The folks behind graphic novel and indie game series, Black Powder Red Earth, have accused developer Infinity Ward of re-purposing one of their photos for use in Call of Duty Modern Warfare's promotional campaign.
Originally discovered by reddit user u/Ta2punk, Black Powder Red Earth claims ownership of the image in question, adding that Infinity Ward had not received permission to use it in their marketing.
The photo, which Black Powder Red Earth says was produced for another client, bears a striking resemblance to one that can be found in Activision-Blizzard's Battle.net launcher, albeit without the added lighting effects, filters, and of course - that big logo strewn across it.
Some have pointed out that Infinity Ward may have outsourced the production of Modern Warfare's promotional images, and that a third-party freelancer could have submitted a re-purposed version of the original image and passed it as their own.
In any case, this accusation has sparked discussion about creative aspects of high-profile projects, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, that are outsourced to third-parties rather than being handled by in-house teams. While it likely comes down to budgetary reasons why developers, and by extension, their publishers, opt to hire out freelancers rather than maintain a salaried staff, one should question whether this pursuit to produce a cheaper product is worth compromising on its creative integrity.