Following a showing of the game's latest trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Associate Creative Director Miles Leslie was invited on stage to shed some more light on the upcoming sequel. During the on-stage interview, Leslie mentioned that although the game has connections to prior entries, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is "a beast of its own," and it can be enjoyed by series newcomers too.
That certainly seems to be the case, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 introducing a team of elite operatives known as Specter One, a new team but one that's home to some familiar faces. Though Black Ops 7's mind-bending story will likely be a fairly self-contained one, there are bound to be Easter eggs and references to past Black Ops entries hiding around every corner. 2012's Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is already receiving a lot of love in Black Ops 7, with David Mason, Mike Harper, and Raul Menendez all making their return. But Black Ops 7 isn't just glossing over last year's well-received entry.
Troy Marshall Connects Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Black Ops 6's Campaigns
Who Is Call of Duty's Troy Marshall?
About a decade prior to the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Troy Marshall joined the US Marine Corps. Surviving the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings, Marshall decided to switch career paths, and joined the CIA's Special Activities Division. At the CIA, Marshall drew the attention of Frank Woods, a Vietnam vet and one of the CIA's best Black Ops operatives. Following the emergence of the menacing Pantheon organization, Marshall was forced to go on the run with Frank Woods and the rest of his rogue Black Ops crew.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's latest trailer had a brief shot of Frank Woods' gravestone. Woods has become the Black Ops series' strongest piece of connective tissue, tying together Black Ops 1, 2, 6, Cold War, and even the PS Vita game Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified.
For most of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's campaign, Troy Marshall can be found right by the player's side, engaging in all-out firefights and covert missions alike. Marshall is playable very briefly during Black Ops 6's 'High Rollers' mission, where players control him walking towards a high-stakes poker game. Marshall is also one of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's multiplayer and Zombies Operators.
Troy Marshall Is Back in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Campaign
Troy Marshall kept himself fairly busy during the 44-year gap between Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7's campaigns. In the year following the events of Black Ops 6's campaign, Marshall helped to hunt down the remnants of Pantheon. Fully reinstated, Marshall continued to work with the CIA for around a decade.
But in 2004, Marshall suffered a severe injury while on the frontlines in Afghanistan. While he was no longer able to fight in the field, Marshall used his accrued knowledge and experience to become one of the US Marines' most renowned commanders, and in the year 2028, he earned the rank of Colonel and agreed to head-up the Joint Special Operations Command. Here, he met David "Section" Mason.
In Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's campaign, Troy Marshall will oversee Mason and his team of elite operatives during their reality-warping adventure.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 66 /100 Critics Rec: 34%
- Released
- November 14, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
