Black Ops 6 allows players to talk directly to their hostages using meat shields. People are already preparing for levels of abuse and toxicity that have never been seen before.

This is the worst idea I've ever seen in videogames: Treyarch claims that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 allows players to speak directly to the hostages they are holding and using as meat-shields.

For those who are unfamiliar with the meat shield, it works as follows: When a bad guy is still on his feet but stunned or injured, you grab his shoulder and spin him around. Then, you put your arm across the throat of the man, and march them forward into the gunfire, which would otherwise turn you in a sticky mess. Here's an example of the meat shield from the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger film Total Recall. I'll link it but not embed it because the movie is pretty bonkers, in the way only '90s-style action movies can be. I will also note that in this case, the guy is not so bad as just unlucky.

There's not much space between the shielded and the shield, so someone at Treyarch decided that forced proximity would be a good way for people to get closer to each other:

I'm assuming these conversations will be short-lived. It would be strange if a dance partner in the front kept talking after he was thoroughly perforated. The potential for comedy is still there, but a lot of people who replied to Treyarch’s tweet seemed genuinely excited about the feature.

As other tweeters have noted, the potential for abuse is much greater. "Can't Wait to be held hostage while being called the F-slur 1,000 Times," Camelcastoff tweet.

"This is probably the most toxic thing that you could have added," vivakingtone tweet. "I love it."

The reactions are telling: Black Ops 6 won't be out for two more months, and people have already told their imagined enemies that they need a thicker hide. The "be nice", at the end, of Treyarch’s tweet was also noticed.

This is a terrible idea. Yes, it's a fantastic idea. I think it would be a lot more fun with friends or strangers who have been well-vetted. Do I want to put this kind of power into the hands of a bunch of pumped-up kids whose entire self-worth is based on how badly they can kick my arse in Call of Duty. I do not.

Treyarch confirmed there is a way to turn off proximity chat so you won't have to deal if you do not want to.

I admit that I wouldn't turn it off immediately. I'm too curious and there's the possibility of being held hostage by someone who is genuinely funny or interesting to chat with. But I don't believe it would last. I can remember kicking people from our Quake clan because they were abusive to their teammates back in the day! Some people can't stop themselves.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is released on October 25. The open beta will run from September 6 to 9.