On July 16, Activision rolled out a mandatory age verification system for all Call of Duty players. This new policy requires users to add their birthdate to their Activision account to continue accessing popular titles such as Black Ops 6 and Warzone. Players who fail to provide valid birthdate information or obtain parental consent (for minors) risk having their accounts permanently deleted within four months.

This security update coincided with a Warzone patch that introduced weapon balancing changes. The DM-10 Marksman Rifle received significant nerfs, including reduced damage multipliers and decreased effective range. Meanwhile, the TR2 rifle saw adjustments to its bullet velocity, ADS speeds, and sprint-to-fire times. The update also addressed several bugs affecting Ranked Play and the Plunder game mode.

The age verification initiative follows recent controversies surrounding the franchise, including the debated Beavis and Butt-Head crossover content. According to CharlieIntel's reports, Activision stated this measure aligns with their commitment to maintaining community standards outlined in the Call of Duty Code of Conduct. The collected birthdate information will be permanently linked to each player's Activision account.

This policy mirrors similar age-gating systems used by platforms like Steam, which requires birthdate verification for accessing mature-rated content. However, unlike Steam's system that allows bypassing content warnings, Call of Duty's implementation appears more stringent. Some players have expressed concerns that this could lead to more invasive verification methods, such as ID submissions, in future updates.

The Call of Duty franchise continues to make headlines this summer, balancing between controversial decisions and exciting developments like the upcoming Black Ops 7 gameplay reveal at Gamescom. As the gaming community adjusts to these new requirements, many wonder if Activision will modify the system based on player feedback.