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 player base. The outrage stems from the company's apparent prioritization of in-game purchases over addressing critical, ongoing issues plaguing both Warzone and Black Ops 6.
Both games are currently grappling with significant problems, including rampant cheating in Ranked Play, persistent server instability, and other game-breaking bugs. Professional players, such as Scump, have publicly voiced their concern, stating the franchise is in its worst state ever. This sentiment is echoed by a significant portion of the player base, who feel Activision is tone-deaf to their concerns.
Activision's Controversial Tweet
The January 8th tweet promoting the new Squid Game VIP bundle was poorly received, with many players accusing Activision of failing to "read the room." Prominent figures like FaZe Swagg and CharlieIntel joined the chorus of criticism, highlighting the severity of the cheating problem and the irony of promoting new content while core gameplay remains broken. Several players declared boycotts of future store purchases until the anti-cheat measures are improved.
Plummeting Player Count
The negative feedback is not just limited to social media. Steam player counts for Black Ops 6 have plummeted since its October 2024 release, with a staggering 47% decrease. While data for other platforms (PlayStation and Xbox) is unavailable, this significant drop strongly suggests widespread player dissatisfaction, likely fueled by the persistent issues and Activision's perceived lack of responsiveness. The game's future is uncertain as the community's frustration continues to mount.
