Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War may have launched in a buggy state, but the game has rebounded since then through several patches and content drops. Now a solid game with the level of polish one would expect from a Call of Duty title, players are eagerly looking forward to the game’s future Seasons of content. While it will surely be interesting to see what comes next for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, fans should anticipate more content from the subseries after the current game.

Despite its early struggles, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has become a major success commercially. Raking in a huge profit for Activision, the latest Black Ops release has managed to become one of the highest-selling games of all time. As such, it seems like a guarantee that more Black Ops games will come, as the franchise’s brand recognition is unparalleled. With plenty of options for more stories available as well, there are a few interesting directions that future Black Ops games can go in.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s success proves that sequel/prequel hybrids can work for Call of Duty. In the campaign, Raven told a story that took place between the events of the first two Black Ops games, giving players more time with Frank Woods and Alex Mason while also introducing new characters. While the campaign also features some memorable missions and unique features unlike those seen in other Call of Duty games, part of its success can be attributed to this setup. As such, a future Black Ops release may do the same.

There are several gaps that could be filled, and the most obvious is a direct continuation of the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War story. After all, Perseus is still on the run after the campaign, and there are a few years left before Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s story begins. While it would be great to see the Perseus story’s conclusion handled through a campaign DLC, it could always be done inside a proper sequel. With the ability to introduce a young Raul Menendez as well, some clever fan service can be worked into this tie-in.

Another option would see Treyarch or Raven Software returning to the original Black Ops game to answer the long-running question of whether Alex Mason assassinated JFK. Heavily implied in the original campaign’s main ending, the follow-up entries have swept the huge cliffhanger under the rug. Getting answers would be great to see, though the plot could prove controversial. On the other hand, a full Vietnam game set within the Black Ops universe would be great to see, as players could control Frank Woods for the first time since Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. With the series only brushing over this brutal and horrifying war thus far, seeing it get some proper attention via a mature campaign would be a major plus.

Part of what makes the Call of Duty: Black Ops timeline so intriguing is the fact that it spans over 100 years. A complex universe filled with espionage and massive global events that are a blend of both real life and fiction, the series has covered a lot since it began in 2010. Interestingly enough, though, a majority of the games within the Black Ops universe are set in the future as opposed to the past. While it would be unlikely to see the series return to this era, it is possible, and such a comeback could answer a few nagging questions players have.

First, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s odd Blackout storyline ended on a pretty huge cliffhanger. Focusing on Alex Mason’s granddaughters going to war with one another over the ethics of cloning, the game’s story sets up a final fight between the sisters. Savannah’s army of archetypes, AKA clones, is set to take on Jessica’s faction of multiplayer Specialists. A truly strange narrative set in the year 2045, seeing some closure for these characters could make for a decent enough story mode. Still, with the plot featuring an odd romantic relationship between Savannah Mason and a clone of her Uncle Frank Woods, perhaps this plot is best left alone.

Other options for a new Black Ops game include a direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Continuing the journey of David “Section” Mason, another plot could see him bringing down a fresh threat. After all, there are 20 years between the cloning nonsense of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, giving Treyarch plenty of time to mess around with. Finally, another futuristic Black Ops game could keep building off the world and mechanics of the underrated Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 campaign — though winning the community over on exo movement again would be a tough task.

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While a future Call of Duty game in the Black Ops universe could return to the future or expand further on the past, there is also the possibility that neither happens. Instead, a reboot simply titled Call of Duty: Black Ops could be released. While iconic characters like Frank Woods, Alex Mason, and Jason Hudson could all come back, this fresh universe would leave Treyarch and Raven with no baggage or timeline limitations.

Just like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, a reboot of Black Ops could introduce a new tone. Much like the most recent Modern Warfare release, Black Ops could become grittier and more realistic while maintaining their focus on spies and covert operations. Perhaps Black Ops could also go modern through a reboot, something that has not yet been done with the subseries. Seeing a character like Frank Woods thrust into the 2000s during his prime would be interesting to say the least, and this alone could make for a feeling of freshness. With a reboot providing the opportunity to cover events differently or put new spins on fan favorite characters, there is plenty of potential that comes with this option.

Considering that a Call of Duty Zombies game is supposedly in development, Activision knows how to capitalize on the series’ success, and a new Black Ops seems like an idea that is too good to pass up on. While it could be a futuristic game, another prequel, or a full-on reboot, fans can rest assured that they have not seen the last of Call of Duty’s Black Ops universe.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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