Activision
Activision business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 players want you to please stop voting for Nuketown, Hijacked and Raid every match
Players of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 are expressing frustration with the persistent map voting for Nuketown, Hijacked, and Raid, leading to lobbies disbanding when less popular maps are chosen. This issue, common in the series, is highlighted by recent PlayStation ports of Black Ops 1 and 2, with some players suggesting dedicated playlists or more frequent map rotation to encourage variety.
Why new EU deepfake legislation means games need to be careful when featuring real-world people and locations
New EU AI Act legislation, effective August 2, 2026, introduces transparency obligations for AI-generated and manipulated content, including deepfakes. While common game development uses of AI like fictional character voices or environments are unlikely to be classified as deepfakes, the act raises concerns for content featuring realistic depictions of real people, places, or events, and its promotional materials. Game studios must develop tailored AI content policies to ensure compliance with labeling requirements, especially for content distributed within the EU.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's beta will have low-SBMM playlists, as Activision continues to 'learn a lot…
Activision has announced that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will feature low-skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) playlists in its beta, continuing experiments from Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The company is incorporating player feedback and data to refine its multiplayer matchmaking systems, aiming for better team balancing and match variety.
Weekend Discussion - July 25, 2026
This weekend discussion post from Shacknews covers various topics including wrestling star Rey Mysterio's upcoming series, a look at language policing, and a retrospective on Contra: Hard Corps. It also features music from Latto and encourages reader engagement through comments and Discord.
Conceived in a secure military facility, this Jedi Knight fansite has been running consistently for almost 30 years: 'It looks really close to what it did back in 1998'
The Massassi Temple, a fan website dedicated to Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, has been continuously operating since 1998, making it one of the internet's longest-running gaming communities. Founded by Brian E. Lozier, the site began as a hub for tutorials and has evolved into a comprehensive archive of mods and multiplayer maps, supported by a dedicated community. Despite the decline of many early gaming websites and the shift towards larger platforms, The Massassi Temple persists, with Lozier now focusing on preserving its extensive community creations.
Discussion time: Have you ever said goodbye to an MMO you've played for 1,000s of hours?
This article discusses the deep emotional and time investment players have in MMOs, using Destiny 2 as a primary example of a game that players eventually have to say goodbye to. It explores the unique bonds formed within these games and the difficulty of moving on, especially when a game doesn't have direct competitors. The author, Sean Martin, reflects on his own experience with Destiny 2 and poses questions to the community about their experiences with MMO farewells.
Previous Call of Duty titles "got away from that 'big war' feeling." Treyarch promises that Modern Warfare 4 "goes back to its roots"
Treyarch studio co-head Mark Grigsby revealed details about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, emphasizing a return to large-scale warfare and a conclusion to the Makarov storyline. The game will feature three converging storylines across North Korea, South Korea, and Captain Price's rogue unit, with approximately 50% of the content dedicated to 'war' levels. The revamped DMZ mode will serve as a sequel to the campaign, offering dynamic gameplay and a new map spanning multiple regions.
Evening Reading - July 24, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers various gaming news items, including the announcement of Forza Horizon 6 and updates for games like 007 First Light, Marvel Rivals, and Disney Dreamlight Valley. It also highlights ongoing sales for PlayStation and Xbox, PC download deals, and a Hades 2 cover song. The article also mentions Shacknews's collection of video game maps and a segment on former President Obama playing WNBA games.
Halo: Campaign Evolved Review – Remaster Chief
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a faithful remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, featuring updated visuals with Unreal Engine 5 and incorporating gameplay elements from later entries. While online multiplayer is absent, it includes expanded co-op and new prequel missions written by Troy Denning. The game preserves the original's art direction and captivating story, offering a refined first-person shooter experience with faster movement and additional abilities.
Resident Evil movie gets another spooky trailer, and features a fun game reference for keen-eyed fans
A new trailer for the upcoming Resident Evil movie has been released, featuring a bio-terror plot and an easter egg referencing shotgun shells from Resident Evil 4 and 5. Separately, Activision announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is introducing a new matchmaking system inspired by the recent PlayStation ports of Black Ops 1 and 2, adding to its existing matchmaking options.
How To Unlock All Season 5 Weapons In Black Ops 7 And Warzone
Season 5 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone, launching July 23, introduces four new weapons: an assault rifle (FG42), dual SMGs (Gremlin), a light machine gun (Mammoth), and a melee weapon (Mace). These can be unlocked through the battle pass, events, or weekly challenges, with missed weapons becoming available in the Armory.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will very soon offer three different matchmaking systems, and you'd be right to be confused
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is introducing a third matchmaking system, inspired by the recent PlayStation ports of Black Ops 1 and 2. This new system will be available in Quick Play, Party Games, and Black Ops Classic playlists. The game already features two other matchmaking systems: the standard Skill-based Matchmaking (SBMM) and an Open matchmaking option with minimal skill consideration.
Activision admits Call of Duty matchmaking used to be better, updates Black Ops 7 with a new system inspired by…
Activision is updating the matchmaking system in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 with a new approach inspired by classic Call of Duty titles. This change comes after the recent release of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, which reignited discussions about older matchmaking experiences. The update aims to improve the multiplayer experience by incorporating elements appreciated by long-time fans.
Call Of Duty Is Introducing A New “Classic” Matchmaking System In Season 5
Activision is introducing a new "Classic" matchmaking system in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 starting with Season 5 on July 23. This system is inspired by older Call of Duty games and aims to move away from heavy skill-based matchmaking, though the current "Open" playlists will remain. The change may be influenced by the recent popularity of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 expands Ricochet anti-cheat to combat exploits in Ranked after banning over 263,000 cheaters…
Activision is expanding the use of its Ricochet anti-cheat software to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and its Ranked play mode to combat sophisticated exploits. The Ricochet system has already banned over 293,000 accounts year-to-date, with enhanced hardware ban capabilities being implemented in Season 5. The company emphasizes that most bans are driven by internal detection and investigation data, not just player-submitted clips.
Call of Duty Season 5 Battle Pass Adds New Guns And A Familiar Operator
Call of Duty Season 5 for Black Ops 7 and Warzone launches on July 23, featuring a new battle pass with over a hundred items. The pass includes two new weapons, the return of the operator Spectre, new skins for operators like Richtofen and Dempsey, and the premium BlackCell bundle with exclusive content. The season also introduces new multiplayer maps, a Zombies map, and battle royale content.
How to unlock the Call of Duty Serialized Gilded Ruin Camo in Black Ops 7 and Modern Warfare 4
This guide explains how to unlock the limited-edition Serialized Gilded Ruin Camo in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Modern Warfare 4. Players who pre-order Modern Warfare 4 before July 23, 2026, and complete a challenge to earn 5,000 Skulls across various game modes will be eligible for the unique weapon skin, with the first 100,000 players receiving a serial number.
Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 ports were both in the top 10 US PlayStation games last week despite cheating…
Despite significant fan complaints regarding pricing, lack of crossplay, and rampant cheating, the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 have charted in the top 10 most played games in the US. Nostalgia for the titles proved strong enough to overcome these issues, with Black Ops debuting at ninth and Black Ops 2 at sixth place.
Activision should ditch the Call of Duty movie and bring back its absurd celeb fest where Will Arnett went on a quest to…
This article discusses Activision's past multimedia efforts for Call of Duty, specifically the Call of Duty Elite subscription service for Modern Warfare 3. It highlights video series produced by notable figures like Ridley Scott and Will Arnett, contrasting them with the current direction of a potential Call of Duty movie and suggesting a return to more creative, celebrity-driven content.
Modern Warfare 4 open beta dates set for August, including for Switch 2
Activision has announced the open beta dates for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, taking place in the latter half of August. The first weekend, August 21-25, is for pre-orders on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with Switch 2 pre-orders opening later. The second weekend, August 28-September 1, is open to all players across PS5, XSX|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. The game launches October 23, 2026, and will not be available on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.
