I wasn’t expecting the next Call of Duty to be announced this past weekend, but it happened, as Black Ops 7 was revealed at the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase. As a direct sequel to Black Ops 2 that brings back David Mason, the trailer for Black Ops 7 ties in many elements of past games. Many current fans of the series likely haven’t spent time with all of the older Black Ops titles, raising the question of how to best play them in 2025.
All the older games, minus the original Call of Duty, are available on Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility, and they’re also on Steam. The latter has some major security issues, but the newest versions on Xbox PC are well worth checking out, even if you already own them on Steam or Xbox Console. They’re currently on sale, and the Xbox PC versions are superior to the Steam counterparts in many ways.
The Best Ways To Play Classic Call Of Duty Right Now
Change Is Coming
By a wide margin, the best way to play the older Call of Duty games is on Xbox Series X|S. All the content is there, the community’s still active for most games, and it’s safer than the Steam versions. It’s not perfect, as hacked lobbies are rampant in games like Black Ops 2. For the most part, however, it’s a much more ideal experience than Steam’s online multiplayer, which runs a greater risk of exposure to people attempting to exploit security issues.
You can also play the Steam versions through the Plutonium and AlterWare mods, which remove the security problems. I would say this is still the best way to play on PC, but that will change in the very near future. After the Xbox Games Showcase, it’s clear that the future of the Xbox platform is PC. Windows titles are being rebranded as Xbox PC, and many games from Xbox’s catalog are getting native Xbox PC versions.
Such is the case with the older Call of Duty games, as everything from 2003’s original Call of Duty to 2017’s WW2 got native Xbox PC ports. It took a while for the COD community to figure out what was different in these new versions. However, after digging in, the results are impressive.
Call Of Duty On Xbox PC Is Leagues Ahead Of Steam
Both Safer And Smoother
While many of these Xbox PC ports have been around for nearly six months, it wasn’t until just a month ago that YouTuber lollipopomg dived deep into these new versions. After watching, I had to buy some of my favorite CODs on Xbox PC. There are two huge improvements here from the Steam versions, and they’re the most important: security and performance. These Xbox PC ports have a 64-bit infrastructure instead of 32-bit on the Steam versions, and online play now runs through the Xbox network.
Both of these changes not only make these titles significantly safer to play than the Steam versions, but they also improve performance. The latter might not seem like a big deal, as these are older titles, and most PCs nowadays should be able to play even a ten-year-old game like Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, no problem. However, this is extremely important when considering handheld gaming PCs, such as the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally. That performance boost makes a big difference on those devices.
There is one glaring issue with the Xbox PC ports that you should be aware of before making your purchase. Virtually no one is playing online, at least not right now. You can still play solo zombies and experience the amazing campaigns. I might jump back into the campaign for Black Ops 2, especially with characters like Mike Harper returning in Black Ops 7, along with the original voice actor, Michael Rooker. However, if you want to play online, you’ll only discover a handful of people, if that. I do believe that’ll change in the future, though.
The Xbox Game Pass & Pricing Issue
A Tough Call To Make
Besides the issue that virtually nobody plays online currently in the Xbox PC versions, two other things need to be considered before you spend your hard-earned money. One is the big elephant in the room: Xbox Game Pass. Ever since these Xbox PC ports were released six months ago, the common notion has been that they were added to the Xbox PC storefront in preparation for when they’ll finally be available on Xbox’s flagship subscription service. Six months later, that still hasn’t happened.
Call of Duty has to be the biggest problem with Xbox Game Pass, and at this point, it’s taken so long for these classics to drop on the service that I’m becoming more doubtful that they’ll ever come with each passing day. Hopefully, they’ll arrive later this summer, but I wouldn’t be surprised if older CODs don’t come to Game Pass this year. The other sticking point is the price. For months, these Xbox PC editions of classic Call of Duty games were full-priced titles. Why would anyone spend $60 on Black Ops 2 in 2025?
I believe these updated and improved Xbox PC versions will be the predominant method to play these classics in the future, whether on PC or Xbox.
Thankfully, there is currently a sale on all Xbox PC Call of Duty games, except for Modern Warfare Remastered. Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 to WW2 will cost around $20 for the base game, and older titles even less. Season Passes will cost around $25, so the total cost for the complete package will be $45. I would highly recommend picking up a couple of your favorite Call of Duty games now, until the sale ends on June 24, even if you already own them on Xbox Console or Steam.
Keep in mind that the Steam versions have not been updated and likely won’t unless it becomes a redirect to the Xbox PC port. I believe these updated and improved Xbox PC versions will be the predominant method to play these classics in the future, whether on PC or Xbox. There are a ton of rumors about the next-gen Xbox being a PC-hybrid-like system, and while it’s likely Xbox Console games will carry over, it’s not 100% certain.
If you’re planning on getting the ROG Xbox Ally, buying a few of these Xbox PC CODs is a must. You can not play Xbox Console games natively on the ROG Xbox Ally, but if these Xbox PC versions are in your library, you can play Black Ops 3 zombies on the go straight out of the box this holiday season. Call of Duty zombies players will love to have this easy native portable experience with the new Xbox handheld.
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