Call of Duty Takes a Step Toward P2W; Gamers are Concerned
With the launch of Season 3 of Modern Warfare II, a pay-to-win kit has appeared in the game's store, offering unique bonuses to one of the game's modules in addition to skins. A sizable portion of Call of Duty fans are dismayed to see that the game is heading towards pay-to-win.
This week marked the release of the 3rd season of the of the popular online FPS Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (and Warzone 2.0). In line with the series' recent standards, it introduced a lot of new content to the game - from maps to new weapons and skins.
Unfortunately, among the new features that made their way into Call of Duty there was no shortage of controversial elements that are considered by the gaming community as pay-to-win content.
Controversial package for DMZ mode
What element has proven to be problematic? We are talking about the cosmetic pack called Bomb Squad, which is mainly aimed at players of CoD's new module, DMZ (a game mode modeled on the extraction shooter genre).
- At first glance, the Bomb Squad pack is no different from the other cosmetic sets present in the game and is available for the standard price of 1200 "COD points" (virtual currency used in Call of Duty, for which we can purchase things in the in-game store).
- As it turns out, however, the skin for Fender, as well as the scheme of his weapons, are not ordinary cosmetic items. Indeed, the package offers unique bonuses in DMZ mode, which we learn about by opening the skin tab in the store.
What kind of bonuses are involved? While a normal operator usually starts DMZ mode with basic weapons and a small amount of storage space for equipment, players who purchased the controversial package can start the game with a medium backpack and a fully modified Sakin MG38 (which additionally has a passive ability regarding the so-called "insured weapons" system)..
As if that wasn't enough, the Bomb Squad pack, in addition to providing bonuses during the gameplay, also offers the opportunity to unlock space for an additional, fourth, Operator.
More changes like this coming? Gamers dismayed
To top it off, dataminers associated with Call of Duty (which often turn out to be good sources of information in the case of Modern Warfare) "dug up" information that the next packs are also supposed to offer special bonuses.
One of them is to be the starting with a UAV reconnaissance vehicle - which, as the players note, is a powerful tool, facilitating DMZ gameplay, and an outright pay-to-win mechanic.
"This is crazy, pay-to-win literally."
"If that's the case, I'll give up on the DMZ. Having a UAV is always an insane gameplay advantage over everyone else. It's ridiculous pay-to-win."
Content creators focused on the latest installment of Call of Duty, who note that the presence of items that can't be obtained by any other means, except by spending real cash, is detrimental to the game in the long run, are equally disturbed.
