Activision Confirms Black Ops 1 & 2 Ports for PS4 and PS5 in July 2026
In a move that has long teased fans, Activision announced that the first two entries in its Call of Duty: Black Ops sub‑series will arrive on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in July 2026. The publisher made clear that the releases are straight ports, not remasters, and will preserve the original game content without any graphical upgrades.
The confirmation came from Activision’s public‑relations team, who emphasized that the ports will be available on both PS4 and PS5 platforms. The company stressed that the games will not receive new visual or gameplay enhancements, and that the experience will mirror the original titles released a decade ago.
The announcement follows months of speculation among players who have long requested the classic titles on newer PlayStation hardware. Call of Duty: Black Ops debuted in 2010, and Black Ops II followed in 2012, both developed by Treyarch and launched on Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS. The first game sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, while its sequel, which added a branching narrative and futuristic weapons, moved over 24 million units by 2013. Both titles remain among the most memorable entries in the franchise.
While the ports will be new to PlayStation owners, the games are already playable on Xbox consoles through backward compatibility. Activision has not announced a price for the PS4/PS5 releases, but the PC versions remain available at the full triple‑A price, with downloadable content sold separately.
Industry observers note that the move reflects a broader trend of publishers re‑introducing legacy titles to newer hardware to tap nostalgia markets. The Black Ops series now totals seven installments, with the most recent entry, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, released in 2025. The franchise as a whole has sold over 500 million copies and generated more than $30 billion in revenue by 2022.
Activision’s decision to release the ports without remastering has sparked mixed reactions. Some fans welcome the chance to experience the games on modern consoles, while others criticize the lack of visual updates and the continued high pricing of the PC versions.
The July 2026 release window places the ports alongside other upcoming PlayStation titles, positioning them as part of a broader strategy to broaden the library of legacy games available on current‑generation hardware. According to Activision, players who own the original titles on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 will be able to transfer their progress via the PlayStation Network.
With the confirmation now in place, the classic Black Ops games will soon be accessible to a new generation of PlayStation users, albeit without the visual polish of a remaster.
