What was announced as a major technical improvement for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has quickly turned into one of the most frustrating experiences for its community. Activision’s latest mid-season update was advertised as a way to optimize storage and reduce the overall file size. Instead, players have found themselves dealing with a complete deletion of the game, requiring enormous re-downloads that vary across platforms.
According to user reports, the update removed the core installation from many consoles, leaving behind only the Call of Duty HQ launcher, which itself takes up around 25 GB. Players then had to manually download content packs, including both the single player campaign and the multiplayer suite. The file sizes differed depending on the system, with Xbox owners facing significantly larger downloads than those on PlayStation 5. For many, this meant re-downloading between 90 and 160 GB, a process made more frustrating given that the update was supposed to reduce file sizes by just a few gigabytes.
The restructuring was intended to streamline how Call of Duty stores its files, shifting shared content into separate packs tied to the HQ app. However, the execution has not gone over well. PlayStation users in particular complained that their entire multiplayer mode was wiped, while Xbox owners questioned why the same content demanded far more space on their platform. Instead of relief, the patch created a perception of technical mismanagement, with some fans calling the HQ launcher “one of the worst systems in gaming.”
Player reactions have been strongly negative across social media and community forums. Frustration over the unexpected re-downloads led to many expressing anger toward the developers, with some even pledging to abandon the franchise altogether. Several long-time fans stated that they would not be purchasing Black Ops 7 if such practices continued, with a number mentioning alternative series like Battlefield.
The irony of the situation is compounded by the fact that the update itself also contained meaningful content. Version 1.080 introduced a new multiplayer map, additional modes, a revolver, and the Combat Bow scorestreak. Zombies fans received the Reckoning Directed Mode and the return of Team Cranked, along with leaderboard events. Balancing tweaks, UI improvements, and bug fixes were also included. Yet these additions were overshadowed by the negative response to the update’s technical changes.
Released in October 2024, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was developed by Treyarch and Raven Software as the latest mainline entry in the series. Now approaching the midpoint of its lifecycle, the game remains a central pillar of Activision’s portfolio. Still, this misstep raises questions about how much goodwill the publisher can maintain with its player base, especially when a supposed improvement instead leaves fans with a cumbersome and time-consuming experience.
