Call of Duty: Black Ops PS5 port is as bare bones as it gets – and already being ruined by hackers
What was the point of this?
😤 The Call of Duty: Black Ops PS5 port is a low-effort release that lacks modern enhancements like 4K resolution, anti-aliasing, and 120fps modes
💰 Activision is charging $40 for the base game, which does not include any DLC, requiring players to pay an additional $30 for extra content
😡 Online lobbies on PS5 have already been compromised by hackers and cheaters, leading Activision to disable some playlists for investigation
👎 Due to its poor technical state and high price, the port is widely viewed as a cash-grab and is not recommended unless heavily discounted
The Call of Duty: Black Ops PS5 port was a surprising announcement, especially as the new version of the game has skipped Xbox Series X|S entirely. However, it’s easier to see why that was the case now that the port is available.
The PS5 versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 are the very definition of a low-effort port. There’s no 4K resolution or even anti-aliasing, and a 120fps mode is also off the table. Instead, the game matches the same 1080p resolution as the PS4 version (of which there is one), and is barely an improvement over the original PS3 release.
It’s still better than the existing Xbox 360 port, which is stuck at a fuzzier 608p resolution, but gamers will have expected far more for a new PS5 release – especially as Activision is charging $40 for it.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Call of Duty: Black Ops on PS5 doesn’t even include the DLC to make it a “definitive edition” of sorts, which means you’ll have to stump up another $30 for the game’s downloadable content. It’s the same situation for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
Sadly, it gets worse. Reports are now emerging on Reddit that, like on Xbox 360 and PS3, the Call of Duty: Black Ops PS5 online lobbies have already succumbed to hackers and cheaters. Activision has even turned off some playlists while it investigates “reported issues”.
It’s hard to consider these PS5 ports anything other than a simple cash-grab from Activision (and, of course, Microsoft). While you may be nostalgic for Black Ops and Black Ops 2, my advice is to steer clear of these pitiful ports unless they’re available for dirt cheap.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.