Call of Duty’s Current State Has Me Nostalgic For Something Everyone Hated

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It’s no hidden fact that the “Call of Duty” series holds a special spot in my heart. As a chubby, geeky teenager transitioning to a new school, it served as an essential refuge from bullying and a means to bond with students who were more popular, allowing me to excel at something they weren’t and find my place among them. The emotional connection I developed for the series would have been sufficient, but “Call of Duty” Zombies remains my all-time favorite cooperative gaming experience, further cementing my attachment. Memorable moments like the Reznov twist in “Black Ops 1” and my initial victory in Blackout are ingrained in my memory, even though many of my high school friends have drifted away from “CoD.” Yet, I’ve continued to follow the series, clinging to its charm – albeit as the magic begins to wane.

Despite my unwavering devotion to the series, I echo the same grievances as seasoned gamers. The concept of skill-based matchmaking is exasperating, cross-generation releases seem underwhelming, and the transformation of every mode into Warzone-like feels exhausting. These problems, along with others such as cheating, an overload of quirky cosmetics, and more, have been debated extensively.

However, there’s another aspect of contemporary Call of Duty that, while reasonable given the current industry landscape, leaves me drained: battle passes and in-game store. To be honest, I’m so fatigued by this progression system that I find myself yearning for loot boxes to make a comeback (but please remember, I’m not suggesting we bring back all aspects of them).

Despite Black Ops 6 offering a decent variety of cosmetics through Prestige mode, the rate at which high-quality Prestige skins are unlocked slows significantly once players reach Prestige Master. Occasional free battle passes or event skins offer some satisfaction, but they don’t compare to exclusive rewards like a Raul Menendez-themed Operator or a zombified Weaver. Over time, even these premium Prestige skins can become repetitive. The need to invest considerable time in the game every Season to complete the battle pass due to Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) diminishes time for other games. A FOMO-free system like Marvel Rivals would alleviate this issue, but unfortunately, it’s not available yet. Furthermore, I occasionally purchase expensive shop skins if their Call of Duty Zombies appeal is too compelling to resist, but generally, I can’t justify regularly spending money on CoD Points. Considering these factors, I find myself reminiscing about the loot box era.

As an avid fan, I must express my thoughts about the Prestige Master levels that extend beyond the initial rank. Instead of offering unique cosmetic items like the Marshall skin, these higher ranks only provide emblems reminiscent of classic Prestiges. While these emblems are a charming touch, the progression in the Prestige Master system feels rather mundane compared to the excitement of advancing through regular Prestige levels. The pinnacle of this progression is reaching Level 1000, which is the next significant milestone for players to achieve.

Call of Duty’s Loot Boxes Were a Diamond in the Rough That Should Be Polished

It’s important to note that the way loot boxes were implemented in Call of Duty games was highly controversial. Bordering on gambling and clearly pay-to-win, features like Reserves and Supply Drops granted exclusive access to powerful post-launch weapons, some of which were among the strongest in the game. I can still recall my struggle to obtain the R.I.P. variant of the AK12 in Advanced Warfare and the BAL-27 Obsidian Steed. Acquiring guns like the MX Garand from Black Ops 3 Supply Drops was equally frustrating, as luck played a significant role – you could get lucky on your first try or open dozens without securing a new weapon addition.

To clarify, I don’t believe that Supply Drops or loot boxes are fundamentally evil. For example, the reserve system in Black Ops 4 eventually became quite fair because players could grind cases to trade them for their desired DLC gun or blueprint. This offered a chance to obtain something desirable without spending money and allowed players to work towards obtaining what they wanted, bypassing randomness.

In a similar vein, Overwatch 2 has demonstrated what a modern loot box should look like. Unlike other games where loot boxes can be purchased, these are only unlocked through gameplay. They contain a variety of old skins and shop items, while opening 20 total boxes guarantees a Legendary skin – one of the most coveted character looks in the game. While they may not drop frequently enough, the mechanics of Overwatch 2’s loot boxes are solid, and it’s something that Call of Duty could emulate to improve player experience.

I’d like to clarify that I don’t want the controversial loot box system seen in games such as Black Ops 3 to reappear, but rather a system similar to Overwatch 2’s loot boxes or Black Ops 4’s reserves. This could supplement the existing battle pass and shop format prevalent in many live-service games. This way, players can directly purchase items they desire while still having a chance to get them for free. Furthermore, it would provide an incentive for players who reach the maximum rank or those who don’t wish to grind through a battle pass or spend money on shop skins. The Call of Duty reserves/Supply Drops could serve as an exciting bonus to strive for, not purchasable, but instead earned by completing daily challenges. New Call of Duty loot boxes could contain a variety of rewards.

  • Random Gobblegums
  • Individual cosmetics from bundles like blueprints and Operator skins
  • Old Battle Pass loot
  • Exclusive camos
  • Battle Pass tier skips

As a devoted fan, I’ve been feeling a bit tired of the conventional Call of Duty formula lately. However, the introduction of a new type of reward could be the perfect remedy to keep me engaged. Ironically, after witnessing Overwatch 2 excel in the use of loot boxes, I believe the content that might just fill the void is something that caused quite a stir a decade ago – microtransactions.

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2025-07-28 01:03