Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warcertainly did not have the smoothest launch in the series. Not only was Treyarch rushed to get the game done, ending up with a two-year development cycle instead of the usual three years, but COVID also had a negative impact onCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s development. This led to a game that was more buggy than anyCall of Dutybefore it, with a painfully low 6v6 map count and some expected features being nowhere to be seen. However, one such feature being removed feels like a design choice influenced by the community instead of being the product of a messy development period, and that is the removal of specialists.
Much like theCall of Dutyseries’ advanced movement era, the Specialist system was divisive, with some players loving the abilities and personalities of the characters and others missing traditional boots on the ground gameplay. Given the success of the modern Operator system, which aims to be the best of both worlds, Specialists returning is unlikely. However, this is a shame, as they gave two of Treyarch’sBlack Opstitles a distinct identity. Hopefully,Call of Duty2024 surprises fans with the return of Specialists, as the feature coming back could be very beneficial.
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What Specialists Bring To Call of Duty
For those unfamiliar withCall of Duty’s Specialists, they essentially functioned like a scaled-back version ofOverwatch’s heroesorDestiny’s Guardians. Alongside some unique lore and dialogue like the present day Operators have, these Specialists had their own weapons and abilities. Players could equip one weapon or ability at a time, charging it up throughout a match. This led to a lot of fun gameplay that was different fromCall of Duty’s usual style, with Spectre chaining together melee attacks, Nomad launching deadly nanomachine mines, and Seraph firing what was essentially a Golden Gun fromDestiny.
Not only did players need to master their gun of choice, learn map positioning, and figure out the best killstreaks for their personal style of gameplay, but they also had to make note of which enemy Specialists were on the field and how their abilities could best be used. Those that appreciated this system were very positive about the depth it added to the game, and though Infinity Ward’sCall of Duty: Infinite Warfareborrowed the concept, it is most closely associated with Treyarch. Because of it,Black Ops 3andBlack Ops 4- and by extensionBlack Opsas a whole - felt like a distinctly different take onCall of Duty.
To be fair, as with just about anythingCall of Duty-related, the fan base opinion when it came to Specialists was very mixed. Some players loved the added depth to the gameplay, as knowing when and where to use Specialist abilities was integral to the gameplay. Others just wanted a simpleCall of Dutyexperience where they level up weapons, go on killstreaks, and so on. However, there is no reason that both groups of players cannot be satisfied, especially with the series’ currentlive servicestyle.
Treyarchcould feature Specialists as the default type of gameplay inCall of Duty2024, designing gameplay around the system and making sure that every character feels balanced on all the maps. Then, a few times per season, a barebones LTM could be rotated in that removes specialist abilities. By utilizing LTMs, Treyarch could keep old school fans engaged without having to worry about permanently splitting the player base, something that would surely happen with a barebones mode that never leaves rotation.
While Operators are a fine approach (especiallyCall of Duty: Vanguard’s Operator system), Specialists being so meaningful gaveBlack Ops 3andBlack Ops 4a different feel. InModern Warfare 2, there is nothing setting Ghost apart from a random Operator like Fender, even though he should be more skilled in certain areas and have extra abilities that Fender does not have, like crafting improvised weaponry. Examples like this prove Specialists could work inModern Warfareand Sledgehammer’s games, though it may be better to make them exclusive to Treyarch titles. That way, players can get Specialist combat in Treyarch releases, innovative features in Sledgehammer’s games, and traditional boots on the ground combat in Infinity Ward products. Though Specialists will not be for everyone, including them once in a while could be healthy for the series overall.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold Waris available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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