Can You Play Black Ops 4 with 3 Players? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer is: it depends on the game mode. While Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 offers a robust multiplayer experience, the support for three players isn’t universal across all its modes. Specifically, you cannot play Black Ops 4 with three players in split-screen for Blackout or standard Multiplayer. These modes are strictly limited to two-player split-screen. However, if you are talking about online play, yes you can play with three players, as long as you have 3 separate consoles and copies of the game.
The one exception within the game where you can play with more than two players locally is in Zombies mode, which supports four-player split-screen. This means you could have a trio playing together in zombies mode, provided there is a fourth player present to create a full group. However if you only have three people who want to play together on the same console and the game is Blackout or Multiplayer mode, you will be restricted to 2-player gameplay.
This restriction is a deliberate design choice by the game developers, likely aimed at maintaining smooth gameplay and optimal screen real estate on a single display. While some players might find this limitation frustrating, it is a fundamental aspect of Black Ops 4’s local multiplayer implementation.
Understanding Black Ops 4 Split-Screen Options
To fully grasp the nuances of player support in Black Ops 4, it’s essential to examine each game mode individually:
Blackout and Standard Multiplayer
In Blackout, the battle royale mode, and in standard multiplayer modes, split-screen is limited to two players. This means if you and two friends are looking to game on a single screen, one of you will be left out when playing these modes. The screen will be split into two halves, allowing two players to participate. There’s no configuration that allows three players on a single screen in these modes. Keep in mind that even though you might be limited to only 2 players on split screen, the ability to play with friends online is still available.
Zombies Mode
In contrast to the limitations of Blackout and multiplayer, Zombies mode offers four-player split-screen. This allows up to four players to team up on a single console and battle the undead hordes, a feature that has been a staple in many Call of Duty titles. The screen will be divided into four quadrants, allowing each player to have their own dedicated viewing space. Note, you can not play with three-player split-screen in this mode, but you can play online.
Online Play
It’s important to differentiate between split-screen and online play. While split-screen restricts the number of players on a single console, online play allows for the full player count supported by each mode, which would include the ability for 3 players to play together as a team. Therefore, while you can’t get 3-player split-screen, you can team up with friends to create a 3-player online team if each player has their own console and copy of the game.
Why the Split-Screen Limitations?
The decision to limit Blackout and standard Multiplayer to two-player split-screen often comes down to performance and user experience. Rendering the game world and all the necessary elements for three separate views on a single screen can be extremely taxing on system resources. By sticking to two-player split-screen in these modes, the game developers can ensure a smoother and more reliable gaming experience, particularly on base-level console hardware. This restriction isn’t about player exclusion, but rather about optimizing the gameplay for the best possible experience.
(UPDATED) 2024: Key Takeaways for 3-Player Gameplay in Black Ops 4
- Blackout and Multiplayer: Limited to 2-player split-screen locally.
- Zombies Mode: Supports 4-player split-screen locally.
- Online Play: Allows for full team counts, including 3-player teams (each on their own console/screen).
- No 3-player split-screen: It is not possible to play Black Ops 4 with 3 people on split-screen on the same console.
In summary, while the lack of three-player split-screen in Blackout and standard multiplayer can be disappointing for some, the game does offer ways for three friends to play together, whether via online play, or in local 4-player Zombies mode. The key is to understand the specific limitations and possibilities within each of the game modes in Black Ops 4.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Black Ops 4 Player Count
1. How many players can play Black Ops 4 multiplayer online?
Online multiplayer in Black Ops 4 supports up to 18 players in traditional modes and up to 100 players in Blackout mode. However, team sizes vary based on the specific game mode you choose.
2. Can you play Black Ops 4 offline with friends?
Yes, Black Ops 4 supports offline multiplayer and Zombies mode, allowing you to play with friends on the same console in split-screen. Remember that this is limited to 2 players in Multiplayer mode and 4 players in Zombies mode.
3. Is Black Ops 4 4-player split-screen on all modes?
No, 4-player split-screen is only available in Zombies mode. Blackout and standard multiplayer are limited to 2-player split-screen.
4. Can you play Blackout with 3 players on one console?
No, Blackout only supports 2-player split-screen, therefore 3-player split-screen is not available.
5. Is Black Ops 4 cross-platform multiplayer?
No, Black Ops 4 does not support cross-platform multiplayer. Players can only play with others on the same platform (e.g., PlayStation players can only play with other PlayStation players).
6. Does Black Ops 4 support 3-player co-op on campaign mode?
No, Black Ops 4 does not have a campaign co-op mode. This feature was absent from the game’s launch, and there was no effort to add it later.
7. How many GB is Black Ops 4?
The download size for Black Ops 4 is approximately 45.65GB on Xbox One, 55GB on PC, and 51.42GB on PS4.
8. What Call of Duty games have 4-player split-screen zombies?
Black Ops 3 and Black Ops 4 both feature 4-player split-screen in Zombies mode. Several other CoD games offer zombies mode, but do not support 4-player split-screen.
9. Can you add bots to split-screen games in Black Ops 4?
Yes, you can add AI bots to your matches while playing offline in the standard multiplayer mode, which can help simulate a full match if you do not have enough human players.
10. How many people can play on one Black Ops 4 console?
A maximum of four players can play on one Black Ops 4 console at the same time, but only in zombies mode. In standard multiplayer and blackout modes, the maximum is 2 players.
11. Does Black Ops 4 have a local multiplayer mode?
Yes, Black Ops 4 has a robust local multiplayer mode allowing friends to play together on the same screen either through splitscreen or the ability to connect to a LAN server.
12. Is 4-player split screen available for Black Ops 4 on PC?
Yes, 4-player split-screen is available for Black Ops 4 Zombies mode on PC, just as it is for consoles.
13. Can you play Black Ops 4 split-screen online?
Yes, in multiplayer and blackout mode you can play with another player on the same console, even when connected to online servers. This is limited to 2-players in these modes, and 4 players in zombies mode.
14. Does Black Ops 4 have couch co-op?
Yes, Black Ops 4 offers couch co-op in the form of split-screen play for multiplayer, Zombies, and Blackout.
15. Can you play Black Ops 4 on a console without internet?
Yes, you can play Black Ops 4 on a console without internet, but you will be limited to the offline modes which include local multiplayer and zombies mode. Online features and updates will not be available.