Activision has added a Nicolas Cage skin to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, breaking a promise made last year to avoid random celebrity crossovers. The collaboration was announced as part of the game's mid-season update, launching on June 25, 2026. Initially, fans speculated the skin would reference one of Cage's action movies like Con Air or The Rock, but it is simply Cage as himself, with no movie-themed unlocks in the new season pass.
Activision's Broken Promise
Last year, Activision acknowledged fan discontent over the series' increasingly ridiculous crossover skins, stating it had 'drifted from what made Call Of Duty unique in the first place.' The company promised that Black Ops 7 would feel 'authentic,' yet the Nicolas Cage addition contradicts that pledge. Battlefield 6 even mocked Call of Duty's overuse of celebrity cameos in 2025.
Despite the backlash, Black Ops 7 has continued crossovers over the past six months, including Fallout skins based on the Amazon TV show, RoboCop, actor Terry Crews, and Sir Smoka Lot from the 1998 film Half Baked. While Activision may have stopped cartoon characters like Beavis and Butthead from Black Ops 6, the company's definition of 'authentic' remains unclear.
Fan Reaction and Franchise Decline
The addition of Nicolas Cage follows a string of controversial skins, including Nicki Minaj and Lionel Messi in 2023, which coincided with the poorly received Modern Warfare 3. Black Ops 7 itself was such a disaster that Activision has sworn to never release back-to-back Black Ops or Modern Warfare sequels again. This year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is already in development, leaving fans frustrated with the continued focus on goofy celebrity skins.
According to GameCentral, the Nicolas Cage skin is likely to upset players further, as Activision should be trying to placate fans until real changes materialize. The company has not commented on the discrepancy between its promise and the new skin.
