Amid the cacophony of Call of Duty Next, one fresh feature in Black Ops 6 has fallen under the radar — but it may prove to be the most impactful of them all.
Black Ops 6, set to launch on October 25, 2024, introduces the fresh Body Shield feature to multiplayer, allowing you to grab an enemy and hold them in front of you to absorb bullets while also getting in a few shots.
We’ve seen the body shield feature in plenty of shooters over the years, but in this case, developer Treyarch has enabled voice chat between attacker and victim.
We’ve heard your requests and can confirm that Body Shield will enable voice conversation between attacker and victim in multiplayer.
Be nice… photo:twitter.com/KxyaDo7bAc
— Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) August 28, 2024
“Be kind…” the studio wrote on Twitter, perhaps more with hope than expectation.
As you might expect from the toxic Call of Duty community, the reaction is a mix of disbelief and excitement. Disbelief, because some can’t believe Treyarch actually added voice chat to the feature, knowing full well how toxic the impact it would likely have, and excitement, because some are thrilled that Treyarch actually added voice chat to the feature, knowing full well how toxic the impact it would likely have.
You will be able to apply proximity chat against players you turn into a human shield #BlackOperations6
Imagine that you become a human shield and start whispering something into someone’s ear. photo:twitter.com/p4LjGHWNEf
— Tridzo (@Tridzo) August 28, 2024
There are already concerns that what is said during Body Shield could result in a ban if Activision’s AI-based voice chat moderation detects something it deems a rule violation. “What could possibly go wrong? Reddit user Evisra wondered on the Black Ops 6 subreddit.Many people seem to have anticipated this.
Call of Duty already has this feature in Warzone. In that game, the Battle Royale spin-off, it enables voice chat for deaths, so players can hear their opponent scream into the microphone when they’re killed. This Body Shield feature in Black Ops 6, however, feels more intimate.
Anyone who has played Call of Duty multiplayer recently knows that there isn’t much voice chat. Most people play with their mics muted or in a group chat with friends. Black Ops 6 could change that with this feature.
Check out everything Call of Duty Next has announced to find out what else is coming to the world of Call of Duty, including news about Verdansk returning to Warzone. We also reported on the world’s first Black Ops 6 nuke, which one player managed to obtain before the beta even launched.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter @wyp100. You can contact Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
