I wasn’t expecting the nextCall of Dutyto be announced this past weekend, but it happened, asBlack Ops 7was revealed at the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase. As a direct sequel toBlack Ops 2that brings back David Mason, the trailer forBlack Ops 7ties in many elements of past games. Many current fans of the series likely haven’t spent time with all of the olderBlack Opstitles, raising the question of how to best play them in 2025.
All the older games, minus the originalCall of Duty, are available on Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility, and they’re also on Steam. The latter has some major security issues, but the newest versions on Xbox PC are well worth checking out,even if you already own them on Steam or Xbox Console. They’re currently on sale, and the Xbox PC versions are superior to the Steam counterparts in many ways.
The Best Ways To Play Classic Call Of Duty Right Now
Change Is Coming
By a wide margin, the best way to play the olderCall of Dutygames is on Xbox Series X|S. All the content is there, the community’s still active for most games, and it’s safer than the Steam versions. It’s not perfect, as hacked lobbies are rampant in games likeBlack Ops 2. For the most part, however, it’s a much more ideal experience than Steam’s online multiplayer, which runs a greater risk of exposure to people attempting to exploit security issues.
You can also play the Steam versions through the Plutonium and AlterWare mods, which remove the security problems. I would say this is still the best way to play on PC, butthat will change in the very near future. After the Xbox Games Showcase, it’s clear that thefuture of the Xbox platform is PC. Windows titles are being rebranded as Xbox PC, and many games from Xbox’s catalog are getting native Xbox PC versions.
Such is the case with the olderCall of Dutygames, as everything from 2003’s originalCall of Dutyto 2017’sWW2got native Xbox PC ports. It took a while for theCODcommunity to figure out what was different in these new versions. However, after digging in,the results are impressive.
Both Safer And Smoother
While many of these Xbox PC ports have been around for nearly six months, it wasn’t until just a month ago that YouTuberlollipopomgdived deep into these new versions. After watching,I had to buy some of my favoriteCODson Xbox PC. There are two huge improvements here from the Steam versions, and they’re the most important: security and performance. These Xbox PC ports have a 64-bit infrastructure instead of 32-bit on the Steam versions, and online play now runs through the Xbox network.
Both of these changes not only make these titles significantly safer to play than the Steam versions, but they also improve performance. The latter might not seem like a big deal, as these are older titles, and most PCs nowadays should be able to play even a ten-year-old game likeCall of Duty: Black Ops 3, no problem. However, this is extremely important when considering handheld gaming PCs, such as theupcoming ROG Xbox Ally. That performance boost makes a big difference on those devices.
There is one glaring issue with the Xbox PC ports that you should be aware of before making your purchase.Virtually no one is playing online, at least not right now. You can still play solo zombies and experience the amazing campaigns. I might jump back into the campaign forBlack Ops 2, especially with characters like Mike Harper returning inBlack Ops 7,along with the original voice actor, Michael Rooker. However, if you want to play online, you’ll only discover a handful of people, if that. I do believe that’ll change in the future, though.
The Xbox Game Pass & Pricing Issue
A Tough Call To Make
Besides the issue that virtually nobody plays online currently in the Xbox PC versions, two other things need to be considered before you spend your hard-earned money. One is the big elephant in the room:XboxGame Pass. Ever since these Xbox PC ports were released six months ago, the common notion has been that they were added to the Xbox PC storefront in preparation for when they’ll finally be available on Xbox’s flagship subscription service. Six months later, that still hasn’t happened.
Call of Dutyhas to be thebiggest problem with Xbox Game Pass, and at this point, it’s taken so long for these classics to drop on the service thatI’m becoming more doubtful that they’ll ever comewith each passing day. Hopefully, they’ll arrive later this summer, but I wouldn’t be surprised if olderCODsdon’t come to Game Pass this year. The other sticking point is the price. For months, these Xbox PC editions of classicCall of Dutygames were full-priced titles. Why would anyone spend $60 onBlack Ops 2in 2025?
I believe these updated and improved Xbox PC versions will be the predominant method to play these classics in the future, whether on PC or Xbox.
Thankfully, there is currently a sale on all Xbox PCCall of Dutygames, except forModern Warfare Remastered.Call of Duty: Black Ops 1toWW2will costaround $20 for the base game, and older titles even less. Season Passes will cost around $25, so the total cost for the complete package will be $45. I would highly recommend picking up a couple of your favoriteCall of Dutygames now, until the sale ends on June 24, even if you already own them on Xbox Console or Steam.
Keep in mind that the Steam versions have not been updated and likely won’t unless it becomes a redirect to the Xbox PC port. I believe these updated and improved Xbox PC versions will be the predominant method to play these classics in the future, whether on PC or Xbox. There are a ton of rumors about the next-gen Xbox being a PC-hybrid-like system, and while it’s likely Xbox Console games will carry over,it’s not 100% certain.
If you’re planning on getting the ROG Xbox Ally, buying a few of these Xbox PCCODsis a must. You can not play Xbox Console games natively on the ROG Xbox Ally, but if these Xbox PC versions are in your library, you can playBlack Ops 3zombies on the go straight out of the box this holiday season.Call of Dutyzombies players will love to have this easy native portable experience with the new Xbox handheld.
