Black Ops 7 Skipping Switch 2 at Launch

People are happy that Nintendo's next-generation hardware has arrived, but an unexpected dispute has started to cast a shadow over the party. People are talking a lot about Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which comes out everywhere on November 14. A reliable leak says the game might not come out on the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch, which is strange since Microsoft has said many times that Call of Duty will be coming to Nintendo devices every day.

It wasn't just a title that made that promise. Early in 2023, Microsoft made a legally binding deal with Nintendo that said Call of Duty would come out on Nintendo systems on the same day as it did on other devices. The move was made to help Microsoft's case in its high-profile case with the FTC and the UK's CMA over its purchase of Activision Blizzard. It was clear that Call of Duty would not be limited. Instead, it would be available to more people in more places than ever before.

Now, the leak makes people wonder if this promise is finally being put to the test. Expert in the field Bokun, who has a history of accurate reporting, shared both the November release date and the claim that Black Ops 7 will not be available on Switch 2 when it comes out.

But he didn't say that there wouldn't be a port in the future, so there is still a lot of talk about it. It's even stranger when you think about how Nintendo has historically timed reveals differently than other platforms. In the past, like with Persona 5, Nintendo chose to announce support separately, sometimes through a Direct show instead of a bigger event like Gamescom. It's possible that Switch 2 support is being put off until a later date that Nintendo chooses.

The time could be another reason. Some game developers may not have had early access to development kits for the Switch 2 because it came out at the beginning of its lifecycle. That could mean that games come out at different times, even for big titles like Call of Duty. But the technical case doesn't seem to be as strong.

The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will still be able to run Black Ops 7, but their hardware is still very far behind what the Switch 2 is supposed to offer. The problem is not with the device itself. Instead, the problem could be with logistics, strategy, or even marketing deals.

The bigger question is whether this delay, if it's real, makes the promises made during the approval process for Microsoft's purchase less reliable. A delayed release wouldn't get rid of the long-term deal, but it might make people think that platforms aren't equal, especially since players were told that getting access from day one was one of the most important parts of the deal. Fans of Nintendo who want to compete with PlayStation and Xbox users would be disappointed if Call of Duty wasn't included at launch.

One thing that is certain is that things are still changing. As of now, neither Activision nor Nintendo have said anything public. This leaves the matter open to debate and interpretation. It doesn't matter if this is a planned delay for a Nintendo Direct reveal, a problem with timing with development kits, or a more complicated publishing decision; the result is important for more than just one release date.

If Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 does come out later on Switch 2, it probably won't change the future of the game on the system. The series has shown that it can be adapted to different generations, and Microsoft's deal means that it will continue to be supported for years to come.

But the first perception is important. Many people thought that Nintendo's newest and most powerful system would open the door to more popular third-party games. If Call of Duty has trouble getting off the ground, it will make it even harder to figure out how much corporate promises and industry facts really match up.

When November comes around, the solutions will show up. There is still a lot of stress until then because things aren't clear. Not only does the Switch 2 have the power to run Call of Duty, but that's not the whole story. How this partnership starts could be just as much affected by timing, plan, and how people see it.