The Steam store page for the Call of Duty experience app has been updated with details regarding the series’ use of generative AI. This information comes as part of a required disclosure from Valve on the use of AI generated content in games.

In its disclosure regarding the use of of AI generated content in Call of Duty titles, Activision has stated that its development team uses generative AI tools to aid in the creation of some in-game assets. One such example of the user of AI content in Call of Duty Black Ops 6 can be seen below.

The above loading screen artwork for Zombie Santa, aka ‘Necroclaus’, shows that the character has six fingers instead of the intended five. This is a typical error that is often found in AI generated artwork. Call of Duty Black Ops 6 players had noticed such flaws in the game’s 2D assets before the disclosure from Activision.

Players believe that a vast majority of the calling cards, emblems, loading screens, and other 2D artwork in Call of Duty Black Ops 6 are AI generated. Some of the rewards offered during the last few seasons of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 are also believed to be created using generative AI.

Blizzard is also known to use AI to aid in things like the fitting of armor on characters. According to Warcraft franchise director John Hight, the studio’s artists used to have to go through and build armor for human form and then go and retrofit them for other body shapes. He mentioned that this has allowed artists to make a lot more different armor. They appreciate the help of AI because it gets rid of the “grungy part” of what they’re doing.

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Content creator and insider eXtas1s posted a new video on his YouTube channel, in which he talked about the games Microsoft is bringing to the Nintendo Switch 2, including a Call of Duty game that is either Warzone, Black Ops 6, or the next title. He further mentioned that the software giant’s collaboration with Nintendo doesn’t stop at Call of Duty. As per him, Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are both in development for the Switch 2. He also believes that Bethesda will port Fallout 4 and Starfield to Nintendo’s upcoming console.

As for Bandai Namco Entertainment, the insider claims that the publisher is betting big on the Nintendo Switch 2. French retailers and dataminers have hinted at both Tekken 8 and Elden Ring being ported to the platform. While Tekken 7 never made its way to the original Switch, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was made available for the Wii U. With Tekken 8 proving to be a major success for the company, bringing it to Nintendo’s next console aligns with its strategy of expanding its player base. The content creator believes Switch 2 versions of both titles may be released alongside the console’s launch.

Furthermore, the content creator believes Square Enix will port Final Fantasy VII Remake to the Nintendo Switch 2. A prior rumor suggested that the game has been up and running on devkits since over a year. Similarly, he believes that Rockstar Games will support Nintendo’s next console, possibly with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V ports.

The insider also believes that Capcom will port the Resident Evil 4 remake and Monster Hunter Wilds to the Nintendo Switch 2. He pointed towards the success of previous Monster Hunter titles on Nintendo consoles, making this a logical move. According to a recent rumor, the publisher will also be looking to release a Resident Evil Zero remake during the launch year of the Switch 2.

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In a recent court filing (via), Patrick Kelly, Activision’s current head of creative for the Call of Duty franchise, revealed that the development budet for 3 Call of Duty titles released between 2015 and 2020 averaged at around 500 million US Dollars. Additionally, it was stated the aforementioned games sold 30 million copies or more. The information comes from a declaration submitted by Kelly to a California court on December 23, 2024. The filing forms part of Activision’s legal response to a lawsuit filed in May, 2024, over the tragic 2022 school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

Call of Duty Titles’ Development Budget Breakdown

Kelly’s statements regarding the development costs for Call of Duty games released between 2015 and 2020 can be seen below.

• Black Ops 3 (2015): “Treyarch developed the game over three years with a creative team of hundreds of people, and invested over $450 million in development costs over the game’s lifecycle.” (Kelly also discloses that it has sold 43 million copies.)
• Modern Warfare (2019): “Infinity Ward developed the game over several years and has spent over $640 million in development costs throughout the game’s lifecycle.” (41 million copies sold)
• Black Ops: Cold War (2020): “Treyarch and Raven Software took years to create the game with a team of hundreds of creatives. They ultimately spent over $700 million in development costs over the game’s lifecycle.” (30 million copies sold)

The lawsuit pertaining to the Uvalde school shooting partially attributed the tragedy to Meta’s Instagram and Activision’s Call of Duty, alleging that their platforms and content influenced the teenage perpetrator of the mass shooting, which claimed the lives of 19 students and two adults.

In comparison to the development budgets mentioned above for Call of Duty Black Ops 3, Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019), and Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, Sony Interactive Entertainment first-party titles The Last of Us Part II and Horizon Forbidden West had a development budget of 220 and 212 million US Dollars, respectively. Read about it here.

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Older Call of Duty titles, including Call of Duty 1, Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011), Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and Call of Duty: WWII, have appeared on the Microsoft Store for PC, suggesting that they may be coming to the Xbox Game Pass catalog.

It’s a bit of a no-brainer for Microsoft to make the entire slate of Call of Duty titles available on its premium game subscription service. If added to the Xbox Game Pass catalog, these games will permanently remain on the service for fans to enjoy whenever they choose to subscribe.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 successfully launched day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass PC. While there were concerns regarding the move potentially hurting Microsoft’s revenue, Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research and Insights at Niko Partners, and Mat Piscatella, Executive Director and Video Game Industry Analyst at Circana (NPD), had reported that this was not the case. In fact, as per them, the day one availability of Black Ops 6 on Xbox Game Pass has been a net benefit to the software giant.

Ahmad mentioned that, based on his preliminary data, the game’s day one availability on Game Pass has added a significant number of players into the ecosystem via Xbox and PC. Similarly, Piscatella stated that, based on preliminary data points gathered via Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker,  coming to Game Pass helped boost engagement for Black Ops 6 on Xbox. In other words, the company is still benefiting from subscription revenue on Xbox as well as a larger overall player base.

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Insider Ghost of Hope took to Twitter/X to share that Sledgehammer Games is currently slated to lead its own entry in the Call of Duty series in 2027. According to them, the game will comes after Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty title in 2026, which is presumably Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. They clarified that the Sledgehammer Games title is not a Year 2 Modern Warfare game like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

The insider further stated that they are unclear at this point whether the 2027 Call of Duty title from Sledgehammer Games will end up being Call of Duty Advanced Warfare 2 or something brand new. They said that they’ll have an update in this regard once they have more clarity.

As for the future of Call of Duty in general, the insider said that Microsoft has set up a new committee under Activision for the first-person shooter series. According to them, it will control “features” and “systems” at the franchise level and let the studios make suggestions. They mentioned that whether a new mechanic like Call of Duty Black Ops 6’s omnimovement makes its way into future entries will be decided not by either of Infinity Ward and Treyarch, but rather by the aforementioned committee. The insider claimed that all studios involved in the development of Call  of Duty titles are being told not to innovate in areas like UI, Prestige, and certain gameplay features etc. Instead, they are being asked to focus on innovating with respect to maps, modes, and storytelling, as that is where they want the creativity to come from.

For a detailed look at Call of Duty Black Ops 6, check out our review here.

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Weapon balance adjustments have been made, particularly to the submachine guns, with the Jackal PDW receiving damage reductions across multiple ranges. Meanwhile, equipment, scorestreaks, and various other elements have been refined to enhance overall usability and player feedback. Other key updates include audio improvements, UI stability, and several bug fixes, further polishing the beta ahead of the game’s official launch. Treyarch has also adjusted progression speed, increasing weapon XP gain and fixing issues with daily challenges.

COD Black Ops 6 Open Beta Patch Notes (September 6)

• Progression:
  • Level cap raised to 30.
  • Unlocks include new weapons, perks, and scorestreaks, such as the Blast Trap and Tanto .22 SMG.
  • New rewards at specific levels, like the “Beta Expert” animated calling card and “Bug Smasher” XM4 weapon blueprint.
• Weapons:
  • Weapon Swap Speed: Reduced across all categories.
  • Movement Speed: Adjustments made to Assault Rifles, SMGs, Shotguns, LMGs, and Marksman Rifles, while Sniper Rifles and Pistols saw slight changes.
  • Weapon Adjustments: The Jackal PDW has reduced damage across various ranges, and the C9 saw an increase in medium-range damage.
• Attachments:
  • The Rapid Fire attachment now shows its recoil penalty properly.
• Maps:
  • Spawn logic adjustments to reduce high-frequency spawn flipping and improve player engagement.
• Scorestreaks:
  • Improvements to RC-XD handling, increased base health for Watchdog Helo, and increased cluster bomb radius for the Hellstorm.
• Equipment:
  • Thermo Grenade explosive ignition delay reduced.
• Movement:
  • Time to enter prone during slides and mantle speeds adjusted.
• Progression and Rewards:
  • Increased Weapon XP gains and fixed tracking for Daily Challenges.
• Audio:
  • Increased player weapon firing audio and addressed various sound issues.
• Best Play:
  • Improved logic to showcase more varied highlights.
• UI and Settings:
  • Stability improvements across menus and HUD, as well as general server-side stability.

Detailed patch notes can be seen on the official website.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest installment in the long-running franchise developed by Treyarch. The game features a blend of classic multiplayer modes, an engaging campaign, and the popular Zombies mode.

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In its court case against cheat software provider EngineOwning, Call of Duty creator Activision has been granted default judgement. As a result, EngineOwning owes Activision $14.45 million in damages and $0.29 million in legal fees. In addition, the judge also ruled that the EngineOwning website domain must be transferred over to Activision.

The cheating software developed by EngineOwning enables hacks that give PC players of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 a major unfair advantage during competitive gameplay. These advantages include aimbots, triggerbots, 3D radar (ESP/Wallhack), 2D radar, among other miscellaneous benefits. The software remained undetected by the game’s Ricochet anti-cheat system, though blatant cheaters could still get caught via the manual reporting system. This not only negatively impacted the experience for not only PC players who don’t indulge in any form of cheating but also console players who opted for crossplay.

PC mods are great to have in single-player games, but we strongly discourage our readers from using those that provide an unfair advantage in competitive multiplayer games. It’s important for game creators to ensure fair play as much as possible in their games, and it’s good on Activision for battling it out with the cheat software company in court and winning the case. Unfortunately, though, EngineOwning is just one of several cheat providers that are still readily available for use in many competitive games on PC. Nevertheless, this is a step in the right direction.

We certainly hope that the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will offer a relatively cheater-free experience on PC. It was recently announced that the game will be available day one on Game Pass for Xbox consoles as well as PC. PS4 and PS5 players will be required to purchase the game, however.

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New York Times reports that families of the Uvalde school shooting in the US victims have filed multiple lawsuits against Activision Meta, and Daniel Defense. They claim that all three companies collaborated in marketing the aforementioned gun to minors both over social media as well as within Call of Duty titles.

The lawsuits recognize the Call of Duty franchise as the most prolific and effective marketer of assault weapons in the US. It alleges that the Meta-owned social media platform Instagram, Call of Duty publisher Activision, and semiautomatic rifle manufacturer Daniel Defense contributed to training and equipping the teenage shooter responsible for the massacre.

These lawsuits were filed on the second anniversary of the tragic event, which resulted in the deaths of 19 fourth-graders and two teachers at the hands of an 18-year-old gunman, who had legally purchased an AR-15-style rifle just days prior. Although the flawed police response has been a major focus post-incident, these lawsuits, filed in California and Texas, center on the shooter and the companies he engaged with before the attack.

The suits claim that each company played a role in “grooming” the teenager into becoming a mass shooter. Furthermore, they allege that the gun manufacturer, Daniel Defense, would not have been able to influence the socially isolated teenager in rural Texas without the involvement of social media platforms and video game companies. Although the flawed police response has been a major highlight post-incident, these lawsuits focus on the shooter and his activities before the attack.

In response, an Activision spokeswoman expressed deep sympathy for the Uvalde families but emphasized that millions enjoy video games without committing violent acts. As of writing, the other companies have yet to comment.

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Recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft plans a major shakeup of its video game sales strategy by releasing the next entry in the Call of Duty series to Xbox Game Pass at launch instead of Activision’s prior approach of having the popular first-person shooter series only being available for purchase. Xbox president Sara Bond admitted as much during an earlier interview with Bloomberg, as she said that games from across Microsoft’s whole slate will become a part of Xbox Game Pass on the day of their release. While day one releases are nothing new for Xbox Game Pass users, it’s the availability of Call of Duty that will be a pivotal moment for the subscription service.

1. Best Selling Title Each Year

Call of Duty has proven time and again to be one of the most successful franchises in gaming history. Each annual release finds its way to the top of sales charts, and it continues to sell even after the release of the next big title in the series. There’s no denying the pull Activision’s first-person shooter series has on the gaming community. Having a game of this degree of popularity and commercial worth appear day one on a subscription service can potentially change the way people choose to consume their games as well as their choice of platform.

2. GAAS Model Is Ideal For Subscription Services

It’s no secret that live service games offer long-term engagement with the community, and it’s these kind of games that have the potential to greatly benefit a game subscription service like Xbox Game Pass. A Call of Duty game will continue to drive new users with a healthy dose of content updates.

3. Battle Pass & Cosmetics Revenue

By removing the barrier of having to spend $70 on the latest Call of Duty title, Microsoft will expect a larger influx of subscribers willing to engage with the game’s live service element. There will be lost sales, but the idea is that the live service revenue will more than make up for it, and that’s not even counting the monthly subscription fee that a user will continue to pay over time.

4. Additional Revenue Via New Subscription Tier & Pricing

According to rumors, Microsoft is looking to revise Xbox Game Pass pricing and tiers with the addition of the Call of Duty franchise to its game catalog. Currently, the lower tier of the subscription service, Xbox Game Pass Core, is available for $9.99 a month, and the higher tier, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, is available for $16.99 a month. These tiers are expected to be rebranded and their prices are expected to increase. This will present an additional avenue for the company to generate revenue from each subscriber.

5. Game Pass Exclusive Seasonal Content & Perks

While Microsoft had previously stated that that the Call of Duty experience would be the same across all platforms it is available on, it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility for the company to sneak in some exclusive seasonal cosmetics, such as weapon charms, weapons skins, and character skins. Meanwhile, other seasonal content such as new maps and weapons would be made available across all platforms. Furthermore, the company may offers additional perks to Xbox Game Pass subscribers, such as a higher number of weapon loadout slots and double XP tokens.

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The Wall Street Journal has reported that Microsoft plans a major shakeup of its video game sales strategy by releasing the next entry in the Call of Duty series to Xbox Game Pass at launch instead of Activision’s prior approach of having the popular first-person shooter series only being available for purchase.

As per The Wall Street Journal’s sources, Microsoft is set to announce this shift in strategy at the coming Xbox showcase event next month. It is also mentioned that, prior to the the Microsoft deal last year, Activision was reluctant to fully embrace the subscription-based model for a game that readily sells at a premium price.

Microsoft undoubtedly aims to bring a substantial increase in the Xbox Game Pass subscriber count with this new plan. While this will likely result in less sales, the company is looking to earn more in the long run by increasing the number of Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

During a recent interview with Bloomberg, Xbox president Sara Bond recently doubled down on Microsoft’s commitment to bring all of its titles day one to Xbox Game Pass. She said that the company is aware that its core users enjoy game pass, as it brings a whole portfolio of games. She clarified that players will get every single one of the games the company makes day one on Game Pass.

Digital media and entertainment software analyst Michael Pachter believes that the Call of Duty franchise is a major catalyst in the potential growth of Xbox Game Pass. According to him, PlayStation owners would want to play the first-person shooter series on Microsoft’s premium subscription service in addition to the other games available there. He believes Call of Duty being on Xbox Game Pass along with other Activision titles will push it past 50 million subscribers.

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