PS3, Xbox 360 Version Of 'Call Of Duty: Black Ops III' Ditching Single-Player Campaign

If you're buying the new Call of Duty: Black Ops III on release day, chances are you're playing on one of the current generations of consoles. However, there are still fans who have yet to upgrade to an Xbox One or PlayStation 4, though maybe they will some time around the holiday season when both companies are sure to have deals on games and the system itself. But at launch, those fans will buy the game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Unfortunately, some of the content that comes standard in a Call of Duty game these days won't appear in what are now considered the previous generation of consoles.

The biggest change is the lack of a single-player campaign. With the main developer, Treyarch, focused on development on current consoles and PC, the task of creating the game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 was left to other development teams, specifically Beenox and Mercenary Technology. Diehards usually forsake the single-player game at the beginning and dive straight to the multiplayer, but there are those who want to spend some time with the game's story and characters before taking on other human opponents. Treyarch said that the reason for omitting the campaign was that it "could not be faithfully recreated on old generation hardware."

Instead, all of the resources from the other two development teams was put towards the multiplayer experience, so those on older consoles can still enjoy the same online gameplay as their newer counterparts. Even the new 1940s-based Zombies mode called "Shadow of Evil" is still on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. However, the weapon customization feature called the "Weapon Paint Shop" and the various eSports tools introduced a few months ago won't be included on the older consoles.

With the clock winding on development time, it seems that Treyarch is dictating where to put most of the effort for content on past consoles. Spending time on the single-player would detract from the popular multiplayer gameplay, and so the other companies are putting all their eggs in one basket to make the game's competitive modes up to par with fans' expectations.

However, this is also a sign of the times. Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are nearing their two-year milestone on the market, which is more than enough time for gamers to get their hands on the latest console. Development on other games, not just Call of Duty: Black Ops III, will still make an appearance on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but in the coming months and years, those games will dwindle, and eventually games won't come out for those outdated consoles at all anymore.

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  • fyend
    So will these version be half price since they're half of a game?
    Reply
  • SteelCity1981
    At this rate COD will be only multiplayer online. with each passing game the single player mode is getting shorter and shorter, because a lot COD gamers just skip the single player mode and go right to playing the multiplayer mode instead now of days. I mean the next COD game could be multiplayer online only and it wouldn't matter. heck most COD players wouldn't prob even miss it. if you ask a COD player what would you rather have a single player mode or more gaming mode options for multiplayer mode online i'm almost certain most COD players would choose more gaming mode options for multiplayer mode online over a single player mode.
    Reply
  • geof2001
    At this rate COD will be only multiplayer online. with each passing game the single player mode is getting shorter and shorter, because a lot COD gamers just skip the single player mode and go right to playing the multiplayer mode instead now of days.

    Nah they don't skip it just seems that way cause single player is getting so short these days we're done in a few hours.

    Customers can "ditch" any plans of buying this game is going to be more like it.
    Reply
  • genz
    CoD still has to struggle to get out of being 'samey' now that Black Ops is going to move it away from AW's mechanical suit territory. It's a shame really because they were getting a LOT better with their story mode delivery, albeit shorter.

    I stopped playing CoD ages ago though, so maybe I'll just keep quiet.
    Reply
  • HollowGrapeJ
    Nobody upgrades a console just to play Call of Duty.
    Reply
  • squibbfire2
    If they are going to be just online...maybe they should have a subscription fee instead. 10 bucks for the first month...since we dont really get a standalone game with the cd now.
    Reply
  • xaero1ne
    its true 99% of people play COD for the MP, but SP is still a nice touch since they are known for their fun out of this world block buster style SP Campaigns.
    Reply
  • flowingbass
    Why dont people/devs just abandon the previous gen console already. They had their time and will always be on the wall of great consoles to remember. They clearly are starting to be a hindrance and stumbling block to devs. Any die hard console gamer would always get to be on the latest console. Otherwise they may have probably moved over to pc it they werent. Unshackle the game creators and let them concentrate on current gen/hardware.
    Reply
  • fixxxer113
    If they are going to be just online...maybe they should have a subscription fee instead. 10 bucks for the first month...since we dont really get a standalone game with the cd now.

    I agree. Especially if it's a game that needs the publisher's/developer's servers to play, what's the point of buying it? It's essentially an online service. Unless, the whole point is that there are no plans to maintain the servers on a long term basis, so the company itselft does not care about recurring revenue...
    Reply
  • genz
    16693589 said:
    Nobody upgrades a console just to play Call of Duty.

    However lots of people upgrade just to play CoD, BF the latest Fifa and
    the next AssCreeed. Hell there wasn't much more to the PS4 launch unless you count Angry birds
    Reply