The age-old military shooter rivalry continues as Battlefield 6’s gritty and grounded aesthetic wins fans over, while Call of Duty’s Fortnite-flavoured approach leaves audiences confused about the core identity of the franchise. With Black Ops 7 recently revealed, Activision had originally stated that players would be able to transfer Operators, Operator skins and weapons from Black Ops 6 to 7, but they’ve recently reversed that decision.
This comes amis comparisons between the aesthetic of Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6, with the latter remaining much more committed to its world, setting and tone than the former, which has been accused of lacking a cohesive direction.
Battlefield 6 Reception
The open beta for Battlefield 6 attracted more than 500,000 players, generating a lot of buzz and anticipation for the game – arguably more than the franchise has received in recent history.
While there were some criticisms at aspects of the gameplay design seen in the beta, such as the intimate map design being more abundant than the larger, sprawling maps that Battlefield has been historically known for, the general beta reception has been largely positive.
Black Ops 7 Response
There has been a fair amount of exposure to Black Ops 7 already, with the game featuring as the final and largest event in this year’s Summer Games Fest showcase.
Call of Duty is no stranger to multiple modes, and this is no exception – promising a return of both Zombies and Dead Ops Arcade. However, that’s not where the problem of identity comes in.
The popularity of Battlefield 6 drew a lot of unwanted attention to some of Black Ops 6’s skins that would be transferrable to 7 – such as Stan from American Dad, Beavis and Butthead and Seth Rogan – all of whom were accused of altering what the franchise represents.
Activision Adresses Call of Duty Skins and Weapons
In a community update, Activision stated, “we know there’s been a lot of conversation recently about the identity of Call of Duty. Some of you have said we’ve drifted from what made Call of Duty unique in the first place: immersive, intense, visceral and in many ways grounded. That feedback hits home, and we take it seriously. We hear you.
“Operators, Operator Skins, and Weapons from Black Ops 6 will no longer carry forward into Black Ops 7. Black Ops 7 needs to feel authentic to Call of Duty and its setting. That is why Black Ops 6 Operator and Weapon content will not carry forward to Black Ops 7. Double XP tokens and GobbleGums will still carry forward, because we recognize your time and progression are important.
“This change applies only to Black Ops 7. Call of Duty: Warzone is not affected, and all your Black Ops 6 content stays usable there.”
