Finally, Some Good News for Call of Duty Fans on Xbox

It’s tough being a Call of Duty fan on Xbox: Three years ago, Activision switched allegiances to Sony, ensuring that PlayStation gamers would receive downloadable content (DC)—things like new maps and game modes—first. And not just first, but a full month ahead of gamers on Xbox (or PC).

“This is … untenable,” I wrote at the time. And like other COD fans on Xbox, I’ve been suffering ever since. This past year has been particularly bad, in part because the next COD game, Black Ops 4, will ship a month earlier than usual, in October. So Xbox gamers won’t get the final DLC for the current game, Call of Duty: WWII, until the same month that the next game comes out.

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Sorry, but that just sucks. And this situation is so bad, I’ve considered switching consoles just so I can play COD and get new content on a reasonable schedule.

And then this happened.

“PlayStation 4 players will get to play new content first on PS4 by seven days,” an Activision blog post discussing Black Ops 4 DLC explains.

Seven days.

To be clear, the delta was previous 30 days, so this is huge. And it gets better, as Activision is also planning to ship some free DLC for Black Ops 4 shortly after the game launches on 12, including yet another version of the classic map Nuketown.

Seven days. I can handle seven days. That is reasonable.

 

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Conversation 9 comments

  • richardbottiglieri

    Premium Member
    21 September, 2018 - 10:56 am

    <p>Finally! I never liked the 30 day window, even back when Xbox One users had first crack at the DLC. This makes much more sense.</p>

  • maethorechannen

    Premium Member
    21 September, 2018 - 11:26 am

    <p>I wonder if the PS4 exclusivity deal has backfired, and 7 days is the best they could re-negotiate. Just because Sony have sold more consoles doesn't necessarily mean they've sold those consoles to people who are interested in COD.</p>

  • RM

    21 September, 2018 - 1:32 pm

    <p>Any clue as to why the change? Makes me think there may be reason for me to buy my first COD game.</p>

  • Elan Gabriel

    21 September, 2018 - 2:45 pm

    <p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">"And this situation is so bad, I’ve considered switching consoles just so I can play COD and get new content on a reasonable schedule"</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Well, that just proved they were right. The whole point was to make people switch to/get a PS4.</span></p>

    • KLEEBAN KLIBAN

      24 September, 2018 - 6:50 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#326609">In reply to egab:</a></em></blockquote><p>The one thing I remembered being a blessing in disguise back when I played PS3, is that after the final DLC you barely had to wait for the next game. It was just DLC 1 that was a long wait and then everything after 1 was the same wait time. Still you knew the map was out so it makes you impatient haha. In a way, better to wait for DLC 1 longer because that's when you have the entire full game to hold you over. DLC 4 only had 4 MP maps and a Zombies map. Origins was pretty epic though haha. </p>

  • FalseAgent

    21 September, 2018 - 2:56 pm

    <p>Call Of Duty hasn't been relevant in a long time. Even the most exciting thing in the upcoming BO4 is the gamemode which has been lifted off from the actually popular titles people are playing today.</p>

    • KLEEBAN KLIBAN

      24 September, 2018 - 6:46 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#326612">In reply to FalseAgent:</a></em></blockquote><p>Black Ops 3 sold over 26 million. Not many games are more relevant than Black Ops 3 alone, nevermind the entire CoD franchise. </p><p><br></p><p>Personally Blackout is the least exciting part of Black Ops 4 for me. CoD always drew me in for the action, and by design Battle Royale is slow paced with infrequent interaction. I get the appeal but not for me. Only thing that excites about Blackout, is the prospect of it getting used for larger team game modes like 50 on 50 Team Deathmatch. Basically CoD doing the one thing that made me wish I could enjoy Battlefield.</p><p><br></p><p>However these Battle Royale modes are all the rage among the kids these days, so can't fight that you are right that it is more widely considered the most exciting part when all is said and done. From reviews I've read, apparently the other games aren't as good as Blackout and people who have played are glad a more accomplished developer has taken on the reigns. Think I saw one bad review but the rest were all talking it up. Still, I just don't get it. So slow. I tried Fortnite and the gameplay itself wasn't shooter enough for me. Only played PUBG on mobile so can't say for myself if Blackout was better during the Beta. Either way it's only going to get better by launch and even better after. I will give it another shot, maybe get trophies if they aren't too grindy.</p>

  • irfaanwahid

    22 September, 2018 - 2:27 am

    <p>I admire your dedication to COD franchise. </p><p>Something I couldn't keep up with COD &amp; lost interest for its repetitive gameplay.</p><p>I have never been a MP die hard fan, I do enjoy it though. But I always buy a new game for its story/campaign, something Paul does not care anymore.</p><p><br></p>

  • KLEEBAN KLIBAN

    24 September, 2018 - 6:31 pm

    <p>@maethorechannen "I wonder if the PS4 exclusivity deal has backfired"</p><p><br></p><p>More likely the window is shorter because the exclusivity covers so much more content. It keeps the deal fair for Sony instead of giving them way too much exclusivity. All post release content (maps like Nuketown, skins, weapons, events, game modes, specialists, etc.) will be part of the PS4 exclusivity. A month was already too long for the paid content in season pass, imagine if that got applied to all the free content, which is bound to be way more content than even Black Ops 3 had.</p><p><br></p><p>Hopefully this one week becomes standard for CoD. I remember waiting for BO2 Zombies maps on PS3 and it was hell. I'd like to know that if next gen the console I go with isn't the console with exclusivity, I only have to wait a week.&nbsp;</p>

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