Call of Duty Fans Are Crying Over Spilled Milk, But I Can’t Blame Them

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The reception towards “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7″ has been harsh, with its Gamescom trailer receiving a wave of dislikes upon release. Although there are questions about the game’s content, like the planned extraction shooter campaign finale by Treyarch, the main reason for the game’s negative response isn’t related to the gameplay itself. Rather, fans who prefer serious military FPS games are growing tired of the humorous skins, finding characters like Beavis and Butthead or American Dad out of place. Upon learning that these Black Ops 6 skins would continue in Black Ops 7, disgruntled players expressed their concerns, leading to the scrapping of Carry Forward for Black Ops 7. This decision has left another group of players disappointed, and I can understand their perspective.

It’s disappointing to learn that cosmetics you’ve bought won’t work in an upcoming game, especially after being led to believe the opposite. Although it’s fair to say that most Call of Duty games haven’t implemented the Carry Forward system, the problem lies in the fact that players were explicitly told their skins would transition to this new game. Some players may have purchased bundles based on the news that Carry Forward was returning, only for it to be withdrawn unexpectedly. Furthermore, since the system was used during the last consecutive releases of subseries (Modern Warfare 2 to Modern Warfare 3), many players likely anticipated its return. However, this is just the start of the issue, as the Zombies community – which I’m a member of – may be impacted more than any other player group by the removal of Carry Forward.

Only CoD Zombies’ Gobblegums and 2XP Tokens will carry over into BO7.

Black Ops 7’s Carry Forward Could Have Been a Huge Win For CoD Zombies

If Black Ops 7 had continued with its original approach for Carry Forward, the Zombies community might have enjoyed fewer repetitive tasks and more innovative concepts instead. Unfortunately, without this system in place, it seems Treyarch will gradually reintroduce the same old Perks throughout their post-release seasons, which is disappointing because if perk-a-colas had been carried over, novel or forgotten drinks could have filled the seasonal spots. Furthermore, if players need to start from scratch with leveling up all Perks in both games to regain their augments, it feels excessively redundant. Perks are just one aspect; other content might also be affected by the lack of Carry Forward.

  • Field Upgrades will likely be drip-fed similarly to perks instead of having a variety of options right at launch. They would probably need to be leveled up again, too, assuming Augments return.
  • Ammo Mods would likely follow in the footsteps of Field Upgrades and Perks.
  • Mastery camos that players spent hours upon hours grinding for won’t be usable in BO7, whereas if Carry Forward had stayed, they could have been equipped on any returning guns.
  • Killstreaks players unlocked through BO6 events and leveling up will have to be re-acquired if they do make a return.
  • Exclusive Easter egg reward skins for Operators could have given players options for characters like Grey and Weaver on day one, but now they’ll just need to buy or unlock more outfits for the same crew. Similarly, though Wonder Weapons such as the Ray Gun are sure to return, players will need to get more skins for it if they don’t want the base look.

Redoing the same grueling process, despite changes or additions to Augments, feels disrespectful towards the most committed series enthusiasts. I’ve reached the maximum potential for every Augment, earned all Calling Cards, and I’m on the brink of completing the Nebula grind for all launch weapons in Black Ops 6 Zombies. I’ve enjoyed pursuing the Easter Egg rewards as they provide a satisfying motivation to accomplish main missions (even though I would have finished them regardless). Regrettably, none of this effort will make a difference after a few months, and while it’s common for Call of Duty grinds to be one-time affairs, it is aggravating when all the necessary elements were already set up for Carry Forward. However, a new grind isn’t the most problematic aspect of this alteration by any stretch.

Over the course of Black Ops 6, numerous iconic zombie weapons have progressively been integrated into the game, such as the FAMAS (now known as FFAR), Olympia, and PPSh-41. The latter has earned its place among these due to its significance in World at War and notable appearances like Gorod Krovi. However, it’s unfortunate that these weapons, along with many others, will not be part of Black Ops 6 at its launch, and there may even be no return for them. Since they would take up valuable space that could instead accommodate new weapons unseen in the previous game (and guns suitable for a 2035 setting), it’s highly unlikely they’ll resurface in BO7. It’s regrettable because players wouldn’t have had access to weapons like the PPSh-41 at the launch of BO7, had Carry Forward been retained.

Killing Carry Forward Wasn’t the Only Way For Black Ops 7 to Address the Criticism

In a more thoughtful approach for Black Ops 7, it would have been beneficial to address the concerns players have raised about Carry Forward. These include excessive content in crowded menus, an unbalanced assortment of weapons, and each release lacking a unique identity.

One proposed solution that has gained traction among frustrated players is the implementation of a skin filter, allowing military simulation enthusiasts to disable all cosmetics deemed unrealistic. This approach could cater to both parties as it would grant the desired realistic experience while still offering variety for others.

Alternatively, Carry Forward could have been focused on Zombies mode exclusively. By emulating the treatment given to Warzone, players could retain their Black Ops 6 quest rewards, progress, and more. The Mystery Box in this scenario would be brimming with an abundance of firearms.

via Treyarch / Call of Duty

Instead, it seems that Call of Duty succumbed to the most vocal opinions, although in truth, a similarly significant portion of the community was keen for Carry Forward to persist, just as fervently as those who disliked Black Ops 7 did. As an ardent fan of CoD Zombies, I would have greatly valued this choice, since it would have offered me more worth from the content I bought and-above all-earned while playing Black Ops 6.

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2025-08-28 23:08