Use this OP Black Ops 7 Zombies Cursed strategy while you still can

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7s Cursed mode has, as expected, proven to be a big hit with longtime fans. While it doesn't remove all the modern mechanics that old-school players have criticized, as features like armor still remain, it does resemble the older modes thanks to the use of the traditional scoring system and other features. With the acquisition of points working differently, and the prices of purchases like the Pack-a-Punch being raised to accommodate the change, having a points weapon is again important.

Newer Cod Zombies players who only got into Zombies with games like Black Ops Cold War, Black Ops 6and Black Ops 7 may not be familiar with the concept of a point weapon, as in modern games scoring has been all about accuracy and headshots. But with the old system, the goal is to damage the undead as much as possible without actually killing them. There have been some iconic scoring weapons over the years, be it the MP40 on the Kino Der Toten wall or the Tommy Gun on Mob of the Dead. However, Black Ops 7s biggest point gun outshines them all, and it's so good in Cursed that players should expect a nerf sooner rather than later. The weapon is none other than the Akita Shotgun, and Cursed fans should use it while it's still on top of the mountain.

Why is Black Ops 7's Akita Shotgun so good in Cursed?

Black Ops 7's Akita Shotgun shines because of its unique feature: its fully automatic nature. Unlike the pump action M10 Breacher or the two-round burst Echo 12, players can hold down the trigger on the Akita and fly through all its ammo, pumping led to a horde of undead. It doesn't deal the most damage in the world, although it's fun to shoot, so it's relatively useless in regular zombies. However, one mode's trash is another mode's treasure, as it is the perfect secondary in early and mid Cursed matches. Each bullet from Akita counts as an individual bullet, and with each bullet hitting a zombie giving 10 points in Cursed, it doesn't take long for the points to really pile up.

As players pump their shotgun rounds into a group of enemies, all of the bullets will hit targets and even penetrate others, meaning it won't be long before players earn tens of thousands of points. In just a few rounds of peppering enemies with Akita shots before finishing them off with a Wonder Weapon like the Necrofluid Gauntlet or a powerful bullet gun like the M34 Novaline, players will have enough points to fully upgrade their weapons and get all the perks they still need. While players are hopeful that the Akita won't be nerfed, since it serves this special purpose in Cursed that makes it desirable when it otherwise wouldn't be, the fact that it's so much better than any other weapon at earning points gives good reason to be nervous for the next balancing session.

Since players can't spawn in with a weapon of their choice in Cursed, since they always start with just a gun, they usually have to hit the Mystery Box and hope for the best. However, the Akita is a wall weapon that can be found in Ashwood, making it something Cursed players can grab every single game of Ashes of the Damned.

Black Ops 7 Season 1 will be a turning point for Akita Shotgun in Cursed

One way or another, the initial season of post-launch content for Black Ops 7 will determine whether the Akita becomes even more overwhelmed or experiences a fall from grace. If it's downgraded so that each pellet no longer gives points, the weapon will go from being meta in Cursed to being largely ignored. But if left alone by Treyarch, it's only going to be even more profitable thanks to Season 1's big addition. First up is Mule Kick, which debuts as part of the new round-based map Astra Malorum. As always, this perk will allow players to hold three weapons at the same time, meaning they can have a strong bullet weapon, a sub weapon, and a point weapon in Akita at the exact same time.

The other addition that will benefit Akita users is one of the new attachments coming in Season 1 that will be unlocked via weekly challenges. Within the launch window of the first season, players will be able to earn the Akita Scorchlink Akimbo accessory. This means that if Akita somehow survives being nerfed in Cursed mode, players will be able to use the best point gun in all of Zombies. This mount, when combined with the Dragon's Breath mount to make it more effective against the Zursa miniboss, should allow Akita to be an even more viable weapon than it already is. Players would be able to fire slowly when trying to build points, or rapid fire in an emergency or kill a bear, making the gun both fun to use and effective.

While Cod Zombie chargeouts are not present in Cursed mode, players can use them to set weapon builds for weapons. These builds will make it so that when players buy a gun from the wall or pull it from the Mystery Box, it will have their choice of accessories and camo equipped.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies is hiding its new miniboss in plain sight

Season 1's release date will be a moment of truth for Akita fans, and there's an argument to be made both for and against its nerf. Sure, it makes other point weapons irrelevant, and being a wall weapon means players can reliably get it in every Cursed match, but having particularly useful (and weak) weapons helps give the weapon lineup a distinct identity. Players will soon know if Treyarch intended Akita to shine in Cursed or if it was an oversight, as the Season 1 balancing session either leaves the gun alone or tears it apart. For now though, Akita is an overpowered scoring strategy in Cursed that everyone should enjoy while they still can.