It’s Finally Happened — You Can Play As Nicolas Cage in Call of Duty

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set to kick off its “Summer of Action” in the only way fitting of the name: by adding Nicolas Cage to the game.

In a Dream Scenario for some, players will now be able to Face/Off with and play as the Hollywood actor, as you pick up 8MM ammunition when you’re feeling Wild at Heart and decide that it’s Time to Kill, proving you’re the Lord of War before using those Longlegs to sprint away from the scene and be Gone in 60 Seconds.

The shooter series has welcomed so many celebrities into its arms over the years that it may feel like Deja Vu, but no, Cage has never appeared in the game before — somewhat surprising for such a National Treasure. OK, that’s enough of that.

Season 4 Reloaded sees arguably the biggest action star of the 90s, with films such as Con Air and The Rock being among his most beloved movies, join the fight as an operator. Arriving on June 25, it promises “blockbuster battles” and “absolute chaos”, which is emphasised in the all-action trailer, which ends with Cage walking away from an explosion in slow motion. Absolute cinema.

It’s fair to say that Black Ops 7 hasn’t been the most well-received Call of Duty, with a sub-standard campaign at launch, followed by some unimpressive multiplayer additions, including a misguided Dave Chapelle tracer pack. But Treyarch hasn’t given up on this year’s release, recently adding a new classic mode that appears to have fixed a lot of issues players have had with the game.

No matter how often the Call of Duty developers insist that each release won’t result in some sort of silliness, it always seems to find its way into the game, but at least this new Nic Cage addition is good fun.

Here’s what players can expect in Season 04 Reloaded:

Multiplayer:

• Multiplayer Maps: Breach a luxurious cliffside compound in the new Zenith, following a bloody handprint to the running water hidden below, then prepare for takeoff on the remastered Launch, returning from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops.
• Multiplayer Modes: Adapt on the fly in Team Blueprint Sharpshooter as Weapon Blueprints rotate throughout the match, earning bonuses for elimination streaks. For a close-quarters challenge, drop the ranged weapons and brawl it out in Knife Fight.
• Black Ops Classic: The popular throwback mode becomes a permanent addition to Black Ops 7, with four more iconic maps joining the rotation: Launch, Fringe, Hacienda, and Gridlock.

Zombies:

• New Round-Based Zombies Map – Kowakujō: To save the material world and free the last Shadowsmith, the crew makes a harrowing journey to a feudal Japanese castle in the Dark Aether, surrounded by volcanoes and drowning in fire. This is Kowakujō, the next Round-Based Zombies map arriving with Season 04 Reloaded.
• New Enemies and Wonder Weapon: Battle the supernatural Oni, wielding a kanabō war club and the power of electricity, while evading fire-drenched Hellhounds and Scorched Zombies eager to immolate the crew. Enlist the help of a mystical new Wonder Weapon, plus an additional legacy weapon in the Mystery Box.
• New Features: Add firepower to your squad with the Legendary Hellping Hound GobbleGum, summoning a friendly Hellhound against the horde. Take on the Main Quest for XP and rewards, push the challenge in Cursed to unlock new Pack-a-Punch Camos, and call on the castle’s long-dead riflemen with the Ghostly Rifleman Trap.

Call of Duty: Warzone:

• New Limited-Time Modes: Gun Game goes bigger than ever in Squad Gun Game, challenging squads of three to be the first to cycle through every weapon across Resurgence maps. Later in the season, Buy Back Quads returns as a Weekend LTM.
• The Champion’s Quest Returns: For elite squads only, the ultimate test of ability is back. Qualify, then take on a difficult multi-step mission culminating in an explosive ending that finishes the match and secures your standing among the best of the best.
• Rebirth Island Heats Up: With the arrival of summer, brighter weather returns to Rebirth Island. The winter elements melt away, while POIs like Turbine, introduced in Season 02, remain in a sunnier setting.

Endgame:

• Operation King Killer: The Guild’s defenses are down as JSOC breaches the company firewall. Pinpoint the location of the Central Command Node and destroy it in Operation King Killer, delivering ten escalating challenges in Zone III and higher. Complete the Operation with either Samuels, Wei Lin, or Emma Kagan to earn a new Weapon Camo, and with all three to access a new Animated Weapon Camo.
• New Skill Track, New Skills and Minor Ability: Stand up to the most punishing encounters with the new Guardian Skill Track, transforming your Operator into a frontline anchor. Unlock a new Exotic Skill and Nightmare Skill, and brain-rot your foes with the hallucinogenic effects of the new Psych Grenade Minor Ability.
• Free to Play Continues: Play Endgame for free through the end of Season 05. Invite your friends to join the squad, level up, and earn rewards through the co-operative mode’s multiple Operations.

Across all modes:

• New Weapons, Attachments: Rush into battle, an axe in each hand, with the new Executioner’s Duet Melee Weapon, or pick off foes at range as the iconic AN-94 Assault Rifle returns with its signature quick-burst firing mechanism. Plus, enhance your arsenal with new Attachments including the XR-3 Ion Vulcan Minigun, DS20 Mirage Dual Fire Kit, and Velox 5.7 Carbine Chassis.
• New Events: Nick Cage leads the action this summer in a brand-new Event Pass, joined by the Summer of Action Daily Login Event, new Multiplayer and Resurgence Ranked Series Events, and the Kowakujō Event, all bringing fresh rewards including Loadout items, Weapon Camos, Double XP Tokens, and more.
• New Store Offerings: Access new Ultra, Reactive, and Mastercraft Skins across new Bundles arriving in the Store throughout the Mid-Season, including the Tracer Pack: Ironclad Mastercraft Bundle featuring the “Chronovox” Mastercraft Weapon Blueprint for the new AN-94 Assault Rifle.
• Free Trial: For a limited time, play Black Ops 7 Multiplayer and Zombies for free, including the new Zenith and Launch maps and the Kowakujō Round-Based Zombies map. Stay tuned for more details, coming soon.

Activision recently revealed 2026’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Developed by Infinity Ward, statements have already been made regarding a commitment to keeping “goofy” skins out of the game, claiming that players can “keep the receipts”. We’ll see how well that holds up this time next year.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will release on October 23rd for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Players can go hands-on with Modern Warfare 4 at Fanatics Fest from July 16th – July 19th.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.