Unleash the Controversy: Call of Duty Pets Sparks 'Pay to Win' Debate

Highlights

The addition of Tactical Pets in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone's Blackcell bundle has sparked controversy for providing alleged "pay to win" advantages.

The Blackcell bundles, priced at $30, not only come with the primary operator but also offer a range of skins and items for other operators, making them come at a steep price.

Reports have emerged suggesting that the Blackcell-exclusive Tactical Pet, Merlin, a German Shepard dog, grants players an unfair advantage by alerting them to the presence of enemy campers.

The new Tactical Pets introduced in Season 5's Blackcell bundle for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone have been criticized for providing players with unfair advantages through "pay to win" mechanics. Season 5 added several new operators to the playable roster, including the return of Phillip Graves from the Modern Warfare 2 campaign and a celebration of 50 years of hip hop with popular musicians Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj, and 21 Savage.

Call of Duty's premium cosmetic Blackcell bundles were first introduced earlier this year in the third season of Modern Warfare 2 and faced backlash for their expensive price tag of $30. These bundles not only include the main operator but also Blackcell-themed variant skins for all other Call of Duty Battle Pass operators, as well as various weapon skins and smaller items. Among these additions is Arthur, a new operator exclusively available in the controversial Blackcell bundle, who comes with a strapped-on military German Shepard dog companion named Merlin. This Tactical Pet does not roam freely but is instead attached to the player character's back.

During Season 5's early days, players have raised concerns about the unfair advantage the Blackcell-exclusive Merlin pet provides. A video posted by CharlieIntel on Twitter showcases a Warzone player camping behind a riot shield in a building's corner. In the video, two enemy players pass by the camping player without realizing their presence since they lack a Merlin dog. However, a third player with the Merlin pet attached to their back enters the room and passes by, but subsequently notices the player in the corner after making a few rounds through the room, ultimately eliminating them. The camping player observes that each time the enemy player passes by, the dog on their back growls, indicating the nearby presence of the camper.

It remains uncertain whether Call of Duty intended for the Tactical Pet cosmetic to grant players an audio advantage or if this circumstance only applies to campers. Modern Warfare 2's High Alert perk already offers a similar function by providing players with a visual cue indicating the direction of an enemy aiming at them. If the growls from Merlin are accidental, making them follow a randomized pattern or disabling them completely should be a simple fix. This issue might not be as significant if Tactical Pets were not exclusively tied to the expensive Blackcell bundle and were instead accessible for players to earn in-game.

Content must be written in English:

Given that Season 4 of Call of Duty introduced temporary Temp-V field upgrades to Warzone, granting players superhero-like abilities inspired by characters from Amazon's The Boys TV series, it might be worthwhile to consider incorporating Merlin's growl as a field upgrade. This could be made available to all players in Warzone, Modern Warfare 2, or both. It will be interesting to see how Call of Duty addresses the concerns of players regarding Merlin's pay-to-win aspect and whether the anticipated mid-season "Reload" will resolve the issue.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is currently playable on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.