Casual CoD fan frustrations point to a bigger problem for the series

Call of Duty was once known as the quintessential casual FPS game; it was the king of the genre and still had enough room for skilled players to show off and be the difference-maker. Nowadays things are different; the movement mechanics are integral to winning a gunfight and it's less about individual aim than ever before. Is there any wonder casuals are having a harder time?

User Thorin1601 recently jumped onto the Warzone subreddit to air their frustrations about the game and the struggle of being a casual player. Our protagonist gives some personal details about a motorcycle accident and their relatively new experience with Warzone; they specifically admit they care little about being the best of the best, but would like to feel a Warzone win every so often. However, the current meta and general gameplay mechanics do not favor the casual audience.

User SnooMacaroons6049 offered a kind word to our main man, saying, "You are not alone mate; it gets frustrating and I think we all question what's going on sometimes. Hope your recovery is going well; good luck out there."

Others weren't as accommodating; user Otherwise-Unit1329 chimed in, saying: "This just isn’t a casual game anymore." They are not the only one with that mindset; user SILENCERSTUDENT_ agreed, but offered a few other games as suggestions, saying, "This isn't a casual game. Try Diablo 4 or Manor Lords; they are good fun and much more casual."

I cannot wrap my head around Call of Duty not being a casual game. The idea itself seems so foreign and that may be the exact mindset of other players that are exhausted by the current state of the game. Call of Duty has been the casual FPS for decades and suddenly players are left with very limited alternatives. At this point it wouldn't surprise me if a vast majority of players look towards the future of CoD hoping that Treyarch's hand at the wheel will shake things up.

Since the transition from MW2 to MW3's version of Warzone, I have seen a drastic increase in the difficulty of winning a game of Warzone. I may be a competitive player and always strive for the win, but I'm exhausted by the sheer demand that CoD asks of me as my supposedly casual game. If you're not willing to learn the movement then Warzone feels like hell; you have to master those mechanics to even stand a chance of winning a duel against another player that's jumping, diving, and sliding all over the place.

During MW2 and Al Mazrah, my buddies have all clutched a win despite their status as casual players, but moving into MW3 none of them have managed to claim that gold place or even come close. Rather, they are usually dunked on by enemy combatants bouncing from wall to wall in a sugar rush in the final few circles. This presents a growing problem with Warzone and Call of Duty itself: it constantly moves away from the casual player base despite its roots as the casual FPS. I sincerely doubt CoD has the mettle to reach levels of competition as Valorant or CS2, so it saddens me that my buddies and I turn to other games for a more relaxed experience (Destiny 2 has become our home in recent months).

That's all we have on the frustrations of casual players. If you're looking for more Call of Duty content check out The Black Ops 6 teaser is the light at the end of the tunnel you were hoping for, MW3 Zombies ‘Most engaging third mode’ ever, minimal content planned, and more on Pro Game Guides.