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  4. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Black Ops Cold War League Play complaints include ranking system and custom classes

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By Alyssa Mercante published 9 February 2021

League Play is brutal, but players think it may be too brutal

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War League Play
(Image credit: Activision)
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Update: Treyarch has announced new Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War League Play restrictions to hopefully make for more balanced gameplay. Here's the restrictions that are no live in Black Ops Cold War League Play: 

  • All suppressors
  • Task Force barrel
  • Spetsnaz RPK barrel
  • CMV MIL-Spec Barrel
  • Mounted flashlight
  • Target designator
  • Tiger Team spotlight
  • Armor
  • War Machine
  • Jammer 
  • Molotov
  • Gung-Ho
  • Ghost

Original story: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War League Play launched yesterday and there's already a list of complaints from players.

The competitive mode, which is modeled after the Black Ops 4 League Play, tasks you with playing five placement matches which will determine your Skill Division placement. Throughout the remainder of the event (one event runs from Monday to Friday, the other from Friday to Monday), you'll earn promotions by playing 4v4 matches pulled from the same pool of 50 players who are considered on or near your skill level. There are only three playable game modes in League Play: Control, Search and Destroy, and Hardpoint. 

Article continues below
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But players who tried out Black Ops Cold War League Play last night reported back with a handful of complaints, some of which have been addressed by Treyarch's David Vonderhaar. The main critique from players is the ranking system, with many confused as to how they could win all five placement games and end up in Competitor, the lowest possible rank that makes up 50% of players.  In a Twitter exchange with frustrated players, Vonderhaar initially suggests that "the matchmaking poll doesn't allow us to give you a perfect game" promising players that it "is not a conspiracy. It's software." By the end of the thread, Vonderhaar posits that the Call of Duty: World War 2 League Play has the fan-favorite system and says he's "not religious about any specific game system." Whether that means the Black Ops Cold War League Play ranking system will change is unclear, but it's certainly on Treyarch's radar.

Based on today's thread it sounds like WW2 has the fan-favorite system? Not BO2. I am not religious about any specific game system. Grateful for all the inputs. Could do without the name-calling. That's demotivating to people who otherwise want to help move this forward.February 9, 2021

That may be the loudest and most commonly shared complaint from players, but it's not the only one. Eurogamer reports a host of grievances regarding custom classes which allows players to use certain scorestreaks and perks that many hoped would be banned from League Play, which already bans LMGS, tactical rifles, shotguns, and launchers. And with league play implementing the same controversial streak system from Black Ops Cold War, which does not reset streaks when you die, that means a lot of RC-XDs in League Play. There's even a bug that's causing players to start a match with empty loadouts and zero guns - but Treyarch is working on a fix for that one.

Considering Black Ops Cold War League Play just launched yesterday, a handful of issues is to be expected. But many players are upset with the decision to implement Black Ops 4's ranking system and some of the rules that have been set for this version of League Play, arguing that it's offering a subpar competitive experience. Let's see if Treyarch responds to these criticisms with changes to League Play.

At least League Play doesn't have its own version of the Call of Duty: Warzone invisibility glitch. 

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Black Ops Cold War Zombies guide | Black Ops Cold War Zombies Easter Egg walkthrough | The best guns in Cold War Zombies | How to upgrade DIE Shockwave in Cold War Zombies | Firebase Z Wonder Weapon 

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Former Features Writer

Alyssa Mercante used to be a features writer at GamesRadar+ and is now a freelance writer and editor. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.

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