Call of Duty is regularly berated for its single player campaign – mostly because it’s a five hour slog and then it’s done, with the multiplayer standing as the game’s star attraction. Superfluous (but often fun!) modes like Exo Survival and the much-favoured Zombies pad things out a bit, but in general there’s very little single player content in Call of Duty games, making them poor value propositions for people like me who hate playing with others.
That changes this year. Black Ops 3 will have 15-20 hours of single player story content spread across 20 missions. But even that’s going to be handled differently. It’s going to work a lot like episodic content – but like Netflix, you’ll be able to play through whichever missions you like, in whatever order.
“Maybe you get to Level 3 and you stop because you’ve got something to do, your job takes over, your partner asks you to do something – whatever,” says Black Ops 3’s campaign & zombies director Jason Blundell. “You stop for a bit. Then someone at work says… ‘Dude, you’ve got to check out level 5, man,’ and you’re left like ‘I’m only on Level 3, I don’t know if I’ve got the time…’ – that sucks.”
So instead of that content being locked away, you’ll be able to play it whenever you like.
“To me, as a storyteller, I just… I always wanted to be able to give people access to the stuff that we worked very hard on,” Blundell says.
“The mentality is really that this is your content. You’ve paid for it. This is your content, and you should be able to access any of it however you want. Hopefully this can open up campaign and storytelling to the audience who maybe would put it down for a second and then struggle to get back in again.”
How that will work with weaving a compelling narrative is beyond my comprehension, but it’s something I’m keen to see when the game is out next month. Treyarch is putting a great deal of work in to the single player modes, and I’m rather glad. While people always say that Call of Duty exists to serve its multiplayer fan base, the research paints a different picture.
“It’s really interesting, because at a first glance, people say ‘Oh, y’know, it’s all about the multiplayer’,” Blundell told VG247. “But we actually found out through the analytics we gather when people play the game that everyone plays all three modes.”
“It turns out there’s a very vocal group that talk about one very specific thing – but then if you actually look at the numbers, everybody is spending time in all three modes. There are certain modes that certain players identify with more, of course, but the numbers also don’t lie in terms of how much time is spent by players in each of the different things.”
Videogamer, when they’re not being silly muppets, are quite insightful. Here’s their 8 things you need to know about Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. This year, in Call of Duty, choice is everything.
Last Updated: October 13, 2015
Grand Admiral Chief
October 13, 2015 at 08:34
I DON’T BELIEVE YOU
Grand Admiral Chief
October 13, 2015 at 08:35
That being said, I hope it is true
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 13, 2015 at 08:35
That’s a pretty decent SP for any FPS, never mind COD.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 13, 2015 at 08:41
“Dude, you’ve got to check out level 5, man.”
“I’m only on Level 3, I don’t know if I’ve got the time…”
“Nah bro, you have to, like, MAKE, like, the time, it’s for real epic!”
“Seriously bro?”
“Yeah dude, it’s legendary! It’s all like explosions and shit. I was all “pewpewpew” like a boss!”
“Damn son, I’m going to have to skip pumping it if I ever want to play it ever again”
“Your muscles will understand bro!”
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
October 13, 2015 at 08:42
HAHAHAHAH!!!! This^.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 13, 2015 at 08:42
Huehuehue
HvR
October 13, 2015 at 08:48
“Hope the game is PC bro”
Splooshypooh
October 13, 2015 at 09:02
You’re PC bruh?!
HvR
October 13, 2015 at 10:04
I WANNA BE PC!!! WOO-WOO!!!
WitWolfy
October 13, 2015 at 08:49
How I imagine most COD players…
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 13, 2015 at 08:57
Of course he’s wearing his cap backwards. Of course.
WitWolfy
October 13, 2015 at 09:03
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/bd/da/5b/bdda5b7a60a44f8df7472b5e2c19fe16.jpg
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 13, 2015 at 09:16
It’s not even about the orientation of the cap, it’s the positioning. It literally has zero function now.
Deceased
October 13, 2015 at 10:18
XD This ^
HvR
October 13, 2015 at 10:27
Brah, it’s to stop the frontend of the cap to press against the scope while I quick scope.
Rock789
October 13, 2015 at 08:59
Everyday conversation at the gym? 😉
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 13, 2015 at 09:04
Close enough. Just imagine it being said by squeaky voiced 13 year olds from the swimming squad.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 13, 2015 at 09:17
You need to stop hanging out with those kids they’re a bad influence
WitWolfy
October 13, 2015 at 08:44
Not sure if Trolling, or serious…
oVg
October 13, 2015 at 08:58
At least they are trying to make the franchise memorable again. They also know that COD fans are only in it for the on-line and never touched the SP portion. So they compromised and made all levels accessible lol
Want to see what Jimmy was talking about on level 6, just skip the first 5 levels lol thats a first.
I hate to admit it, but, if the game runs off-line and is 60fps I am sold on the SP portion.
It seems they are bringing something new to the table and if I get to play as a female protag then WIN.
Geoffrey Tim
October 13, 2015 at 15:58
COD is always 60fps, at least in the MP. 😛
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2015 at 09:05
The Digital Deluxe edition goes for R1200 and “In-game purchases optional” I’d rather spend that on JC3 and Fallout 4 thanks
Ir0nseraph
October 13, 2015 at 09:12
Lies your going Battelfront
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2015 at 09:15
Not for $110, plus the game is getting a lot of unapproved eyebrow lifting atm. Think I’ll continue working on my C3PO wheelie bin instead
Ir0nseraph
October 13, 2015 at 09:22
XD
Grand Admiral Chief
October 13, 2015 at 09:45
*you’re
Ir0nseraph
October 13, 2015 at 09:27
No digital on this game , get a disk do the campaign and some zombies killing and of to be traded for JC3.
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2015 at 09:32
If I trade it in the first month I should get a great deal.
*Looks at release schedule
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 13, 2015 at 09:15
This has me cautiously optimistic
Nikola
October 13, 2015 at 09:41
This just might make me buy COD for the first time in years!!!
Sageville
October 13, 2015 at 09:50
O_o
Deceased
October 13, 2015 at 10:16
Is this the point where CDPR goes: “Cute” :/
Spidy Duz It
October 13, 2015 at 10:38
never played a story mode on cod, only multiplayer and zombies
Darren Peach
October 13, 2015 at 12:41
Yay…..I think…