Summary
TheCall of Dutyfranchise needs little introduction. It is popular and tenured, with a new release every year. As time passes,Call of Dutyfocuses more and more on customization through skins, as does the gaming landscape as a whole. Game modes likeWarzonehave adopted a free-to-play model, generating income through paid cosmetics.
These cosmetics mostly take the form of player skins, outfits for an operator that can be used to set players apart from each other. One popular genre of these skins is horror-adjacent operator cosmetics that are perfect for the Halloween season. Whether they’reHalloween event skins, horror-oriented purchases, or even licensed horror icons,Call of Dutyplayers have access to many skins perfect for the Halloween season across multiple games in the franchise.
The Vinterblood skin is an interesting cosmetic, released as part of the festive season inCall of Duty Vanguard. It could be considered both a Halloween and a Christmas skin, not unlike the role that theNightmare Before Christmasmovie fills. Players could obtain this skin as part of a bundle inCall of Duty Vanguard, titled Krampus Unleashed.
The skin is vaguely inspired by Krampus aesthetics, blending Halloween horror and reindeer iconography, not unlike how Krampus is depicted as a horror take on Santa Claus. The skin sports a black ghillie suit and the skull of a reindeer as a mask, offering a more subtle but equally creepy horror design, perfect for both Halloween and Christmas.
The Art The Clown skinwas released as part of The Haunting, a Halloween event that coincided with the release of Season 6 ofModern Warfare 3 (2023). The operator skin could be purchased in a bundle entitled the Terrifier Operator Pack, which came alongside unique tracers and a series of other cosmetics, including weapon blueprints and decals.
Art The Clown is the antagonist and main character in the horror-slasher film series,Terrifer. He is a sadistic and brutal entity that stalks and tortures his victims, before killing them in graphic detail. While the film series may not be for the faint of heart, the operator skin is a faithful recreation of the ever-creepy Art The Clown. The Art operator skin was released alongside a series of other licensed horror icons in Season 6 ofModern Warfare 3,including Michael Myers.
Gunzo The Clown is the earliest cosmetic on the list, released before the influx of operator bundles and licensed tie-ins seen in the more modernCall of Dutytitles. Gunzo was one of the more unique and criticized skins at the time of its release in 2014’sCall of Duty Advanced Warfare. Despite its initial criticism, players and fans have come to appreciate and enjoy the Gunzo skin for its absurd nature when compared to the line-up of skins featured inAdvanced Warfare.
Gunzo The Clown, as the name would suggest, is a creepy clown, sporting wild hair and bright colors alongside an oversized and disturbing clown mask. This skin is perfect for the Halloween period given the link between Halloween and creepy clowns, despite not originally being intended as such.
Modern Warfare (2019)was the dawn of theWarzonemode, later released as a standalone free-to-play battle royale experience. It is with thisWarzonerelease thatCall of Dutystarted to include more and more operator bundles, starting the trends seen within the modern store page. These operator bundles often feature skins from licensed properties, following the pattern thatFortnite Battle Royaleset.
One of the earlier licensed horror properties came about inModern Warfare’sHalloween event, featuring a crossover with theSawlicense. Players could purchase the Billy The Puppet operator skin, the famous and recognizable mascot of theSawfranchisethat represents Jigsaw in his tapes. This creepy depiction of Billy The Puppet is one of the standout licensed horror cosmetics and a favorite of many players.
The Disciple of Mayhem operator skin is a unique design inCall of Duty Cold Warfor the Weaver operator. Players could obtain the Disciple of Mayhem through a bundle purchase, which included weapon blueprints, weapon charms, decals, a calling card, an emblem, and a finishing move. This bundle also had unique challenges that allowed players to obtain COD points from their completion.
The design is partially zombie-inspired. It is an ethereal figure in torn clothes sporting a magma design, with bright orange lights emanating from the seemingly charred flesh of the operator. The face appears to be a glowing orange skull, all tied together to create a skin perfect for Halloween. The bundle also included an equally Halloween adjacent purple variant, inspired by the Dark Aether from theCold Warzombiesstoryline.
The Carver operator skin is the quintessentialCall of DutyHalloween cosmetic. Players could obtain this skin in a bundle entitled Pumpkin Patch that came with a series of Halloween and pumpkin-inspired extras. Players could obtain two weapon blueprints, one called trick and the other called treat. The bundle also contained a pumpkin emblem and a pumpkin lantern charm.
This skin needs little explanation as to why it’s the perfect skin for players who want to get into the Halloween spirit. The large pumpkin head of the skin sports a twisted and creepy design, with a bright blue light shining from the eyes and mouth. Paired with the pumpkin-inspired weapons from the bundle, players can utilize Carver as the perfect skin for the Halloween season.
