With every new Call of Duty, the debate over inappropriate skins flares up anew in the community. For MW 4, the developers now promise that the cosmetics will truly remain authentic this time around.
Some things in life are as certain as death and taxes: These include taxes, death, and the fact that a new Call of Duty is released every year.
And just as consistent as the release cycle of Activision’s popular first-person shooter series has been for several years is thecommunity’s criticism of the cosmetic selectionin CoD.
This is because many of the skins that the developers introduce to multiplayer in the seasons following release are perceived by fans as lacking authenticity. What good is a shooter with a grounded modern military setting if, in multiplayer, you suddenly find yourself facing players withBeavis and Butt-Head orAmerican Dad skins?
Year after year, fans complain that this type of cosmetic content ruins the immersion in Call of Duty. And on multiple occasions in recent years, the developers have announced that they would listen to the fans and only implement skins that truly fit the setting—only to break that promise later. After all, skins and brand collaborations are a great way to generate revenue.
For this year’s Call of Duty, however, everything is set to change: For Modern Warfare 4, scheduled for release on October 23, 2026, the developers are solemnly promising to put an end to the skin nonsense. OnTwitterthe studio in charge, Infinity Ward, wrote:
Every aspect of Modern Warfare 4 is anchored in the game’s narrative. Every feature, every decision needs to feel authentic to what Modern Warfare is, and that includes cosmetics and collabs. We’re committed to keeping it grounded and transparent, and we want to hear from you on… pic.twitter.com/6hwcX9bWt1
— Infinity Ward (@InfinityWard) May 28, 2026
Every aspect of Modern Warfare 4 is rooted in the game’s narrative. Every feature, every decision must feel authentic to what makes Modern Warfare what it is, and that includes cosmetics and collaborations. We are committed to keeping it grounded and transparent, and we want to hear from you about what you’d like to see in our game.
However, the announcement clearly didn’t convince everyone, as evidenced by the tweets embedded below. One user writes, for example: “Take a screenshot of this and hold it up to them when they decide to throw Lady Gaga, Omni-Man, or other nonsensical collaborations into the game.”
The developers therefore felt compelled to issue a clarification. Alsoon Twitterthey wrote:
“We’ve heard the feedback. No bullshit. This is all about staying true to Modern Warfare. No silly skins at launch or in the seasons that follow. […] That means: No Lady Gaga. No Omni-Man. No Teletubbies. No SpongeBob.Feel free to save the screenshot as proof.«
The CoD team is really making some bold claims here. In recent years, announcements like this have usually turned out to be empty promises, apparently intended only to win over the community before launch.
If the developers are serious, however, Modern Warfare 4 has what it takes for a strong start.
For one thing, Activision won’t have a new Battlefield getting in the way this year; for another, MW4 finally brings back a truly exciting modern military setting with a reignited Korean War, hitting exactly the right note that fans want from a Modern Warfare game. And colorful skins just don’t fit in with that.
