Aside from bringing back fan-favorite maps and removing pesky gameplay mechanics like Tac Sprint from the game, the Call of Duty devs have listened to us on major matters! Years of requests, and Black Ops 7 is about to become the game that stops the crazy operator skins carrying forward, and it makes me wonder if that’s in fear of losing the fanbase over Battlefield 6‘s “no Nikki Minaj” policy.
When it comes to Call of Duty, several issues prevent the game from being an enjoyable experience for fans like me, and no, it’s not the futuristic theme of the games. Let’s not forget that Black Ops 3, set in 2065, is still the best-selling Call of Duty of all time. However, heavy SBMM, cheaters, and wacky skins that belong to another BR title that’s really successful with these are the main reasons why people – again, like me – stop playing.
Names like Captain Price and Russel Adler carry a weight that glorifies the Modern Warfare and Black Ops series, and to see them getting kicked in the nuts by Butthead – cartoon Butthead to be clear – kills the mood. It goes without saying that unrelated crossovers have tarnished Call of Duty’s theme and brand over the past couple of years, and now Black Ops 7 is the one that’s going to set things right for us. Finally!
In a recent Call of Duty blog post, the skin situation was addressed, and while they’re not Warzone and BO6, Black Ops 7 will no longer have to suffer from their existence. In other words, the Carry Forward era of Call of Duty is gone for good, with Black Ops 7 featuring its unique guns, operators, camos, and Prestige system.
More importantly, the post clearly states that “Black Ops 7 needs to feel authentic to Call of Duty and its setting.” Want more peace of mind? “Double XP tokens and GobbleGums will still carry forward, because we recognize your time and progression are important.” Reading this, I have nothing to say but: “Call of Duty IS BACK!“
Defining Call of Duty‘s true identity isn’t easy, but it’s daylight clear that Peter Griffin has nothing to do with it. However, I believe that Battlefield 6 is the driving force behind the late CoD decisions. This is the first time in years that Call of Duty can’t claim its #1 spot on the top pre-order list after the announcement, while Battlefield 6 is currently dominating this rivalry by a large margin.
Following the release of Battlefield 1 in 2016, COD has not faced a significant competitor like this. And when fans close your game and open the other that looks and feels better, you can tell it’s one big red alert for Activision. Call of Duty has been pushing these crazy skins into their games for a long time now, and the confirmation of the Carry Forward after the gameplay reveal trailer only meant that they’re not changing their strategy for Black Ops 7. However, things changed when the BF6 devs directly addressed the issue of the “no Nikki Minaj” rule for their game.
In fact, the statement following the ‘No Carry Forward’ change announcement for Black Ops 7 sounds quite similar. Like they’ve heard that fans really loved that Battlefield 6 is committed to sticking to its theme, and now they also think that “Black Ops 7 needs to feel authentic.” For now, we can take it as one giant win. Next stop: Skill-Based Matchmaking.
