Black Ops 1 and 2 are live on PS5: price, footage and what's missing
Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 are now available as digital ports on PS5 and PS4, ending years when PlayStation players were locked to PS3. Early cod black ops ps5 footage compared with Xbox backward-compatible versions suggests straight ports with few upgrades. Each title costs $39.99, season passes are extra, and some classic modes are missing.
Activision quietly released both games on the PlayStation Store on July 9, 2026, after weeks of leaks and intense fan interest. PlayStation owners who could not run PS3 discs or digital purchases on PS4 or PS5 can finally buy the campaigns, multiplayer, and Zombies on modern hardware—though the launch has already sparked debate over cost and cut features.
Key Takeaways
- Black Ops 1 and 2 shadow-dropped on PS4 and PS5 as direct ports, not remasters.
- Each game costs $39.99 (£34.99); buying both plus all DLC runs $140 at full price.
- Early PS5 footage stacked against Xbox shows largely identical visuals and no major new features.
- Wager Matches and Theater Mode are missing from Black Ops 1, according to IGN.
- PlayStation Plus members get 50% off games and season passes through August 6, 2026.
What happened with the cod black ops ps5 release?
The ports arrived digitally for PS4 and PS5 with store descriptions calling them the original 2010 and 2012 experiences now playable on current PlayStation consoles for the first time. Because those systems lack PS3 backward compatibility, Sony players had no official path to either title until this release.
Xbox owners, by contrast, have accessed the Xbox 360 versions on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S through backward compatibility—often without repurchasing games they already owned. Pure Xbox noted PlayStation buyers must pay for the ports regardless of whether they bought the PS3 editions years ago.
How do the PS5 ports compare to Xbox versions?
Pure Xbox published side-by-side clips placing PS5 footage above Xbox captures for both Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2. At first glance, the outlet reported, the PlayStation versions look like mostly straight ports with no major new features.
Reporting from launch day confirms there are no substantial graphical overhauls, no 120fps support, and no field-of-view sliders. Cross-platform multiplayer is not supported—even between PS4 and PS5. One upside cited by IGN: fresh multiplayer servers may offer a cleaner experience than legacy Xbox lobbies long plagued by hackers.
Why are fans upset about pricing and missing content?
IGN reported both base games sell for $40 each, with separate $29.99 season passes covering additional multiplayer maps and Zombies content. Buying both games and all expansions costs $140 at full price—roughly what fans had been fearing for weeks.
PlayStation Plus subscribers can cut that bill through August 6, paying $20 per game and $9 per season pass, or about $60 total for the complete package. Activision is also pricing the new ports in line with the older Xbox versions, with season passes at £24.99 / $29.99.
Missing content has fueled criticism that the ports could be inferior to their original releases. CharlieIntel reporting cited by IGN confirms Wager Matches and Theater Mode are absent from the Black Ops 1 port—features trophy leaks had already suggested were removed. Campaign, core multiplayer, Zombies, and the emblem editor remain intact. Black Ops 2 includes a free pack granting customization content that was paid post-launch in the original release.
Should PlayStation players buy now or wait?
If you missed these games on PS3, the ports finally unlock them on modern Sony hardware with functioning online play. The PS Plus discount makes the math far more palatable before prices revert on August 6.
Anyone expecting a remaster with visual upgrades or every classic mode should temper expectations. As launch-day comparisons show, this is preservation—not reinvention. Pure Xbox plans deeper coverage as players document more differences. For more trending stories drawing sudden audience interest, browse our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries coverage.