For the dedicated fans of the Call of Duty franchise, each year’s release means brand-new grinds to embark on. Account level is one goal players have to work toward, as racing to max prestige is something that has become synonymous with the games, and is a key reason that double XP is so sought after. Calling Card challenges are another activity Call of Duty players always have available to them, with 100% completion cards showcased by the most hardcore of gamers. And, of course, there are weapon camos, with players being able to acquire a handful of flashy mastery looks within each game’s core modes.
Considering Call of Duty’s home within the first-person genre, it is not too surprising that camo collecting is such a popular activity, as players are always looking at their weaponry due to the series’ main camera perspective. That said, while many players do take on the lofty task of unlocking every weapon camo in Call of Duty, the process is not always fun. It’s for that reason that fans were thrilled when Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 made some key adjustments to the grind, as progression is now possible even for those who do not want to go out of their way to unlock certain camos. Still, more can be done to refine the system, and hopefully Call of Duty 2025 is designed with that in mind.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Camo System is a Diamond in the Rough
To be clear, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s decision to let players unlock all camos regardless of weapon level has been unanimously well-received and will hopefully be the norm for the franchise going forward. However, it’s the choice to make all the basic Military camo challenges tied to headshots that comes with its share of pros and cons. On one hand, it is great that players can slowly unlock camos without needing to think about it, as many players will naturally get a few headshots a game without even intending to do so. On the other, having the exact same challenges for a majority of the camo grind can get repetitive fast.
This feels especially true in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Zombies mode, as though getting headshots is encouraged by the modern point system, getting 2000 of them per weapon takes a fair bit of time. With players needing to accomplish this for well over two dozen guns if they want Mastery camos, it does not take long for the process to feel mindless as opposed to challenging. While there is absolutely something to be said about annoying challenges that force players to play in a way that they do not enjoy, like the mounted or longshot challenges of old, it may have been preferable to have some variety instead of doing the same thing on repeat. Some players struggle to hit headshots as well, meaning that the new system is not easier after all.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s mastery camo challenges are the same across every weapon, bar launchers and specials, meaning that only the two Special camo challenges are unique.
Call of Duty 2025 Can Add Player Choice to the Camo Grind
Much like Call of Duty players appreciated the freedom to choose between killstreaks and scorestreaks when it was introduced, the best path forward may be to let gamers choose how their camo grind looks. For example, CoD 2025 could see players having three options per camo challenge. A basic option could be headshots again, or even kills. An objective-oriented option could see players unlocking camos for capturing flags with the weapon in-hand, or opening doors in Zombies with the gun equipped. Finally, a unique option could see old school camo tasks offered, with longshots, hipfires, and so on returning. With such a system in place, gamers could have the best of both worlds, with everyone’s preference being acknowledged.
With the old camo grind having too many roadblocks and pain points, and the new approach quickly becoming too samey and uninteresting, Call of Duty’s developers will hopefully keep looking for the sweet spot. Perhaps Call of Duty 2025 will be the game that finds it, and letting players mix things up whenever they see fit could be the way to ensure the race to Dark Matter is more fun than it ever has been.
- Released
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October 25, 2024
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs