When is Black Ops 7 set? All Black Ops games in chronological order

Black Ops 7 takes place in the year 2035. That puts it over forty years after Black Ops 6 and a full decade after the future missions we saw in Black Ops 2. BO7 acts as the missing link between Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 3. BO2 gave us our first look at drones and tech-driven warfare in 2025, while BO3 jumped ahead to 2065 with a full focus on futuristic technology. That left a big void in the timeline, which is exactly where Treyarch decided to set Black Ops 7.

In this article, we break down the chronological order of every Black Ops game.

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Chronological order of every Black Ops game

Black Ops 7 is set in 2035. That places it more than forty years after Black Ops 6 and about a decade after the future missions in Black Ops 2. It fills the missing piece between BO2’s near-future setting and the full-on sci-fi world of BO3. Here’s how the main Black Ops timeline plays out, with some context for each entry:

1) Call of Duty: World at War (1940s)

Call of Duty: World at War (Image via Activision)

World at War is often remembered as a World War II game, but it actually set the stage for the Black Ops series. It’s where we first meet Viktor Reznov, a Soviet soldier who later becomes central to Mason’s story in the first Black Ops. Without this introduction, the Black Ops storyline wouldn’t have the same depth or connection to its roots.

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2) Call of Duty: Black Ops (1960s)

Call of Duty Black Ops (Image via Activision)

This is the first true Black Ops game. In Call of Duty: Black Ops, you step into the shoes of Alex Mason, a soldier who’s been brainwashed by the Soviets. The campaign throws you into the thick of the Cold War, with missions ranging from the Bay of Pigs invasion to the jungles of Vietnam, and even hidden Soviet facilities where darker experiments are taking place. Reznov makes his return here.

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3) Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (Early 1980s)

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (Image via Activision)

Black Ops Cold War picks up right after the first game. Here, the story focuses on CIA operations against the Soviets, with the main threat coming from Perseus, a mysterious agent trying to tip the balance of power. The game dives deep into espionage, undercover missions, and the lengths both sides were willing to go to win during the Cold War.

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4) Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Late ’80s-early ’90s)

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 (Image via Activision)

Black Ops 6 takes place during the final days of the Soviet Union. As old alliances fall apart, the world plunges into chaos. The Cold War might be winding down, but new conflicts are already emerging. The story shows what happens when power suddenly shifts and covert operations get even riskier.

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5) Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (1986 & 2025)

Black Ops 2 is unique because it tells its story across two timelines. In the 1980s missions, you’ll be back with Mason and Woods as they deal with the rise of Raul Menendez, one of the most unforgettable villains in the franchise.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Image via Activision)

The game then jumps to 2025, where Alex Mason’s son, David, takes the lead in a very different kind of war, one shaped by advanced technology and unmanned drones. It was the first Call of Duty to push the series into the future, marking a huge shift in how the games were told.

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6) Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2065)

Call of Duty Black Ops 3 (Image via Activision)

By the time we reach Black Ops 3, the world has gone full sci-fi. Soldiers are cybernetically enhanced, AI has too much control, and society is crumbling under the weight of futuristic warfare. It feels more like a dystopian future story than a spy thriller, but it’s the natural conclusion of the path the series started in BO2 and BO7.

Here’s some simple advice:

• Play in release order if you want to experience the story as Treyarch originally intended.
• Play in timeline order if you want to see how everything connects historically.
• Skip Black Ops 4 if you don’t care about filler, since it doesn’t have a full campaign.

Black Ops 7 is set in 2035, right between the 2025 missions of BO2 and the futuristic world of BO3 in 2065. The Black Ops games have never followed a straight timeline, and that’s part of what makes the series unique.

Each entry jumps to a different era, showing how warfare shifts with new technology and changing politics. Play them in order and you’ll experience the full journey, from Reznov’s WWII origins all the way to the chaotic, tech-driven battles of the late 21st century.

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