New Call of Duty Tweet Sparks Outrage Amidst Ongoing Hacking Issues

Call of Duty Faces Backlash for Prioritizing Store Bundles Over Game Issues

Activision's recent promotional tweet for a new Squid Game-themed store bundle has ignited a firestorm of criticism within the Call of Duty community. The tweet, boasting over 2 million views and thousands of angry responses, highlights a growing disconnect between Activision and its player base. The company's focus on promoting new in-game purchases is perceived as tone-deaf, given the numerous unresolved issues plaguing both Warzone and Black Ops 6.

Both games are currently grappling with significant problems, most notably rampant cheating in Ranked Play. This, coupled with persistent server issues and other game-breaking bugs, has led to a significant decline in players. Prominent Call of Duty professional, Scump, has even stated that the franchise is in its worst state ever.

The January 8th tweet, promoting a VIP Squid Game bundle, was the final straw for many. Players flooded the comments section, echoing sentiments like "read the room" and expressing frustration over Activision's apparent prioritization of profits over fixing the game. Content creators such as FaZe Swagg joined the chorus of disapproval, while news outlets like CharlieIntel highlighted the severity of the Ranked Play issues. Many players, including user Taeskii, vowed to boycott store bundles until the anti-cheat measures are improved.

The impact of these issues is evident in the plummeting player count on Steam. Since Black Ops 6's October 2024 release, over 47% of players have abandoned the game on this platform. While data for PlayStation and Xbox remains unavailable, the Steam statistics strongly suggest a widespread exodus, likely attributed to the persistent hacking and server problems. The situation underscores a critical need for Activision to address the core gameplay issues before focusing on further monetization strategies.