Call of Duty is once again under fire, and no, it’s not because of another crossover with pop stars or pastel-coloured gun skins. This time, long-time fans of the franchise are calling out Activision for what they’re calling a deceptive strategy to push pre-orders for Black Ops 7.
So, what’s going on? Well, a recent Reddit thread blew the lid off a UI change in Black Ops 6 and Warzone, and let’s just say, players aren’t thrilled.
The quick join button twist
Imagine jumping into a match of Warzone or hopping back into the lobby in Black Ops 6. You instinctively hit the “Quick Join” button, but instead of launching you into gameplay, you’re redirected straight to a Black Ops 7 pre-order screen. Yeah, not ideal.
Reddit user Enigma_Green was among the first to notice the issue. According to their post, the same button previously used to quickly join matches is now tied to a shortcut that takes players to the purchase page for Black Ops 7.
This change, while not immediately finalising a purchase, brings you one step closer to buying the next entry in the series, perhaps without even realising it.
Fans cry foul: “It’s a scam”
The backlash was swift. One Reddit user, Icy_Table_8856, didn’t mince words, calling it an outright “scam” by Activision. Another, Regular_Car_9724, labeled the tactic “diabolical.”
Some community members, however, think the change may be more about incompetence than deceit: a simple UI oversight that managed to slip through QA. And to be fair, this wouldn’t be the first time the franchise’s unpopular UI design stirred controversy. There’s a long-running chorus begging Activision to bring back simpler, cleaner interfaces from the Modern Warfare 2 or Black Ops 2 era.
Community discontent hits a boiling point
It’s no secret that Call of Duty fans have been airing their frustrations for years now. Between microtransaction overload, wacky store bundles, and bizarre brand collabs that feel out of place in a military shooter, many players are craving a return to realism.
MORE BLACK OPS 7
Even the upcoming release’s most hyped feature — the Carry Forward system — has its critics. This allows players to bring cosmetics from Black Ops 6 into Black Ops 7, which sounds cool … until you remember those “cosmetics” include goofy outfits and unicorn-themed weapon wraps. Not exactly the gritty Black Ops vibe old-school fans signed up for.
Pre-order struggles and Battlefield 6’s shadow
Interestingly, data from the PlayStation Store suggests that Battlefield 6 pre-orders may be outpacing Black Ops 7, adding more salt to the wound. Plagued by controversy before release and apparently being outperformed by its direct competitor? It’s not looking great.
The YouTube trailer for Black Ops 7 hasn’t helped matters. While it has drawn significant views, it also racked up nearly 400,000 dislikes, and the comments section is flooded with players pledging allegiance to Battlefield instead.
“Too Big to Fail”? Time Will Tell
Despite all this noise, Activision reportedly isn’t sweating it. The publishing giant has allegedly quipped that Call of Duty is “too big to fail,” brushing off comparisons to Battlefield’s resurgence.
But if this UI pre-order controversy is anything to go by, the patience of the community is starting to wear thin: and even the most loyal fans are beginning to question whether it’s time to put the controller down for good, or at least give DICE’s upcoming shooter a shot instead.