Activision Addresses 'Arc Raiders' Censorship in Black Ops 7 Lobbies

What's Happening?

Activision has acknowledged an issue in the chat function of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, where the phrase 'Arc Raiders' was being censored. This censorship was discovered during the game's early access beta period, with the full release scheduled for November 14. The issue was identified when players noticed that typing 'Arc Raiders' resulted in a series of asterisks, while the individual words 'Arc' and 'Raiders' were not affected. This incident mirrors a previous situation with EA's chat system, where the same phrase was censored but later corrected. Activision has stated that the censorship was unintentional and plans to resolve the issue. The game is currently in beta, and Activision is also promoting its anti-cheat software, Ricochet, which claims to detect and ban 97% of cheaters within 30 minutes.

Why It's Important?

The censorship of 'Arc Raiders' in Black Ops 7 highlights the competitive nature of the gaming industry, where companies like Activision and EA are vying for market dominance. The incident underscores the importance of chat moderation systems and the potential for unintended consequences when using third-party software. For players, the ability to freely discuss games is crucial for community building and engagement. The swift response from Activision to address the issue reflects the company's commitment to maintaining player satisfaction and avoiding negative publicity. This situation also inadvertently benefits Arc Raiders' developer, Embark Studios, by generating additional attention and publicity for their game.

What's Next?

Activision is expected to implement a fix for the chat censorship issue before the full release of Black Ops 7. The company will likely continue to monitor and refine its chat moderation systems to prevent similar occurrences in the future. As the release date approaches, both Activision and EA will intensify their marketing efforts to capture the attention of gamers. The resolution of this issue will be closely watched by the gaming community, as it may influence player perceptions and brand loyalty. Additionally, the effectiveness of Activision's anti-cheat measures will be scrutinized as the game becomes widely available.