Summary
In a statement, publisher Activision clarified the situation around the lack of an early access period for the narrative campaign ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 6. UnlikeBlack Ops 6, some previously releasedCall of Dutytitles granted players who pre-ordered the game early access to the campaign, with multiplayer matches unlocking for everyone on the day of the full release.
Though games in the franchise are more readily associated with their multiplayer experience in PVP and lately for the battle royaleCall of Duty: Warzone, a cinematic campaign is still considered a highlight of any majorCall of Dutygame. This is particularly true of theBlack Opssub-series, which distinguished itself by adopting more complex storytelling structures and favoring plotlines that played with players' perception of reality.Call of Duty: Black Opsstorylinesfocused on the “hidden” side of history and often indulged in conspiracy theory themes supposedly redacted from official records.
Unfortunately for players excited to see whatBlack Ops 6has to offer as soon as possible, Activision has held firm on not granting players early access to the campaign ahead of the full release. In a statement shared withCall of Dutynews account CharlieIntel, Activision clarified its position, saying thatCall of Duty: Black Ops 6would be sticking with a single global launch around July 24, 2025, with no early access benefits for any player. As such, the only way players will be able to play the gameahead of its release date is via the ongoingBlack Ops 6beta test periods.
Activision Confirms No Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Early Access Period
In its statement, Activision said that the development team is “fully focused” on the October 25 release date, and that it wants the “massive” global launch to be the time that the entire community gets to access the available modes. Outside the beta tests, Activision will use reveal events like the recent unveiling of a fullBlack Ops 6campaign missionplaythrough to give players more insight into the game.
The statement from Activision didn’t mention themassive wave ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 6leaksthat occurred over recent weeks. Earlier in August 2024, a major leak unveiled what looked to be almost every cutscene from theBlack Ops 6campaign, giving impatient players a detailed look at what developer Treyarch had in store for those interested in the story. Other leaks showed off multiplayer gameplay and other insights related to in-game features.
Activision is clearly hoping that sticking to a single release date for everyCall of Duty: Black Ops 6mode will increase the impact of its launch, even if that risks annoying players who want some time to play the campaign before diving into multiplayer. Time will tell if the strategy will work out for it, but it’s at least telling that players are excited for the game, if they’re clamoring to get in as soon as humanly possible.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
