Since being announced back in June at the Xbox Games Showcase, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has kept surprisingly quiet. That is, until now. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is bound to find stiff competition with Battlefield 6 this fall, but a surprising and effective marketing campaign is teasing something big for the former.
On August 11, X user Inkslasher posted to the site, revealing pictures of real-life billboards advertising The Guild, the fictional weapons manufacturer that plays a central role in Black Ops 7's story. These billboards are merely the tip of the iceberg, as The Guild has made its presence known all over the internet for the past few days, offering one of the most intriguing looks into Black Ops 7 yet.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's The Guild is a Bold Commentary On Tech Corporations Becoming Part of Everyday Life
The Guild is Walking Into the Spotlight
Beyond real-life billboards, The Guild has been featured in eerily convincing articles in both Wired and Forbes. Viral social media accounts like Pubity have also helped share the message of The Guild. Even more fascinating, Activision has gone so far as to create an actual website for The Guild that offers a clearer explanation of its mission. It's unclear what lies in store for Black Ops 7, but The Guild is teasing a dark commentary on how tech corporations and weapons manufacturing are quickly becoming one and the same.
Black Ops 7 has yet to reveal an official release date.
The Guild's Message
On the official website, the fictional company's message reads, "At The Guild, our mission is to harness the power of technology to protect and uplift lives around the world. We unite exceptional minds to build a future where security and peace of mind are a universal right." Yeah, that sounds great on paper, but with the ominous tone of the first look into Black Ops 7, there is bound to be a deeper, sinister layer to this powerful tech corporation.
In the reveal trailer, it's quickly made clear that The Guild is one of the most influential and promising tech companies around. Also, with the Nine Inch Nails song "The Hand That Feeds" fading in and out throughout the cinematic, protagonist David Mason is likely going to be put into a situation that requires him to work against the corporation that is sharing a message of peace, at least on the surface.
The Guild's CEO, Emma Kagan, is portrayed by actor Kiernan Shipka.
At The Guild, our mission is to harness the power of technology to protect and uplift lives around the world. We unite exceptional minds to build a future where security and peace of mind are a universal right.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Story Might Hit Closer to Home Than Expected
Despite being set in the year 2035, it's clear that Black Ops 7 is taking inspiration from the real-life evolution of the tech world. The Guild's D.A.W.G. Feels like a direct reference to Boston Dynamics' Spot, an autonomous dog-like robot that is actually being used on work sites for efficiency and safety. The Guild also has the G-R5, which is introduced in the game's trailer, and the race to make lifelike bipedal robots is an ongoing mission for companies like Boston Dynamics and Tesla, with the former having one named Atlas and the former crafting Optimus.
News stories like Spotify CEO Daniel Ek investing in AI military startups like Helsing make Black Ops 7's The Guild feel more real than ever, and it will be fascinating to see how the game approaches such topics. Black Ops 7 is still quite mysterious, but with this unexpected and clever ad campaign for The Guild, the game's story hopefully packs the punch that it's promising.
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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
