Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 4 is looking to make some exciting additions to the first-person shooter, with new maps and modes teased for the game. Thus far, Treyarch has given Zombies fans a teaser for Outbreak’s Zoo region and the Berlin Survival map, while story lovers have seen Adler working against the CIA. As for multiplayer, gamers have gotten look at Collateral, a map that brings a new location to 6v6 and 12v12 modes. However, longtime fans are far more excited about Hijacked, as the map was one of the most popular locations in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

Given the excitement for the return of Hijacked in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, it is becoming increasingly confusing as to why a Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 remaster has not happened. The Call of Duty community has always been fueled by nostalgia, and Treyarch has been capitalizing on that in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War thus far. However, it does not need to stop there, as Treyarch could continue to satisfy old school players with a remaster of the entire game. With Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies holding up, and some resources already in place for a remaster, Treyarch should reimagine the classic game sooner rather than later.

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Why Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s Multiplayer Was So Beloved

call of duty black ops cold war raid map

Call of Duty map remakes have become a staple of the series, as every new game aims to include at least a few tributes to older titles. Whether it was Call of Duty: WW2’s remake of Carentan or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019’s Shipment, fans can always expect some classic locations to reappear. However, it is rare to see so many maps from the same exact game getting love, something that makes Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s strategy stand out. Season 1 added Raid, Season 2 brought back Express, Season 3 revived Standoff, and Season 4 is introducing Hijacked. The common thread connecting these maps is that they all featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and with two Seasons left to go, the total BO2 remakes could reach a total of six.

While this is somewhat understandable due to the game’s popularity, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is essentially becoming Black Ops 2.5. Given how popular these maps and the playlists tied to them are, though, they should show Treyarch that remastering all the others could be a worthwhile endeavor. A full remaster of 2012’s Call of Duty game would bring back all these maps and more, and with Treyarch already having newer versions of four locations finished, the studio has a leg up on this hypothetical remaster. The game was popular for more than just its maps, though, and a remaster would need to give Call of Duty fans the same feeling they had when playing the original almost ten years ago.

This includes everything from the character models and menu system to the game’s HUD, as Treyarch would need to capture the same spark that the game had on launch. With Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s music already available as War Tracks in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Treyarch knows how important keeping the same sound design would be for the remaster’s success. Most fans would agree that the game had the best version of League Play, too, making its return a big win for competitive players. Most of all, though, fans would be thrilled to use the weapons again, as guns like the KSG shotgun, Skorpion EVO SMG, and KAP 40 pistol are remembered fondly to this day. All of this could return in a full remaster, giving fans a near future Call of Duty game to contrast Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 the World War 2-focused Call of Duty 2021.

Why Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s Campaign Is A Perfect Follow-Up To Black Ops Cold War’s

Raul Menendez - Best Call Of Duty Protagonists Villains

Outside of just the multiplayer being remastered, fans could get plenty of enjoyment out of seeing the campaign remastered. Featuring side missions and challenges, the latter of which were required for one of Call of Duty’s hardest achievements, the campaign has tons of relayability. Further, it features one of the franchise’s best antagonists, with Raul Menendez being remembered for his tragic backstory and terrifying personality. On top of just being a great campaign, though, it would make sense for Treyarch to release a remaster of this story right after Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War takes place in 1984, placing it just two years before the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. As such, those that never played the game or started with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War could go right into its sequel, making a Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 remaster a direct follow-up. An upgraded version of the game makes more sense than ever because of this, as does a release sometime in the next few years. Treyarch could further build off its status as a sequel, making a Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 release timely as opposed to random. The campaign provides a reason to bring the game back beyond just nostalgia, as it serves as the next step in the Black Ops series’ timeline.

Lastly, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has many of the best campaign features from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. While it does lack the optional dialogue, it allows players to make several meaningful choices. Just like the 2020 game, these choices lead to multiple endings, with even more possible outcomes available to be unlocked. It also boasts side missions just like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. With these features in mind, playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s campaign after Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s would feel like a perfect transition. Not only is it a sequel based on the timeline, but mechanics like side quests, choices, and multiple endings will make it feel more like a follow-up than a product of the past.

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Making Good On The Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Zombies Remake Teasers

cod black ops 2 buried key art

Finally, a proper remaster of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 would see Zombies fans finally getting maps like TranZit remade. With the location being widely regarded as the worst Zombies map ever due to the technical limitations of the time, a new version could fix this. Die Rise remains a cult classic, with the map joining TranZit as a location that has yet to receive a remaster. Finally, there is Buried, another Zombies map that remains trapped on the original Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 despite its popularity. If Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 were to get a remaster, better versions of these maps could make a return.

Treyarch has been teasing potential remakes of these maps in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and while Zombies Chronicles 2 could happen, the developer could also hold off for a potential Black Ops 2 remaster. This way, Zombies would be full of content from the get-go, with diehard fans of the mode having a reason to pick it up. Further, Treyarch could add in a faithful remaster of Mob of the Dead, as Blood of the Dead in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 had different mechanics. With another Origins remaster also possible, as well as the smaller Survival maps from TranZit, Zombies fans would have a ton of fun with the game being rebuilt.

On top of this, Call of Duty Zombies fans would be happy to see the game’s mechanics return, with persistent perks, weapon storage, and the bank amongst them. With Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s Grief and Turned modes also available for a remaster, there is a lot of potential for fans of Treyarch’s signature mode. Overall, there are simply too many benefits to a Black Ops 2 remaster for it not to happen, as it could deliver satisfying content for Zombies, campaign, and multiplayer fans. With Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War continuing to use and reference content from the game, it is hard not to hope that it will lead to something more.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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