What are the differences between the current and next-gen editions of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War?

With a number of next-gen titles featuring more content than their current-gen counterpart, it's reasonable to wonder if the same will happen with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. For those who aren't diving into the new wave of consoles, the answer isn't too heartbreaking. Most of what has been revealed will be available to you. However, in addition to the visuals, new generation users will benefit from a few major improvements when playing online.

Benefits of being on the next generation

A revolutionary listening experience

With what the developer calls the “Threat Priority Audio System”, the next-generation proprietary 3D audio will help players better understand where steps and balls are coming from at all times. According to Activision, audio support doesn't stop there because "directional cracks and bullet holes let you know where the biggest threats are."

Visual control and enhancements

We don't know the impact yet, but Black Ops Cold War will enable Haptic Feedback settings on the PS5's DualSense controller. Haptic feedback is said to include a variation of vibration patterns, as well as adding extra weight to certain button presses. For example, we might know when the guns run out of ammo when the triggers are a bit lighter than usual.

Thanks to specs and ray tracing, the next level of play will provide better lighting and shadow effects in the game. Loading times will also be drastically reduced, so loading in halls will be less painful than 'it has only been in the last decade.

The good and the bad of playing on the current generation

The good: the game between generations

The good news is, those who stick with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One won't miss out on any content. Treyarch revealed that all of the game's modes will allow cross-play with any platform the game will be released on, especially the Xbox Series and PS5 consoles. So whether it's Team Deathmatch mode or Zombies mode, you'll get the same features as next-gen platforms.

The bad: Next-gen gamers are more likely to know when you're nearby

One has to be concerned about the effects that next-generation 3D audio may have on competitive cross-play. As these editions will better indicate where certain sounds are coming from, current generation players may be forced to use the quietest gear to ensure they are quiet for those with a head start. .

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be released on November 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It's unclear when the next-gen versions will drop, but fans can now pre-order a variant of the current version with a next-gen copy included.