This year’s main installment of Call of Duty, known as Black Ops 7, has been given a Mature (M) rating by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Given the series’ history of graphic military violence, explorations of mind control and torture, and significant depictions of blood and gore, this mature rating is in line with fans’ expectations. The initial reporting on the rating and summary came from CharlieIntel via social media.
Hidden within the ratings summary, as it turns out, has been a point of annoyance for numerous members in the Call of Duty community.
The game’s characters may use weapons that incorporate marijuana accessories, such as a bong-like device attached to a firearm, or smoking joints and using bongs during certain actions within the gameplay. This is highlighted in the game’s content rating description.
Call of Duty has traditionally been associated with its cannabis-loving fanbase, incorporating psychedelic marijuana-themed designs for weapon skins and character outfits. Yet, the developers have recently amplified this aspect to a level 420, causing discontent among some members of the Call of Duty community who prefer less marijuana imagery in their multiplayer games.
In older Call of Duty games, it was simple to disregard gun camouflages infused with marijuana, but when operator bundles based on cannabis culture were introduced, they became harder to miss. The character Dr. Kushlov was launched as an operator bundle in Modern Warfare 2 (2022), and the stoned Sloth bundle debuted in MW3 (2023). Both releases attracted criticism from various groups, including those who object to unconventional characters (the “No-Unusual-Operators” crowd) and those questioning excessive marijuana references (the “Too-Much-Pot” crowd).
Despite the addition of marijuana-themed content causing potential delays, Activision and the Call of Duty team managed to press on. By the time spring arrived during the Modern Warfare 3 (2023) period, Sledgehammer Games had already contributed by introducing G3T_H1GH and G3T_H1GH3R limited modes, infusing more cannabis-themed content into Call of Duty.
It’s good to note that the game modes were largely isolated, influencing only those who opted to interact with the temporary playlists during their active periods. This continued until the G3T_H1GH map was incorporated into the compact map rotation playlists.
In Modern Warfare 3, there was an Operator Bundle inspired by Cheech & Chong, which came with a unique elimination animation. When players were defeated, their characters transformed into charred marijuana joints scattered across the combat zone.
In this instance, the drug-related content reached a pivotal moment, as the removal of the rolled blunt no longer targeted solely the player who bought the bundle. Instead, all players, regardless of their interest in that particular aspect of Call of Duty, were subjected to witnessing the elimination animation associated with it.
Warzone. However, Treyarch Studios opted not to include the Carry Forward feature with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
As per the team’s statement, they chose not to continue with previously bought packages in order to let the Black Ops team craft the narrative they envisioned. The team emphasized their desire to concentrate on characters tied to the Black Ops universe, avoiding any confusion or overlap from the Modern Warfare series.
Fans surprisingly embraced the absence of Carry Forward feature in Black Ops 6, feeling a sense of relief that the game wouldn’t be flooded with excessive operator bundles and weapon effects. Although assurances were given about preserving the authenticity of Black Ops, it didn’t take much time for the retro 90s theme to give way to questionable (and contemporary) marijuana-themed content.
By Spring, Treyarch committed completely to a cannabis-themed “Blaze of Glory” event. This event underwent several changes and postponements due to complications related to the release of the season’s update. When it finally launched, players were given the chance to explore a remake of the Black Ops series’ most beloved map, Nuketown, and a $10 event pass that included a Seth Rogen operator package.
The ESRB’s summary of drug-related items in Call of Duty might indirectly imply that this game will be available on the Call of Duty platform, which means the rating applies to content from Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, and Black Ops 6 as well. Additionally, it’s important to note that there are no new marijuana-related elements introduced at the launch of Black Ops 7.
Black Ops 7, it appears that request might not be granted.
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2025-07-22 12:09