Summary
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's first battle pass includes controversial Zombies unlocks, which has received negative feedback from fans.
- Zombies items are seen as pointless for multiplayer and Warzone players, while some Zombies fans view them as pay-to-win because they provide simple gameplay benefits.
- To avoid controversy in Call of Duty 2024, the battle pass should remove pay-to-win content and add more cosmetic items specific to Zombies.
For the most part, the first battle pass in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is what fans have come to expect from the franchise. Alongside an expensive Blackcell version that gives players access to gold variants of new skins with some special effects to standout, the usual content is present, ranging from calling cards and emblems to weapon blueprints and vehicle designs. Powerful weapons like the XRK Stalker can be earned by leveling up the battle pass, too, though one thing fans did not expect to see was Zombies unlocks.
Unfortunately for Activision, the response to this Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 decision has not been positive. For those who only play multiplayer and Warzone, the Zombies items are pointless and take up space that could have been filled by XP tokens or universal cosmetics. Zombies players are even more frustrated, as though the included items are limited to things like Ammo Mods and Aether Tools that only speed up matches slightly, their impact on gameplay still has some fans dubbing the battle pass pay-to-win. Additionally, there are concerns that more game-changing items like Wonder Weapons or even schematics could join the battle pass, making it something that has to be adjusted before round-based Zombies returns in Call of Duty 2024.
How Call of Duty 2024 Could Avoid Another Battle Pass Controversy
Step 1: Removing ‘Pay-To-Win’ CoD Zombies Content
Though it may be too late to adjust Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s battle passes, as the items within the next several passes are likely already planned out, Treyarch can keep the community’s feedback in mind while making Call of Duty 2024. To avoid any controversy, Treyarch should make sure that no items like free weapon upgrades and Ammo Mods are included in the battle pass for its next game. Considering how seriously players take round-based maps, and how long fans have been waiting for survival gameplay to make its return, Treyarch has to avoid anything that could ruin the feeling of progression within its next survival maps. Other players spawning in with a tier 3 gun that is almost fully upgraded would certainly get in the way of that rewarding feeling players get after working to become stronger.
Call of Duty 2024 Zombies leaks suggest that Gobblegum will be making a return, which could mean that liquid divinium will also make a comeback. If this happens, vials of divinium could theoretically be included in the premium battle pass, which could once again anger fans.
Step 2: Adding More CoD Zombies Cosmetics To The Battle Pass
However, instead of removing all Zombies rewards and calling it a day, Treyarch should instead just make sure that they are cosmetic only. Its Zombies mode is beloved by many gamers, with players adoring the characters, weaponry, enemies, and more. As such, countless Zombies cosmetics could be featured within the battle passes of 2024’s CoD game. Weapon charms featuring a Monkey Bomb or Lil’ Arnie, calling cards based on each Perk-a-Cola, more weapon blueprints like the Ray Gun-themed Zombie Zapper from Black Ops Cold War - these are just some of the things Treyarch could include instead of Aether Tools and Ammo Mods.
In fact, a case could be made for Zombies-specific battle passes in every season of Call of Duty 2024. Given how many great characters have featured within Zombies, ranging from newcomers like Dr. Strauss to key players like Eddie, coming up with an Operator for each pass would not be too difficult. Having two separate battle passes each season would be a way to make everyone happy, as Zombies rewards would not be taking up space in the main pass and vice versa. Alternatively, Zombies-specific Battle Passes could be a way to bring back voiced protagonists, as the four playable characters could consistently receive new skins in every season’s Zombies Pass. Zombies-specific challenges could give this pass a unique progression system instead of just using the XP format, too, allowing players to progress both battle passes simultaneously if they wish.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 58 /100 Critics Rec: 14%
- Released
- November 10, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Sledgehammer Games
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- iw 9.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
The war has changed. Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world. In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
