Activision has sparked widespread backlash among gamers with its latest move in Call of Duty Season 4, quietly introducing ads into loadout menus for Black Ops 6 and Warzone. This aggressive monetization strategy may have finally pushed some players over the edge.

The addition of weapon bundle adverts in build and weapon menus is unavoidable for players as they customize their loadouts. Moreover, Activision has also added bundle and Battle Pass advertisements to the Events tab, another controversial change that has gamers complaining left and right.

Gamers React with Fury

On social media platforms, Call of Duty subreddits, and Discords, players are expressing their discontent:

  • "I wouldn't be mad if this was just in Warzone, a free game... but putting it in a pay-to-play premium title? F**k off."
  • "This game is still 80€... I feel like the bare minimum for a premium product would be to not have ads clogging the menus right?"
  • "At this point it really feels like opening up a mobile game with how much more you see an option to buy anything in this game."
  • "Anyone who wanted this bundle would've checked the store and bought it. Putting it here isn't gonna make more people buy it, its just annoying."
  • "Just wait until they add pop-up ads for bundles while you're playing the game."

Microtransactions on Steroids?

While Call of Duty has faced monetization crises in the past, there's a growing feeling that the franchise's microtransaction strategy has become even more aggressive following Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This move may be seen as another step in this direction.

IGN Asks for Comment

Activision has yet to respond to our inquiry regarding these changes. As the gaming world continues to evolve with AI-powered mobile experiences on the rise, gamers are left wondering if this is a sign of things to come in the world of mobile gaming.

Wesley Yin Poole is Director, News at IGN. You can find him on Twitter at @wyp100 or reach out to him at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.