Black Ops 7 says no to your awful COD skins as it aims for more "authentic" feel

Call of Duty's relentless stream of eccentric and bizarre cosmetics have been receiving increased levels of heat in recent months, only exacerbated by the recent success of Battlefield 6's beta and promises from EA of a more grounded, realistic FPS experience. While there are no doubt people that enjoy zany crossover operators and ridiculous weapon variants, there's a general sense that things have gone too far. It seems the message is finally getting through, as Activision has today acknowledged the criticism that COD is losing its identity, and is promising a more "authentic" experience for Black Ops 7. To ensure that, it's also ditching its cosmetic carry-forward initiative that would've otherwise seen your skin collection from Black Ops 6 brought into BO7. Sorry, Butt-Head enjoyers.

Ever since the Warzone era of Call of Duty began, cosmetics (and their often minimal levels of aesthetic relevance to the games) have been a hot topic. There are some truly brilliant operator and weapon skin designs in the recent COD titles, and some of its early crossovers with other IP felt like there was at least an attempt to make them relevant to an intense FPS game - the 80's Action Heroes event that saw Rambo and John McClane from Die Hard enter Black Ops Cold War springs to mind. But for every great skin, there's one that makes my eyes roll into the back of my head. Almost certainly encouraged by Fortnite's success, in an attempt to keep up with the Jonseys, COD has delivered some truly bizarre crossovers and cosmetics.

In the Black Ops 6 cycle alone, we've seen Seth Rogen, Squid Game, Beavis and Butt-Head, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, American Dad (Roger the alien, included), Terminator, and more all feature in collabs and cosmetic bundles. Many of the original skin designs cooked up by Activision's studios are also completely absurd, such as a guy with the head of a shark and someone cosplaying as the Greek god Zeus. I was already braced for Black Ops 7 to take things to new levels, but my shoulders have just dropped considerably.

In a new community update, Activision addresses concerns about COD losing its identity. "Some of you have said we've drifted from what made Call of Duty unique in the first place: immersive, intense, visceral and in many ways grounded. That feedback hits home, and we take it seriously. We hear you." It also recognizes that "Black Ops 7 needs to feel authentic to Call of Duty and its setting."

To do that, "Operators, Operator Skins, and Weapons from Black Ops 6 will no longer carry forward into Black Ops 7." Progression-related items such as Zombies Gobblegums and XP Tokens will be moved across to the new game, but BO7 is wiping the slate clean when it comes to cosmetics. However, old operators, weapons, and skins will still be usable in Call of Duty Warzone.

"In Black Ops 7, bundles and items will be crafted to fit the Black Ops identity," the post also reads. "We hear the feedback. We need to deliver a better balance toward the immersive, core Call of Duty experience. A ton of feedback has already gone into Black Ops 7, and in the coming weeks you'll hear much more directly from Treyarch."

While this new approach sounds great and is something I'm absolutely on board with, I'm doubtful it'll mean a complete abandonment of crossovers with big IP and flashy, over-the-top skins entirely. I also don't think we'll see fewer cosmetic bundles being stuffed into the store. I just hope that, at least for the first two or three seasons, Activision stays true to its word and keeps Black Ops 7 feeling genuine.

For more info on the new game before it launches later this year, head to our Black Ops 7 release date guide. For some optimal head-clicking, also be sure to check out the products on our best gaming mouse guide.

What do you think about Activision's change in approach? Whether you're on my side of the argument or you're devastated that your Squid Game skin won't be carried over, join our community Discord server and let me know.