If you’ve spent any time with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 so far, you’ve probably stumbled across its hidden gem — Dead Ops Arcade 4 (DOA4). This top-down, twin-stick chaos mode is back, filled with waves of zombies, wild power-ups, and some of the most frustratingly fun gameplay in the entire series. But one thing that hasn’t changed? Running out of lives can ruin a great run in seconds.

Luckily, there are ways to extend your survival and even simulate “unlimited lives” in DOA4. While there’s no official cheat code, players have discovered several reliable methods and strategies that make it almost impossible to die — if you know what you’re doing. Here’s a detailed look at how to keep your run going forever.

Understanding Lives in DOA4

In Dead Ops Arcade 4, lives function as your core resource. Every time you get hit by a zombie, explosive, or trap, you lose one. Lose them all, and your run is over. You can earn extra lives through score milestones, bonus rooms, and certain hidden objectives, but these are limited.

The goal, then, is to build a setup and playstyle that allows you to avoid losing lives in the first place — or to trigger the systems that grant more.

Use the Silverback’s Armory Wisely

The Silverback Armory is your best friend when it comes to survival. It contains powerful temporary boosts and modifiers that can help you last longer. One of the most important upgrades you can grab is the Life Multiplier reward, which increases your chances of earning extra lives after specific milestones.

To get it consistently, focus on racking up multipliers by killing zombies quickly and avoiding damage. The higher your score streak, the better your rewards become. It’s not quite “unlimited lives,” but it pushes you in that direction.

Master the Gem System

Gems are the secret sauce of DOA4. Collecting them increases your multiplier and improves your loot rewards at the end of each round. A high gem count means more score, and more score means more bonus lives.

Prioritize clearing gem drops before they disappear, and don’t be afraid to use your Nuke or Boost ability to grab them safely. The trick is to play aggressively early on, when lives don’t matter as much, so you can snowball your score later.

Team Up in Crossplay Sessions

Playing DOA4 solo is fun, but survival is easier with friends — especially if you take advantage of crossplay BO7 bot lobbies or cooperative sessions to practice team coordination. With teammates, you can cover multiple angles, revive each other faster, and share life pickups strategically.

When playing in a coordinated squad, designate one player as the “cleaner” who focuses on reviving and grabbing lives while others focus on clearing enemies. This balance drastically reduces the risk of total team wipes and keeps your collective lives flowing.

Exploit the Bonus Rooms

Every few rounds, you’ll enter a Bonus Room that offers random rewards, including extra lives. These are essential if you’re aiming for a high-round run. Learn the layouts — many of them have hidden chests or switches that can trigger additional rewards.

Sometimes, the bonus rooms also hide secret portals that warp you to treasure levels. These stages are packed with gems and loot, indirectly granting more lives through score bonuses. If you’re grinding through buy BO7 bot lobbies to practice, focus on memorizing these bonus sequences to maximize your real runs later.

Use Power-Ups Smartly

Power-ups can easily mean the difference between life and death. The Lightning Bolt, Barrel Drop, and Mech Suit are all great for clearing large waves before they can overwhelm you. But the key is timing — wasting a powerful drop on a small wave leaves you vulnerable when things get serious.

Save the Nuke power-up for tight situations or boss encounters. If you manage your resources well, you’ll lose far fewer lives over the course of your run, effectively giving yourself unlimited endurance.

The “Unlimited Lives” Glitch (Sort Of)

While there’s no confirmed infinite lives cheat in the Beta build, some players in the community have discovered a method to stack bonus lives during co-op sessions. When two players collect a life pickup at the exact same time, the game sometimes duplicates it, granting both players the life instead of one.

This seems to work best in stable lobbies with good ping and might not be consistent, but it’s worth trying if you’re hunting for marathon runs. Keep in mind this could be patched in the full release, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Train with Bots Before the Real Run

If you’re serious about mastering DOA4, it’s smart to train your reaction times and pattern recognition before going into high rounds. Some players use buy BO7 bot lobbies to warm up or practice survival under pressure. While bots aren’t available in DOA4 directly, similar training modes in the main game help improve your reflexes and spatial awareness — both essential for surviving in the chaotic arcade mode.

Final Thoughts

Achieving “unlimited lives” in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 DOA4 is really about playing smart, not just relying on exploits. By combining efficient gem collection, teamwork, bonus room mastery, and careful use of power-ups, you can extend your run far beyond what most players manage.

The Beta version of Black Ops 7 has made DOA4 one of the most challenging and rewarding side modes in the series so far. Whether you’re experimenting with crossplay BO7 bot lobbies to fine-tune your skills or diving into real matches with friends, the path to immortality lies in strategy, timing, and precision.