Controversial Full-Screen Ad in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Raises Concerns

Xbox users may have noticed a prominent advertisement for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III which took over their consoles when they turned them on this week. Microsoft continues to prioritize the promotion of this game in a significant manner. Our website editors and users on social media observed that instead of the usual Home screen, Xbox consoles booted up to an advertisement for Modern Warfare III. The advertisement encourages users to purchase the game from the store. This advertising campaign was likely timed with the November 2 release of the game's campaign, providing early access to those who preordered.

Players were surprised and upset to see a major advertisement for a game they might not have any interest in when they pressed the "Exit" button to go to the Home screen. Microsoft had also launched a similar gigantic takeover ad for Starfield in September. It is worth noting that even if players had already purchased the game, the takeover ad for Modern Warfare III appeared.

According to WindowsCentral, the Modern Warfare III ad has an age restriction and does not appear if you're signed into an under-18 account. It is important to mention that Modern Warfare III is rated M by the ESRB.

Xbox's director of integrated marketing, Josh Munsee, took to social media to highlight that Starfield also had a prominent advertisement takeover. Munsee acknowledged the attention drawn by Call of Duty's acquisition, stating, "I understand the focus on CoD with the recent deal being finalized."

After acquiring Activision Blizzard for a staggering $68.7 billion, Microsoft now holds ownership of the Call of Duty franchise. However, fans will have to wait until at least 2024 for Modern Warfare III to be available on Game Pass. Furthermore, due to a pre-existing contract between Activision and Sony, the game features exclusive content only accessible on PlayStation.

Now that Modern Warfare III's campaign is available, we've learned that the game has a major mid-credits cutscene and another No Russian-style shocking mission.

Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of the Call of Duty franchise, I have mixed feelings about the full-screen ad for Modern Warfare 3 that has been appearing on Xbox consoles. On the one hand, I understand the desire of Microsoft, the new owner of the franchise, to promote its latest release. On the other hand, I find it disruptive and frustrating to have an advertisement take over my screen when I am trying to access the Home screen.

I appreciate that Microsoft is trying to find new and innovative ways to promote its games, but I think this particular method is a bit too aggressive. It would be more acceptable if the ad was smaller and less intrusive, or if it only appeared when the user was specifically looking for information about Modern Warfare 3.

Overall, I think Microsoft needs to find a more balanced approach to advertising its games on Xbox consoles. While it is important to promote new releases, it is also important to respect the user experience. I hope that in the future, Microsoft will find a way to promote its games without being so disruptive.