Big-name crossovers between major video game franchises and outside media have become an increasingly common aspect of modern gaming. Titles like Fortnite lean heavily into that concept, with crossovers with other IPs often serving as the selling point for new seasons of content for the game. Other franchises, however, have become more resistant to the idea, especially in light of player frustrations.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Battlefield and Call of Duty fans in particular have grown tired of the outlandish crossovers that risk breaking the immersion of the more grounded military shooter. Both franchises have been moving away from the more outlandish crossovers as a result, although Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 seems to have found a sweet spot by bringing in famous actors as “Operators” in the game. The latest addition to the roster is an Academy Award-winning actor, with Nicolas Cage joining up as “Nick Cage” — which is an interesting choice, given his previous work.
Nicolas Cage Is Coming To Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7
The latest Operator in the world of Call of Duty is Nicolas Cage — and it looks like a perfectly wild collaboration for the FPS franchise. The Nick Cage Event Pass will be included as part of the “Season 4 Reloaded” update as part of the “Summer of Action” event, which is currently set to go live on Thursday, June 25. While there are some goofy rewards for everyone, including an “Art of Respect” emblem and a “Wide Eyed” spray that references films in Cage’s filmography, fans actually looking to play as the Nick Cage operator will have to go the Premium route. Nick Cage is unlocked as soon as the season pass is unlocked.
The Premium route also includes unique skins, finishing moves, weapon blueprints, and a skin for Nick Cage, all of which are unlocked as players make their way up the season rankings. The free season upgrades include unique loading screens, melee weapons, and a weapon charm that references Cage’s infamous habit of purchasing dinosaur bones at the height of fame. The free path will also unlock the AN-94, a popular machine gun that was left out of the modern game.
Nicolas Cage Is Far From The First Celeb To Appear In Call Of Duty
What makes this interesting is how it fits into Call of Duty‘s recent struggles with crossovers. The series has a long history of celebrity cameos. Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Ice Cube, Kevin Spacey, Gary Oldman, Katee Sackhoff, Kit Harington, and Sam Worthington have all played characters within the official series narrative. Meanwhile, Helena Bonham Carter, Jeff Goldblum, David Hasselhoff, Heather Graham, David Tennant, Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen, John Malkovich, Bill Paxton, Rose McGowan, and Jon Bernthal have all appeared in the zombie modes for various entries in the series.
Over time, though, some of the collaborations have become frustrating for players. Fan backlash to “big brand” collaborations, such as the Beavis and Butt-Head bundle, has prompted developers to claim that upcoming games like Modern Warfare won’t have tie-in characters or celebrities. Instead, Infinity Ward has been focused on allowing collabs when they fit the tone and tenor of the universe. While some fans were frustrated with the Season 1 Operators, including Lucy, Maximus, and the Ghoul from the Fallout TV series, more recent additions like Terry Crews in Season 3 were more positively received.
Nick Cage seems to have been designed in the same vein, with a focus on the actor’s filmography in a specific tenor instead of directly adapting a movie character or specific performance. The version of Nicolas Cage who appears in the game is shown to be a part of the general “Operator” mold, serving as a deadly new wildcard amid the non-stop firefights and power struggles. Cage’s history as an action star helps sell him as the kind of performer who could factor into the series, along with a clear love for outlandish storytelling that fits neatly into the extreme set-pieces that can make up Call of Duty levels. It’s an interesting addition to the game that, like Terry, seems to fit neatly into the style of the game.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 4 begins June 25th.
