Call of Duty Faces Backlash for Prioritizing Store Bundles Over Game Issues
Activision's recent promotion of a new Squid Game-themed store bundle has ignited a firestorm of criticism from the Call of Duty community. The tweet, boasting over 2 million views and countless angry replies, highlights a growing disconnect between Activision and its players. The outrage stems from the company's perceived prioritization of in-game purchases over addressing critical, ongoing issues plaguing both Warzone and Black Ops 6.
Both titles are suffering from widespread problems, including rampant cheating in Ranked Play, debilitating server issues, and other game-breaking bugs. Prominent players, such as Scump, have publicly declared the franchise's current state as its worst ever. This sentiment is echoed by the community's overwhelming negative response to Activision's promotional tweet, which many view as tone-deaf and insensitive to their concerns.
The January 8th tweet, promoting a VIP Squid Game bundle, was met with immediate backlash. Influencers like FaZe Swagg urged Activision to "read the room," while others pointed to the broken Ranked Play mode, where players struggle to complete even a few matches due to widespread cheating. Many players, like Twitter user Taeskii, are boycotting store purchases until the anti-cheat measures are significantly improved.
The player exodus is further evidenced by a dramatic drop in Black Ops 6's Steam player count. Since its October 2024 release, over 47% of players have abandoned the game on this platform alone, likely due to the persistent issues. While data for other platforms is unavailable, the Steam statistics suggest a significant decline in overall player engagement. The situation underscores a growing concern that Activision's focus on monetization is overshadowing the need to maintain a stable and fair gaming experience.
