Kuwait blocks Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 release, pre-orders canceled

Kuwait has blocked the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in the country. Gamers who bought the game via pre-orders have had their orders canceled and their purchases refunded. The decision is linked to the game’s Gulf War elements involving Kuwait in the early 1990s.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is one of the most anticipated games this year. The first-person shooter will be released on October 25th. It will become the seventh game in Call of Duty’s Black Ops series and is currently available for preorder in either the standard/cross-gen edition or the vault edition.

Kuwait blocks release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Activision confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will not launch in the Kuwait region in a statement shared with multiple news bodies. Activision also stated that the game’s pre-orders in the region were canceled and that they would be refunded “at the original point of purchase.”

The Call of Duty game publisher did not provide the exact reason for the cancellation, only stating that they hoped for a future release. The lack of information lit a fire online, as the publisher left the matter to public speculation. 

Gamers on the internet were quick to link Kuwait’s no-release situation to government action. The gamers speculated that the Kuwaiti government blocked the game due to elements and themes associated with the First Gulf War. It is speculated that Kuwait’s government was against the “progressive” propaganda included in the game.

The speculation was further enhanced by using world leaders who doubled as key figures in the war, such as Saddam Hussein, Bill Clinton, and George Bush, in the game’s reveal trailer released in June 2024. 

The Gulf War occurred between 1990 and 1991, with Iraq invading Kuwait to take control of its territory and oil reserves. The conflict resulted in destruction and civilian casualties that prompted international parties to be involved in liberating Kuwait.

Since the conflict ended, Kuwait’s government has been cautious in how the media revisits such themes, as evident in the case of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Online speculation stipulated that the Gulf War-related content may be seen as disrespectful or as reopening old wounds by the Kuwait government. 

Activision hopes for reconsideration

In the statement released, Activision stated that they would “remain hopeful that local authorities will reconsider, and allow players in Kuwait to enjoy this all-new experience in the Black Ops series.”

The statement suggested that Activision was still hopeful that they could negotiate with the Kuwaiti government and allow the game to reach its global audience despite the initial setback. 

With the game set to hit stores in nearly a week, Kuwaiti gamers stated that they had yet to get an official statement from their government on the issue. Some gamers even compared the situation to that in Russia, where Call of Duty games were banned for years.

The gamers called for solidarity against banning games as it would negatively impact gaming and promote problematic situations in the future.