Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 Are Heading to Modern PlayStation Consoles
Two of the most celebrated entries in the Call of Duty catalog are finally making their way to modern hardware. Developer Treyarch has announced that the original Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012) will shed their legacy console limitations and land on PlayStation this July.
The news officially broke on X when Treyarch posted:
"It's official: the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2 are being ported to PlayStation in July, courtesy of our partners at Iron Galaxy."
In a follow-up response to the gaming community, the studio also added:
"Both will include Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies."
Why Is This Happening Now?
While Xbox owners have enjoyed access to both classic Black Ops titles for years through Microsoft’s robust backward compatibility service, PlayStation fans have had no way to play them on newer systems. Because the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 don’t have native support for PlayStation 3 discs and architecture, these shooters have remained trapped on outdated hardware for over a decade.
To handle the transition, Activision has tapped veteran porting house Iron Galaxy. The studio is widely known for translating major titles to new platforms, having previously worked on bringing franchises like The Last of Us and Uncharted to PC, collaborating on Overwatch and Fallout 76, and most recently delivering Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4.
What We Know (and Don't Know) About the Ports
Though Treyarch's announcement used the broad umbrella term "PlayStation," subsequent leaks and tracking accounts indicate the games are intended for the PS4, meaning they will automatically run on the PS5 via backward compatibility. It remains unclear whether individual, native PS5 versions are being built simultaneously.
Crucially, these are straight software ports, not full remakes or high-budget remasters. Players should expect the core visual makeup to mirror the 2010 and 2012 releases rather than a modern graphical overhaul.
Because Activision has kept details close to its chest, several key operational questions remain up in the air:
- The Server Situation: It is currently unknown how the publisher plans to manage online servers or if modern anti-cheat measures will be implemented to fix the legacy security flaws that impacted older multiplayer frameworks.
- Progression and Cross-Play: There is no official word on whether players can transfer their decades-old progress or if cross-play will link these new instances to existing PC and Xbox lobbies.
- Alternative Platforms: No companion announcements have been made for PC or Xbox versions.
Navigating the Split Player Base
Historically, Activision has avoided re-releasing its massive legacy titles. A remastered version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare proved incredibly successful in 2016 but inadvertently pulled critical engagement away from the year's mainline release, Infinite Warfare. When Modern Warfare 2 was re-released in 2020, its iconic multiplayer mode was omitted entirely to prevent splitting the modern player ecosystem.
Pricing is another wildcard for the upcoming July launch. Despite their age, classic titles in the franchise rarely experience steep permanent price cuts; the original Black Ops still carries a standard price tag of $40 on PC via Steam when it isn't part of a promotional sale. No formal pricing structures have been detailed by either Treyarch or Iron Galaxy just yet.
Image: https://www.deviantart.com/harrybana/art/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-2-v1-345568449
