Call of Duty hides free-to-play DMZ mode behind $70 paywall

It seems like the failed buyout of Activision from Microsoft is really hurting the pockets of the current Call of Duty owners, who thought they were getting a $69 billion cheque this month.

But amid the financial hit, and a plummet on the stock market leading to some interesting findings in their early quarterly report, it now seems Activision is squeezing every penny from your pockets.

Those on the receiving end of Activision's wrath are DMZ loyalists, as the previously free-to-play extraction game has become increasingly costly to play.

DMZ's Building 21 is held behind a $70 paywall

Click to enlarge

So far, free-to-play Call of Duty fans have had access to DMZ's full list of maps, including Al Mazra, Ashika Island, and Building 21 - the latter of which is only open at certain times of the week and contains some of the most lucrative rewards that the game mode has to offer.

However, it now seems like Building 21 has been removed as an option for F2P players, and will only be available to those who have purchased the full Modern Warfare 2 game.

According to an email from Activision that is circulating on social media, only players with the $70 Modern Warfare 2 can play Building 21, which is not part of the "regular DMZ mode."

Activision facing criticism for DMZ paywalls

The developers have made quite the habit of making DMZ an expensive habit, fleecing players with pay-to-win skins, and now taking away content to hide behind a paywall.

Currently, Modern Warfare 2 still sits at its premium price of $69.99 on both Xbox and PlayStation stores, meaning Building 21 is only available after splashing out on the full game. 

Interestingly, Infinity Ward has labelled this as a "bug" on their official Trello Board, where they are investigating the issue. Whether this is a bug or a cover-up is yet to be seen. Come on Activision, we know your game.