Call of Duty: Modern Warfare developer insists Infinity Ward is not working on loot boxes Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare developer insists Infinity Ward is not working on loot boxes But will Activision put them in post-launch? News by Wesley Yin-Poole Deputy Editorial Director Updated on 14 Oct 2019 46 comments Amid growing speculation within the Call of Duty community about Modern Warfare's monetisation plan, one of the game's chief developers has stepped in to insist Infinity Ward is not working on loot boxes. Joel Emslie, studio art director at Infinity Ward, took to the Modern Warfare subreddit to issue a statement under the thread title "Current events", which is clearly designed to calm the rampant speculation. In the statement, Emslie said Infinity Ward is "definitely NOT working on any kind of supply drop or loot box system". Also, Emslie said "functional stuff is unlocked through GAMEPLAY". Here's the statement: "Sigh. There continues to be misinformed and incorrect info being pushed about Modern Warfare. What I can say right now is that we are definitely NOT working on any kind of supply drop or loot box system. Also, functional stuff is unlocked through GAMEPLAY. Stay tuned, we're planning to release info this week." Emslie's statement is unequivocal as it relates to Infinity Ward - the studio is not working on supply drops or loot boxes. So, it makes sense to assume Modern Warfare will not launch with loot boxes or supply drops. Emslie's line, "functional stuff is unlocked through GAMEPLAY," suggests Modern Warfare won't have a pay-to-win element, either. This is of course good news. However, fans are pointing to Activision's track record when it comes to the monetisation of past Call of Duty games. Previous entries have seen the addition of loot boxes post-release - Black Ops 4 got loot boxes four months after launch - and some have included gameplay-affecting weapons. Adding fuel to the fire, fans spotted reference to loot boxes in the recent Modern Warfare beta. Watch on YouTube Emslie's statement is currently top of the Modern Warfare subreddit. The top reply, from redditor Loud_County, sums up the sentiment: "Please let this be true for the entire life cycle of the game." Activision has for the first time ditched the player base-splitting annual pass for Modern Warfare. Spec Ops Survival mode going to PlayStation 4 for a year is the only platform exclusivity deal. So, where will the post-launch money be made? Fans expect a Fortnite-style battle pass of some description. This is something Activision added to Treyarch's Black Ops 4, although it was free to participate in. Will Activision charge for a battle pass added to a full-price game? Perhaps a battle pass, if it is in Modern Warfare, will be tied to the seemingly inevitable battle royale. Current speculation pegs the battle royale to launch early 2020 for free. A paid-for battle pass may be a better fit for that. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store