Activision's Expensive TMNT Crossover Sparks Calls for Free-to-Play Black Ops 6

The latest crossover between *Call of Duty* and *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* has stirred quite the controversy within the gaming community, with players facing a hefty price tag of up to $90 in COD Points to unlock all the themed items. Activision unveiled this mid-season content as part of Black Ops 6 Season 02 Reloaded, set to launch on February 20. Each of the four iconic turtles—Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael—comes with their own premium bundle, priced at 2,400 COD Points or $19.99 each. This means that securing all four bundles would require an investment of $80 in COD Points.

Adding to the cost, Activision introduced a premium event pass for the Turtles crossover, priced at 1,100 COD Points or $10, which includes exclusive cosmetics such as Splinter. The free track of this event pass offers two Foot Clan soldier skins among other rewards, but the premium track is the only way to obtain Splinter. While the crossover focuses heavily on cosmetic items without affecting gameplay, the high cost has not sat well with many in the *Call of Duty* community.

The criticism has led some players to argue that Activision's monetization strategy for Black Ops 6 mirrors that of a free-to-play game like Fortnite. This sentiment was echoed by community members on platforms like Reddit, with users such as II_JangoFett_II calling out the "gross greed" of requiring $80+ for the turtles and an additional $10 for the event pass. Others, like Hipapitapotamus, lamented the shift from free, universal camos to paid event passes.

Activision's monetization of Black Ops 6 goes beyond the Turtles crossover. Each season introduces a new battle pass costing 1,100 COD Points or $9.99, with a premium BlackCell version priced at $29.99. Additionally, there's a continuous stream of store-bought cosmetics. The introduction of premium event passes, starting with the Squid Game crossover, has further fueled the debate about the game's pricing model.

Some players, like PunisherR35, argue that the current monetization structure is excessive, suggesting that *Call of Duty* should transition to a free-to-play model for Multiplayer and Campaign modes. The comparison to free-to-play games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Warzone is becoming more frequent, as Black Ops 6's monetization increasingly resembles these titles despite its $70 price tag.

Despite the backlash, Activision and its parent company Microsoft are likely to continue their current strategy, buoyed by the overwhelming success of Black Ops 6. The game achieved the biggest launch in the franchise's history and set a new single-day Game Pass subscription record. Sales on PlayStation and Steam surged by 60% compared to the previous year's *Modern Warfare 3*. With such financial success and Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision, the company seems poised to maintain its course, much to the chagrin of some of its player base.