Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is finally available, marking the first entry in the blockbuster franchise to be released following the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but while a lot has changed behind the scenes, the need for a day one patch has not changed. Coming days after the game's launch, the Preseason Patch is already adding quality-of-life features, changing XP progression to be more forgiving, and correcting game-breaking bugs in multiplayer and zombie modes. Early exploits that broke the boundaries of a few of the multiplayer maps have also been shut down, hopefully setting the standard for fast response to any future exploits that pop up as the game matures.
For years, the annual Call of Duty release has been the best-selling game of the year, and the franchise has been so dominant, it was the crux of Sony's legal argument against the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard acquisition from going through. Microsoft made concessions in court that were good enough for regulators to let the largest corporate acquisition in history to go through, including a 10-year deal to release Call of Duty on multiple platforms on the same day. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the...