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many believe Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 offers one of the best experiences the legendary fist-person shooter franchise has to offer. Given its unique branching single player, perfectly balanced multiplayer and addictive zombies mode, the title had something big to offer for a large number of fans.

It can be said that Duty as a franchise undergoes a turning point from the previously established and long-standing formula, with a smaller chance of a title being released every year. This could potentially open up a market for remasters of the franchise’s most well-received titles, and Black Ops 2 might as well be a contender for a remaster.

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The magic of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 campaign

A huge element of Black Ops 2 arguing for a potential remaster is the campaign, which is one of the most expansive in the entire history of the franchise. Being a sequel to the cult-classic campaign of the original Call of Duty Black Ops, Black Ops 2 is one of the only ones Codfish titles have a branching storyline that can directly influence the player, complete with multiple different endings.

As for fan-favorite characters like Alex Mason and Frank Woods in their older ages, Black Ops 2 also established one of the series’ most layered villains in the form of Raul Menendez. Not only would a remaster allow fans to experience the thrilling story and twisting plot of Black Ops 2but it would also give Treyarch the ability to add new endings and plot options, giving the story a very different dynamic and giving a remaster some much-needed value.

The revival of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s iconic multiplayer

It’s no secret that, even if the Duty franchise has evolved, a given title’s multiplayer has remained crucial to the game’s popularity and critical reception. In addition to one of the most memorable campaigns, Black Ops 2 is revered by long-term fans for the quality of its multiplayer mode. It is considered by many to be the perfect mix between the classic “boots on the ground” Duty experience and the more futuristic twist that the franchise took for a while. The series would continue to struggle with its identity in terms of how far it could push a futuristic setting, but… Black Ops 2 stands as the ultimate sweet spot in the minds of many.


Built around the then-futuristic setting of 2025, the main multiplayer gameplay of Black Ops 2 felt familiar as fans were introduced to never-before-seen killstreaks and weapons, with the game no longer bound by the limitations of contemporary or historical warfare. Given the relatively negative reputation that recent franchise multiplayers, such as that of Call of Duty: Vanguarda market for a Black Ops 2 revival is more than present.

A Black Ops 2 remaster could offer an immediate revival of the game’s multiplayer, with the original title’s online mode understandably a relative ghost town due to its age and presence on outdated hardware. With an enhanced player base, fans can experience the excitement of Black Ops 2‘s multiplayer, with the possible addition of brand new maps that bring a never-before-seen gameplay element to the classic title.


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The Depth of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s Zombies Mode

The many Treyarch-led Duty titles are characterized by their own unique tertiary mode known as zombies. Starting with the critically acclaimed World at war‘s zombie mode Duty sees players fight for their lives against an endless zombie threat, using points to open the map, acquire perks, and obtain super-powered weapons.

While the zombie mode may seem simple and fairly one-dimensional at first glance, the introduction of elaborate and extremely difficult “easter eggs” on various zombie maps has allowed the mode to become hugely popular within a subset of the Codfish community. Black Ops 2 has a fantastic take on the zombies formula as it is the first title to introduce an individual rating system purely for the Duty zombie mode.


TranZit was the launch card for Black Ops 2s zombies, rewriting what should be expected of a zombie experience by having players traverse the map via an automated bus. Later released via DLC, the Die Rise, Mob of the Dead, Buried, and Origins maps are widely regarded as some of the best zombies maps ever released.

The Easter eggs for these cards went beyond what players had experienced before, requiring a serious amount of dedication, planning, teamwork, and often luck to complete. It can be said that Black Ops 2 brought zombies Easter Eggs to a much wider audience, leading to a much more lingering popularity and replayability factor for the mode in the title.

Should Black Ops 2 be remastered, Treyarch would do well to change the formula and process of these Easter eggs, increase the variety of experiences, and perhaps even rewrite elements of the complex zombies storyline. Given the long-standing popularity of the title’s single and multiplayer modes, a remaster of Black Ops 2 would be a more than worthwhile stopover amid the increased wait times between brand new Duty titles.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is now available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

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