Players of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 have identified an unexpected addition to the weapon customization interface.
A dedicated section at the top of the menu now displays promotions for premium weaponry and cosmetic items, introducing in-game microtransaction advertisements during gameplay.
While some users argue these aren’t traditional advertisements for external products, the integration of purchasable content directly into the game’s interface marks a concerning evolution for the franchise.
Season 4 brings new ad spot in game for weapons
byu/whambampl inblackops6
“One of the unwelcome changes I’ve noticed with Season 4 is that they’ve now inserted a new ad spot at the top of the list of your weapon specifics builds,” wrote one player. “So now every time you toggle between weapon builds you get to stare at ads for $20-$30 skins. I’m sure the Activision developer who suggested this terrible feature is very proud of themselves.
“This change is especially unneeded because you could already toggle from Builds to Shop on any given weapon and apparently not being thrown directly in our faces didn’t make them enough money. Many of us payed [sic] $60-$100 for a feature game and don’t want to be bombarded with additional ads.”
“Actively witnessing Call of Duty become [SpongeBob SquarePants’] the Krusty Krab,” replied another.
“Well guys looks like COD can suck a fat one,” replied someone else. “This ad mess is ridiculous. They make huge bank already for them to even do this should be illegal. I’ve never been done with a COD this fast ever. But she’s getting deleted. You can’t scrounge people for money and not have a decent game. I’m not asking for a great game, just not a buggy game.”
Another popular discussion thread saw one user state: “I wouldn’t even be mad if this was just in warzone, a free game, but putting it in a pay-to-play premium title, with how expensive they’re getting?”
“Agree 100%, it really feels like one of those free cell phone games from a tiny indie studio begging you for money at every turn. Pathetic for a full price, stand alone game from a huge developer,” replied another.
In a recent statement, Treyarch acknowledged that cheating undermines player experiences, vowing continued anti-cheat measures throughout 2025. The studio reported banning over 136,000 accounts in competitive modes across both Black Ops 6 and Warzone.