TL;DR
PlayStation fans are bracing for premium pricing on older Call of Duty titles after Microsoft listed Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 at $40 each on PlayStation Store without including any downloadable content. This marks the first clear pricing signal for Microsoft's post-acquisition strategy of selling legacy Call of Duty games on rival platforms, and it suggests that players may pay significantly more than expected for bare-bones ports.
What Happened
On Sunday, June 21, 2026, IGN reported that Microsoft had set the price of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 at $40 each on the PlayStation Store — with no bundled DLC, map packs, or bonus content. The listings, which appeared quietly over the weekend, immediately triggered backlash from PlayStation fans who had hoped Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard would lead to more consumer-friendly pricing, not higher costs for decade-old games.
Key Facts
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 (released November 2010) and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (released November 2012) are both over 13 years old and were originally priced at $59.99 at launch.
- The $40 price point applies to the base games only — no Nuketown 2025, no Zombies map packs, and no Season Pass content is included.
- On Xbox, both titles are available through backward compatibility and frequently go on sale for $19.99 or less for the base game, with DLC bundles often discounted to $14.99.
- Microsoft completed its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October 2023, giving it full control over the Call of Duty franchise.
- The PlayStation Store currently lists both games under the "Classics" category, which typically carries lower price expectations from consumers.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is widely considered one of the best-selling Call of Duty titles of all time, with over 30 million copies sold across all platforms.
- The listings do not mention any technical enhancements — no 4K resolution, 60fps support, or HDR upgrades — for the PlayStation versions.
Breaking It Down
The core tension here is simple but explosive: Microsoft is selling 13-year-old games on a rival platform at 67% of their original launch price — without the content that made them classics. For context, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 originally launched in 2012 with a $59.99 MSRP and included the full Zombies mode, multiplayer maps, and the campaign. Today's $40 listing offers the same base experience, but players who want the full Zombies map pack or the popular "Mob of the Dead" and "Buried" maps will need to pay extra — likely another $15 to $20 per game.
$40 for a 14-year-old game without DLC is a 67% price retention rate — meaning Microsoft is charging consumers nearly three-quarters of the original launch price for software that has depreciated in value for over a decade.
This pricing strategy is particularly aggressive when compared to how Sony and Nintendo handle their own legacy titles. Sony's PS Plus Premium tier includes access to hundreds of older games for a $17.99 monthly fee, while Nintendo's Switch Online + Expansion Pack costs $49.99 per year and includes Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis titles. Microsoft's $40 per game model for Call of Duty on PlayStation stands in stark contrast to these subscription-based approaches — and it suggests Microsoft sees PlayStation Call of Duty players as a revenue source to be maximized, not a community to be cultivated.
The absence of any technical enhancements is another red flag. If these are simply the PS3 versions running via emulation on PS4/PS5 — similar to how PS Plus Premium handles older titles — then $40 becomes even harder to justify. Compare this to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, which launched in 2016 at $39.99 with fully rebuilt graphics, improved lighting, and 4K support. Here, Microsoft is asking the same price for what appears to be an unimproved port.
What Comes Next
The immediate question is whether this pricing is a test balloon or a permanent strategy. Microsoft has not officially commented on the listings, and the prices could change before any formal announcement. Here are the key developments to watch:
- Microsoft's official announcement — Expect a press release or Xbox Wire post within the next 7–14 days addressing the pricing, likely justifying it as "market rate" for legacy content or hinting at future Game Pass integration.
- PlayStation Store price adjustments — If backlash intensifies, Microsoft may quietly drop the price to $29.99 or $19.99 before the games are officially made available for purchase, similar to how Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered launched at $19.99 in 2020.
- DLC pricing reveals — Once the base games go live, the PlayStation Store will list individual DLC packs. If Season Passes or Zombies map packs are priced at $15–$20 each, the total cost to own the "complete" Black Ops 2 experience could reach $60–$80.
- Game Pass potential — Microsoft may announce that Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 will be added to Xbox Game Pass at no extra cost for subscribers, creating a $40 vs. $0 comparison that further inflames PlayStation users.
The Bigger Picture
This story is a microcosm of three broader trends reshaping the gaming industry. First, post-acquisition pricing strategy — Microsoft's $68.7 billion bet on Activision Blizzard must generate returns, and legacy Call of Duty titles on PlayStation represent a pure profit opportunity with no development cost. Second, platform exclusivity vs. availability — Microsoft promised regulators it would keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, but it never promised it would be cheap. This is the first concrete example of how "available" and "affordable" are very different things. Third, the battle over digital preservation — as physical copies of older Call of Duty games become scarce and online servers shut down, digital storefronts gain monopoly power over pricing. A $40 Black Ops 2 today could be $60 in five years if Microsoft decides to raise prices, and players have no alternative.
Key Takeaways
- [Pricing Shock]: Microsoft is charging $40 for base versions of 13- and 14-year-old Call of Duty games on PlayStation, a 67% price retention from their original $59.99 launch price.
- [No DLC Included]: The listings explicitly exclude all downloadable content, meaning players who want the full Zombies or multiplayer map experience will pay $55–$80 total per game.
- [No Technical Upgrades]: Unlike Modern Warfare Remastered or Halo: The Master Chief Collection, these appear to be unenhanced ports with no 4K, 60fps, or HDR support.
- [Test Balloon Strategy]: The quiet listing and lack of official comment suggest Microsoft is gauging consumer reaction before finalizing pricing — backlash could still force a reduction.
