Unlike other big series like Assassin’s Creed and Fallout, Call of Duty can’t bring itself to go 100% next-gen just yet, Activision announcing today that this year’s Black Ops 3 will be available not just on PS4, XB1 and PC, but PS3 and Xbox 360 as well.
The last-gen version will be worked on by two other studios (Beenox and Mercenary Technology), will feature only two-player co-op (instead of the PS4/XB1’s four-player) and “there will also be some other features and functionality built specifically for the new generation of consoles that cannot be supported on Xbox 360 and PS3”.
It may also shock you to hear that “there’s no version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 for Nintendo Wii U planned”.
It would be easy to criticise this move, assuming things like the need to account for last-gen versions will hold the next-gen versions back in terms of design and scale. But hey, who knows; the 360/PS3 version might be so scaled back that it’s practically a different game.
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16 responses to “Call Of Duty Can’t Cut The Last-Gen Cord”
Black ops 3: mission for more money
As much as I have never cared about this franchise (even at its “peak”), we should look at this as a good opportunity for two smaller developers to get a shot at the big leagues, especially when it’s being developed separately from the main game. Can’t really see any issues here.
Beenox has had a number of shots… they were Activisions go to studio for Spiderman games.
Bloody Activision.
Beenox went from Spiderman to this.
High Moon went from Transformers to Destiny.
Raven went from Jedi Knight Outcast to Call of Duty map packs.
Bloody, bloody Activision.
Treyarch went from Spiderman to this as well haha. The first one on PS2 was awesome.
Or maybe I was just a kid who couldn’t afford any other games…
It’s pretty obvious (and this is maaasssively speculative)…
I know there were some people who only bought last-gen consoles for Call of Duty, and (insert-sports-game-here). There are less and less games being sold on the old platforms but I’m sure those people still probably have them.
This makes Activision chance of selling Call of Duty #23 on the last-gen consoles that much easier.
2 years after the current gen was released and Activision are still going for $$$ rather than creating a decent game. Confirmation that the new Destiny DLC will be last gen as well won’t be too far off.
Aw was decent
May well give this one a miss – I enjoyed Blackops 1 and 2 but until they actually plan to completely scrap the old consoles they will be held back not just from a timeline perspective but a game engine perspective so far I cant help but feel like this wont bring much for the $ in terms of anything innovative or new and I have a pile of past and new COD games I simply just don’t touch anymore.
Literally deleted Ghosts from my PS4 as a waste of 40gb of space and have only played Advanced Warfare for like a week after it was released and never picked it back up again – yet I can sit on destiny for weeks (for a game that didn’t have all that much content I really haven’t had a need to play much else on the PS4)
Maybe it will be fun but I have the same sinking sense that I will play it on release then get over it pretty quickly.
I’ll be interested to see just how different the versions are. According to the popular opinion on cross generation games the 360/PS3 version should be nothing more than a CoD4 mod, while the PS4/XBOX One version should redefine the genre. With something like Fallout 4 I can agree with that line of thinking, but I just don’t see Call of Duty being held back creatively by technology.
I don’t mean that in a bad way, I just mean that the type of game Call of Duty is doesn’t need more power. At this point it’s like New Super Mario U where quadrupling the processing power doesn’t really open any new doors. It’s a small team fast paced multiplayer shooter. Outside of graphics it hasn’t really outgrown last generation.
I imagine a game where you start off in a large semi open continent fighting among other grunts through an unknown war in an unknown world. After ranking up and distinguishing yourself above others by exploring, taking part in zoned battles ( PVP ) and questing you continue the story and learn more about the conflict you are in ( through COD’s normal linear scripted take on FPS ) after which the world opens up on a intergalactic level where you strategically plan out battles and then lead the charge as a super soldier eventually building your own army of either NPC’s for PVE or in guilds for PVP.
But hey we could just keep upgrading the graphics slightly every year.
I really enjoyed BlackOps 1 and the gritty Cold War scenarios. I didn’t enjoy Black Ops 2. Those “Strike Missions” were such a big distraction and a waste of time.
Might as well add a smartphone version while they’re at it. Pre-order now for an exclusive loading screen!
“Come, Activision. It is time to walk away from the last-gen.”
“But… but…” *lip-quiver* “There’s… money on that table!”
Can’t bring itself to cut the cord?
More like doesn’t want to/need to because it’s developing ANOTHER last-gen FPS….
I’ll be skipping this phone-in too.
Its just business
Remember FIFA 2014 came out on PS2….
MW brilliant, MW2 good, Blops 1 good, MW3 meh, Blops 2 good, Ghosts screwed it, AW exo’ed the shark. I’m done