Activision has released new ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 for PlayStation, but the re-release comes with a controversial inclusion: the fully functional, unrestricted emblem editor. While the feature has been absent from the franchise since 2018, its return in these 1:1 ports has resulted in an immediate influx of offensive and racist imagery across player profiles.

The emblem editor was previously removed from the series following Modern Warfare (2019) due to the persistent issue of players using the tool to create bigoted designs. In these latest PlayStation versions, however, the system remains exactly as it was when the games originally launched, providing players with complete freedom to design their own playercards without modern moderation tools.

Quick Facts

  • Games affected: Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2.
  • Platform: PlayStation.
  • Feature status: The emblem editor is included as a 1:1 port from the original releases with no new restrictions.
  • Moderation: Currently relies on player-led reporting systems.

Offensive Imagery Floods Lobbies

The lack of oversight has led to a wave of graphic content. Social media platforms, particularly X, are currently filled with user-shared images from the game showing recreations of the 2025 Charlie Kirk assassination, often depicting graphic violence. Beyond these memes, there are frequent reports of blatantly racist imagery, including depictions of black stick figures being targeted by the KKK and other hate symbols.

Some players are actively encouraging the spread of this content, with comments sections frequently featuring requests for friend adds so that users can duplicate the offensive emblems. This environment has soured the return of two of the series' most highly regarded entries.

Will Activision Remove the Feature?

The current state of the emblem editor highlights the difficulties of maintaining a safe environment in older titles that lack modern, automated moderation. While the games are also backwards compatible on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, the emblem editor remains fully active there as well.

These PlayStation versions are essentially digital re-releases of the PS3-era games, lacking any significant graphical updates or quality-of-life adjustments. Given that the publisher has released them as basic ports, it is currently unclear if Activision intends to intervene or remove the editing feature to curb the rise of hate speech within the game's lobbies.