Latest news with #ModernWarfare
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
The Dr Squatch Call of Duty soap proves even the sweatiest gamer can smell good
The reputation of companies trying to get gamers to actually take a shower might be poor, but in a huge swing, Dr Squatch might have nailed the answer to the question that nobody is asking – what does Call of Duty smell like? Dr Squatch has delivered a fresh soap collaboration that would be easy to sniff at if it wasn't so incredibly well-considered. What exactly gives a person the edge in-game? If the wider gaming industry is offering you the answer, they'll tell you you need a modded controller and the exact right desk setup. If it's game developers, they'll tell you that you need nothing but your mettle and focus – and if it's soap-peddlers and male-focussed toiletry company Dr. Squatch, they'll tell you it's with soap. Go figure. The latest batch of smellies from the company is tied to the modern era of Call of Duty, and it's a curious collaboration to say the least, especially as Dr Squatch has collaborated with only the biggest pop culture properties like Harry Potter and Star Wars in the past on the company's UK site, with Godzilla, Kong and Liquid Death all getting a look-in overseas. To come for shooter fans, though, might be the greatest stroke of genius that we've seen the company deploy yet. Not because players want to smell like Soap McTavish, but because they don't know that they want to smell like Soap McTavish. Scrub up When the Dr Squatch Call of Duty collection landed on my doorstep, frankly, it was hard to know what to expect. It's easy to presume that a product like this falls into the same category as a cartoon-inspired gift set Eau De Toilette, but what shocked me about the bundle was its attention to detail. The scents of both soaps and deodorants – Ghost Grit and Sarge Soap – are incredibly well-informed about the Modern Warfare series. The scents of Ghost Plant Extract and Field Balm Extract respectively are incredibly earthy, like damp European soil – something you'd probably be likely to find in many missions of the series. It's hard to put into words just how much a soap can smell like the Ghillie'd Up mission from Call of Duty 4, but silly though it may sound, this is genuinely what the collection is reminiscent of. When it comes to the application of the Dr Squatch collection, don't expect it to totally change your world or give you otherworldly abilities in-game. It certainly didn't for me – Underpass or any of the series' grassier maps weren't magically transformed into a playground of one-sided violence simply because I was smelling a little more as though I'd rolled around in a field. It's not exactly a pay-to-win experience that will give you a leg up (especially as the current Call of Duty title is Black Ops 6. Maybe it'd have worked better a year sooner), but shockingly, it might make you feel a little closer to the action. It's a very simple touch, but the products smell so much like real, natural earth that they could help to immerse you in the boots-on-the-ground action of the Modern Warfare campaigns. Getting spawn-camped in multiplayer, not so much. There's something surprisingly clever about the way that the Dr Squatch and Call of Duty collaboration has come together, forgoing the simple chance to phone it in, in favour of something a little more dedicated and thoughtful. It's a genuine surprise that the soaps and deodorants work as well, smell as good and last as long as they do, but Dr Squatch has managed to make not only the idea of a Call of Duty shower sound illustrious, but make the experience itself pretty nice too. But, frankly, the best part of the collaboration isn't that it's a part of any wider Call of Duty marketing push – it just makes you smell nice. Suck it up and take a shower. If you've been particularly immersed in Black Ops 6 Season 3, there's a non-zero chance it'd do you some good.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
All ranked restrictions in Verdansk in Call of Duty Warzone Season 3 Reloaded update
Image via Activision Verdansk is back — but not without some tight rules. If you're planning to dive into Warzone Season 3 Reloaded Ranked Play, you'll want to know exactly what's banned before you queue up. Activision has rolled out a fresh set of restrictions that aim to level the playing field — and yes, a bunch of fan-favorite tools didn't make the cut. — ModernWarzone (@ModernWarzone) Weapon Restrictions: Say Goodbye to MW Arsenal First things first — all Modern Warfare weapons are off the table. That's right. Whether you had a perfect loadout or not, it's time to rethink your strategy. Also restricted: by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scarlett Johansson, 40, Shows Off Her Real Size In A New Vacation Photos 33 Bridges Undo Blade Launcher Goblin Mk2 7.62 Mini-Rocket Conversion Why? Probably to cut down on exploit-heavy builds and keep the gunplay tight and balanced. Attachment Restrictions: Mods that Made Things Messy Some powerful mods didn't survive the patch either. The devs are clearly dialing back overpowered setups, and the following got the boot: All Thermal Optics Drill Charge, High Explosive, and Standard Launchers CHF Barrel Rapid Fire Mod Dragon's Breath Mod If you were hoping to blind enemies, burn them, or spam explosives, you can't do that in Ranked. Gameplay Mechanics: What You Can't Do Anymore Beyond weapons and attachments, several mechanics have been turned off completely to keep Ranked Play skill-focused. Here's what's gone: One-shot headshots (yes, even snipers) Birdseye, Specialist, and Bandolier perks Ammo Satchel Big Game Bounty contract Train Recon contract High Value Loot Zones Also, no Cargo Trucks (Big Bertha) — which means less vehicle cheese and more gunfights. Comms & Interactions: Silence is Golden Ranked Play just got quieter — intentionally. To reduce unfair callouts and troll behavior: Proximity Chat – Disabled Text Chat – Disabled Live Pings – Disabled Emotes – Disabled Oh, and no throwing rocks in the Gulag. Guess we'll have to just… wait. Why the Restrictions? These changes are meant to keep things competitive. Ranked Play is about skill — not broken loadouts, surprise one-shots, or wild utility stacking. By trimming the excess, the devs are trying to recreate that pure, sweaty BR experience we love to hate (and grind) Final Thoughts Verdansk may feel nostalgic, but Ranked Play isn't here to let you coast. These restrictions tighten up the experience, so make sure your loadouts are compliant, your plays are sharp, and your team is ready. Drop in smart — or get dropped out fast.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Call Of Duty Discloses AI Slop After Months Of Players Complaining
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 players have been accusing various loading screens and calling cards from the game of being AI-generated since it came out last fall, but it was only ever based on vibes and the occasional very convincing piece of seemingly obvious AI slop. Now Activision has admitted to using AI-generated assets in the hit multiplayer shooter on its Steam page. The developers describe how their game uses AI generated content like this: 'Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in game assets,' reads the disclosure on Valve's storefront, recently spotted by CharlieIntel. While it doesn't elaborate any further on which assets are made with AI and how, the confession has reaffirmed what some fans had been claiming for months. The Black Ops 6 slop controversy began last October, a week before the game released, with allegations spreading on YouTube of certain prestige emblems looking AI-generated. A set of sexy vampire calling cards raised red flags again in early November, with fans pointing at different parts of the art that looked oddly rendered. But the most convincing examples of potential AI slop arrived in early December. Loading screens depicted hands with extra digits, a tell-tale sign of work produced by algorithms built on stealing other artists' work, but not knowing how to count. One loading screen included a black glove with six fingers holding billiard balls. The second was a zombie Santa holding up hand that had six fingers. Both were laughably egregious at the time, but also fostered fears that other less obvious examples might also have been AI-generated. The appearance of the Zombie Santa was even worse in the context of Zombies mode's voice actors being replaced amid a SAG-AFTRA strike for greater AI protections in game acting. Activision's new disclosure comes after previous reports that developers within the company were encouraged to experiment with new AI tools in their work. A report by Wired claimed an entire paid cosmetic was made with help from AI in 2023's Modern Warfare, after the publisher had greenlit the tools for help with making concept art and marketing materials. That same year, then CEO Bobby Kotick praised the work being done at OpenAI and other companies, suggesting the technology would be as transformative as the original Macintosh computer. Now Activision is owned by Microsoft, which touted the largest launch ever for Black Ops 6 last fall thanks in part to Game Pass, and has itself been moving full-steam ahead with trying to incorporate generative AI into game development. The company recently announced Muse, a model for visualizing gameplay built on data captured from people playing Ninja Theory's 2020 PvP game Bleeding Edge. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer even claimed similar technology would aid in game preservation by making it easier to emulate classics on modern hardware. But so far, Black Ops 6 has proven generative-AI tools and the current level of quality control around them often can't even get simple static images on loading screens right. Fortunately, a new SteamDB tag lets players filters games that us generative-AI out of their store searches. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
