Call of Duty: Black Ops Combo Pack Details Emerge from Retail Listing

New Black Ops Bundle Listed for PS3 and Xbox 360

In early April 2015, retail listings on Amazon indicated that Activision was preparing a new bundle for the Call of Duty series. The product, titled the Call of Duty: Black Ops Combo Pack, appeared for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This collection was poised to bring together two of the most popular entries in the franchise from developer Treyarch, offering a substantial package for fans on the previous generation of consoles even as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were gaining momentum.

The bundle’s appearance was notable for its timing. The listings showed a release date of May 1, 2015. While this specific date was likely a placeholder used by the retailer, its proximity to Activision’s typical announcement window for the year’s new Call of Duty title was significant. The publisher has historically revealed its next major installment in late April or early May, and releasing a themed bundle would be a strategic way to build anticipation and capitalize on the subsequent hype for the next game in the series.

Contents of the Combo Pack

According to the product pages, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Combo Pack was set to include the original Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) and its sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012). These games were celebrated for their intricate narratives and the introduction of the popular Zombies mode storyline. The first game threw players into the clandestine operations of the Cold War, exploring historical events through the eyes of black ops soldier Alex Mason. The second title advanced the story into a near-future setting of 2025, featuring branching storylines and player choices that could impact the game’s outcome, alongside flashbacks to conflicts in the 1980s.

In addition to the two full games, the bundle also included the First Strike DLC pack for the original Black Ops. This was the first of four map packs released for the game and was a significant addition to the base experience. First Strike provided players with four new multiplayer maps: “Berlin Wall,” set at the iconic Checkpoint Charlie; “Discovery,” a desolate German research station in the Arctic; “Kowloon,” based on the campaign mission on the rooftops of the titular walled city; and “Stadium,” a fast-paced map in a North American hockey rink. The pack also expanded the Zombies mode with a new map called “Ascension,” which took place in a Soviet cosmodrome.

Speculation on a Black Ops Sequel

The emergence of a bundle focused exclusively on the Black Ops sub-series fueled strong speculation that the next installment in the franchise would be Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. With Treyarch, the studio behind the first two titles, due up in the development rotation, a third entry seemed like the most logical step. Following Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Ghosts in 2013 and Sledgehammer Games’ Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare in 2014, 2015 was Treyarch’s year to release a new title under the series’ three-year development cycle.

This combo pack served as a strong hint about the direction Activision was taking for its annual blockbuster release. By packaging the previous two games, the publisher could re-engage players with the Black Ops storyline and universe just before unveiling a sequel. As was customary for the franchise, the next Call of Duty game was expected to launch in its usual release window in November 2015.