Infinity Ward, which is the developer behind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, has made it very clear that online rumors should not be believed and less reading online is recommended for gamers. Yet, amid all the leaks surrounding the new CoD game, this comment has sparked a huge discussion and disbelief of rumors within the community.
In this way, Infinity Ward basically dumped the whole bucket of cold water on the hype train. They gave out an image containing the words, “Don’t ever trust what you read on the Internet.” plus their logo. No context at all, no specific rumor was mentioned, just … that. And obviously, it was done by CharlieIntel, who is a main source for everything COD news and leaks, which makes the irony quite strong. It is the game company watching the ongoing discussion and saying, “Is it possible for us all to calm down?” However, if a developer talks like this, it usually means that there is a lot of talking to be calmed down and that very talking should stop. Most probably, the next game titled MW4 or something similar and the type of play discussed are the rumors. Gamers have gone crazy with speculation while IW is just chillin’ and eating popcorn, it seems.
What was the players’ reaction? It was a mixture of support, darkness, and pure salt. The user Fritigern gave the harshest response and stated, “The past of the studio is stronger and louder than a tweet that is not addressing anything.” Ouch! But is that so? A lot of people think that the studio has failed to deliver according to its promises or statements, hence, a vague caution is not useful. Another user, compl3x, mocked the previous anti-cheat, Ricochet’s performance update stating, “Like their Update that Ricochet is finally working? Oh yes I don’t believe that.” Trust is, um, a bit broken.
Then there are players who just ignore the rumor mill completely. Tyzilla expressed his discontent on the subject, saying: “Bc ppl think they know everything and they don’t. I honestly hope the next cod is so shit so I can see all the bitch complainers cry.” Harsh, nonetheless, one can feel the exhaustion. It is as if the community had been trapped in this never-ending cycle of hype, leak, disappointment, and outrage. Every year. Some users, such as KINGARMANI0170, have completely lost their faith in the studios, saying: “No doubt ain’t believe a word Treyarch or Infinity Ward is saying.” It’s the vibe.
What do they discuss in that case? The rumors, naturally. One comment in particular draws attention to the notorious leaker, TheGhostOfHope. Supporters like Womba argue that “ghost of hope has been right multiple times with a proven track record” while AverageMWfan contends “he is highkey wrong about a lot of shit.” It is a peculiar meta-debate about who to believe, with Infinity Ward’s tweet seeming to take a direct swipe at these leakers. A player, Nakitas44, speculated, “They saw everybody shitting on it so now they gotta rush the new mechanics,” suggesting that the rumors are negative and the studio is freaking out. Who knows!
Despite the chaos, the community’s wish is coming out. The gamers want some specific features brought back from the old days. AV8 Boolan pleaded, “I don’t care what they do just please no visual recoil and please put red dots on the minimap.” Others, like Vengeance, just want the old good times to come back: “Hopefully they do an mw19-type game.” There is also John, who shared a GIF of people working hard and thereby implying that the devs are in “massive crunch to revert and make the movement as smooth as possible like MW:2019 was.” Therefore, the rumor mill is not only about what is new but also about what is being brought back or changed because of fan feedback. It is a huge deal.
Hold on; what was I saying? Ah, the Internet. What a wild place! There are players who say they are reporting ‘every player’, like Mewz, and others telling about bugs, for example, voice chat not functioning. A complete ecosystem of complaints, wishes, and accusations is there. It is highly likely that such a moment would prompt Infinity Ward to come up with a statement that is incomprehensible, almost meme-like. It will neither confirm nor deny anything. It will not guarantee a better game, either. It will simply tell you… not to believe the hype. Or the leaks. Or maybe even your own eyes?
So, where do we stand now? Probably in the same place as we were before, just with a slightly more authoritative aura of confusion attached. The Call of Duty community continues to buzz on platforms like PlayStation and Xbox.
