Thursday, November 8, 2018

Call of Duty | The Love & Hate Relationship

What the hell is wrong with me!? Why can't I stop playing Black Ops 4 despite knowing it's a broken mess plagued by the usual problems? This is no doubt the question on some of your minds. For me my "obsession" with the game stems from a must win OCD focus. The more I'm cheated out of wins due to game issues or players cheating the more I want to get back in, and find a way to win. This is the driving force behind my personal "Love/Hate" relationship with the Call of Duty franchise, in general. I know the series has a reputation of the same faults never being fixed, and that it's gonna be the SSDD (same sh*t different day) every year. Still I find myself drawn to it like a fly to a fly zapper. While I tell you the game needs work, and that it's broken my continued playing of it might send a hypocritical impression that I don't intend on sending. Make no mistake though. I still believe Call of Duty, and Black Ops 4 is a lost cause, and a waste of money.

This time around, realizing their former monetization schemes weren't enough to keep players invested, Treyarch has pulled a Fortnite. Now locked behind a paywall, and unobtainable without paying are attractive customization items tucked away in the Fortinte gamepass formula. It is geared towards keeping players invested in the grind long enough so that they can see the for sale items in an attempt to convince them that this is something they'd desire having. Something that they'd pay for to look cool, and fit in with the rest of the cool kids with. It's corporate sleaze that takes away one of the key attractions that Call of Duty has worth returning to for, and that is customization. So often I hear the argument, "But it's just cosmetics". Cosmetics, and customization are part of the main appeal of online multiplayer games though. The bragging rights that come with scoring the prestigious skins adds to the overall value of the package as a whole. The experience in full.

What Treyarch, Sledgehammer, and Activision all do in regards to this skins economy is mentally manipulate the players' desires to stand out. They give them a tease with common unlockables, and then say without saying, "Look here! These skins are more rare, because you have to pay for them. Please visit the online store for some COD Points". I'd dare to say that this money making manipulation is more of a company focus than the aspects of the game that really need work, and adjustment. I remember seeing Black Ops 4 for the first time as a reviewer, and witnessing how stripped down and bare bones it was with some features. Things like available guns are more limited than before as are the maps. The modes of play are mostly copy & pasted assets with a new team focus. There's also a lazy Battle Royale mode thrown in, in an obvious attempt to cash in on the current craze as well as a Zombies experience that despite being interesting also utilizes past features. Little innovation was done, and the broken experience that is the current online multiplayer is just another sign of what we've seen before. A lack of caring on the developers' part in so many ways. It screams, "GIVE ME MONEY!!!"

There's so much more to hate about the direction Call of Duty has taken than there is to love. No matter how it may keep my attention, as a gamer, I find it hard to defend or even recommend this escalating shooter scheme. It's bad for the gamer, but definitely good for corporate interests. The unfortunate thing is that with the cool culture keeping franchises like this afloat with kids'/parents' money the developers, and publishers feel content in continuing to milk it's fans like the cash cows they are. With enough time, and enough cash cows the companies that make your favorite FPS experiences will no doubt seal so much of the games away behind a payment plan that what you get will be akin to a free-to-play experience, or mobile game. Perhaps even a live service subscription with microtransactions tacked on. At that point, if it ever comes to pass, I hope everyone takes a step back long enough to see just how much time, and money they've wasted on these yearly releases that have all eventually become irrelevant. You really do, as a gamer, have to weigh the pros & cons these days. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and if you waste your money, and time so foolishly you'll miss out on the more complete experiences with true replay value. Always value your time, and definitely value that money you work so hard for.

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