In their big multiplayer press jamboree last night, Treyarch and Activision took the veil off of the new competitive modes for Call of Duty: Black Ops. Interestingly, the game's versus side seems to be focusing more on a free-for-all style and less on teamwork. Go figure.
For the rest of us there's co-op to be had, and Treyarch confirmed a test-program-turned-practice-mode called "Combat Training", which pits up to four players against AI enemies. So far there isn't much detail, but it doesn't seem to be any kind of traditional survival mode...more like a couch co-op bot match. Unfortunately, your character progression won't be persistent between Combat Training and the other modes; but you do have access to the same system, so if you decide to stick with bot matches only you can still enjoy the same perks and rewards.
Keep reading for a run-down of what we know so far about Call of Duty: Black Ops' co-op offerings - or lack thereof.
Campaign - no co-op
Single-player is the epic, cinematic, seat-of-your-pants thrill ride that you star in. Then there's multiplayer, when you want to play competitive with your friends and really chisel and hone your skills and do that addictive experience. And then co-op is for when you want to have a blast with your friends, just sitting on the couch and having an awesome co-op experience. We're crafting unique co-op modes around that experience, but it is different than what people think.
- Mark Lamia, from Co-Optimus
Combat Training - confirmed
- Four Six player online (via press release)
- Split screen offline only online (two players) or offline (four players)
- Standalone progression and customization
According to online director, Dan Bunting, Combat Training wasn't intended as design feature – it was originally a development tool. The team created a basic AI drone they named Larry who would just stand around on the map; when he was shot, the user got stats on the damage done, and his distance from the player – all useful information for balancing weapons and maps. However, the design team started to add more and more AI functionality to the character, finally spawning multiple versions on each map to add extra challenge. It was from here that Combat Training evolved.
- from Guardian
Screenshot from Call of Duty: World at War
World at War Nazi Zombies - confirmed
- World at War maps confirmed for special editions of Black Ops
- Will feature some new updates based on community feedback.
All 4 existing #CoDWaW Zombies maps will be included in Hardened & Prestige editions of #CODBlackOps as callback co-op levels!
- Josh Olin, via Twitter
This is pretty much it. There are still some other little things that we haven't talked about yet but will at a later date, but this is pretty much the whole caboodle.
- Josh Olin, from CVG
Yes, the Zombie Mode from World at War returns for but Treyarch isn't willing to talk about it quite yet.
- from the Atlanta Examiner (possible misinformation)
Black Ops Zombies - confirmed
- Four players online, two players splitscreen (online or offline only)
- New maps
- Lore continuation from World at War's Nazi Zombies
One more Super Secret Co-Op Mode?
Combat Training is a form of Co-Op within the Multiplayer universe, but it is not THE Co-Op mode ;-).
- Josh Olin, via Twitter
Re: Do you know when the co op reveal is?
I do... But it's not something I want to spoil ahead of time ;).
- Josh Olin, via Twitter
If Zombies have anything to do with our top-secret Co-Op mode, then it's a safe bet there will be a trailer for it eventually...
- Josh Olin, via Twitter
Things are looking pretty bleak for a real worthwhile co-op mode. Then again, Treyarch has surprised us before (and were very successful in large part due to it). We're waiting - and hoping - to see if they have anything else up their sleeve for co-op fans.