While the dust around the recently announced Modern Warfare 4 has yet to settle, it seems that Activision may be preparing another big surprise for Call of Duty fans.
The Korean Game Rating Board, known for revealing numerous games years before official announcements, has recently registered and rated two legendary Call of Duty titles - the original Black Ops and its sequel Black Ops 2. The last time an older Call of Duty title appeared in the Korean database, the result was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. For this reason, many believe that Activision and Microsoft are preparing a return of one of the most beloved sequels in the history of the series.
What is particularly interesting is that this is not just a simple re-release of existing versions. Since both games had to go through the classification process, it is more likely that they are remastered editions adapted for modern platforms.
Of course, the big question everyone is asking is:
Will multiplayer return? And here things become much less clear. Realistically speaking, the most likely scenario is that Activision will remaster the campaigns, similar to what they did with the Modern Warfare 2 title. While many players would love to play the legendary Black Ops multiplayer maps in a modern guise, there is a very logical reason why this might not happen. Why would Activision risk splitting the online community while trying to build a long-term player base for Modern Warfare 4?
On the other hand, we are talking about Black Ops. For many veterans, Black Ops and Black Ops 2 represented the golden age of Call of Duty multiplayer. Nuketown, Firing Range, Jungle, Summit, and one of the strongest periods of the competitive scene are still mentioned with a great deal of nostalgia. And honestly, it's hard not to dream about what Black Ops multiplayer would look like with modern graphics, stable servers, and active support.
An additional reason for optimism comes from the fact that we are just a few days away from major summer gaming events. Both Summer Game Fest and Xbox Games Showcase are taking place in June, and such stages are ideal for these kinds of announcements. Of course, neither Microsoft nor Activision has officially confirmed the existence of remasters yet. But if there is one thing the gaming industry has learned over the years, it is that the Korean rating board rarely makes mistakes. And if Black Ops and Black Ops 2 are indeed on the verge of a comeback, many Call of Duty fans could soon relive what they still consider to be the best period of the entire series.
