Xbox sparks controversy over Call of Duty: Mistake or misleading advertising?

What began as an apparent gift ended in a digital storm. On July 29, 2025, thousands of gamers turned on their consoles when they noticed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Modern Warfare III were available for free on the Xbox store. Excitement gripped the gaming community: was it a gift from Activision? A surprise promotion? Nothing could be further from the truth.

The confusion stemmed from a technical announcement: Call of Duty HQ , the official launcher for PC and consoles, would no longer centralize both versions, and each game would now need to be installed separately. However, the way the change was implemented resulted in the games appearing as if they were completely free, even allowing full downloads without purchasing the license.

Social media did the rest. Players from Mexico, Latin America, and other regions began spreading the news. Videos, screenshots, and forum posts confirmed what seemed like a gaming miracle: Modern Warfare II and Modern Warfare III were available for free. Some even reported having installed them without any problems.

But the joy was short-lived. Upon launching the games, the message "requires purchase to play" appeared. Users discovered that, although they could be downloaded, a license was still required. Anger quickly spread. Many accused Xbox and Activision of playing with their community's expectations and even began filing complaints with PROFECO for misleading advertising.

The anger intensified on Spanish-language forums like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), where users shared their frustration. Some posted memes mocking those who fell for the scam, while others organized campaigns demanding compensation or a formal explanation from Xbox.

“They wasted our time. We thought it was a gift, but it was poorly executed,” commented one user on Xbox Mexico. In response, other players called for legal action, demanding transparency in digital video game advertising.

Eventually, Activision and Xbox clarified that it was a tweak to how games are distributed at Call of Duty HQ , and that the visual glitch had already been fixed. But the damage was done. The community felt ignored, confused, and used as an experiment.

This episode leaves a key lesson for major gaming companies: in an ecosystem where every decision is amplified in seconds, poor communication can be more lethal than a bug in the system.