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The Call of Duty: Warzone Skull Collector bundle is being deemed pay-to-lose, providing an unfair disadvantage to those that use one of its weapon blueprints. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Warzone integration has changed a lot within the battle royale, including Raven Software’s new anti-cheat, RICOCHET, WW2-inspired weapons, and the brand new Caldera map. Warzone traded Verdansk – its original map – for the Pacific-themed map which has luscious jungle terrain and idyllic island locales. Despite the battle royale’s big change, Warzone still suffers from a plethora of bugs, graphical errors, and performance issues.
Call of Duty: Warzone has dealt with its fair share of bugs in the past, such as the battle royale’s infamous invincibility glitch, the “god mode” bug, and the glitch that allowed players to get under the Rebirth Island map. The developers have since patched many of the frustrating bugs, but Warzone’s recent Caldera update has added plenty more to the battle royale. Raven Software was forced to squash many bugs since the update’s December 2 release, including parachute failures, random game crashes, as well as sporadic freezes during Buy Station interactions. A December 19 update has since patched many of the ongoing issues, but some still remain
According to Reddit user SamUdoma, Warzone’s Skull Collector bundle offers the first pay-to-lose weapon blueprint, offering a severe disadvantage to those who use the gun skin. The frustrating bug involves the Legendary Weapon Blueprint “Acinonyx” for the AS44 Assault Rifle, which comes in the $20 USD Skull Collector Pro Pack. When SamUdoma equipped the blueprint to their gun, the weapon turned invisible, similar to the Warzone bug that caused riot shields to disappear. SamUdoma also tried using the gun in-game, but the AS44 Assault Rifle didn’t appear in the Operator’s hands. When the skin was attached, the gun did not show up or fire, becoming a useless piece of equipment. While documenting the glitch, SamUdoma’s operator – who appeared unarmed – was quickly gunned down.
The Acinonyx weapon blueprint is supposed to display a mesh netting and dark green camouflage perfect for Caldera’s jungle terrain. There are currently three versions of the skin available, with two connected with the invisible gun glitch. It’s not clear if Raven Software has patched the bug, or if players are still encountering the so-called “pay-to-lose” gun blueprint. This isn’t Warzone’s first bugged weapon blueprint either. Earlier this year, Warzone‘s Ice Drake blueprint was removed for game-breaking bugs, which included disappearing guns and visual glitches.
While some free-to-play games incorporate pay-to-win mechanics through paid content, it’s rare that an in-game item offers a disadvantage. In its current state, the Acinonyx blueprint for the AS44 Assault Rifle has pay-to-lose mechanics, that make utilizing it effectively in combat impossible. Until Raven Software patches the blueprint’s invisibility bug, Warzone players are advised to make sure the weapon is visible before employing it in combat.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.