An advertisement for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was banned in the United Kingdom following a decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which deemed that the video trivialized sexual violence.The advertisement, released in November 2025, was part of the “Replacer” series and featured Peter Stormare alongside Nikki Glaser in a scene set in an airport security checkpoint.
An announcement more typical of the early 00s
In the controversial commercial, Stormare invites a man in line to face the wall, proceeding to ridicule a prescription found in his luggage. He then orders the man to strip off his clothes, while Glaser, wearing a latex glove, mentions that it is “puppet show time.” The ad concludes with Stormare suggesting an act that many consider an insinuation of sexual violence.
The content of the advertisement did not go unnoticed, generating negative comments on YouTube and provoking at least nine complaints from viewers who reported it for trivializing sexual violence, as well as two who believed it encouraged drug use. In its defense, Activision argued that it was an advertisement for a video game rated “18+”, aimed at an adult audience and that it represented a deliberately parodic scenario.
Despite Activision’s justification, the ASA ruled against the company, stating that the humor present in the advertisement stemmed from humiliation and the threat of non-consensual penetration, making it irresponsible and offensive content. Although the ruling does not represent a devastating blow to Activision, as the advertisement only needs to be removed in its current form, they have been instructed to ensure that their future advertisements are socially responsible and do not trivialize sexual violence.