage to improve weapons and gear. Vandorn Farm Survival is available right now, with more maps to follow in seasonal updates.
Cursed
One of the most talked about new modes to emerge on the Call of Duty Zombies scene, Cursed mode is a whole new experience that launched with Black Ops 7, and it's extremely challenging, even for the most hardcore Zombies fans. Described as an old-school mode for veteran players, Cursed looks to strip back Zombies to what we experienced in previous entries, like starting the game with just a pistol and figuring out what to do and where to go.
In Cursed mode, there's an emphasis on exploration and figuring things out; there's no mini-map, and it goes back to the points-based system. The aim in Cursed is to discover hidden relics that unlock permanent modifiers, which can be used to increase the challenge, as well as the rewards.
These relics hark back to the history of Zombies, so there are some cool details to discover in these powerful artifacts, but obtaining them isn't easy. Once applied, modifiers include things like limiting Perk-a-Colas or removing ammo caches, but with the promise of power-ups and unique benefits, like Golden Armor.
Dead Ops Arcade 4
Dead Ops Arcade hasn't been seen since Black Ops Cold War, but finally made a comeback in BO7, as the Silverback family calls in their patriarch Papaback. Challenge and defeat the monkeys and hordes of zombies in chaotic, increasingly tough, top-down, twin-stick, arcade-style Zombies gameplay. Across 20 areas and ten bonus locations, you'll see some iconic maps from Black Ops history, including the legendary Nuketown.
Now that you're caught up on the Black Ops 7 Zombies modes, check out all the Zombies maps we've seen so far and how Black Ops 7 prestige works alongside Black Ops 7 carry forward, explained, so you can bring your old gear with you.