Call of Duty's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover is sparking outrage among players due to its exorbitant cost. Unlocking all the themed items could set players back a whopping $90 in COD Points. This has led to widespread calls for Activision to make Black Ops 6 free-to-play.
Activision revealed the Season 02 Reloaded content, including the TMNT crossover, launching February 20th. Each Turtle (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael) receives its own premium bundle, anticipated to cost 2,400 COD Points ($19.99) each—a total of $80 for the complete set.
Adding insult to injury, a premium event pass costing 1,100 COD Points ($10) is also available, offering additional cosmetics, including Splinter, unavailable elsewhere. The free track offers some Foot Clan soldier skins.
The crossover focuses heavily on cosmetics with no gameplay impact, leading many to argue it’s easily ignorable. However, the high price point has reignited criticism of Activision's monetization practices. The premium event pass, previously used in the Squid Game crossover, is seen as further evidence of Black Ops 6 adopting a free-to-play monetization model similar to Fortnite.
Reddit user II_JangoFett_II summed up the sentiment: “Activision casually glossing over the fact that they want you to pay $80+ if you want the 4 Turtles, plus another $10+… DESPICABLE!” Other players echoed concerns about the increasing frequency of event passes, lamenting the loss of free, worthwhile event rewards.
Activision's monetization strategy in Black Ops 6 is multifaceted, including the base battle pass (1,100 COD Points/$9.99), the premium BlackCell pass ($29.99), and a continuous stream of store cosmetics. The TMNT crossover's premium event pass adds another layer.
Players argue that the combined cost of the game itself, battle pass, and additional microtransactions is excessive, suggesting a free-to-play model (for multiplayer) is the only fair solution.
This aggressive monetization isn't new for Activision, but the premium event pass has pushed many players to their limit. The standardized monetization across the $70 Black Ops 6 and free-to-play Warzone further fuels the criticism. What's acceptable for Warzone isn't for a full-priced title.
The calls for a free-to-play model stem from the increasing similarity between Black Ops 6 and games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Warzone.
Despite the backlash, Activision and Microsoft will likely maintain their course, given Black Ops 6's record-breaking launch and sales figures. The game's success justifies the aggressive monetization strategy from a financial perspective.
