Activision recently took flak after ads for in-game purchases were integrated directly into the loadout menus of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone. After Season 4 rolled out, these promotions started showing during weapon setups which forced players to see them.
This move drew immediate criticism. Players took to social media and forums to voice their complaints. User in the comment stated that ads in free-to-play Warzone are fine, but having those same ads in a paid full-priced game is crossing the line. One person likened this to when mobile games constantly ask the player to buy items or bundles.
Activision Responds to the Controversy
Activision released a public message on social media after the controversy broke out. According to the company, in-menu ads were appearing because they were doing a “UI feature test.” However, it said that the ads were pushed onto live accidentally with the Season 4 update. It also confirmed that the feature has been taken out of both games.
However, the explanation did little to ease suspicion. A lot of players were unsure and said it was just a ploy to introduce monetization features after getting the community’s response. A number of fans are convinced that the same practice has happened before – testing unwanted features in the shadows, before waiting on the backlash to roll back.
Growing Frustration Around Monetization.
The Call of Duty franchise has experienced unfair spotlight because of its monetization methods. While battle passes and premium bundled items are the norm now, gamers feel that the thresholds are really being pushed further. People are getting more and more frustrated over the situation which got worse after Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard that many think brought a more aggressive commercial use of the franchise.
Many players are now questioning the future of the series. The community seems to suspect a sequel to Black Ops 2, with the only issue being whether this ad placement returns, albeit this time, it might not be a “glitch” as claimed by developers last time.
The Bigger Picture
Even if they had rescinded that specific function, it has aroused doubt regarding what is too much commercial content for a full-priced game. People love this franchise. And not just gamers — the NFT market is on fire. Balancing monetization and player experience is more important than ever. Call of Duty fans don’t want ads during gameplay, whether this was a mistake or a failed experiment.