Warzone and Black Ops 7: Why the Battle Royale Mode Is Missing from the Beta

Many players expected to try Warzone during the Call of Duty Black Ops 7 beta, but it wasn’t part of the program. If you’re wondering when you’ll get to step into the battle royale and why it’s absent from the beta, here’s everything you need to know.

First, remember that Black Ops 7 launches on November 14, 2025, while the open beta only focused on classic multiplayer modes and the Zombies Survival mode. The beta period, held in early October, was designed to test weapons, maps, and core gameplay mechanics. Warzone was never planned to be included in this phase.

The main reason is straightforward: Warzone is a standalone mode. It features its own massive maps, loot and economy systems, and weapon balancing. Adding it to the beta would have complicated testing and overloaded the servers. The developers prefer to fine-tune the battle royale separately to ensure it launches in the best possible state.

Another key factor is that Treyarch and the Warzone team aim to separate balancing between the two modes. What you experience in standard multiplayer won’t be identical in battle royale, especially when it comes to weapons and attachments. This approach will allow them to adjust the Warzone meta more quickly without affecting the rest of the game.

There’s also a clear marketing strategy at play. Activision typically reserves Warzone content for a dedicated reveal, such as during the Call of Duty NEXT event. This is usually when they showcase the new map, unique mechanics, and the season roadmap. According to early details, Warzone will be integrated into Black Ops 7 with the arrival of Season 1, shortly after the game’s launch. That’s also when features like mastery camos and new weapons will become available in the battle royale.