Activision has cleared up one of the biggest questions around the new PlayStation versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Players on PS4 and PS5 can matchmake with each other, which should make the classic multiplayer and Zombies lobbies easier to keep active.
The detail is important because both games have just returned on modern PlayStation consoles, and old Call of Duty games live or die by their player pools. If PS4 and PS5 players had been split, the online side could have felt smaller much faster.
Players should remember that this is still not full cross-platform play. The support is only between PS4 and PS5, so players should not expect these versions to connect with Xbox, PC, or the older PS3 releases.
Someone playing on PS5 can matchmake with someone on PS4 in both Black Ops and Black Ops II. That helps right away because these ports are built around older games with older modes. Campaigns can stand on their own, but multiplayer and Zombies need enough people online to feel worth returning to.
For friends, it also removes an easy headache. Players do not need to be on the same PlayStation generation to jump into matches together.
The PlayStation listings still make it clear that cross-platform multiplayer is not supported. These releases are not bringing every old version of the game into one shared pool.
That limit may disappoint players hoping for a bigger revival, but it keeps expectations clear. Activision has made the games work across PS4 and PS5, not rebuilt the online setup into a modern Call of Duty system.
Cross-generation support should help PlayStation lobbies, but it will not solve every population problem these older games may face later.
Activision has also confirmed that Season Pass owners can matchmake with players who do not own the pass. That is a useful detail because both games have major DLC tied to Zombies and multiplayer maps.
Players who buy the extra content will still have more maps and modes available, but they are not being pushed into a separate matchmaking group for owning the pass. The player base needs to stay as connected as possible, especially when the DLC is still being sold separately.
The matchmaking update is good news, but it does not solve the biggest problem players have with these releases. Each base game costs $39.99, with a launch discount available for PlayStation Plus members.
Players should also know that the Season Passes must be bought separately. That makes the full package much more expensive for players who want both games and all the major DLC. Fans are happy to see two classic Black Ops games back on modern PlayStation, but the total cost is hard to ignore for titles from 2010 and 2012.
PS4 and PS5 matchmaking gives these ports a better chance of staying active after launch. With more players in the same matchmaking pool, players should find matches faster and see fewer empty game modes.
The next question is how the online side holds up once the first rush slows down. Players will be watching for stable lobbies, fair matchmaking, and enough activity in both multiplayer and Zombies.
For now, the PlayStation return is easier to understand than it was at launch. PS4 and PS5 players can play together, Season Pass owners are not isolated, and full cross-platform support is not part of these ports.
