Can You Play Black Ops 2 Plutonium for Free? A Comprehensive Guide

The burning question on many gamers’ minds is: Can you play Black Ops 2 (BO2) using the Plutonium modification for free? The short answer is yes, but with a significant caveat. Plutonium itself is a free third-party client that provides dedicated servers, mod support, and anti-cheat for older Call of Duty games. However, while Plutonium is free, you are expected to own a legitimate copy of the base game. While the article mentions that you can get the game and DLC for free with plutonium, this is not the official stance of Plutonium, and is an encouragement to support the developers of these games.

Let’s delve deeper into what this means, the legality, and what you need to know to get started with Plutonium.

What is Plutonium and Why is it Popular?

Plutonium is a project created by passionate fans aimed at revitalizing older Call of Duty titles, specifically Black Ops 2 (BO2), Modern Warfare 3 (MW3), and World at War (WaW). It’s popular for several reasons:

• Dedicated Servers: It provides dedicated servers, offering a much more stable and reliable online experience compared to the original game servers, which are often plagued by issues, such as long waiting times.
• Mod Support: Plutonium allows for the use of mods, opening up a world of custom game modes, maps, and gameplay enhancements.
• Anti-Cheat: Plutonium implements a robust anti-cheat system, resulting in a cleaner, hacker-free gaming experience.
• Community: Plutonium fosters a vibrant community of players who enjoy playing these classic titles.
• Free Client: The core client is free to download and use.
• Enhanced Experience: The modifications made to the game by the Plutonium team ensure the most seamless experience possible.

The Legality and Ethical Considerations

While Plutonium itself is free, the use of the game without owning a legitimate copy is not legally sanctioned, and the official stance from Plutonium is that you should own a copy of the game. It’s a grey area because it involves modifying game files and accessing servers outside of the official developers’ control.

• Piracy: Using a game without purchasing it is considered piracy and is illegal. Plutonium may be free, but it is designed to work in conjunction with a legitimate copy of the game.
• Respect for Developers: The article states, “Please note we highly recommend buying the game if you do not own it, if you enjoy a game you should support its developers.” This sentiment is essential to consider. Game development is a complex and costly undertaking; supporting the original creators is how they are able to create more games.
• Plutonium’s Stance: The creators of Plutonium, while providing their software for free, also encourage users to buy the game to support the developers, which shows that they do not encourage piracy.

How to Get Started with Plutonium (Ethically)

To enjoy Plutonium legally and ethically, you need to:

1. Purchase the Game: You must own a legitimate copy of Black Ops 2 (or MW3, or WaW if you’re interested in those titles) on Steam.
2. Download Plutonium: You can then download the Plutonium client for free from their official website.
3. Follow Installation Instructions: Follow the specific installation instructions for Plutonium, which typically involve pointing it to your game files.

Addressing Safety Concerns

One of the common concerns is whether Plutonium is a virus. The article explicitly states, “Plutonium is safe. Windows may detect it as a virus or trojan or something, but it’s good.” This is known as a false positive. It occurs because Plutonium modifies game files and is not digitally signed by a large corporation, leading antivirus software to flag it.

Steps To Avoid Potential Risks

• Download from the Official Source: Only download Plutonium from the official Plutonium website to avoid any malware.
• Be Aware of False Positives: Understand that your antivirus may flag Plutonium as a threat, but this is typically a false alarm.
• Keep Software Updated: Make sure your antivirus is up to date to avoid any confusion with unknown programs.

Plutonium Features and Capabilities

Plutonium offers numerous benefits beyond just allowing you to play older Call of Duty games:

• Unlock All: As mentioned in the article, you can use the console command unlockall to unlock all weapons, ranks, and prestige options.
• Server Browser: The client has a built-in server browser, making it easy to find populated servers with various game modes.
• Dedicated Server Hosting: You can even host your own server with custom settings, and with server keys, which the article explains how to get.
• Mod Support: A wide range of mods, including maps, game modes, and gameplay modifications, are available through the community.
• No Party System: Plutonium T4 does not have a party system; friends must join you in-game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about playing Black Ops 2 on Plutonium to provide more clarity:

1. Do I need to buy Black Ops 2 to play on Plutonium?

Yes, while Plutonium is free, you are required to own a legitimate copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 to play on the modified client.

2. Is Plutonium a virus?

No, Plutonium is not a virus. It can be flagged as a false positive by antivirus software because it modifies game files. However, it is safe to use when downloaded from the official source.

3. Can I get all the DLCs for free with Plutonium?

The article states, “You can get the game and all DLC’s for free with plutonium”, but this is not the official stance of Plutonium, and would still require you to acquire the game and it’s DLCs to be in agreement with the developers of the game.

4. Can I unlock everything in BO2 using Plutonium?

Yes, you can use the console command unlockall to instantly get max rank, max weapon rank, and max prestige with some tokens.

5. Is it legal to use Plutonium?

Plutonium itself is legal, but using it with a pirated copy of the game is not. The official Plutonium stance is you should own a copy of the game to play.

6. Can I play BO2 on a laptop using Plutonium?

Yes, Plutonium does not have special hardware requirements. Any system that can run the base game should be able to run Plutonium.

7. Does Plutonium have a good anti-cheat system?

Yes, Plutonium includes a strong anti-cheat system, resulting in a hacker-free experience.

8. Can I play zombies mode on Plutonium?

Yes, Plutonium allows you to play zombies, and instead of launching zombies through the in-game menu, you launch it via the launcher itself, as specified by the article.

9. Does Plutonium allow crossplay?

No, Plutonium does not allow crossplay. You can only play with others who also have Plutonium installed.

10. Can I host my own servers with Plutonium?

Yes, you can host your own servers with Plutonium, with settings, and server keys that you can copy and paste into the start bat of your server.

11. How do I open the console in Plutonium?

Press the tilde key (~) or ² on AZERTY keyboards to open the console. If you have a 60% keyboard, use FN and ESC.

12. Why do people prefer Plutonium over the regular servers?

Plutonium offers dedicated servers, mod support, a server browser, and anti-cheat, offering a better experience than the original servers.

13. Is it possible to get sued for using Plutonium?

The act of using Plutonium is not likely to result in legal issues. The article mentions that it is “probably not safe to work on” Black Ops 3, “unless you like getting sued by big corporations” This is because they would likely get sued for modifying the game.

14. What is the max level in Black Ops 2 using Plutonium?

The max level is Prestige Master. After completing level 55 at Prestige 10, you unlock Prestige Master.

15. Is Plutonium 100% safe for my computer?

Plutonium is considered safe, but it is wise to download it from the official Plutonium website only to avoid malware, and to be aware of the false positive warnings of your anti-virus software. It is also wise to keep your anti-virus software up to date.

Conclusion

While the allure of a free gaming experience is tempting, it’s important to understand that Plutonium’s goal is to improve the game. Plutonium is free to download, it is designed to enhance the experience for players who already own a legitimate copy of the game. Remember to support the original developers by purchasing their work, as doing so ensures that the games you love can get created. By doing so, you can enjoy the enhanced experience that Plutonium offers while respecting both the original creators and the passionate developers of Plutonium. This allows you to legally enjoy all that Plutonium has to offer and take advantage of dedicated servers, a thriving community, and a hacker-free experience.