‘Functional stuff is unlocked through GAMEPLAY’
We are edging ever nearer to the launch of one of the gaming industry’s annual megasellers: the latest entry in Activision’s billion-dollar Call of Duty franchise. But, despite unease from the CoD community, developer Infinity Ward insists the team is not preparing a loot box mechanic for Modern Warfare.“Sigh. There continues to be misinformed and incorrect info being pushed about Modern Warfare,” stated IW’s studio art director Joel Emslie. “What I can say right now is that we are definitely NOT working on any kind of supply drop or loot box system. Also, functional stuff is unlocked through GAMEPLAY. Stay tuned, we’re planning to release info this week.”
While it might be understandably frustrating for the dev team if there are no loot boxes coming to Modern Warfare, it’s more than fair to state the franchise brought this suspicion upon itself. Last year’s entry, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, not only scored controversy points with its militant DLC plans, but still snuck in loot boxes several months after launch, under the new moniker of “Reserve Crates”.
While Emslie’s statement sounds understandably aggrieved, the CoD community is only basing their suspicions off of their own experience with the franchise’ relationship to DLC and MTX plans in the past, whether aggressive, stealthy, or both. The community is right to keep one eyebrow raised as, ultimately, Infinity Ward’s actions will speak louder than its words.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare launches October 25 on PS4, PC and Xbox One.
Call of Duty developer insists Infinity Ward is not working on loot boxes [Eurogamer]