Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Dev Says It Isn't Working On Loot Boxes

With a new Call of Duty game on the horizon, prospective buyers are wondering how Activision plans to monetize the game post-launch. In the past, Activision has opted to add loot boxes to its games a few months after they release, and fans think the same thing may happen to Modern Warfare after references in the beta suggested as much. To hear Infinity Ward explain it, though, loot boxes aren't on the post-launch docket.

Seemingly out of frustration with the current speculation, Infinity Ward studio art director Joel Emslie took to Reddit to make a statement on loot boxes in Modern Warfare. According to Emslie, Infinity Ward currently is not working on loot boxes, so hopefully that means they won't be added to the game some months after launch. Check out his statement in full below:

Sigh. There continues to be misinformed and incorrect info being pushed about Modern Warfare. What I can say right now is that we are definitely NOT working on any kind of supply drop or loot box system. Also, functional stuff is unlocked through GAMEPLAY. Stay tuned, we're planning to release info this week.

Emslie's frustration is clear, but it's hard to blame fans for suspecting that Activision will add loot boxes to Modern Warfare after it launches. The company did exactly that with last year's Black Ops 4, and more recently added microtransactions to Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled, so this is definitely Activision's modus operandi when it comes to post-launch monetization.

In the comments for that statement, Reddit users are a bit skeptical that this position on loot boxes will stay the same as we move into the months following release. Emslie himself notes that functional items will be earned by playing the game, which seems to leave the door open to selling things like cosmetics through some kind of microtransaction system, be it loot boxes or battle passes. We'll see how Activision monetizes Modern Warfare soon enough, but here's hoping that loot boxes aren't part of the plan – either now or in the future.