Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 1 Reloaded launches Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. The mid-season update brings three multiplayer maps, two new weapons, a Fallout TV show crossover, and new Zombies content to all platforms.
Players should clear their hard drives first. Battle.net users are reporting preload sizes exceeding 174GB, with some installations approaching 200GB total.
Expect a Hefty Download
The Season 1 Reloaded preload is already live on Battle.net, and it's one of the largest mid-season patches in Call of Duty history. Some players are essentially redownloading the entire game.
File sizes vary by platform and installed content. Warzone-only players without Black Ops 7 installed will see smaller downloads. PlayStation typically gets preload access first, followed by Battle.net. Steam users have to wait until launch since Valve's platform doesn't support preloads for seasonal CoD updates.
Three Maps Join the Rotation
Season 1 Reloaded adds one brand-new map and two returning classics to multiplayer.
Yakei is the headline addition. This small map supports both 6v6 and 2v2 modes, set on the neon-lit rooftops of a Japanese city. Players fight through ducts, vents, and industrial structures under a night sky, with vertical combat and tight sightlines defining the experience.
Meltdown returns from Black Ops 2 as a fully remastered medium 6v6 map. The nuclear power plant setting keeps its classic three-lane layout. This marks the first time Meltdown has received a proper remaster.
Fringe rounds out the additions as a returning 6v6 map originally from Black Ops 3.
Two New Weapons
The weapon pool expands with two additions.
The Hawker HX is a bolt-action sniper rifle. It's essentially a renamed and updated version of Black Ops 2's Ballista, so veterans should find the handling familiar.
The Sturmwolf 45 brings a new SMG option based on the classic UMP45 design.
Fallout TV Show Crossover
Microsoft is putting its acquisitions to work. Season 1 Reloaded features a crossover with Amazon's Fallout TV series, bringing operator skins for Lucy, The Ghoul, and Maximus into Black Ops 7.
Both franchises now sit under the Microsoft umbrella following the Activision acquisition, making this collaboration possible.
Zombies Gets Directed Mode
Zombies players have two additions to look forward to.
Directed Mode comes to Astra Malorum, the game's second Zombies map. This guided experience helps players complete the main story quest, making the Easter egg more accessible.
Zarya Cosmodrome from Ashes of the Damned also becomes available as a standalone Survival map for traditional wave-based gameplay.
Black Ops 6 Gear Carries Forward
Several pieces of equipment from Black Ops 6 migrate into Black Ops 7 with this update. The list includes Shock Charge, Impact Grenade, Thermal Grenade, and the Tactical Insertion field upgrade. Multiple BO6 scorestreaks also transfer over, though Activision hasn't detailed which ones yet.
Warzone Anomalies Incoming
Warzone will feature periodic anomalies appearing across the map. Activision hasn't confirmed whether these affect one map or all three battle royale environments, and details on what the anomalies actually do remain scarce.
Timeline and Context
Season 1 Reloaded arrives about five weeks after Season 1 launched on December 4, 2025. The original season added three new maps, the Standoff remaster, and classic modes like Prop Hunt, One In The Chamber, and Sharpshooter. It also fully integrated Black Ops 7 with Warzone, including the new Haven's Hollow Resurgence map.
This Reloaded update is running later than usual. Mid-season drops typically hit around week four or five, but the holidays pushed this one to week six. Treyarch and Raven Software developed the content together.
January 7: Full Season 1 Reloaded blog post
January 8: Patch notes in the morning, content goes live at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET
The morning-of patch notes are a change from recent Black Ops 6 updates, which typically dropped notes 24 hours early. Activision says the team is catching up after the holiday break and wants to deliver accurate notes.
Platform Availability
Black Ops 7 and Season 1 Reloaded are available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Battle.net.
The game launched November 14, 2025 to mixed reviews, sitting at 66/100 on OpenCritic. Season 2 is expected in early February 2026.
