Warzone Possibly Reconsidering Unrealistic Operator Skins

A reputable leaker and industry insider has claimed that Call of Duty: Warzone publisher Activision is considering “showing more restraint” with its skins, bundles, and microtransactions due to player feedback. Recent iterations in the Call of Duty series have taken the franchise in an entirely new direction, thanks to a plethora of unrealistic skins and cosmetic items, with some players even abandoning the series because of it.

The most recent entry in the Call of Duty franchise comes from Treyarch Studios with another installment in the Black Ops series. Despite the title being set in the early 90s, Black Ops 6 has still drawn controversy for its unrealistic operator skins and bundles. Since its release in October, fans have seen new operator skins based on unicorns, chameleons, sharks, and even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While some argue that these unrealistic cosmetic items aren’t an issue due to the fact that Call of Duty isn’t a military simulation game, others believe that Activision has gone too far and stripped the franchise of its identity.

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Insider Claims Activision Considering Big Call of Duty Change

According to leaker TheGhostOfHope, who has a solid track record surrounding previous Call of Duty leaks, publisher Activision is discussing the possibility of “showing more restraint” with Call of Duty: Warzone when it comes to skins, bundles, and microtransactions. While crossovers such as recent ones with Squid Game and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been “printing money” for the studio, Activision is apparently well aware of the criticism it has been receiving from the game’s community. While older Call of Duty titles have featured the occasional unrealistic cosmetic item, recent entries such as Modern Warfare 3 and Black Ops 6 appear to have taken things to the next level, and fans aren’t happy.

While most fans have been unhappy with the unrealistic skins ruining the theme of Call of Duty, others have been irritated by the sheer cost of the bundles. The recent collaboration with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles drew backlash from Call of Duty players as obtaining all of the individual operators and the Event Pass would have set fans back by almost $100. Each of the four Turtle Operators were sold in separate bundles, each costing 2,400 COD Points (roughly $20), while the Premium Event Pass was an additional $10, which many believed to be far too costly.

It’s unclear whether Activision truly is intending to tone down the unrealistic bundles for future Call of Duty titles, but the studio is reportedly extremely happy with the increased player count for Season 3. In the same report from TheGhostOfHope, the insider claimed that Verdansk’s return to Warzone has exceeded expectations in terms of player count. Xbox and PlayStation numbers are supposedly “off the charts” compared to before the Season 3 update, which has resulted in an uplift in Black Ops 6 sales and downloads.

Call of Duty: Warzone

9/10

Released

March 10, 2020

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Violence

Engine

IW 8.0 & IW 9.0 (Warzone 2.0)