Activision is set to deliver the back-to-back re-release of "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2," but the publisher has recently confirmed somber news for fans looking forward to it.
PlayStation fans have been waiting years to play "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2" on modern hardware, and that wait is almost over. However, Activision has now answered the biggest question surrounding these re-releases, and the answer is not what most fans were hoping to hear.
Activision Confirms Sad News For 'Black Ops' Fans
In a statement provided to Eurogamer, an Activision representative confirmed that the upcoming PlayStation versions of "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2" are strictly ports and not remasters.
The games have not been altered or visually upgraded from their original PS3 versions, meaning players jumping in on PS5 or PS4 should not expect improved textures, higher frame rates, or any other technical enhancements beyond what the hardware's backward compatibility layer naturally provides.
The news is disappointing but not entirely surprising as, in a post that announced the re-release, Treyarch used the term "ported" when first announcing these re-releases, which made it somewhat apparent from the start that they would not be remastered.
This, combined with the fact that the games are not being brought over to Xbox or PC since they are already forward compatible on those platforms, suggested that little work was being done to "Black Ops" and "Black Ops 2," as per ComicBook Gaming.
'Call of Duty: Black Ops,' 'Black Ops 2' Re-Release
Both "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2" originally launched on PS3 and have remained locked to that platform for players in the PlayStation ecosystem ever since.
Xbox players have had access to both games through forward compatibility for years, which is part of why this announcement is specifically targeting PS4 and PS5 rather than a broader multiplatform release.
The original "Call of Duty: Black Ops" launched in 2010 and went on to become one of the best-selling entries in the franchise's history.
Its 2012 sequel, "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2," introduced futuristic warfare to the series for the first time and remains one of the most beloved entries in the "Call of Duty" catalog among longtime fans, largely due to its campaign with branching story choices and its competitive multiplayer.
What to Expect From the Collection
Both games will arrive with their full suite of content intact. In a time when the "Call of Duty" series has been met withsome pushback over the past few years, this re-release is expected to bring in "countless millions" for the publishing company, according to the report.
Each game includes its Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies mode, giving players the full original experience without any content cut.
Pricing has not been officially announced by Activision, and a specific release date within the July 2026 launch window has not been confirmed as of writing, with more details expected to arrive soon as July draws near.
