PlayStation players can finally buy Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops II on PS5 and PS4. That should be an easy win because both games are still loved by many old Call of Duty fans. The problem is simple: these are older games, but buying them today can still get expensive fast.
Both games are now listed on the PlayStation Store with their campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes. Each base game costs $39.99, though PlayStation Plus members can currently get them for $19.99 each during the launch offer.
The high price is where many players start to hesitate. Players who want both games and their DLC are not just buying two classic shooters. They are also looking at separate Season Pass purchases.
The return of Black Ops and Black Ops II is good news for PlayStation players who did not want to keep a PS3 around just to revisit them. These games were a major part of Call of Duty’s strongest era, especially for fans of Zombies and older multiplayer maps.
The first Black Ops brings back the Cold War campaign, classic multiplayer, and Zombies. Black Ops II adds its future-war story, fan-favorite maps, and another big Zombies lineup.
It is easy to understand why many players like the game. These are not forgotten entries. They are games people still talk about whenever the series’ best years come up.
The PlayStation Store describes both releases as the original games now available on PS4 and PS5. That is important because players should not expect full remakes, rebuilt visuals, or major new features.
The games are playable on modern PlayStation hardware, but they are still classic Call of Duty experiences. That makes the price harder to accept for anyone expecting more than access.
A simple port can still be useful when an old game is stuck on older hardware. It just becomes a tougher sell when the price sits close to newer discounted games.
The base games do not include all the extra map packs. Players who want the full package need to buy the Season Pass for each game, and each pass normally costs $29.99.
That is when the total cost starts to feel too expensive for many players. Buying both base games and both Season Passes at full price comes close to $140 before tax.
The DLC is important because it is a big part of why these games lasted so long. Zombies maps and multiplayer packs are not small extras for many fans. They are part of the reason people wanted these games back in the first place.
Both games support online multiplayer, but PlayStation Plus is required to play online. That is expected on PlayStation, but it still adds another cost for players who are returning mainly for multiplayer.
The listings also make it clear that cross-platform multiplayer is not supported. These versions are not bringing every old player base together across systems.
That means the online side will depend on how many PlayStation players buy in now. The campaigns and Zombies can still be enjoyed on their own, but multiplayer needs active lobbies to feel worth the return.
It is good to see Black Ops and Black Ops II back on modern PlayStation consoles. These are important Call of Duty games, and making them easier to access is better than leaving them locked to old hardware.
The biggest problem is how they are being sold. The games cost extra, the DLC costs extra, and the full package asks a lot from players who are buying titles from 2010 and 2012.
For now, PlayStation fans finally have the classic Black Ops games on PS5, but the price will decide how many players return to the game.
