Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is slowly beginning to grow on players, as steps have been taken to improve the game since launch. Patches have added requested features and removed the many bugs that first plagued the game, while post-launch Seasons have done a lot to solve its content problem. While there is still work to be done, the game can be deemed a success, especially when its status as one of the best-selling games of all time is considered.
On top of this, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War featured a well-received campaign full of new and old characters. Its unique status as a prequel and a sequel allowed it to work its way into the established timeline nicely, and many praised the more unique missions and features of the story mode. However, despite so much going for it, the likelihood of a proper Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War 2 is low — with something else done within the Black Ops universe instead.
Why A Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War 2 Is Unlikely
The first and most important thing to note about a potential Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War 2 is that it would be hard to fit into the Black Ops timeline. While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s 1984 setting did not get in the way of any major events from the previous games, a sequel likely would. After all, the non-futuristic portion of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 takes place in the year 1986, placing it only two years after the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Prior to the second Black Ops, Alex Mason is supposed to be retired, presumably stepping away from action after the Perseus mission. If a direct sequel were to take place after Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, it would need to be set completely in 1985, and it could not involve the original protagonist.
Another issue with a direct sequel is the fact that the story is already being wrapped up. Through Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s multiplayer Seasons, players are getting new stories that cover the hunt for Perseus. During this hunt, Adler has been captured, something that will presumably lead to Stitch brainwashing and killing him. Despite this, the later Seasons will likely see Stitch and Perseus taken down for good, giving fans closure on the game’s narrative. With the villains defeated and Adler dead, there is little reason for a proper sequel to take place, as all the loose threads will be tied up.
Beyond this, a Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War sequel would not be able to feature the same protagonist, making a direct follow-up even less likely. Bell’s entire story is told in the campaign, with players learning of his brainwashing and his previous role as a partner of Perseus. In the canonical ending of the game, Bell is dead, with Adler killing the player's silent character so that they have no chance to turn on the CIA. On top of this, a sequel would have a tough job of dealing with the Lazar and Park choice, as only one of the characters could survive. While Park’s role in multiplayer implies it was her, campaign fans have a full say over which character lives or dies.
With nearly all the new characters dead or written out of the universe following Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, releasing a direct follow-up would make little sense. The game would also have trouble fitting into the current timeline, and while it is possible, the developers would be restricted as to what story they could tell. That said, there are still some gaps in the Black Ops storyline that can be explored, ensuring that fans do not have to worry about the subseries going away. Of all the options available to Treyarch, Raven, and Activision, though, a Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War 2 is the least logical of the bunch.
What The Next Call of Duty: Black Ops Game Could Be About
There is no shortage of options for a new Call of Duty: Black Ops game, as the series covers an absurd span of 100 years. While there is plenty of lore built up, there are still some gaps, with one specific area being the Vietnam War. A Vietnam Call of Duty game has been rumored for some time, and it was actually Sledgehammer Games' first project before it was canceled. While Vietnam has featured in the Black Ops universe before, with the original campaign having a few Vietnam missions and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War having one, a deeper focus on the era would be excellent. The game would have a perfect protagonist in Frank Woods, and delivering a serious take that shows the horrors of the war in full detail would be a welcome change of pace for Call of Duty.
Another option would finally see Call of Duty: Black Ops 1’s cliffhanger addressed, with players finally learning if Alex Mason did indeed kill President JFK. While it is implied that he did, no game has acknowledged this act, so seeing it properly looked at would be a welcome change of pace. While a game like this would undoubtedly be controversial, it could be an entirely new style for Call of Duty, with players controlling a brainwashed Mason and his best friend Frank Woods at different points in the narrative. While the ending would see Mason surviving and being reconditioned, the journey could be worthwhile.
A few more controversial options would see Call of Duty: Black Ops going forward or backwards in time. While the Cold War is integral to the series, many forget that the story is deeply connected to 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War and the Russian soldier Viktor Reznov. Reznov is a complex character within the Black Ops universe, and seeing his origins via the Invasion of Poland or the Winter War could be interesting. On the flip side, Call of Duty could return to the future, with Treyarch delivering a follow-up to the misunderstood Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 or the weird Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. A direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is possible as well, as players can see David Mason’s adventures beyond 2025.
One last option worth discussing is a reboot like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. While hitting the reset button would be hard to do given the deep history of Black Ops, a fresh start could allow the new voice actors for Woods and Mason to come into their own. A modern re-telling of the original stories could be seen, with smart-but-meaningful changes to the overall narrative. Like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019, a new tone could be established, with Treyarch taking a more gritty and realistic approach to 20th century warfare. While the brand recognition of Call of Duty: Black Ops makes a proper end for the series unlikely, there is a chance that a fresh start eventually happens.
Regardless of where the next game goes, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War fans should not be expecting a numbered sequel to the 2020 game. Though it is possible, there are many reasons to doubt such a follow-up. While some characters may return, an entirely different story from the Black Ops universe will likely be told.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.