‘Bare Bones’ PS5 Black Ops Ports Reportedly Have More Players Than Latest Game, Already Best Sellers on PS Store

Steelman: both sides, in good faith

The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.

The case for

The commercial success of these ports reflects genuine consumer demand. Players are actively choosing these games over expensive new releases because they prefer them, indicating that Activision is meeting consumer preferences rather than exploiting them. At £34.99, the price point is reasonable for bringing decade-old games to current hardware; consumers demonstrate their voluntary willingness to pay this through strong sales, suggesting they find genuine value in the offering. Rather than dismissing this as opportunistic, one might view it as smart business that allocates resources to products consumers actually want.

The case against

Charging £34.99 for bare-bones ports of decade-old games with fewer features than the original releases represents opportunistic pricing rather than genuine consumer service. Activision has expended minimal effort for substantial revenue—repackaging old software with negligible improvements whilst simultaneously removing content like DLC. This exploits nostalgic brand loyalty rather than delivering consumer value; that people will buy something does not make the practice ethical when it prioritises short-term extraction over meaningful innovation. The fact that consumers prefer these games should inspire effort toward improving current offerings, not harvesting nostalgia with minimal investment.