Accidental Call of Duty Ads
Call of Duty players recently experienced an unexpected surprise: in-game advertisements for microtransactions appearing directly on their loadout screens. This wasn't part of a planned feature, according to Activision.
The company stated via its official Twitter account that these ads were the result of an error during a UI test. The test, meant to showcase store content, was unintentionally deployed in the Season 4 update. Activision quickly removed the ads following significant player backlash.
A Controversial Season Launch
Season 4 of Call of Duty: Warzone and Black Ops Cold War brought more than just new content. The unexpected ads, resembling billboards promoting premium skins, appeared every time players changed their weapons. This was widely criticized by the gaming community, many expressing frustration and disappointment. The addition overshadowed the launch of the popular returning Verdansk map, widely considered a fan favorite. The return of Verdansk, however, brought many new features to keep things fresh.
The Ongoing Fight Against Cheaters
Activision also announced new measures in their ongoing battle against cheaters. In an effort to curb cheating, primarily prevalent on PC, players are now given the option to disable cross-play. This feature allows players to restrict their matches to only those on the same platform, significantly reducing the number of cheaters encountered.
1 Video of Call of Duty Ads:
Source: EuroGamer