Activision has made a key announcement about the Carry Forward program for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and that is that it’s no longer happening.
“Operators, Operator Skins, and Weapons from Black Ops 6 will no longer carry forward into Black Ops 7,” Activision said. “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.”
“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.”
Activision said double XP tokens and GobbleGums will continue to carry forward. “Because we recognize your time and progression are important,” the developer explained.
Only a week ago, Activision said the Carry Forward program would return for Black Ops 7, but not until some time after Season 1. The company said at the time there would be some exceptions, but now, it’s not happening at all.
The identity of Call of Duty has “drifted”
In the statement today, Activision also acknowledged the conversations online about “the identity of Call of Duty” and how the perception from some is that Call of Duty has “drifted from what made Call of Duty unique in the first place.”
Activision said it understands that people want Call of Duty to be and feel “immersive, intense, visceral and in many ways grounded.”
“That feedback hits home, and we take it seriously. We hear you,” Activision said.
The company did not, however, say what it’s doing to address this beyond cancelling the Carry Forward program for Black Ops 7. It appears Activision could be referencing the wacky skins that Call of Duty has become known for in recent years. Some part of the Call of Duty audience enjoys and embraces these skins, and others have said they are a detriment to the overall experience.
Battlefield 6 backdrop
Activision is making these comments against the backdrop of Battlefield 6’s release in October. Battlefield Studios has said it wants the game’s multiplayer skins to feel “grounded.”
Design director Shashank Uchil told DBLTAP that, “It has to be grounded. That is what BF3 and BF4 was–it was all soldiers, on the ground. It’s going to be like this.” Uchil went on to say, “I don’t think it needs Nicki Minaj.” That is seemingly a reference to the DLC skin for Call of Duty that lets you play as Minaj. Instead, Uchil said the aim for Battlefield 6’s skins is: “Let’s keep it real, keep it grounded.”
In an interview with ComicBook, producer Alexia Christofi said much the same thing, explaining that Battlefield Studios is hoping to make Battlefield 6’s skins “feel grounded.”
“We want people to express themselves and to have cool skins and peacock in a way like, ‘I look pretty cool and I have this great weapon skin,'” Christofi said. “But we want it to feel authentic to the franchise, that’s the approach we’re thinking.”
Black Ops 7 launches on November 14 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. You can find highlights of all the new Black Ops 7 announcements here, which includes details on an endgame for the campaign, a massive round-based Zombies map, and a futuristic look for multiplayer.
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