Black Ops 3 didn't have microtransactions. Now it does

Well, they never said they wouldn't have them. After a short grace period, it seems as though Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is joining the majority by offering mini-payments for its multiplayer modes. In a statement on the Activision blog it was announced that the game would receive a new virtual currency, "Call of Duty Points".

"For fans that want to secure additional Supply Drops in multiplayer or Vials of Liquid Divinium in zombies," the blog reads, "we’re introducing Call of Duty Points—a new optional virtual currency for players on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Starting [today], fans can purchase Call of Duty Points and use them to acquire Rare Supply Drops in Black Ops 3.

"For zombies fans, Call of Duty Points can also be used to purchase Vials of Liquid Divinium otherwise earned by playing Shadows of Evil or The Giant Bonus Map, which can be used to create Gobblegums in Dr. Monty’s Factory and aid in the fight against the undead hordes."

It comes alongside a raft of new additions to the game's multiplayer Supply Drops, which up until now have been purchased using Cryptokeys earned by playing the game. Activision seems keen to stress that Call of Duty Points can't be used to pay for better equipment or drops, you're just speeding up the process by buying them. No details have been released about how much the Points will cost, how many it'll take to buy in-game items, or what increments they'll come in. It'll be easy enough to find out - turn the game on today, and you should find 200 free Points waiting for you.

Most interesting (to me at least, because I am a dork) is that generic name. "Call of Duty Points" as opposed to "Black Ops Pennies" or "Robo-Groats" implies that this is a currency that's here to stay for subsequent games. Perhaps it's a new, violent Bitcoin!

Probably not.

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Joe Skrebels
Joe first fell in love with games when a copy of The Lion King on SNES became his stepfather in 1994. When the cartridge left his mother in 2001, he turned to his priest - a limited edition crystal Xbox - for guidance. And now he's here.