A new report from Call of Duty leakers suggests Treyarch is hard at work on a “gritty Black Ops reboot” for this year’s release. Allegedly, both Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software are assisting with the reboot’s development. The report further claims Sledgehammer will also produce a free-to-play Call of Duty experience, slated for launch in 2021.
These claims come courtesy of The Gaming Revolution, which alleges the gritty reboot is in the same vein as Activision’s recent Modern Warfare reimagining. Codenamed Project Zeus, the Black Ops reboot will supposedly explore real-world happenings surrounding the Cold War and Vietnam War. Much more focus will be placed on the latter than what players experienced in the original Black Ops, however.
In turn, The Gaming Revolution’s report claims the rebooted campaign will revisit Vietnam stories from several perspectives over the 40-year period, including those of the US, South Vietnam, and Viet Cong. Such tales will be relayed through a hyper-realistic and gory lens, even more so than Modern Warfare’s reboot. This is to chiefly feel apparent thanks to the use of shock factor, as well as a noteworthy interrogation scene. Additionally, Black Ops‘ reported reimagining is being powered by Infinity Ward Poland’s engine, the very one created for and used in last year’s Modern Warfare.
On the multiplayer front, Treyarch supposedly has its heart set on massive experiences, such as 32 vs 32 Ground War. For Killstreaks, fans should anticipate one based on dogs, UAV, counter-UAV, flamethrower, and a bomber plane capable of eliminating all sky-centric killstreaks. Interestingly, according to The Gaming Revolution, Operators (from Modern Warfare)are mounting a return, which seemingly suggests Specialists of recent Black Ops entries will sit out this time around.
With regards to DLC, akin to Modern Warfare, multiplayer post-launch content will be free of charge. However, a Season Pass for Zombies presently remains a possibility. Reportedly, Zombies will undergo changes, too, with a new story in the cards. If true, the storyline may emphasize Vietnam, allowing the mode to focus more on realism and less on the fantastical aspects of previous ZOMBIES outings.
While a battle royale mode currently remains an unknown factor, the report insists Sledgehammer is developing a free-to-play game for 2021. The Gaming Revolution claims this particular project will feature an open-world that involves battle royale elements, though specifics aren’t yet clear.
[Source: The Gaming Revolution via Video Games Chronicle]
