Following the recent announcement that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 would be getting a remake for console and PC in October 2026, Infinity Ward, the studio behind the remake, took to social media to reveal that "Every aspect of Modern Warfare 4 is anchored in the game's narrative," and that "every feature, every decision needs to feel authentic to what Modern Warfare is, and that includes cosmetics and collabs." The studio then went on to ask for player feedback regarding what they wanted to see in the new game, and many of the replies from gamers in the ensuing X thread had to do with cosmetics and skins, with some asking for filters to enable and disable skins and collaboration filters and others pleading with the studio to forego such collaborations entirely.

Shortly after the original post asking for community feedback, two separate official Call of Duty accounts confirmed that there would be no cosmetic collaborations that might ruin the game's immersion or conflict with the overall aesthetic. The Call of Duty Community Management (CallofDutyCM on X) account said, in response to someone challenging the original feedback post: "No Lady Gaga. No Omni-Man. No Teletubbies. No SpongeBob. Keep the receipts." Meanwhile, the official Call of Duty account responded to similar criticism with: "We got the feedback. No BS. This is all about staying true to Modern Warfare. No clowny skins for launch and seasons beyond." Fans are seemingly still sceptical, with many comments implying that the financial pressure of such collaborations would eventually see those skins return to the game, despite reassurances that these skins would not be included in the game at launch or in later seasons.