Black Ops 7’s Astra Malorum Just Set Up

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is only a few weeks old, but it’s already received its first full-fledged post-launch map. In addition to the Diner Survival map (and the Cosmodrome coming midseason), gamers can take the fight to the undead on a skull-shaped asteroid with a breathable atmosphere. And while this gorgeous map is on the smaller side, especially compared to the gigantic Ashed of the Damned, Astra Malorum is hiding an epic secret within its main quest. Much like players traveled between Earth and outer space in the BO1 Zombies map Moon, they get to leave Astra Malorum and visit a segment of Mars in the new experience.

This is hardly the only interesting quest-related content on the map, as there’s a side Easter egg where players can trigger some special music. This is separate from the main hidden song Easter egg, though, as players won’t be hearing a new Avenged Sevenfold track from completing the gramophone quest. Instead, after finding records around the map and inserting them into the old music player, they’ll hear the theme composed for Black Ops 4’s Alpha Omega map. This adds weight to the idea that this map will be getting a remake in a future season of Black Ops 7, but given that it was reputable CoD insider @TheGhostOfHope that leaked Alpha Omega’s return, players were already confident that this remake was coming. As such, it’s more interesting to theorize about the Mars location from Astra, as it would make a perfect survival arena.

Astra Malorum’s Mars Area Could Be Something More

Though it’s certainly true that the Mars segment of the Astra Malorum main quest could remain exclusive to that Easter egg, it would feel like a missed opportunity to not make it a standalone experience. Treyarch will run out of Ashes Survival maps sooner rather than later, as the game is only going to be missing Blackwater, Ashwood, and Janus Towers maps once Season 1 reaches its completion. Even if Treyarch moves to one Survival map per Season going forward, they’ll still have a few Seasons’ worth of spots to fill, making the addition of Mars seem like a no-brainer.

Going to Mars during the Astra Malorum main quest made for a jaw-dropping surprise that thrilled the CoD Zombies fan base, so the location will naturally have some extra meaning to many fans of the mode. Beyond that, the Mars arena is perfect for a Survival map. Yes, it’s small, but so was Black Ops 2’s Bus Depot area. There’s enough room for a Wunderfizz machine and Pack-a-Punch, as well as space for a few players to train the undead (or find a corner to camp in), and tiny maps like Nacht Der Untoten or even Groesten Haus from WW2 have a certain charm to them. Add on the fact that Treyarch put in the time to create special models for the Zombies in the Mars area, as well as Shangri-La-like temples, and it would be a shame to see Mars restricted to a quest casual players will never experience.

Alpha Omega’s Comeback Will Live or Die By One Thing

As for the second coming of Alpha Omega, which has now been officially teased by Treyarch, it’s impossible to ignore the community’s initial response to hearing it would be back. Almost immediately, the community collectively asked the question of “why,” as Treyarch is choosing to bring back a divisive BO4 map over beloved classics like Shadows of Evil, IX, and Der Eisendrache. Perhaps there will be a narrative reason to return to the Broken Arrow facility, though given how Alpha Omega was an acquired taste, the community’s concern is understandable. However, perhaps there is more to this strange inclusion than meets the eye.

Though a straightforward remaster would indeed be a headscratcher, perhaps Treyarch will instead be crafting an Alpha Omega successor as opposed to a straightforward copy. Much like Ashes of the Damned is a follow-up to TranZit, re-using ideas from that cult classic to craft a genuinely good map, a fully new map borrowing some elements of Alpha Omega could prove more enjoyable than the original. Perhaps it’ll only bring back Rushmore and the Avogadro, with a completely new underground facility or remodeled ground level that has altered buildings and map boundaries. If Treyarch leverages the Dark Aether to completely reimagine Alpha Omega, both mechanically and aesthetically, that’d be a much easier sell. Still, with some players tired of any and all versions of Nuketown, hopefully more original locations — like the potential Mars Survival map — will continue to be added.

Released

November 14, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs