What Black Ops Port Success Means for Devs and Future COD

The ports' success shows there's big money in re-releasing classic games, but it also highlights the ongoing debate over how creators should be compensated for legacy titles. Activision is already usi…

The ports' success shows there's big money in re-releasing classic games, but it also highlights the ongoing debate over how creators should be compensated for legacy titles. Activision is already usi…

Key points - The Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 ports sold over 11 million copies on PS4 and PS5 combined. - Developer Gavin Goslin said the ports' success is bittersweet because original creators didn't share in the profits. - Goslin called for retroactive rewards for developers who crunched on the original games. - Activision marketing boss Tyler Bahl said the ports exceeded expectations due to pent-up demand. - Activision is applying lessons from the ports to Modern Warfare 4 and future Call of Duty games.

Timeline - Recently: Activision releases ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 on PlayStation. - Recently: Ports sell over 11 million copies combined on PS4 and PS5. - Recently: Gavin Goslin posts on LinkedIn criticizing Activision for not sharing profits with original developers. - October 23: Modern Warfare 4 is set to release.

FAQ

Q: Did the original developers get any money from the Black Ops ports? A: According to Gavin Goslin, the original creators did not see any of the profits from the ports. He said the "suits" at Activision raked in all the money.

Q: Why were the Black Ops ports so successful? A: Activision's Tyler Bahl attributed the success to pent-up demand. Before the ports, the games weren't available on PS4 or PS5, so fans had no modern way to play them.

Q: What is next for Call of Duty after the Black Ops ports? A: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23. After that, Activision has teased a new sub-franchise.