Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
News, coverage and analysis tracking Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 across the outlets.
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Best-selling games in the U.S. for September 2026 – Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Wave makes the top 5
Circana has released the top-selling video games in the U.S. for September 2026, with Marvel's Wolverine taking the top spot. New releases like Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave and Onimusha: Way of the Sword debuted at #4 and #7 respectively. The report also details the overall best-selling games of 2026 so far, led by NBA 2K27.
Marvel’s Wolverine Proves You Shouldn’t Always Trust What You See On Social Media
Marvel's Wolverine has achieved significant sales success, topping September's charts and setting a new record for Sony-published games. Despite mixed player reception and a 'fun but forgettable' review score, the game's strong performance is highlighted by new data, which also indicates a rise in PlayStation 5 hardware sales.
Former Call of Duty Dev Slams Black Ops Re-Releases
Former Call of Duty level designer Gavin Goslin criticized Activision's success with re-releases of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2, stating that while the games are selling well, the developers who created them do not share in the profits. Goslin also commented on the industry's shift away from tight, linear experiences towards more open-ended designs, suggesting a player desire for classic, focused campaigns.
Ex-Call of Duty designer "who survived the crunch" in order to launch Black Ops 1 & 2 calls out executives "raking it in" from sales of remasters
A former Treyarch developer, Gavin Goslin, has criticized Activision executives for profiting from re-releases of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2, games he and his colleagues worked tirelessly on. Goslin highlighted the disparity between executives receiving substantial financial windfalls from these older titles and the original creators receiving no compensation, calling it a fundamental flaw in the industry's valuation of talent. The re-releases have reportedly been highly successful, selling millions of copies.
“The Suits” Made All The Money From Call Of Duty: Black Ops 1 And 2 Ports, OG Dev Says
Former Treyarch developer Gavin Goslin expressed disappointment that Activision executives are profiting from the successful ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2, while the original creators receive no additional compensation. Goslin highlighted the intense crunch experienced during development and argued for retroactive rewards for developers based on legacy revenue. Activision marketing boss Tyler Bahl acknowledged the ports' significant success, attributing it partly to pent-up demand.
Former Call of Duty Dev Says 'It's Hard to Watch' Xbox Make Money From Black Ops PlayStation Ports
A former Call of Duty designer expressed frustration over the current model where older games are ported to new platforms without developers receiving additional royalties. The designer specifically cited the recent successful ports of Black Ops and Black Ops II to PlayStation as examples of this issue, stating it is 'hard to watch' Xbox profit from these releases.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 ports on PS4 and PS5 taught Activision there's "pent-up demand" to return to "good old days," so Modern Warfare 4 is doing just that
Activision found significant success with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2, indicating a strong "pent-up demand" for nostalgic multiplayer experiences. Chief marketing officer Tyler Bahl stated that these learnings are being applied to future titles, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, to recapture the "good old days" of playing with friends.
Activision CMO Decries 'Call of Duty Tax'
Activision CMO Tyler Bahl claims traditional games media applies a 'Call of Duty tax,' negatively impacting reviews and coverage due to the series' long history and large player base. The article argues that critical reception is based on game quality and innovation, not audience size or development team size, citing franchise fatigue and declining quality in recent Call of Duty titles as reasons for diminished media interest.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 Re-Releases Taught Activision to Lean More on Nostalgia, Says Exec
Activision's chief marketing officer Tyler Bahl stated that the successful re-releases of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 taught the company to lean more into nostalgia. He noted the pent-up demand for playing with friends and how these ports informed future game development, including the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which will conclude the current Modern Warfare series. Activision is also working on a new sub-franchise, aiming for innovation and fresh experiences after the mixed reception of Modern Warfare 3.
Best-selling games in the U.S. for August 2026 – Nintendo Switch 2 boosts Elden Ring to the top 10, Big Walk makes the list
Circana's August 2026 US sales chart shows NBA 2K27 and Madden NFL 27 leading, with Elden Ring surging to seventh place following the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. The list also features Mario Kart World and Splatoon Raiders, with Big Walk making an appearance. The year-to-date chart is topped by Resident Evil Requiem.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Appears to Be Much More Popular Than Black Ops 7 and Warzone on PS5
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is reportedly more popular on PlayStation 5 than Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone in the United States. This suggests a strong continued interest in older titles within the franchise.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced debuts in Top 5 for PC and console revenue in July | Newzoo Charts
July's game revenue charts, particularly for PC and consoles, were dominated by remakes and rereleases, with Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 performing strongly. Newzoo analyst Mert Şahin highlighted the commercial potential of established titles and different strategies for managing back catalogs, from substantial remakes to straightforward ports. Palworld also saw success after leaving early access.
New Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 PS5 update turns the ports into Modern Warfare 4 ads
Recent updates to the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 have added pre-order advertisements for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 directly into the main multiplayer menus. This move by Microsoft and Activision aims to promote the upcoming title, though it has been met with some player frustration.
US physical game sales drop to lowest monthly total since 1995 | US Monthly Charts
US physical game sales in July reached their lowest point since 1995, totaling $85 million. Hardware spending also saw a significant decline of 29% year-over-year, reaching $282 million, the lowest July total since 2020. Despite these drops, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 topped the charts, driven by its PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 port.
Best-selling games in the U.S. for July 2026 – Splatoon Raiders debuts in the top 10
Circana has released the top-selling video games in the U.S. for July 2026, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 leading the monthly charts. New releases Splatoon Raiders and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream also secured spots in the top ten. The article also provides a list of the overall best-selling games for 2026 so far, with Resident Evil Requiem at the top.
Hardware spending in the US was so low in July that it nearly matched the 2020 Pandemic days when everything was out of stock
US gaming hardware spending in July saw a significant 29 percent drop compared to last year, nearing 2020 pandemic levels due to high prices despite ample availability. Physical software sales also hit an all-time low since 1995, with PlayStation and Nintendo leading sales percentages. Only the gaming subscription category saw growth.
US Video Game Spending Just Had One Of Its Worst Julys Ever
US video game spending experienced a significant slump in July, falling 10% year-over-year to $4.5 billion according to Circana data. Both physical software sales and hardware sales hit multi-year lows, with higher hardware prices and the anticipation of the Nintendo Switch 2 impacting console sales. Content spending also declined, primarily driven by a drop in mobile game revenue.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 Port From 14 Years Ago Sold Better In July Than Any Other Game In US
Ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were the best-selling games in the US in July, according to Circana's sales report. The Black Ops 2 port ranked first by dollar sales, while the Black Ops port came in fifth. These titles, released with minimal improvements, reportedly sold over 11 million copies combined, generating more than $430 million for Activision and Microsoft.
Halo: Campaign Evolved Update With Bug Fixes, Stability Improvements Drops This Week
Halo Studios is releasing an update for Halo: Campaign Evolved this week on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, featuring bug fixes and stability improvements. Despite critical acclaim, the game has reportedly underperformed in sales, selling significantly less than Call of Duty titles released in the same period, with analysts suggesting PlayStation players favored nostalgia over the new release.
Halo: Campaign Evolved needed PvP to match Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 PS5 sales, analyst says
An analyst suggests that Halo: Campaign Evolved's lack of PvP maps is hindering its sales on PlayStation 5, causing it to significantly underperform compared to older Call of Duty: Black Ops ports. While Halo: Campaign Evolved sold 1.2 million copies, the PS5 ports of Black Ops 1 and 2 sold a combined 12 million units, with the analyst attributing the difference to the strong multiplayer component in the Call of Duty titles.
