With the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 6, Activision will add an audio option that players can access only if they subscribe to the service. This is a first time for the franchise and has left fans wondering if Call of Duty will become pay-to-win down the line.
This comes after players have found the new Enhanced Headphone Mode option under the audio settings in-game. According to its description, the mode uses Embody’s Immerse Spatial Audio system that will “increase the direction accuracy of sounds played in the world.”
Is Black Ops 6 going to be pay-to-win with Enhanced Headphone Mode?
At the time of writing, it’s very difficult to say how much of a “pay-to-win” will Black Ops 6 be with this model. Sure, you will get enhanced (better) audio but for a game that already costs $70 to begin with, how much value this new audio subscription model will add is the question here.
While the default Enhanced Headphone Mode will be free to use, setting custom profiles is the one that says “free trial” at the moment.
You must remember the majority of the BO6 maps are on the smaller side, which means you will be getting footsteps audio anyway. In 2024, if you are playing Call of Duty, chances are you already have a decent gaming headphone anyway that does the job. Even if you use in-ear earphones, those devices will be good enough too.
The paid part of the Enhanced Headphone Mode will allow you to set personalized audio settings that can go well with any headphones. So, that is a positive aspect. However, right now, it’s unclear how much will this subscription cost.
Needless to say, the reception among the community hasn’t been positive. Some players on this YouTube video comments section are worried that Activision might “start charging for using weapons and basic camos.”
While others in this video’s comments section think, “Charging for better audio in a game that already costs $70 is wild.”
