Call of Duty Faces Backlash for Prioritizing Store Bundles Amidst Game-Breaking Issues
Activision's recent promotion of a new store bundle on the official Call of Duty Twitter account has ignited a firestorm of criticism from the gaming community. The tweet, boasting over 2 million views and countless angry responses, highlights a growing disconnect between Activision and its player base. The controversy centers on Activision's focus on monetization through store bundles while neglecting critical, unresolved issues plaguing both Warzone and Black Ops 6.
The outrage stems from a confluence of problems affecting the Call of Duty franchise. Both Warzone and Black Ops 6 are suffering from rampant cheating in Ranked Play, crippling server instability, and other game-breaking bugs. Professional players, including prominent figures like Scump, have publicly declared the franchise's current state as its worst ever. This sentiment is echoed by a significant portion of the player base.
The January 8th tweet, promoting a Squid Game-themed VIP bundle, was perceived as tone-deaf by many. Instead of addressing the ongoing technical difficulties and pervasive cheating, Activision chose to promote a new in-game purchase. This decision has fueled widespread accusations that Activision is failing to "read the room."
The community's reaction has been swift and intense. Influential content creators like FaZe Swagg have publicly called out Activision's lack of responsiveness. Gaming news outlets like CharlieIntel have highlighted the severity of the Ranked Play issues, emphasizing the irony of prioritizing new bundles over fixing broken gameplay. Many players, such as Twitter user Taeskii, have pledged boycotts of future store bundles until the anti-cheat measures are significantly improved.
The impact of these issues is evident in the dwindling player count. Steam statistics reveal a dramatic 47% player drop-off for Black Ops 6 since its October 2024 release. While data for other platforms (PlayStation and Xbox) is unavailable, the Steam figures strongly suggest a significant exodus of players frustrated by the persistent problems. The combination of cheating, server issues, and Activision's apparent disregard for player concerns is driving many away from the once-dominant franchise.
