ASA bans Call of Duty Black Ops 7 ad for trivialising sexual violence

The UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned a live-action advert for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, ruling on 18 February 2026 that the spot trivialised sexual violence and "must not appear again in its current form." The ASA told Activision Blizzard UK Ltd t/a Call of Duty to ensure future ads are socially responsible and do not cause serious offence, "for example by trivialising sexual violence."

The commercial, referred to in some coverage as the "Replacer" ad, showed two "replacers" posing as airport security officers to stand in for staff who were "off playing the new Call of Duty: Black Ops 7." Regulators said the replacements performed exaggerated passenger searches that included humiliating dialogue and actions implying non-consensual acts; the ASA concluded "Because the ad alluded to non‑consensual penetration, and framed it as an entertaining scenario, we considered that the ad trivialised sexual violence and was therefore irresponsible and offensive."

The advert was first broadcast in November 2025 on YouTube and on-demand services, with additional reporting that it also aired on ITV and Channel 5 during that month. Clearcast had previously approved the commercial for broadcast with an ex-kids timing restriction intended to prevent it running during or around children's programming or content likely to appeal to under-16s. Clearcast told regulators it considered the spot a "deliberately implausible, parodic scenario" that bore no resemblance to real airport security procedures and, on balance, was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence.

Nine viewers complained to the ASA after the advert ran in November 2025; the ASA upheld those complaints about trivialising sexual violence and cited breaches of the CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 (Social responsibility) and 4.1 (Harm and offence). Two other complaints that alleged the advert encouraged or condoned drug use were not upheld because the ASA judged "the ad was unlikely to be understood as encouraging or condoning drug use and therefore concluded that it was not irresponsible on that basis."

Activision Blizzard defended the campaign to regulators by stressing that Black Ops 7 is 18-rated and that the ad targeted adults under its ex-kids schedule, saying the advert contained no nudity and depicted a parodic, implausible scenario with a comedic tone rather than harm or abuse. The ASA rejected those arguments on the sexual-violence point and ordered the UK publisher to prevent the advert running again in its current form.

At the time of the ASA decision the commercial could still be viewed on YouTube, despite the ban on future runs in the UK in its present form. The ruling lands against a franchise that Firstpost notes has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide, and it raises clear regulatory limits for high-profile, edgy marketing campaigns from major publishers and the companies that market blockbuster games.