Activision has lowered the price of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 downloadable content on Xbox and PC, just weeks before both classic shooters are expected to arrive on PlayStation 5. The changes reduce the cost of individual DLC packs from $15 to $10 and cut each game’s Season Pass from $50 to $30.
The price adjustments do not solve every concern around the upcoming PS5 versions, but they make it less expensive for players to access the older map packs and extra content. Both base games are still priced at $40, despite originally releasing in 2010 and 2012.
That has led to criticism from players who believe the games should either cost less or include their DLC in a complete edition.
Black Ops DLC is now cheaper on Xbox and PC
The revised Xbox Store pricing applies to both Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Individual add-on packs are now $10 each, while the Season Pass for each title has dropped to $30.
The change also affects cosmetic content. Microtransaction camouflage packs and personalization bundles are now available for free.
| Content | Previous price | New price |
|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Black Ops base game | $40 | $40 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 base game | $40 | $40 |
| Individual DLC pack | $15 | $10 |
| Season Pass | $50 | $30 |
| Camo and personalization packs | Paid | Free |
The lower Season Pass price is the most meaningful change. Previously, buying the full DLC package for either game cost more than the base game itself. At $30, it is still not cheap for content tied to games more than a decade old, but it is easier to justify for players who want the full multiplayer map collection.
The PS5 versions still have unanswered questions
Black Ops and Black Ops 2 were previously available on PlayStation 3, but neither game can run natively on PlayStation 5 through backward compatibility. The upcoming PlayStation releases are intended to bring the older games to modern Sony hardware.
However, Activision has not yet confirmed several important details about the PS5 ports.
There is still no official information on whether the games will receive improved frame rates, higher resolutions, controller updates, cross-platform multiplayer, cross-progression support, or visual enhancements. It is also unclear whether PlayStation buyers will receive the same revised DLC pricing as Xbox and PC players.
That uncertainty makes the $40 base price harder to accept. A straight port with no meaningful upgrades may struggle to convince players who already own the games on Xbox, PC, or older PlayStation hardware.
Xbox players already have an advantage through backward compatibility
Xbox owners have been able to access the original Black Ops games through backward compatibility for years. That means many players can use existing digital purchases or physical copies without needing to buy a new version.
The PlayStation 5 ports are more important for Sony players who cannot access their old PS3 versions on newer hardware. Even so, pricing remains a major issue because players may need to buy the game and DLC separately to get the full experience.
For anyone interested in revisiting the classic Black Ops era, the new DLC prices make Xbox and PC versions more attractive than before. But the cost of the base games still leaves Activision with work to do if it wants the PS5 releases to feel like good value rather than expensive legacy ports.
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