Activision’s latest behemoth, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, has arrived, and it seems the title is currently having an identity crisis. On one hand, critics are generally impressed, with the game securing an impressive 84/100 on Metacritic—its best score for the Black Ops sub-series since the original. That’s a solid win, especially for a game that just edged out last month’s rival, Battlefield 6, by a single point.
But if you think that means everything is quiet on the Western Front of gaming discourse, think again. The campaign, which offers an immersive, story-driven experience, is marred by an unexpected and highly controversial design choice that has players scratching their heads, and probably missing out on dinner.
Always-Online, Always-Moving
For the first time in the series’ history, the single-player campaign for a Call of Duty title requires an always-on internet connection. In 2025, that’s a common enough requirement for online features, but for a solo experience? That’s where things get shaky.
The core issue stems from the online requirement enabling a bizarre side effect: you cannot pause the game.
Yes, you read that correctly. If your dog needs to go out, the Uber Eats delivery driver is at the door, or, heaven forbid, you just need a moment to collect yourself after a particularly intense firefight, the game doesn’t care. Hit the pause button, and the action will simply continue in the background. If you leave the game idle for what the server deems “too long,” you’ll be unceremoniously booted out.
The Checkpoint Catastrophe
While being forced to play your entire campaign without a bathroom break is already an aggressive design choice, it’s compounded by another critical omission: the single-player missions reportedly lack in-mission checkpoints.
Let that sink in for a moment. If you’re 45 minutes into an objective, the internet drops out for a moment, the server decides you’ve been AFK for too long, or an actual real-world emergency calls you away from your console, you lose all progress for that mission. You must complete each mission in one, uninterrupted, connected sitting. It takes the notion of high-stakes gameplay to a level no one asked for.
It’s a genuine shame because initial reviews hint at a campaign with a strong foundation. However, as noted by publications like Engadget, the mission design, which is reportedly heavily tuned for a four-player co-operative experience, becomes “tediously repetitive” when attempted solo.
A Co-Op or Nothing Campaign
Adding insult to injury for the solo warrior is the reported lack of AI squad companions. The missions are structured for a four-person team, but if you don’t have three friends ready and willing to commit to a solid hour of unpausable, always-online gameplay, you’re forced to shoulder the entire load of objectives yourself.
The critics’ score is high mainly due to the core gameplay being exceptional, but the growing chorus of player complaints around these forced online limitations and checkpoint woes is impossible to ignore.
