Summary
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 could be cross-gen, which makes commercial sense, but it may hold the game back in the long run.
- Black Ops 6's possible cross-gen release hasn't been confirmed yet, but it's looking likely.
- There seems to be no end in sight for cross-gen titles in Call of Duty series, including Black Ops 6.
The latest leaks suggest that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 could be a cross-gen release, which makes sense from a financial standpoint but is still disappointing for those who are ready to see a proper next-gen Call of Duty game. The PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles were released four years ago, yet many of gaming's most popular franchises have yet to pull the trigger on PS5 and Xbox Series X-only releases, opting to continue releasing cross-gen games that also land on PS4 and Xbox One, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 rumored to be a cross-gen game as well.
There are pros and cons to this approach. On one hand, it's great news for PS4 and Xbox One gamers who have yet to upgrade to the latest consoles. It also allows game publishers to take full advantage of the massive install base on the older consoles. The downside is that it means that the games are held back and can't take proper advantage of the newer hardware. This has left this current generation stuck with one foot in the past, and while things are starting to improve, many blockbuster games continue to be released as cross-gen titles, giving fans little reason to spring for the newer hardware.
It Looks Like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Will Feature Saddam Hussein
Activision confirms a couple of details regarding Black Ops 6's next trailer, which releases very soon and will be followed by a full reveal later on.
Unfortunately for Call of Duty fans hoping that the series would finally be moving on from older hardware, the latest leaks suggest that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be a cross-gen game also launching for PS4 and Xbox One. Commercially, this makes a ton of sense, but creatively, it means the game isn't going to be able to push the envelope graphically and mechanically in the same way it would have if it were targeting PS5 and Xbox Series X specifically.
Black Ops 6 Being Cross-gen Makes Sense, But It's Still Disappointing
For those that have already purchased PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles, it's a bummer that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is reportedly still releasing on older hardware because it means that, four years into the generation, we still won't have a proper ninth generation Call of Duty game. That being said, it's hard to argue with the logic of releasing new Call of Duty games across generations. This is especially so with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which is coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one. Microsoft will no doubt want to entice as many gamers as possible to sign up for Xbox Game Pass to play the latest Call of Duty, so it wouldn't make much sense to alienate all the people with Xbox One consoles.
Still, it's hard not to be disappointed that Call of Duty isn't moving on from the PS4 and Xbox One with 2024's Black Ops 6. While it may seem odd now, there once was a time when Call of Duty was a major innovator in the first-person shooter space. Innovation is certainly still possible for a Call of Duty game releasing as a cross-gen title, but there are undoubtedly opportunities being missed by the games refusing to focus exclusively on more powerful hardware.
When Call of Duty 2 launched back in 2005, it did so on PC and Xbox 360, leaving the older generation behind. The result was a game that, at the time, featured game-changing graphics and audio. When the PS4 and Xbox One came out, Call of Duty continued to cling to the PS3 and Xbox 360 for a few games, but it eventually left those consoles behind with 2016's Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
There have so far been four Call of Duty games released as cross-gen titles between the PS4, Xbox One, PS5, and Xbox Series X. It started in 2020 with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and has continued through 2023's Modern Warfare 3. While still unconfirmed, it is looking likely that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be a cross-gen game as well, meaning fans have at least one more year before the Call of Duty franchise finally moves on and focuses exclusively on newer hardware. However, there may not really be an end in sight for cross-gen Call of Duty games.
Future Call of Duty Games Are Likely Coming to the Switch 2
When Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, it promised that it would release Call of Duty games on Nintendo consoles for at least 10 years. The current iteration of the Switch is simply not powerful enough to host Call of Duty, so many are assuming that this Call of Duty deal won't start until the Switch 2 is out. The Switch 2 has yet to be revealed, but chances are good that it will be less powerful than the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Since Microsoft will be making a weaker version of the game for the Switch 2 anyway, it seems that the Call of Duty franchise will never be able to truly move on and produce a game that utilizes the newer consoles to their full potential.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Released
- October 25, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Call of Duty
- Genre(s)
- FPS
