Activision's Costly Call of Duty Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Crossover Has Some Players Saying Black Ops 6 Should Just Go Free-to-Play at This Point

Call of Duty's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover is sparking outrage among players due to its steep price tag. Unlocking all the themed items could cost upwards of $90 in COD Points, leading many to call for Black Ops 6 to become free-to-play.

Activision revealed the Season 02 Reloaded content, including the TMNT crossover, on February 20th. Each Turtle (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael) gets their own premium bundle, likely priced at 2,400 COD Points ($19.99) each – a total of roughly $80 for the complete set.

Adding insult to injury, a premium event pass costing 1,100 COD Points ($10) is also available, featuring Splinter and other cosmetics. This is only the second premium event pass in Call of Duty history. The free track offers some cosmetics, including Foot Clan soldier skins.

The community is largely unfazed by the purely cosmetic nature of the crossover; no gameplay advantages are tied to purchases. However, the high cost is fueling criticism, with players drawing parallels to free-to-play models like Fortnite.

Reddit user II_JangoFett_II summarized the sentiment: “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!”

Other players express concern about the potential for future seasonal premium event passes, lamenting the shift away from free event cosmetics. One player humorously points out the Turtles' lack of firearms, highlighting the incongruity of the monetization strategy.

Black Ops 6's monetization extends beyond this crossover, including a base battle pass (1,100 COD Points/$9.99), a premium BlackCell pass ($29.99), and a constant stream of store items. This, coupled with the premium event pass, is seen as excessive, particularly given the game's $70 price tag.

The comparison to free-to-play titles like Fortnite is frequently made, emphasizing the perceived disparity between monetization strategies for paid and free games. While Activision's aggressive monetization isn't new, the premium event pass has pushed many players to the breaking point. The standardized monetization across Black Ops 6 and Warzone further exacerbates the issue.

Despite the criticism, Black Ops 6's success is undeniable. It boasts the biggest Call of Duty launch ever, setting new records for Game Pass subscriptions and sales on PlayStation and Steam. This financial success, however, does little to quell the growing discontent among players regarding the game's monetization practices.