The announcement and build up towards 2020's Call of Duty title was without a doubt the most unusual yet. While new games are usually revealed well before the summer, it took Activision until August to officially announce Treyarch's Black Ops Cold War as 2020's new COD game. It was also the first time a Call of Duty title was revealed with an in-game event.
Black Ops Cold War sees Treyarch ditch the futuristic gameplay and go back to the 20th century – your boots are firmly on the ground in this game. Let's dive into everything we know about Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War.
Black Ops Cold War release date
The COD Black Ops Cold War release date was November 13, 2020 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This release date was less than a week after the new generation of consoles (the PS5 and Series X|S) hit shelves.
Black Ops Cold War reveal
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was officially revealed for the first time on August 20. The initial reveal was a short video showing off the box art for the game, along with confirmation of the Black Ops Cold War name.
A teaser trailer was released a day after, filled with clips of landmark moments and symbolism of the Cold War. It also ties into the strapline of 'Know your history,' which had popped up in easter egg puzzles sent to Call of Duty content creators and had flashed up on screen for Warzone players.
The big worldwide reveal happened within Call of Duty Warzone on August 26, in which a limited time mode – also titled 'Know Your History' – saw players complete a short intel mission in Verdansk to find fan-favourite Black Ops character Frank Woods. Finding him would then trigger the full official trailer.
Black Ops Cold War trailers
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's trailer was officially released on August 26 and was unlocked by players completing the Woods mission in Warzone.
It builds on the premise of the first teaser trailer, which saw KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov talking about Soviet strategy to destabilize the United States. The full trailer confirmed early leaks and reports that the storyline of the campaign will focus on Black Ops characters Woods, Hudson, and Mason trying to locate 'Perseus,' a Soviet spy.
Similar to John F Kennedy's appearance in the original Black Ops game, a US President features in Cold War's story too, with Ronald Reagan being confirmed as one of the historical figures that will crop up throughout the game.
Below you can watch the official launch trailer for Black Ops Cold War.
Black Ops Cold War campaign
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's campaign is set predominantly in the 1980s during the Cold War.
Black Ops characters Jason Hudson, Frank Woods, and Alex Mason return and join a new core character in CIA agent Russell Adler.
The storyline focuses around the hunt for 'Perseus' – an illusive undercover spy for the Soviet Union who infiltrated the United States at the highest levels to find out its deepest secrets.
Black Ops Cold War multiplayer
Black Ops Cold War's multiplayer has been hailed by many as the best in the modern era of COD (2019's Modern Warfare onwards). While it borrows many features from Modern Warfare, it also felt like a return to more traditional COD action. The games maps were also far less experimental (and better received) than those found in Modern Warfare.
There are also some features never seen in a Call of Duty multiplayer prior to Cold War, such as the decision to not reset scorestreak points after death.
For a full rundown, check out our full explainer guide to every mode, weapon, scorestreak, and more in Black Ops Cold War multiplayer.
Black Ops Cold War zombies
Zombies made a return in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, which was great news for its fanatical and dedicated community.
It introduced several excellent round-based maps such as Die Maschine and Firebase Z.
Black Ops Cold War cross-play
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War launched with cross-play capabilities between all consoles and PC. There was also cross-progression between platforms.
Warzone progress also carried over, and players were still be able to access the Modern Warfare content they've unlocked or purchased alongside the new Black Ops content.
That's all the headline info you need on Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. Treyarch knocked it out the park with this game after the very divisive Modern Warfare.