A Call of Duty Black Ops 7 television advertisement has been prohibited from airing in the United Kingdom following a ruling by the country’s advertising watchdog. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) determined that the commercial trivialized sexual violence, marking a significant regulatory action against one of gaming’s biggest franchises.
The Replacer Commercial Draws Complaints
The advertisement in question, titled “The Replacer: Airport Security,” first appeared on YouTube in November 2025. Activision subsequently ran the commercial on two major UK television networks, ITV and Channel 5, to promote the latest installment in the Call of Duty series.
According to the official ASA ruling, nine individuals filed complaints about the advertisement. These complainants argued that the commercial made sexual violence appear trivial and questioned whether the content was both irresponsible and offensive to viewers.
The commercial features a comedic premise where regular airport security staff have been replaced by incompetent substitutes because the actual employees are playing Call of Duty Black Ops 7. The advertisement follows a passenger through airport security screening procedures.
What the Advertisement Depicted
In the commercial, a man wearing a blue shirt passes through a metal detector at an airport security checkpoint. After triggering the detector, security staff confiscate his watch. The male security officer then informs the passenger that he has been “randomly selected to be manhandled” and instructs him to “face the wall.”
A female security officer subsequently pulls on a pair of gloves and announces, “Time for the puppet show.” In another scene from the advertisement, the male officer presses a handheld metal detector against the man’s mouth while saying, “Bite down on this, she’s going in dry.”
The commercial presents these interactions as part of its comedic approach, with the incompetent replacement staff creating absurd situations throughout the screening process.
ASA Makes Formal Ruling
The Advertising Standards Authority acknowledged in its decision that viewers would likely interpret the advertisement as exaggerated comedy. The regulator also noted that the commercial did not show any explicit content or actual acts of violence.
However, the ASA concluded that the humor in the advertisement relied fundamentally on depicting the humiliation of the passenger and creating an implied threat of a painful, non-consensual penetration. This reliance on such themes led the regulatory body to determine that the commercial trivialized sexual violence.
The ruling prohibits the advertisement from being broadcast on UK television networks going forward. The decision applies specifically to the Airport Security version of The Replacer advertising campaign.
Activision Blizzard Defends Advertisement
Activision Blizzard contested the complaints and defended the commercial in its response to the ASA. The company argued that the advertisement targeted an adult audience and maintained that it contained no sexual innuendo or depictions of violence.
The publisher specifically addressed the “bite down” dialogue, stating that this line referred to physical discomfort rather than any sexual act. Activision emphasized that the passenger remained fully clothed throughout the commercial and that all scenes took place in a public airport security checkpoint setting.
The company further explained its creative intent, characterizing The Replacer characters as absurd caricatures. According to Activision, the comedy stemmed from the incompetence of these replacement workers rather than from any behavior viewers should emulate or find acceptable in real-world situations.
Despite these defenses, the ASA upheld the ban on the advertisement. The regulatory decision means Activision cannot air this specific commercial on UK television, though the ruling does not appear to affect other Call of Duty marketing materials.
Impact on Call of Duty Marketing
This marks a notable instance of regulatory intervention in video game advertising in the United Kingdom. Call of Duty remains one of the most heavily marketed gaming franchises worldwide, with Activision investing significantly in television, digital, and outdoor advertising campaigns.
The Replacer character has appeared in multiple Call of Duty commercials over the years, typically featuring actor taking the place of people in various scenarios so they can play the latest game. This particular execution faced scrutiny due to the specific context and dialogue used in the airport security setting.
The ban applies only to broadcast television in the UK. The commercial remains available on digital platforms such as YouTube, where content regulations differ from broadcast television standards. Activision has not indicated whether it plans to modify the advertisement or appeal the ASA decision.
Gaming industry observers note that this ruling may influence how publishers approach comedy in future gaming advertisements, particularly when depicting scenarios involving physical interactions or authority figures.