Activision's latest crossover event in *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6*, featuring the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has stirred up quite a conversation within the gaming community. This collaboration, set to launch with the Season 02 Reloaded update on February 20, offers players a chance to dive into a world where Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael make their mark in the game. However, the price tag attached to this immersive experience has left many players questioning the value and direction of in-game purchases.
Each turtle comes with its own premium bundle, expected to cost 2,400 COD Points, or $19.99. If fans wish to collect all four turtles, they're looking at spending $80 in COD Points. But the spending doesn't stop there. Activision has also introduced a premium event pass for the Turtles crossover, priced at 1,100 COD Points / $10, which includes exclusive cosmetics like Splinter, accessible only through this purchase. The free track of the event pass offers a couple of Foot Clan soldier skins, but it's the premium content that has caught the community's attention.
While the Turtles crossover focuses heavily on cosmetics and doesn't impact gameplay, the high cost of these items has sparked debate. Many in the community feel that these prices are edging *Black Ops 6* toward a model more akin to free-to-play games like *Fortnite*. This sentiment was echoed by players on Reddit, with one user, II_JangoFett_II, expressing frustration over the cost, stating, "Activision casually glossing over the fact that they want you to pay $80+ if you want the 4 Turtles, plus another $10+ if you want the TMNT event pass rewards. Call of Duty's Gross greed strikes again... DESPICABLE!”
Activision's monetization strategy for *Black Ops 6* includes a base battle pass at 1,100 COD Points / $9.99, a premium BlackCell version at $29.99, and a constant flow of store cosmetics. The introduction of premium event passes, first seen with the Squid Game crossover, has pushed some fans to their breaking point. Critics argue that the monetization model, similar to that of the free-to-play *Warzone*, feels out of place for a $70 game like *Black Ops 6*.
The community's frustration has led to calls for *Black Ops 6* to adopt a free-to-play model for its multiplayer component. As players like PunisherR35 pointed out, "So they expect the playerbase to buy the game itself, buy the battle pass/black cell and now this? Na that's too much. If this is gonna be the norm moving forward, CoD needs to move to a FTP model (campaign, MP)." This sentiment reflects a growing dissatisfaction with the game's aggressive monetization tactics.
Despite the backlash, Activision and its parent company, Microsoft, are unlikely to change course. *Black Ops 6* has been a commercial success, setting records for Game Pass subscriptions and seeing significant sales increases over its predecessor. With *Call of Duty* continuing to be a powerhouse in the gaming industry, the financial success of these strategies seems to outweigh the community's concerns for now.
