Call of Duty’s Fallout bundle is the latest pay-to-win scandal

Combining the worlds of Call of Duty and Fallout seems like a no-brainer. Especially when everything from Mario to Crash Bandicoot has made its mark on the shooter series. With even more out-there collabs with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Snoop Dogg, we're surprised it took this long to turn Warzone into the Wasteland. 

However, as the 'Fortnitification' of the CoDverse continues, there are accusations that Activision only sees dollar signs in its eyes rather than making the most out of these beloved IPs. Instead of introducing a special limited-time mode in vaults or stepping inside the iconic Power Armor, Call of Duty is giving us some generic outfits and blueprints.

Call of Duty's Fallout bundle accused of being pay-to-win

For those who aren't convinced enough to stump up the 2,400 Call of Duty Points (around $20/£17) for the Tracer Pack: Fallout Vault Dweller Bundle, it turns out it could be well worth the admission price for one attachment alone. It's definitely something to try when not trying to unlock your Fallout x Call of Duty event rewards.

Notably, the Vault Dweller Bundle includes an HRM-9 Blueprint called the Atomic Disintegrator. This has a new variant on FSS Spectre Microtherm, which allows you to see enemies thermally. While the standard holographic sight gives a blurry outline, the Atomic Disintegrator paints them as clear as day.

The Vault Dweller bundle was (typically) leaked long before it was made official, and back then, fans on Reddit were worried the optic was going to make players mad. The post reminds us of the Dark Rituals 3 Holotherm that was ridiculously OP as you could outline enemies through smoke.

Lo and behold, it didn't take long for us to see the gun in action and see its pay-to-win potential. One gamer wrote, "My mate wouldn't stop screaming P2W in my ear when he used it in warzone 😂", while another added, "P2W a bit. Not as bad as that one P2W thermal sight from MWII though."

A third concluded, "I don't see how this isn't P2W. People will say 'It's just different colors' as if that doesn't massively affect gameplay. Cosmetics and functionality are not opposites contrary to popular belief, and visibility is wildly important in competitive games"

We know this is Call of Duty trying to put its own spin on Fallout's V.A.T.S. system, but surely the devs have learned from the mistakes of the past. The FSS Spectre Microtherm is already called out, so imagine buffing it further. Whether you agree it's pay-to-win or not, some are sure to pick up the Fallout bundle just for this optic.