Everything you need to know about Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (officially known as Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII) is an upcoming first-person shooter for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It’s developed by Treyarch and published by Activision.
In the lead-up to launch, we’ve compiled all the news, trailers, and rumors about Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, from initial leaks to its official announcement.
Here’s everything you need to know about Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – The Basics
- Release date: October 12, 2018
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Developer: Treyarch
- Publisher: Activision
- Genre: First-person shooter
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies, Campaign, and Battle Royale
We haven’t seen Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 gameplay yet, but there are several rumors floating around about what it will look like. Initial reports notably claim it will be “more grounded” with toned down sci-fi elements as a direct response to criticism against Infinite Warfare.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies Mode
One of the things Call of Duty fans want the most out of Black Ops 4 is zombies mode, which has not been officially confirmed yet. In April, sources told Polygon that developer Treyarch would focus on Black Ops 4 zombies and multiplayer, and in early May, the official E3 Twitter account directly referenced the “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies experience,” but beyond minor leaks and teases, that’s all we’ve heard about it so far.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Campaign
The same unnamed sources who reported on Black Ops 4’s more grounded sci-fi and focus on zombies and multiplayer also claimed that Black Ops 4 would not have a traditional single-player campaign at launch, but that’s the most we’ve heard about it so far.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Battle Royale Mode
While a battle royale mode hasn’t officially been announced for Black Ops 4, Activision has expressed its awareness of battle royale’s success and a source even told Kotaku that Black Ops 4 would have a battle royale mode.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 News, Rumors, Trailers, and Announcements
If you’re interested in tracing the story of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 from initial rumors to its upcoming launch in October 2018, we’ve compiled all the news, rumors, trailers, and announcements below, in mostly chronological order.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Initial Rumors and Leaks
Word of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was heard as early as February 6, 2018, when “multiple sources” reported to Eurogamer that Black Ops 4 would be the latest entry in the Call of Duty series. These initial reports described Black Ops 4 as “more grounded” with sci-fi elements “dial[ed] back,” allegedly a response to what sources cite as the “negative feedback” regarding Infinite Warfare’s space-centric story.
In March, a potential leak from a GameStop employee regarding Black Ops 4 merchandise only bolstered the rumor, as well as a video of NBA star James Harden wearing a hat reminiscent of the Black Ops logo, but with four marks instead of three.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Reveal and Release Date
Activision officially announced Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on March 8, 2018 with a release date of October 12, 2018. There were no further details revealed at the time, but the official Call of Duty Twitter account did post a brief teaser along with a date for an upcoming community reveal event, which will take place on May 17.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Battle Royale Rumors
A few days following the official Black Ops 4 reveal, Activision expressed how it is “keenly aware” of the success of battle royale during an investor’s meeting, according to the Dow Jones Newswire. This set into motion fan speculation regarding a potential battle royale mode in Black Ops 4.
In April, sources told Polygon that Black Ops 4 would focus on its multiplayer and Zombies modes rather than a single-player campaign since Treyarch realized a campaign would not be completed by Black Ops 4’s release date. Those rumors were corroborated by an additional report from Kotaku, whose sources claimed Black Ops 4 would have a battle royale mode.
Several other studios began creating their own battle royale games or adding battle royale modes to existing IPs in 2017 and 2018, mostly a direct response to the massive success of Fortnite and PUBG. If you’re a battle royale fan, check out our list of some of the biggest battle royale games of 2018.
Details Leading Up to Black Ops 4 Community Event
Through late April and early May, Treyarch continued to tease details about Black Ops 4 in the lead-up to its May 17 community event.
One Twitter post hinted at the return of the Pick 10 multiplayer system, and another provided a look at potential new perks. Even the official E3 Twitter account had a hand in the initial buzz and rumor mill, directly referring to a “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies experience” on Twitter.
During an earnings call, Activision Blizzard president and COO Coddy Johnson announced the company’s increased focus on PC as a platform for Black Ops 4. According to Johnson, the company has “invested significant dedicated resources to ensure we can deliver a great PC game.”
Stay tuned to IGN for more news, rumors, trailers, and gameplay details for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.