"It's P2W as hell" Warzone 2 players are mad about Blackcell Dog providing an unfair advantage in matches

Warzone 2's BlackCell Battle Pass version has added a new Dog companion, Merlin the Dog, which was initially appreciated by the Warzone 2 community. However, player frustration has emerged due to Merlin's high awareness level since it exhibits certain behavior alerting players if enemies are nearby, irrespective of the dog's line of sight.

This increased awareness, as indicated by Merlin's barking inside a certain radius, has raised statements like "It's P2W as hell," referring to the companion's ability to offer an unfair advantage, leading to it being seen as a pay-to-win (P2W) item.

This article explores the community's reaction to the issue, diving into the causes of player frustration with the inclusion of the awareness function to Merlin the Dog companion. A thorough analysis will offer a clear insight and a full knowledge of the issues highlighted.

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Community reaction to BlackCell Dog's unfair advantage in Warzone 2

The BlackCell Battle Pass exclusive offering, Merlin the Dog companion, has caused concern and frustration among the community after users claimed that it detects nearby enemies even if they are not in the line of sight or even one level above or below, granting an unfair advantage through its growling behavior. This perception has given rise to accusations of a pay-to-win (P2W) situation in which players with the BlackCell and access to Merlin have a competitive advantage over others.

Community reaction (Image via Reddit)

One Reddit user, u/LOKTAROGAAAAH, has voiced his concern and stated that:

"Blackcell dogs growl when you're near an enemy, regardless of whether they see you and/or have high alert or not. You don't have to be in the FOV of the dog or the player btw, the dog growls when you're 1 level above or below the person as well. That's just ridiculous lol, it's P2W as hell."

Many others hooped into the comment section and agreed to his accusations. One user stated that Activision is trying to milk every last dollar from the players. This has been a trend since they started releasing a new game every year.

Comment by u/Successful_Horror582 from discussion Wtf is this P2W bullshit? in CODWarzone

Some users claimed that this awareness feature acts as a double-edged sword, where the barking disrupts accurate footsteps and even alerts the nearby enemies if you are trying to lay low.

Comment by u/DesignatedDonut from discussion Wtf is this P2W bullshit? in CODWarzone

However, some users defended the feature stating that the dog only barks if the user has the High Alert perk. But the user, u/LOKTAROGAAAAH, further claimed that the dog starts growling with or without high alert.

Comment by u/Guzod from discussion Wtf is this P2W bullshit? in CODWarzone

According to the comments above, numerous gamers are having problems with Warzone 2's BlackCell Dog behavior. While some users report that it only barks when the High Alert perk is used, there appears to be a glitch that allows it to bark even when it is not enabled.

Given that this feature was very recently implemented in Warzone 2, it is unclear if it is intentional or not. More investigation is needed to establish whether this is a beneficial or negative contribution to the game.