Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War trailer, release date, versions, more

Activision and Treyarch have finally pulled back the curtains on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and we’ve got everything there is to know about the game’s upcoming release and beta.

The annual hype that surrounds the release of a new Call of Duty title is very much in full swing once more, this time for Black Ops Cold War, developed by Treyarch and Raven Software.

On August 26, Activision gave their hungry player-base a taste of what to expect with the worldwide reveal of BOCW in Warzone, which included a trailer for the campaign.

In addition, the publishers also released quite a bit of information about the game, such as the release date, pricing of all the different versions, next-gen console availability, and more, all of which can be found below.

Black Ops Cold War reveal trailer

When does Black Ops Cold War release?

It’s now been confirmed that BOCW will be available on Friday, November 13, 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. This is the first game in the series to be released in November since WWII in 2017; the last two, Black Ops 4 and Modern Warfare, were rolled out in October.

Next-gen availability

For those wondering about if and when BOCW will be released for the upcoming PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, Activision have announced that the game will be available on both next-gen consoles on “day one.”

Neither Microsoft nor Sony have yet to announce when their new platforms are coming out, so that information is expected to be revealed later.

Versions and pricing

There are three versions of Black Ops Cold War that players can start preordering now ahead of the November 13 release: Standard Edition, Cross-Gen Bundle, and Ultimate Edition.

• Standard Edition
  • PS4, Xbox One, PC
  • $59.99
  • Confrontations Weapons Pack
• Standard Edition (next-gen)
  • PS5, Xbox Series X
  • $69.99
  • Confrontations Weapons Pack
• Cross-Gen Bundle
  • PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox Series X (includes both the current and next-gen versions)
  • $69.99
  • Confrontations Weapons Pack
• Ultimate Edition
  • PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Xbox Series X (includes both the current and next-gen versions), PC
  • $89.99
  • Land, Sea, and Air Packs
    • 3 Operator Skins
    • 3 Vehicle Skins
    • 3 Weapon Blueprints
  • Battle Pass Bundle (BOCW Season 1 Battle Pass + 20 Tier skips)
  • Confrontations Weapons Pack

Here’s a look at what’s included in the Land, Sea, and Air Packs as part of the Ultimate Edition:

Activision have also confirmed that those who purchase the Standard Edition for current-gen consoles can upgrade to the next-gen version for $10 at any time, given that the upgraded version is within the same console family (PS4 to PS5, Xbox One to Xbox Series X).

Physical copies

There will, of course, be physical copies of BOCW available for all four consoles (PC will be only digital). The prices of each version will be the same as listed above, but here’s a rundown on how the upgrade process will work:

• Physical Standard of PS4 will upgrade to PS5 for $10
• Physical Standard of PS5 only includes PS5 version
• Physical Standard of Xbox Series X includes Xbox One copy
• Physical Standard of Xbox One cannot upgrade to Xbox Series X

Furthermore, preordering any of these three versions digitally will also include early access to the Open Beta (see below for more details) as well as a cosmetics bundle that includes the iconic character Frank Woods as an Operator and a new assault rifle weapon blueprint.

The Frank Woods Operator and AR blueprint can be used immediately in Modern Warfare multiplayer and Warzone.

When is the Black Ops Cold War multiplayer reveal?

The August 26 reveal was purely for the campaign only, so all information about the game’s multiplayer side of things won’t be made available until Friday, September 9.

However, Treyarch did tease the MP with a sneak peek at the very end of the reveal trailer:

Black Ops Cold War Open Beta

As has been the case with many of the Call of Duty games in recent years, BOCW will have an open beta period for players to try out the game ahead of its release.

• Read More: Everything to know about BOCW beta and MP reveal

While the dates for the beta have not yet been announced, Activision have confirmed that it’ll be available first on PS4 for “up to five days in advance,” as part of their deal with Sony.

Black Ops Cold War campaign info

Of course, the campaign was the major center of focus when it came to the August 26 reveal, as Activision not only showed off the trailer for it but also revealed plenty of details:

• There are multiple endings
• Players can create their own character
• Decisions affect the endings
• And more!

More about the single-player mode, including the list of characters and missions, can be found in our Black Ops Cold War campaign hub.