Call of Duty's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover is sparking outrage among players due to its steep price tag. Unlocking all crossover items could cost upwards of $90 in COD Points, prompting many to demand Activision make Black Ops 6 free-to-play.
Activision's February 20th reveal of Black Ops 6 Season 02 Reloaded detailed the TMNT crossover, revealing individual premium bundles for each turtle (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael). Each bundle is expected to cost 2,400 COD Points ($19.99), totaling $80 for the complete set.
The community's criticism centers on the lack of gameplay-affecting items within the crossover. Many argue that the purely cosmetic nature of the content makes the high price point unacceptable. The inclusion of a second premium event pass, following the controversial Squid Game crossover, fuels comparisons to free-to-play models like Fortnite.
Black Ops 6's monetization strategy already includes a base battle pass ($9.99), a premium BlackCell version ($29.99), and a continuous stream of store cosmetics. The premium event pass adds another layer to this already extensive system. Players argue that this aggressive monetization, mirroring free-to-play titles, is excessive for a $70 game.
The standardized monetization across Black Ops 6 and Warzone further exacerbates the issue. What might be acceptable for the free-to-play Warzone isn't necessarily justifiable for a full-priced title. This disparity fuels the calls for Black Ops 6 Multiplayer to adopt a free-to-play model.
Despite the backlash, Activision and Microsoft are unlikely to alter their course. Black Ops 6's record-breaking launch and sales figures demonstrate the continued success of Call of Duty's monetization strategy, justifying the investment made by Microsoft in acquiring Activision Blizzard.
