Activision Insists Heavily Criticized Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Warzone Ads in Loadout Menus Were a 'Test' Published 'In Error,' Strips Them Out Following Backlash

Activision has pulled arguable Call of Duty adverts placed wrong Black Ops 6 and Warzone loadouts, insisting they were a “feature test” published “in error.”

Following past week’s motorboat of Season 4, adverts for limb bundles could beryllium seen successful the physique and limb menus of Black Ops 6 and Warzone. These were unavoidable for players arsenic they tinkered with their loadouts.

Players perfectly hated them, with immoderate going arsenic acold arsenic to accidental they were the past straw. “I wouldn't adjacent beryllium huffy if this was conscionable successful Warzone, a escaped game, but putting it successful a pay-to-play premium title, with however costly they're getting? F**k off,” work 1 aggravated comment. “This crippled is inactive 80€ I get that they marque astir of their wealth from the store, but I consciousness similar the bare minimum for a premium merchandise would beryllium to not person ads clogging the menus right?” work another. “At this constituent it truly feels similar opening up a mobile crippled with however overmuch much you spot an enactment to bargain thing successful this game,” said different player.

Now, Activision has tweeted to accidental the adverts had been removed, and offered an explanation: “A UI diagnostic trial that surfaced prime store contented successful the Loadout menus was published successful the Season 04 update successful error,” the institution tweeted. “This diagnostic has present been removed from the unrecorded game.”

It’s just to accidental there’s a steadfast dose of scepticism from the Call of Duty connected Activision’s connection here, with immoderate outright refusing to judge the ads were pushed unrecorded by mistake.

“They bash this crap each rhythm astir this time... present thing atrocious and spot if radical are huffy oregon not,” said 1 fan. “If the outrage is capable they unreal similar it was an mishap and region it.” “AKA: we saw however overmuch everyone hated and ridiculed our shameless effort to see unavoidable ads truthful we removed it,” said another.

Call of Duty has had its monetization crises successful the past, of course. And players are utilized to conflict passes, premium conflict passes, and adjacent much costly versions of premium conflict passes connected apical of the $70 (soon to beryllium $80) outgo of entry. But determination is simply a increasing feeling that the franchise’s microtransaction strategy has go adjacent much assertive pursuing Microsoft’s $69 cardinal acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

All eyes are connected the adjacent Call of Duty, reportedly a Black Ops 2 sequel, to spot if Activision tries adverts successful loadouts for existent this time.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].