Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 looks like it’s heading in a radical new direction, reportedly removing the single-player campaign that has been a part of the series since its first iteration in 2003. This comes from Polygon, who has a source claiming that this wasn’t an issue with the blockbuster’s campaign creatively, the team is just behind and wouldn’t be able to add the typical, AAA campaign into the whole package by its October 19 release date.
In lieu of the campaign, which many love and some loathe for various reasons, the other rumor from CoD-insider site CharlieIntel (which has unearthed plenty of accurate scuttlebutt before), is that periphery CoD developer Raven Software is being tasked by Activision to create a battle royale mode like Fortnite or PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds in order to add value to the campaign-less game.
It’s an interesting world for CoD fans. First, they hear the news that the Modern Warfare 2 remaster won’t have multiplayer and will only feature its campaign, and now Black Ops 4 won’t have a campaign and only multiplayer. Because of this, fans are feeling mixed.
No Single Player in Black Ops 4?! pic.twitter.com/b4SvpgPVZ3
— Dork 👾📺 (@Dorkshadow) April 17, 2018
If true, I'm very surprised that Black Ops 4 will have no campaign as BO1 & BO2's were incredible. But I haven't played campaign in COD for the last 3 years. More time spent on Zombies is only a good thing. And if you are a fan of COD & a fan of BR, what's the issue…?
— Jon (@MrDalekJD) April 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/rockcock64/status/986358380972388354
Mark my words, Call of Duty Black Ops 4 not going to have a single player IS GOING TO HURT SALES! Yes most people buy it for multiplayer but the option of a storymode is important. Looks like the new Battlefield coming out this fall has a chance to outsell CoD for the first time.
— DreamcastGuy (@DreamcastGuy) April 17, 2018
Black Ops 4 not having a campaign to focus on zombies, multiplayer and battle royale (to compete with Fortnite) is weak in my eyes…
— B., The Chef (@_DiscreteView) April 17, 2018
So will there be enough time for the (admittedly large and well-funded) Raven Software team to bring something worth playing to the battle royale genre? What can CoD do that Fortnite and PUBG aren’t already doing? CoD matches move fast, and life is cheap. Would they really be able to build a huge map to contain the action and have it make sense in the context of how CoD works as an established esport?
The only real negative from this still-unconfirmed news is that it wasn’t accidentally broken on national TV by Houston Rockets guard James Harden.
(Via Polygon/CharlieIntel)