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Short footage described as pre-alpha gameplay for the 2020 Call of Duty project circulated online in early June 2020, before the game was officially revealed as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Contemporary reports did not establish that the clip was authentic, and its unfinished visuals offer no reliable guide to the released game.
What leaked, and when?
Dexerto reported on June 4, 2020, that a 106-second video had surfaced on social media. TechRadar linked the posted clip to June 3. The short video was separate from a 45-minute segment that a Call of Duty semi-pro player reportedly claimed to have seen; the longer segment and its stated duration were not independently verified by those reports. (Dexerto; TechRadar)
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Xbox Series X / Xbox One | $27.50 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Playstation 5 (EU Version) | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
At the time, Black Ops Cold War was a rumored title, not a publisher-confirmed name for the project. Coverage described the clip as footage associated with that year’s Call of Duty game and discussed a possible connection to the rumor. It was not an official reveal. (Dexerto; TechRadar; PCGamesN)
What did the pre-alpha clip appear to show?
Contemporary accounts described a player moving through an unfinished industrial environment, identified in reports as “Tanks” or “Tank” and characterized as a tank facility. The clip was blurry or low resolution, with incomplete rendering and missing interface elements. Those descriptions concern what reporters said could be seen in the circulated footage, not confirmed details about the final game. (Dexerto; TechRadar; PCGamesN)
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Dexerto noted that the apparent weapon and possible map could have been placeholders. Other interpretations of the weapon, environment, or movement were also speculation. The clip does not establish that the apparent map name, weapon, or any particular gameplay feature appeared in the released game. (Dexerto; PCGamesN; COD Tracker)
Was the footage confirmed as genuine?
No. The contemporary reporting reviewed did not include confirmation from Activision or Treyarch that the clip came from an unreleased Call of Duty build. Dexerto said Activision had not publicly commented on its veracity; COD Tracker likewise reported that Activision had not confirmed the footage’s origin. (Dexerto; COD Tracker)
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PCGamesN and COD Tracker reported copyright claims or takedowns affecting copies of the clip. A claim or removal shows that content was acted on; by itself, it does not verify who recorded the footage, what build it showed, or whether it was genuine. (PCGamesN; COD Tracker)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the footage is not a preview of the finished game
Even if the clip came from an authentic pre-alpha build, it was an incomplete snapshot, not a representative look at the finished release. TechRadar warned that pre-alpha footage could look dramatically different from the released game, and PCGamesN made the same distinction about the build’s appearance and content. Its low quality and incomplete state make specific visual or gameplay conclusions especially unreliable. (TechRadar; PCGamesN)
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