Is Black Ops 3 Cross-Platform?

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 was one of the best multiplayer games in the history of the legendary shooter franchise. It was a versatile game that featured jetpack-based combat, which meant that players were rarely stationary or moving slowly. It was a fast-paced, energetic game that attracted millions of players back in 2015. It’s still online today, and some players are asking the all-important question: ‘Is Black Ops 3 cross-platform?’

With an immersive campaign (for some players) and a great Zombies side mode, Black Ops 3 had plenty to offer. However, where this game shined bright was in its multiplayer offering, which was well-balanced, bursting at the seams with top-tier weapons, and featured a range of interesting, innovative maps. In this short walkthrough, we’re going to take a look at this high-rated game and determine once and for all if Black Ops 3 crossplay features exist.

What Was Wrong With Black Ops 3?

is black ops 3 cross platform

Image Credit: Activision

Unfortunately, when Black Ops 3 launched, it landed itself in hot water with fans on the ‘old generation’ of consoles. While the game did launch on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 formats, it did so without the inclusion of a campaign mode. This decision was reportedly made following technical limitations uncovered through the development of the game, but it meant that players on the ‘old generation’ platforms had a lesser experience and, ultimately, no single-player content to enjoy.

When Black Ops 3 was released, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 platforms had existed for more than two years. Even with that in mind, it seemed unfair to many players that those who hadn’t yet upgraded were essentially being robbed of a Call of Duty story experience. Regardless, Black Ops 3 was a commercial success and it marked another great year in the books for Activision. If we look back at the full span and size up how many Call of Duty games there are, very few of them have performed badly.

If we look past that blip, Black Ops 3 was, for the most part, a relatively enjoyable title. It was welcomed by fans, even though it almost completely changed the formula that was known and loved by the community at large. For example, Black Ops 3 introduced ‘specialists’ – playable characters with unique abilities online. It was a big change, but it wasn’t taken negatively by any means.

So, is Black Ops 3 cross-platform? In the next section, we’ll break down the crossplay meaning and find out, if at all possible, how to play Black Ops 3 cross-platform.

Is Black Ops 3 Cross-Platform?

is black ops 3 crossplay

Sadly, Black Ops 3 is not a cross-platform Call of Duty title. It wasn’t until 2019 that Call of Duty became a crossplay-compatible franchise, allowing users to connect regardless of their platform. As Black Ops 3 was released way back in 2015, it came before that threshold, which means it never would have launched as a cross-platform game. If you’re wondering if Call of Duty is cross-platform, then you’re in luck – some of the best games in the series are, but Black Ops 3 merely isn’t.

Today, the Call of Duty series makes up some of the best crossplay games, boasting several mechanics designed to unite the community. For a while, a fair portion of the player base has been claiming that Call of Duty is dying, but that certainly isn’t the case – at least, not in 2022. These cross-platform mechanics essentially give players the ability to connect with gamers on other platforms – from Xbox to PC, or PS5 to Xbox Series X, for example.

As one of the best Call of Duty settings integrations, the ability to enable cross-platform play is a game-changer. While there are concerns regarding players linking up with PC players, the introduction of cross-platform features has really opened up the networking capabilities of the wider community.

Sadly, Black Ops 3 will never be a cross-platform game, but at this point, it’s highly expected that every Call of Duty game to launch will be crossplay by default.