Following a flood of complaints and the triumph of Battlefield 6, Call of Duty has made a drastic move: Black Ops 6 Operator and weapon skins won’t carry over into the franchise’s next entry. Treyarch says the decision was necessary to preserve authenticity and immersion.

A surprising shift has arrived in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Treyarch knows well that players have criticized the game’s cosmetic collaborations, pointing out that fighting as Ninja Turtles, Nicki Minaj, or Beavis and Butt-Head doesn’t exactly fit a military setting. At the same time, fans have been praising Battlefield 6 for both its mechanics and realistic aesthetic. In response to these complaints, the studio has now confirmed that cosmetics from Black Ops 6 won’t transfer into the next installment.

If you’ve been following Black Ops 7, you’ll know this marks a complete reversal. Just days ago, Treyarch said that skins would carry over; shortly after, they retracted that, admitting they were “calibrating” to keep the tone realistic. Now, the option has been scrapped altogether.

“We know there’s been a lot of conversation about Call of Duty’s identity. Some of you said we’ve drifted away from what made it special: an immersive, visceral, and realistic experience. That feedback resonates with us. We hear you.”

“Black Ops 7 must feel authentic to Call of Duty and its world. That’s why Black Ops 6 Operator and weapon content will not carry over,” the developers added. XP tokens and GobbleGums will still transfer, while all Black Ops 6 content remains usable in Warzone.

As Insider Gaming notes, Treyarch has rebooted skins before: in June 2024, they announced that Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 items wouldn’t carry into Black Ops 6. The stated reason was to preserve the “authentic Black Ops universe” with its era-specific weapons, gear, and innovations like Omni-Move. Still, later updates introduced cosmetics that strayed from that vision.

Stronger Measures Against Cheaters

Alongside the cosmetic overhaul, Treyarch reaffirmed its commitment to anti-cheat efforts. On PC, enabling Secure Boot is required, and new systems are being developed to detect and punish cheaters faster and more severely.

“New detection and mitigation tools will ban cheaters earlier and with greater severity,” reads the statement. “Some will be tested during beta, with the full suite ready for launch. We’re determined to stay ahead and protect fair play.”

All of this will come into play when Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches on November 14. The open beta begins October 2 for early access and October 5 for all players.

Source: 3djuegos