It was a bit surprising when Activision and Treyarch announced Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 was coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation three months after the game's reveal. At the time, Activision mentioned that there would be some differences between the last-gen and current-gen versions of the game, but few could have expected this.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 won't have a single-player campaign on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, Activision announced Friday. The game is being developed by Beenox and Mercenary Technology, with Treyarch working on the current-gen version of the title.
"The ambitious scope of the 1-4 player coop Campaign design of the PS4, Xbox One and PC versions could not be faithfully recreated on old generation hardware," Activision said.
Instead, the game will ship with traditional Call of Duty multiplayer in addition to the game's new "Shadow of Evil" zombie mode, which, it should be noted, is four-player co-op. Activision says features like eSports tools and the new Weapon Paint Shop will also only be available on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC versions of the game.
The publisher explained the details in a post on the Call of Duty website:
"Delivering the best possible gameplay experience on all platforms is always our highest priority. With that in mind, Black Ops 3 PS3 and Xbox 360 players can continue to look forward to a new experience of Black Ops 3 multiplayer, including the new momentum-based, chain-movement system, as well as the all-new Specialist class of 9 Black Ops soldiers, which fundamentally change the way players engage in combat.
"Black Ops 3 players on PS3 and Xbox 360 will also have a chance to immerse themselves in the all-new Zombies mode, called 'Shadows of Evil,' which features a 1940's film-noir inspired adventure that takes the signature Black Ops Zombies gameplay to a new level."
Due to the game's lack of a campaign, Activision is bumping the price of Black Ops 3 on last-gen consoles down to $49.99 instead of $59.99. Those who purchase Black Ops 3 on last-gen will also receive a free digital copy of the original Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Multiplayer has been the focus of Call of Duty for years now, but that doesn't mean fans haven't enjoyed the action-packed campaigns. With this year's entry in the franchise cutting campaign out of last-gen, it seems likely next year's installment might not release on last-gen consoles at all. Last-gen Call of Duty players, it looks like it's officially time to upgrade.
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