UTurn

People say competition is a good thing, and in the world of video games it’s a phrase that history has proven correct over, and over, and over again. This has happened once more with Call of Duty, which has done a mighty U-turn in regard to its approach to paid cosmetics in the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

First, a bit of context. You may have seen all manner of wacky, out-there skins popping up across recent Call of Duty games and Warzone. Beavis and Butthead, American Dad, and Nicki Minaj have all grabbed rifles and taken to the front lines. Snoop Dogg has shown up, as has Messi. Cheap looking Fallout vault suits have made a wasteland of what is left of the series’ visual identity.

The reason why these have become so popular is multifaceted but to put it quickly and simply it’s because they make money, and because it pushes Call of Duty further towards the cosmetic goldmine that is Fortnite. This process is not solely linked to Call of Duty, and has hence been dubbed ‘Fortnitification’ : the constant chase to make metaverses of online games.

Here’s the Call of Duty campaign reveal trailer.Watch on YouTube

An evening in an FPS is no longer just a tense firefight, it’s an endeavor of self-expression. A way for you to champion your fandom to the millions of other players doing the same, the developer and publisher profiting nicely from the nurtured culture of seasonal spending.

But here’s the problem as far as Call of Duty is involved. Call of Duty is not Fortnite. It is not a wacky, saturated sandbox. It is a modern military game with decades of history. It has a story mode about government black ops, international incidents, betrayal, and a gaggle of British geezers with funny names. The resulting tonal whiplash between what Call of Duty is and has been with the aesthetic direction of its multiplayer has left fans of the genre dejected. With Call of Duty being largely the only game in town for large-scale AAA FPS, it was something to live with.

Until, a little game called Battlefield 6 popped up. It’s a return to form for the series judging by early previews (including ours), has proven incredibly popular in open betas ahead of launch, and is confirmed to be staying true to a military aesthetic. A good game that’ll look like a proper shooter, with all the trimmings. Well, maybe I – imagine I’m a normal person who likes FPS games here – maybe I will try out this new Battlefield game! It seems like it’s doing what I’ve wanted CoD to do for a while.

This, it turns out, isn’t for everyone. | Image credit: Activision

Fast forward to today, and a blog post on the official Call of Duty website has gone live. A community post, speaking to you: the community. Call of Duty has pulled up a chair, spun it backwards, and is sitting on it all cool-like. The opening paragraph reads: “We know there’s been a lot of conversation recently about the identity of Call of Duty. Some of you have said we’ve drifted from what made Call of Duty unique in the first place: immersive, intense, visceral and in many ways grounded. That feedback hits home, and we take it seriously. We hear you.”

Hey sport, hey champ. Come here pal, buddy, buster. We hear yo- hey! We here at Call of Duty hear you. That’s why weapon and operator skins from Black Ops 6 won’t be carrying over to Black Ops 7. A clean slate, a lesson learned thanks to your passion around Call of Duty. They will still be usable in Warzone though, obviously. That’s the metaverse experiment that’s been rolling for years, but our new AAA game coming soon Black Ops 7? We’re changing it just for you.

It is my belief that this wouldn’t have happened without Battlefield 6 walking in and sucking up a lot of oxygen. Why would it, with Call of Duty Black Ops 6 nearing the end of its lifecycle one of the reasons buying those cosmetics was still a good move is because you knew they would cross over to the next game. Now, they won’t, because the sentiment has put Call of Duty on the back foot here. A decision made to please the fans at the cost of some cash, sparked by competition.

This is why, even if you’ve never really vibed with Battlefield games, it’s a good thing that Battlefield is back and garnering a healthy amount of hype. It pushes other games in its vicinity to do better, and when that happens, all of us benefit from it. Competition in the world of video games will always be a good thing.

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