'Call Of Duty: Black Ops III' Multiplayer-Only On Sale At Big Discount, But Key Features Missing

Fans who only want to hop online and play "Call of Duty: Black Ops III" are in luck. Activision is selling a multiplayer starter pack for $14.99 on Steam, but there are plenty of modes and options missing, including the popular "Zombies" game mode.

The "Call of Duty: Black Ops III" multiplayer starter pack provides access to public ranked matches, Arena, Freerun, Black Market, Gunsmith and Theater modes. Core, Hardcore, and Bonus playlists are included. Because the focus is on multiplayer, the pack is limited in its features.

Modes featured in the full game, but not included in the multiplayer starter pack, include Zombies, Campaign, custom multiplayer matches, access to mods, Dead Ops Arcade and Nightmare.

A major limitation of the "Call of Duty: Black Ops III" multiplayer starter pack is the inability to "Prestige" once a character reaches level 55. That means players will not be able to unlock all the items in the game. Players who want to reset their character using Fresh Start will be unable to do so in the multiplayer starter pack, according to Activision's FAQ.

Players who purchase the multiplayer starter pack can upgrade to the full version of Activision's shooter for $45 or the deluxe version of the game that includes the season pass for $85. Gamers who want to play on downloadable content (DLC) maps can purchase a season pass, but will not have access to the Zombies mode featured within the DLC.

For some players, this seems like a good deal if they want to casually enjoy "Call of Duty: Black Ops III" without having to pay full price for the game. Being unable to Prestige or unlock all the game's content could push away other gamers. The limited options could be just enough to entice players to spend the additional $45 after they can't level up past 55. The multiplayer starter pack is only available until Feb. 29.