Overview
- Activision quietly released PS4/PS5 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 in July 2026, and the reissues sold an estimated 11.2 million copies that month generating roughly $435–$450 million in revenue.
- Data trackers reported that Black Ops 2 topped U.S. sales charts for July and both titles became some of the most played games of 2026, despite being straightforward $40 re-releases with few new features.
- Former Treyarch developer Gavin Goslin said on LinkedIn that he and other creators who endured years of crunch received no share of the windfall and urged retroactive payments for legacy revenue.
- Activision’s chief marketing officer, Tyler Bahl, said the company was surprised by the scale of sales and framed the ports as a nostalgia play to drive players toward Modern Warfare 4.
- The coverage has focused attention on a structural issue in games publishing — the lack of Hollywood-style residuals — which could increase pressure for contract changes or industry-wide reforms even though no policy shifts have been announced.