Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will get modding and mapping tools next year

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Treyarch has announced that modding and mapping tools are coming to the PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. Nothing is carved in stone at this point but the plan is to enable the creation of new maps and game modes, and to include Unranked Dedicated Server files and browser so players can create, find and join multiplayer games running modded content without any unnecessary horsing around.

The tools won't be finished in time to launch with the game, but Director of Development Cesar Stastny said Treyarch hopes to have them ready for closed alpha testing in March 2016. "Please remember that this is software development, so things don’t always work out exactly as planned," he wrote. "Sometimes features slip or drop off altogether, sometimes they get replaced with other, more awesome features as we hit into limitations of our original plans."

Even so, he emphasized that this is something Treyarch is taking seriously, adding, "Yes, this is for real." He also promised that more news, including updates on the "open beta timing"—I assume he means for the mod tools, since the game itself it out on Friday—will be revealed in future blog posts.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 comes out on November 6.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.