Modern Warfare 4 developers assure fans there will be no ‘clowny’ crossover skins.

In the wake of Fortnite’s massive success, a slew of live-service shooters have been churning out crossover DLC skins that would make fans of Ready Player One do a double take. The Call of Duty franchise is no different, but the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is set to take a different approach—at least when it comes to quirky skins.

Responding to some online ribbing, a social media manager for Call of Duty stated that the new installment aims to “stay true to Modern Warfare” and assured fans that there would be “no clowny skins at launch or in future seasons.” The Studio Community account added, “No Lady Gaga. No Omni-Man. No Teletubbies. No SpongeBob. Keep the receipts.”

Recent entries in the Call of Duty series have embraced the crossover trend with gusto. Starting with 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which introduced characters like Billy from Saw and Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the series has only ramped up the absurdity. Players have encountered real-life figures like Kevin Durant and Nicki Minaj alongside iconic characters such as Skeletor and Ash from The Evil Dead. The game has seen collaborations with brands and franchises ranging from Burger King and Dune to Beavis & Butt-Head, Godzilla, WWE, and even the MS-06S Zaku II from Mobile Suit Gundam—almost anything has been fair game.

Unsurprisingly, many fans have voiced their dissatisfaction with the over-the-top crossovers. After Activision revealed that the outlandish lineup for Black Ops 6—which included characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, American Dad, and Squid Game—would carry over to Black Ops 7, Treyarch eventually backtracked in response to player backlash. They stated that these skins wouldn’t transfer because the game needed to “feel authentic to Call of Duty and its setting.” However, Black Ops 7 still featured tie-ins with Monster Energy, Little Caesars, Robocop, Fallout, and even the 1998 stoner comedy Half Baked, with Terry Crews making an appearance.

While the promise of no “clowny” skins suggests that Modern Warfare 4 will steer clear of the absurdity seen in Black Ops 6, the phrasing leaves room for crossover skins as long as they align with the “true” essence of Modern Warfare, which is inherently subjective. Additionally, all existing skins will remain available in the ongoing Call of Duty: Warzone, indicating that this more “serious” direction isn’t a blanket policy for the series. Following the reveal of Modern Warfare 4 on May 28, Infinity Ward has hinted at other changes in response to past controversies, such as the much-criticized movement mechanics from Modern Warfare 3. We’ll see how well these commitments hold up when Modern Warfare 4 launches this October.

The series is back with a bang.