Ethan Crossfield 
If you play Black Ops or Black Ops 2 on PlayStation, the big launch complaint is now addressed: PS4 and PS5 owners can matchmake together, and Season Pass holders can finally play in the same lobbies as non-holders.
What changed in the latest update
After fan backlash about missing cross-generation support at launch, Treyarch has enabled cross-platform multiplayer between the PS4 and PS5 versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. The adjustment is aimed directly at matchmaking, allowing players on the two newer PlayStation generations to queue together rather than being split into separate pools.
The update also addresses another party-mixing issue. According to the official Call of Duty Updates social account, Season Pass holders can now join games with players who do not own the Season Pass in both titles. The change is notable because the source indicates this type of separation was not a problem in Call of Duty games prior to these re-releases.
Who is affected—and what still isn’t
The fix specifically targets PS4 and PS5 owners of the Black Ops duology. The source also clarifies that the PS3 versions cannot join PS4/PS5 lobbies or other platforms—an expected limitation given the age of the hardware and that most of the PS3 player base has likely moved on.
Even with cross-generation play now working as requested, the ports have not been universally smooth. Players have reported input lag concerns on PS5, with some claiming the original games do not feel right with the DualSense controller. Others reportedly do not notice the same issues, suggesting performance or feel may vary across players or setups.
Beyond technical complaints, there are also frustration points tied to the re-release model: Black Ops 1 and 2 are launching at $40 each in the source, while DLC is sold separately—an arrangement that has drawn criticism given the games’ age.
What comes next for Black Ops 1 and 2 on modern PlayStation
With cross-generation matchmaking resolved, the ports now have a stronger foundation for longer-term matchmaking health. A shared player pool typically improves queue times and can extend the life of older titles—especially in a franchise where re-releases can otherwise be short-lived due to the usual Call of Duty release cadence.
However, the source points to additional omissions that fans want addressed. Theater Mode, Wager Matches, and League Play are currently missing from these re-releases. While the cross-play fix is a clear win for PlayStation players, the community’s next expectations appear to focus on restoring these fan-favorite modes to complete the experience.
For now, players looking to jump in can expect PS4 and PS5 lobbies to be more connected than at launch. Whether the remaining feature gaps and input lag reports are fully resolved will likely determine how quickly the ports settle into a “set and forget” state.
What players should know
- PS4 and PS5 players can now matchmake together in Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2.
- Season Pass holders can join games with non-Season Pass players—another launch-era separation is being removed.
- PS3 versions still cannot join PS4/PS5 lobbies or other platforms.
- Some players report input lag and DualSense-related feel issues on PS5, while others say they don’t notice problems.
- The re-releases still lack Theater Mode, Wager Matches, and League Play.
Expert View
This is the kind of post-launch correction that matters most for older re-releases: matchmaking compatibility and lobby access rules directly affect how quickly games populate and how smoothly friends can play together. The cross-generation fix is a clear step forward, but the remaining missing modes and reported input lag concerns suggest the ports still have work to do before they feel fully “complete” on modern PlayStation.
