Surprisingly, the company dedicated to diversity and inclusivity, known for transforming Lara Croft into an unrecognizable transgender man, has now set its sights on eradicating harmful femininity in Call of Duty.
To mark the premiere of Amazon’s “The Boys” fourth season, Activision has re-introduced a microtransactional operator bundle in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (and Warzone) featuring the character “Firecracker.”
Firecracker made her debut during Modern Warfare 3’s first season, and her introduction caused a stir when the operator bundle was released in-game at the end of January. She swiftly became a fan-favorite among players.
However, not just because Firecracker is a character from “The Boys,” but rather because players appreciated her character model having a notably large ass when viewed in third-person perspective.
Considering how modern Call of Duty titles have become a hellscape of egregious microtransactions, some of which cost more than the base game itself, Activision recently handed out progressive pride flag weapon camouflages to the countless number of children who play the game for free during this year’s Pride Month.
This move was likely a form of virtue signaling and an attempt to influence impressionable youths. A recent employee email from Activision highlighted their commitment to diversity and equality, revealing that DEI officers have been appointed to every development team, and employees are rewarded for promoting these values to their coworkers.
Activision has an “EX Equity” mentorship program that requires all employees to participate for “connection and growth.” Their DEI report highlights the extent to which they prioritize the inclusion of “marginalized” groups in their company and products.
For example, Activision “celebrates” Black culture by featuring “influential” Black celebrities like Snoop Dogg, known for his marijuana use, and Nicki Minaj, whose music tracks arguably contribute to the decline of the average IQ of Americans.
This inclusivity often feels like cheap tokenization and comes across as inherently racist. To “celebrate” Black culture, they include hip-hop artists and operator bundles with Black musicians, relying on stereotyped culture instead of genuine representation.
Modern game developers frequently design Black male characters with the same dreadlock fade hairstyle, which isn’t actual representation but rather a forced, lazy stereotype crafted by Western SJW activists who are trying their hardest not to be “racist.”
Aside from that, Activision has been doing everything within their power to pander their game products to the masses. This is why nearly every character in Overwatch is canonically queer or non-binary, with another LGBT character introduced in November 2023.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty featured a commercial tie-in with the Tomb Raider franchise, allowing players to play as Lara Croft’s secretive brother, Larry. Because there’s no way one could confuse this addition as an actual women given her masculine hideous face and the fact that her breasts were removed.
Given that the addition of The Boys’ Firecracker into Call of Duty as an operator pack was met with praise and acclaim, to celebrate the fourth season premiere Activision have reintroduced her bundle as part of Modern Warfare 3’s Season 4 allowing fans the ability to purchase Firecracker once again.
The bundle itself costs 2,400 COD points, equivalent to $25 USD, and includes the Firecracker operator skin, two matching weapon blueprints, stickers, and more.
The most interesting aspect of Firecracker’s reintroduction into Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is the changes Activision made to her design. Players were previously fixated on her prominent posterior, so this time Activision has altered her figure, making her flat as a board.
This change aligns with politically motivated initiatives such as ESG and counters the notion that women in modern video games should be portrayed with traditionally feminine features. The argument is that depicting women with noticeable curves, breasts and buttocks are inherently sexist.
They absolutely hate attractive women. Whether you intended to purchase the operator bundle or were one of the few who bought it back in January, the latest game update to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (and Warzone) has modified the character, effectively censoring her design even for those who already owned it.
Modifying and censoring content post-release is one of the most egregious things a company can do to a customer. A massive controversy erupted when Sony mandated a day-one patch for Stellar Blade, which modified two in-game costumes and toned down the game’s gore.
Modifying content post-release warrants a refund, as it constitutes false advertising to sell a product under one pretense and then change it. Not only is it highly immoral but it’s possibly illegal as well.
Given the current nature of Activision and the direction the Call of Duty franchise has taken over the past several years, this isn’t much of a surprise. Activision is doing everything possible to pander as an all-inclusive company, welcoming everyone regardless of sexuality or racial background, to adhere to their mandated DEI policies and maximize ESG scoring.
Under no circumstances can Activision be liable for “sexist” character designs that gravitate towards heteronormativity.
All women must be depicted as unattractive, breasts are problematic, and jiggle physics are unacceptable. To be accepting of everyone, the product has to appeal to no one.
Despite Capcom’s recent Super Election survey concluding that gamers are overwhelmingly male and prefer attractive character designs over gameplay even, Activision’s agenda goes against consumer norms. Women cannot be portrayed as traditionally feminine in gaming, they have to be more masculine and androgynous, as seen when Niantic removed the female gender from Pokémon Go after consulting with GaymerX.
Eradicating gender norms boosts inclusivity and attracts ESG hedge fund investments, unless female sexuality fits the agenda. For example, the depiction of Nicki Minaj in Call of Duty is robust and provocative.
It’s acceptable for rappers to be depicted as having a large posterior, likely because Nicki Minaj is Black, whereas Firecracker, despite being a fictional character, is White and Lara Croft also completes the trend by also being flat as a board.
Why is it acceptable to depict one race of female characters in gaming as feminine and robust, while it’s considered problematic for another? Don’t ask that question though or you’ll be demonized as a racist incel.
Similarly, you’ll be hard-pressed to find actual journalist publications speaking out about this sort of censorship, especially when it involves the buttocks of a female character.
If, for instance, this were about the fan favorite character of “Homelander” having his ass censored, rest assured that journalist publications like IGN, The Gamer, and Kotaku would be all over the matter, just as they were when Metal Gear Solid’s Snake appeared in Fortnite with a rather plain and flat bottom.
It’s only a problem when they “desexualize” a man, as opposed to a woman. You’re only allowed to be gay, games should not be made for straight people.
Regardless, anyone who continues to buy Call of Duty is contributing to this problem. The massive swarm of children and millennial gamers fueling the beast annually supports such nonsense and allows it go grow uncontested.
However, with the next Call of Duty installment set to release day one via Xbox Game Pass thanks to Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Activision, it’s plausible that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will see the lowest sales figures and net profit upon its release.
