Call of Duty: Modern Warfare art director says no loot box system is in development

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For now.

(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward is not developing a loot box or supply drop system, according to art director Joel Emslie. 

Emslie shared the information on Reddit, apparently to set the record straight on the upcoming shooter's microtransactions. While the previous game, Treyarch's Black Ops 4, locks cosmetic and functional items inside loot boxes, that's not the plan with Modern Warfare.

"There continues to be misinformed and incorrect info being pushed about Modern Warfare," he said. "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."

More information on progression will be released this week, which Emslie previously described as giving a "direct path to content" to players.  

Black Ops 4 wasn't rife with microtransactions with it launched, either, but loot boxes eventually slipped in with the Operation Grand Heist update. New characters for its Blackout mode were even crammed inside them, contrary to how players were previously told they could get their hands on them. Black Ops 4's design director explained that he provided the information that he knew at the time, before the decision to add loot boxes had been made. 

The introduction of more microtransactions in Black Ops 4 after launch did not, shockingly, go down very well, so Infinity Ward might be looking to avoid a similar backlash, but "not working on" loot boxes is not the same thing as committing to never adding them. Ultimately that might not be up to the designers.

Fraser Brown
Fraser Brown
Online Editor

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.