Call of Duty is a game that many players call home. It may be a gunfire-filled battlefield where players shred each other every minute of a match, but itâs still home. One of the best things you can do at home? Dress up. You have plenty of options, from Call of Duty licensed skins like Nicki Minaj to Godzilla.
Activision has collaborated with dozens of major companies to bring properties like The Boys, Gundam, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to online lobbies everywhere. Itâs one thing to get blown up by an RPG fired by a random soldier, but itâs something else entirely to get lit up and sent to the gulag by Frank the Rabbit from Donnie Darko.
Itâs worth noting that some of the skins featured below arenât currently available in the latest version of Call of Duty. Activision reset everyoneâs cosmetic collection when it relaunched the battle royale with the 2.0 version in 2023. Several skins, like John McClane, were lost to time. Many of these licensed skins were limited-time releases and may or may not return to the shop. With that said, here are some of the best licensed skins that have appeared in Call of Duty since 2020.
Seth Rogen
Part of the appeal of almost any licensed skin is the embarrassment factor. How can you make your enemies feel shame when they get taken out by your plaid-wearing, weed-smoking avatar? Seth Rogen, the star of classics like Pineapple Express, is one of several Call of Duty licensed skins that feel a little ridiculous. Youâd never expect to see someone like him parachuting out of a helicopter into a firefight, but here we are. You know whatâs even better? You can laugh as Seth, too. Imagine the rage of getting downed by a wannabe Green Hornet and then hearing that unmistakable laugh right after.
Black Noir – The Boys
One of the best Call of Duty licensed skins makes fun of superheroes. The Boys, through its ups and downs, has been a gripping and grotesque spin on the worlds of Marvel and DC, and Black Noir is one of its standout characters. Meant to be a play on Batman, he serves a much deeper role in the comic series that inspired the show. Black Noir is an action star, with choreography in the show thatâs unmatched as he dances around his enemies with knives. It makes him look even cooler when you use him to perform finishers on unsuspecting opponents.
Paul Atreides – Dune
Lisan al-Gaib! We may not be in a spice-filled desert on a distant planet, but you can still be the chosen one with this take on Duneâs iconic character, based on TimothĂ©e Chalametâs portrayal in Denis Villeneuveâs stunning blockbusters. If youâre going to show off this Call of Duty licensed skin, you should have the skill to live up to the name of Lisan al-Gaib. His mastery with a knife, as Feyd-Rautha learned in Dune 2, is unmatched.
Judge Dredd
Itâs time for judgment. Karl Urbanâs widely acclaimed portrayal of the brutal comic book character gave Judge Dredd even more mainstream appeal, and itâs fitting that the justice dispenser brought his brand of violence to Call of Duty in 2021. His inclusion in the battle royale is perfect, as proximity chat lets players taunt opponents while taking them down–if youâve got the skills to back it up. Shouting âI am the lawâ as you breach a room where an enemy is hiding will feel incredible if you manage to eliminate them soon after. Youâll feel foolish if you fall instead, though.
Frank The Rabbit – Donnie Darko
This oneâs a bit of a deep cut when it comes to Call of Duty licensed skins. Frank the Robbit, who appeared alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko, isnât a character most players will recognize. Still, heâs as unnerving as any other horror icon to join the battle royale. Itâs hard to tell whether to feel embarrassed or terrified when youâre eliminated by someone wearing Frankâs suit. Either way, youâll stand out, far more than with any of the plain human outfits in the game.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg has appeared in other franchises, such as Madden NFL 20, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Family Guy: The Quest For Stuff, and many others. Given Call of Duty’s history with weed, with skins such as Cannabush and Kushwacked all being centered around marijuana, it was only a matter of time before Snoop Dogg himself made an appearance. What makes his skin notable is that you can level him up and unlock other variants. However, the first two upgrades are just different color variations. The final two give him a skull bandana that covers half his face, which gives his skin an entirely different aesthetic.
Armored Titan – Attack on Titan
With the rise of popularity in Attack on Titan, it’s not surprising that we’d get to play as the Armored Titan in Warzone. Although he does stick out like a sore thumb, there’s nothing more terrifying and funny than seeing the Armored Titan run at you with an assault rifle in-game. It’s even more hilarious when you run into one in a gulag match.
Ghostface – Scream
Not only is Scream’s Ghostface a great skin to have in-game because of his black coat, but he also comes with many great quips. Since Call of Duty is an FPS game, it can be easy to forget who you’re playing as, and hearing his unique voice is always a fun reminder that you’re playing as a serial killer. There’s nothing more satisfying than using his signature knife to kill another player in-game.
Billy – Saw
Billy was amongst the first licensed skins to come to Call of Duty, and the way Activision incorporated him in-game was great. He was introduced in the Haunting of Verdansk event in the Modern Warfare era of the game, and if players looked hard enough, they could find a room devoted to Jigsaw in the train station. On top of that, the bundle includes a blueprint for the CR-56 Amax that matches him perfectly, and when players land a kill with the Phlebotomist knife, it makes a gruesome sound effect.
Skincrawler – Texas Chainsaw Massacre
To continue with the horror trend, Leatherface was another great addition during the Haunting of Verdansk event in the Modern Warfare era. Like with Billy, there was another Easter egg for players to find that revolved around Leatherface. The thing that makes the Leatherface skin stand out from the rest is that he’s literally wearing another person’s face on top of his. It’s hard to miss and, at times, could make others feel uncomfortable. Hearing other players freak out for a second via death coms over your skin is a nice touch. It’s always a fun reminder that you’re playing as an iconic horror character.
Kong – Godzilla Vs. Kong
Kong was perhaps one of Warzone’s more creative skin bundles. First of all, you get to dress up in a King Kong-inspired outfit with a golden faceplate. In addition, his blueprint for the melee weapon was an item straight out of Godzilla vs. Kong, and sending your enemies flying across the map with his finishing move was equally disrespectful and hilarious at the same time.
MechaGodzilla – Godzilla Vs. Kong
Although MechaGodzilla may not be considered a kaiju, it is one of the most iconic characters in the franchise and makes for an awesome Call of Duty skin. What’s nice about this skin is that it isn’t too bright and, for the most part, does a good job at not sticking out in darker environments. In addition, its red glow around the armor makes her look that much more intimidating when you’re in the heat of battle, and the Katana blueprint for the weapon is nothing less than great.
Rambo – Frist Blood (Rambo)
There couldn’t have been a better fit for Warzone than Rambo himself. After all, he’s known for killing all of his enemies and being the last man standing, so why wouldn’t you wanna play as him? He was introduced in the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War era, during the ’80s Action Heroes event, and wearing this skin gives you a great excuse to play aggressively and push every enemy you see.
John McClane – Die Hard
John McClane was the other operator introduced during the ’80s Action Heroes event, and he blended in seamlessly with the game’s aesthetic at the time. All the battle scars he has on himself make his skin unique. Just like the Rambo skin, they look like they were taken right out of a battle and thrown into another–and on top of that, McClane isn’t even wearing shoes. It’s the little details that make his skin stand out, not to mention the pistol he has sticking out of his pants or the open duffle bag with cash. To put a cherry on top, all of his lines in Warzone sound as if they were ripped straight from the movie, giving it that extra hit of nostalgia as you play.
Image credit: Geek Culture Gaming
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is one of the greatest football players of all time, but when you see someone playing as him as this Call of Duty licensed skin, you know youâve got some easy prey ahead of you. Itâs not like running into one of the football skins in Fortnite–anyone trying to emulate Messi here probably isnât a sweat. Theyâre likely a pushover and should probably stick to EA Sports FC, and you should treat them as such.
T-800 and T-1000 – Terminator 2 Judgment Day
The Terminators are another great fit for a game where you’re meant to be the last person standing. The T-800 and the T-1000 are equipped with their signature outfits and come with weapon blueprints to correspond with the skins. If you get bored of looking at either Terminator in their human disguises, you can change their skins to look more like a Terminator and less like a human. You and your buddies can run around as Terminators as you kill all your enemies.
For more Call of Duty lists, check out the Best Call Of Duty Games: Ranking The 10 Greatest Entries and Every Call Of Duty Game, Reviewed.
