A troubling new development has emerged around the ongoing Armory bug in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, raising serious concerns about progression integrity and potential pay-to-unlock behavior.
After previously reporting on the issue where players were unable to access weapons despite meeting all unlock requirements, a new workaround has surfaced — one that involves spending real money.
Players who purchase a weapon bundle containing a skinned version of a locked weapon report that the base weapon is instantly unlocked, bypassing the Armory system entirely. Once the purchase is completed, the base version of the weapon is immediately unlocked, even if it was previously inaccessible through the Armory. While players still need to level the weapon normally to unlock attachments and upgrades, the initial weapon unlock requirement is completely bypassed.
( Note: I’m personally able to confirm this, as i wanted to see if this was a possible way to unlock the whole armory, but instead i only got the weapon PPSH unlocked. )
A Bug That Incentivizes Spending
While this behavior may technically be the result of a bug, the implications are difficult to ignore.
Under the current state of the game, a new player who wants access to a specific weapon may be effectively pushed toward buying a paid bundle if their Armory progression is blocked. The purchase not only grants the cosmetic skin but also unlocks the weapon itself — something that should normally require gameplay progression.
This creates a dangerous precedent where:
- Weapon unlocks can be bypassed through paid content
- Progression systems lose credibility
- Monetization appears intertwined with functional gameplay advantages
Even if unintended, the result feels uncomfortably close to a pay-to-unlock system.
Why This Is a Serious Problem
The Armory is designed to reward time, effort, and progression. When that system breaks — and can be bypassed with real money — player trust takes a direct hit.
If this bug remains unresolved:
- Free-to-play or progression-focused players are unfairly disadvantaged
- Paying players gain access that others cannot due to a broken system
- The line between cosmetic monetization and gameplay impact becomes blurred
The concern isn’t just about fairness — it’s about perception. When spending money becomes the most reliable way to unlock content, it undermines the integrity of the entire progression system.
Community Frustration Is Growing
Many players are already frustrated by the Armory bug itself. Discovering that paid bundles can silently fix the problem only adds fuel to the fire.
For players who have deliberately avoided paid content, this situation feels less like an optional shortcut and more like a forced workaround — one that leaves a bad taste and raises uncomfortable questions about priorities.
The Urgent Need for a Fix
Whether intentional or not, this issue needs to be addressed quickly and transparently.
At minimum:
- Weapon skins should never unlock base weapons
- Armory progression must function consistently for all players
- Any unintended monetization advantages should be rolled back
If left unchecked, this bug risks shifting the conversation from “technical issue” to “monetization design,” which is not a discussion any live-service shooter wants to be having.
For now, players are left in an awkward position — stuck between waiting for a fix or paying to bypass a system that shouldn’t be broken in the first place.
