Activision Defends Black Ops 7 Campaign Amid Backlash – But US Congressman Slams AI Use as Gamers Demand Mass Refunds

🚨 Activision DOUBLES DOWN on Black Ops 7 DISASTER – Congress Rep BLASTS Them as Refunds EXPLODE! 😑πŸ’₯

Congressman ROASTS AI slop in COD… while gamers flood Steam for MASS REFUNDS?

(Activision’s “defense” just fueled the fire – is this the END of Call of Duty’s reign?)

Campaign unpausable, AI art everywhere, user score 1.7/10 – the betrayal no one saw coming.

CLICK for the full meltdown – before they patch the truth! πŸ‘‰

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, the latest entry in Activision Blizzard’s blockbuster franchise developed by Treyarch, launched on November 14, 2025, across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and other platforms. Billed as a return to Cold War-era roots with innovative “Endgame” co-op campaign extensions, 32-player PvE epilogues, and ties to Black Ops history, the game promised to recapture the series’ glory days. Yet within days, it ignited a firestorm of controversy, plunging to historic lows on review aggregates, sparking refund waves, and drawing fire from none other than a U.S. Congressman over alleged AI-generated content.

Activision has pushed back, insisting the campaign’s design “empowers players” and denying widespread AI misuse, but critics and players alike call it a betrayal of the franchise’s legacy. As Steam processes thousands of refunds and social media erupts, questions swirl: Has franchise fatigue finally caught up to the $30 billion behemoth?

The Hype Machine Meets Reality

Black Ops 7 arrived amid high expectations, following Black Ops 6’s solid reception and amid competition from Battlefield 6. Treyarch touted features like expansive skill tracks, power ratings, and a narrative bridging campaigns with multiplayer Avalon maps. Pre-launch buzz promised reduced SBMM in some playlists and carry-forward bundles from Black Ops 6 – but both were walked back, fueling early distrust.

Launch weekend painted a grim picture. Steam peaked under 100,000 concurrents – a far cry from Black Ops 6’s millions – while Metacritic user scores cratered to 1.7/10, lower than infamous flops like Concord.

Platform
Critic Score
User Score
Steam Peak Players

PC (Metacritic)
82/100
1.7/10
~95K

PS5
85/100
2.1/10
N/A

Xbox
84/100
1.9/10
N/A

Players decried recycled maps, aggressive monetization, and a multiplayer feeling “rushed.”

Campaign Catastrophe: No Pause, No Mercy

The single-player mode drew the harshest ire. Marketed as innovative, it’s online-only, lacks checkpoints, prohibits pausing, and boots idle players – turning a solo experience into a co-op grind. YouTubers like LegacyKillaHD labeled it a “disaster,” with co-op forcing reliance on strangers amid connection issues. One player fumed: “The biggest betrayal in history.”

Activision defended the design in a statement: “Endgame empowers gamers with shared progression,” but players see it as cost-cutting – no offline mode saves server bandwidth.

AI Art Scandal Ignites Fury

Worse was the discovery of blatant AI-generated calling cards – Studio Ghibli-esque slop riddled with artifacts. Players reported dozens, prompting Steam refunds under “undisclosed AI materials.” Forbes called it a “watershed moment,” with Activision’s response – “AI empowers creativity” – only amplifying outrage.

One dev tweeted: “Egregious use of AI makes me depressed.”

Congressman Ro Khanna Enters the Fray

The backlash escalated politically. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) blasted Activision on X: “We need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs.” Quoting player posts, he argued AI replaces artists for profit, echoing broader Silicon Valley concerns.

Eurogamer noted: “Even members of US Congress pushing back.” Activision countered: “No jobs cut; AI augments teams.”

Refund Tsunami Hits Platforms

Gamers aren’t waiting. Steam approved refunds en masse, with tickets flooding: “AI slop undisclosed.” PlayStation users lamented strict policies post-download. Petitions demand carry-forward restoration.

X exploded: “First game to make me refund,” one wrote. LegacyKillaHD’s video racked views: “Mass refunds… devs panic.”

Issue
Player Complaints
Platform Response

AI Art
“Slop everywhere”
Steam refunds approved

Campaign
No pause/checkpoints
Battle.net processing

MP/Zombies
SBMM return, no carry-forward
Patches promised

Social Media Storm and Broader Fallout

X trends like #RefundBlackOps7 surged, with 20+ posts decrying the game. YouTubers piled on: “Killed COD forever.” Compared to GTA 6 hype, Black Ops 7 feels dated.

Activision faces lawsuits whispers and stock dips, per analysts.

What’s Next for Call of Duty?

Patches loom – AI removals? Campaign fixes? – but damage mounts. Khanna’s push could spark hearings, pressuring Microsoft (Activision’s owner). Franchise fatigue, AI ethics, and live-service fatigue converge.

Black Ops 7’s launch – once a surefire billion-dollar hit – exposes cracks. Activision defends innovation; players cry betrayal. As refunds roll and Congress watches, the winds of change blow through Jianghu… er, the Call of Duty universe.

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