A long-standing Call of Duty scorestreak is once again under fire from the community, with many Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 players claiming it’s practically worthless in multiplayer.

Scorestreak balancing has been a major talking point throughout the life of Black Ops 7. Some streaks dominate matches, while others barely make an impact. According to many fans, the EMP now falls firmly into the second category.

The EMP has been part of Call of Duty since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and was once considered one of the most disruptive streaks in the franchise. In previous titles, activating it could cripple enemy electronics, disable killstreaks, and heavily disrupt visibility and equipment.

That reputation hasn’t carried over to Black Ops 7.

Players on Reddit and social media have been criticizing the streak for weeks, arguing that it barely affects opponents and fails to justify its score requirement. One player complained that enemy D.A.W.G. units survive the EMP while field upgrades remain active, questioning what purpose the streak actually serves.

Others pointed out that even Overclock upgrades don’t seem to improve the streak in a meaningful way. Some fans compared it to older entries like Modern Warfare 3, where the EMP was viewed as significantly stronger and more disruptive.

Veteran players also reminisced about how devastating EMPs used to feel in classic CoD games. In older titles, the streak could disable optics, distort thermal scopes, and completely shut down enemy technology. Many believe Black Ops 7’s version lacks that same impact.

Another frustration comes from the fact that some players claim the EMP’s effects can be instantly removed using an overclocked Stim, effectively negating the streak entirely.

The complaints arrive during an ongoing debate around Black Ops 7 scorestreak balance. While some streaks such as the Deadeye Drone and VTOL are often labeled overpowered, others are viewed as ineffective or too situational to be worth running.

At the moment, there’s no indication that the developers plan to buff the EMP, but community criticism around the streak continues to grow.