Polygon is reporting from multiple sources that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (coming on October 12) will not have a traditional single-player campaign like previous titles. Activision has declined to comment on the report.

The website's sources said that during development it was believed that the single-player could not be completed by the October release date, which itself is a change from the traditional November timeframe for Call of Duty titles.

One source told Polygon that developer Treyarch has since focused on multiplayer and the series' zombie mode, with the belief that co-op in Black Ops 4 could fill in for missing single-player.

Furthermore, Call of Duty website charlieINTEL has heard a rumor that Activision studio Raven Software is working on a battle royale mode for the game to further bolster the game's content.

Activision is revealing Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 at a community event on May 17.

[Source: Polygon, charlieINTEL]

Our Take

Whether you like the series' single-player or not, this isn't a good move by Activision, if true. Beyond just taking a mode away, the company can't be certain that the other content is a sufficient substitute. I also don't like the release date excuse, since it was Activision that decided to move up that date in the first place.