Asda has paused its new online customer offer after Call of Duty fans exploited a loophole to get Modern Warfare 4 at half price. The supermarket confirmed the halt after a significant number of orders that did not qualify were placed.
Modern Warfare 4 launched on Friday, October 23, and fans quickly took advantage of a deal that offered new online customers £30 off groceries once they had spent £60. Gamers signed up for new accounts to access the discount, effectively reducing the price of the game, which is available at Asda for £59.97.
How the loophole worked
Shoppers on Reddit and social media sites like X, formerly Twitter, shared screenshots of their Asda baskets after registering new accounts to access the deal. The promotion required customers to "register a new account and opt in to marketing," with an eVoucher code emailed within 2 hours. The deal also included one month of free delivery.
Only physical copies of the game on console were sold via George at Asda, meaning PC gamers and Nintendo Switch 2 owners missed out. Only PS5 and Xbox Series X versions were available from the supermarket.
Reaction from shoppers and gamers
The news has sparked mixed reactions. Some Call of Duty fans praised those who managed to buy MW4 for around £30, while non-gamers criticised the abuse of the offer. One fan on the r/modernwarfare4 forum wrote: "Great find, hopefully helps some Brits out who are struggling at the minute." Another said: "I managed to get this in the bag, topped up my basket with an 18-pack of Stella, total cost was £39.54. Winner."
Disgruntled shoppers took to TikTok to complain. One user commented: "This is so unfair. Won't even accept my code now even though I have a code." Another added: "People are so selfish and greedy they abused it so much they had to stop it. It was on until December 31 but not anymore."
Impact of the pause
A banner on the Asda website now reads: "We've paused our new online customer offer after becoming aware of a significant number of orders that do not qualify. We'd like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while we look into this."
One gamer on Reddit reported their order was cancelled an hour before delivery, leaving them £3.75 down due to delivery costs. The pause means customers no longer benefit from the half-priced copy of Modern Warfare 4.
