Activision has brought the classic Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. While the move offers an easy way to revisit these influential shooters, the actual porting effort is minimal. If you are expecting a visual overhaul similar to recent high-end remasters, you might be disappointed.

Quick Facts

  • Platforms: PS4 and PS5
  • Price: Currently available for a temporary launch price of less than $20
  • DLC: Not included; season pass must be purchased separately
  • Performance: Features a resolution boost and improved frame rate stability at 60fps

A No-Frills Experience

The transition to modern consoles feels like a simple copy-and-paste job. While both games have received a resolution boost to help them look sharper on modern televisions, the underlying assets—including textures and UI elements—remain untouched. The text often appears blurry, and the overall visual experience feels decidedly retro.

For players who have already experienced these titles via backward compatibility on Xbox Series X or S, the experience on PlayStation is largely comparable. The performance cap remains at 60 frames per second, and while the game is less likely to drop frames than in its original 2012 release, the port does not take full advantage of the PS5 hardware to push higher frame rates or improved graphical fidelity.

Is It Worth the Price?

Despite the lack of technical polish, there is a clear market for these titles. For fans disillusioned with the current state of Call of Duty the simplicity of the original Black Ops menu—offering just Campaign, Zombies, and Multiplayer without layers of live-service bloat—is a major draw. The lack of modern microtransactions also makes the experience feel more authentic to how players remember the series.

Because the launch price is currently under $20, it is an accessible entry point for those looking to relive the Cold War campaign or jump back into iconic multiplayer lobbies. However, gamers should be aware that the base game is barebones; you will need to pay extra for the season pass if you want to access the full suite of zombies and multiplayer maps.

Ultimately, these ports are a functional, if uninspired, way to revisit a past that the series has largely moved away from. Activision has not indicated whether this will be a continued trend for other legacy titles, but for those with strong nostalgic ties to the Black Ops era, it remains a convenient, if imperfect, way to play.