Activision has announced Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will go on sale on November 13 2020, with next-gen versions arriving when the Xbox Series X and PS5 go on sale before the end of the year.
In the reveal trailer, put together using containing PS5 footage, we learn the game will be (as rumoured) a direct sequel to the original Call of Duty: Black Ops. Original characters Alex Woods, Frank Mason and Jason Hudson are all making a comeback to the series.
The trailer begins with some footage from the tail-end of the Vietnam War in 1968, but it soon becomes clear the majority of the game will take place in 1981 with nuclear tensions between the US and Russia continuing to threaten global security.
The reunited team has received word the Russian spy, codenamed ‘Perseus’ – a purported real life figure from the Cold War era – is now “in play”. The game will focus on attempts to neutralise the asset and change the course of the Cold War. Our Black Ops heroes will be bringing the fight to the enemy in Moscow, Berlin and Vietnam, among other locations.
The new trailer also sees us interact with historical figures, including a staggeringly accurate-representation of former US president Ronald Reagan, one of the men credited with bringing down the Iron Curtain and ending the Cold War as we know it.
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Campaign-lovers will be pleased to hear there’s a robust single-player mode alongside the multiplayer options, which will include cross-platform network play. There’ll also be cross-generation play, meaning Xbox One gamers will be able to go up against counterparts fighting on a Sony PS5, for instance. We’ve also learned there’ll be a character creator, multiple endings and the opportunity for characters to select dialogue. Treyarch and Raven Software are also promising that the ‘Zombies’ gameplay mode will make a return.
The PS4, Xbox One and PC release will take place on November 13, but those hoping to play the game on the new Xbox Series X and PS5 when they arrive this holiday season will have to fork over an extra $10 on for a cross-generation bundle beyond the $59.99 current-gen asking price.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
