Activision's Expensive TMNT Crossover Sparks Debate on Black Ops 6 Going Free-to-Play

The much-anticipated crossover between *Call of Duty* and *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* has sparked a significant reaction within the gaming community, with players balking at the price tag associated with obtaining all the items. Activision has revealed that to fully experience the crossover in *Black Ops 6*, players might need to shell out up to $90 worth of COD Points. This has led some fans to suggest that *Black Ops 6* should transition to a free-to-play model, given the aggressive monetization strategy.

The mid-season update for *Black Ops 6* Season 02 Reloaded, set to launch on February 20, includes the TMNT crossover. Each of the four turtles—Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael—comes with a premium bundle, expected to cost 2,400 COD Points or $19.99 each. Collectively, this means a total of $80 for all four turtles. Additionally, a premium event pass for the TMNT crossover, priced at 1,100 COD Points or $10, offers exclusive cosmetics, including the character Splinter, which can only be obtained through this pass. The free track of the event pass includes lesser items like Foot Clan soldier skins.

While the TMNT crossover focuses heavily on cosmetics and does not impact gameplay, some players are vocal about their dissatisfaction with the pricing. They argue that these crossovers are becoming increasingly expensive, drawing comparisons to free-to-play games like *Fortnite*. The community's frustration is further fueled by the introduction of a second premium event pass, following the controversial *Squid Game* crossover, leading to sentiments that *Black Ops 6* is being monetized as if it were a free-to-play title.

Community reactions have been strong, with players like redditor II_JangoFett_II calling out Activision's "gross greed" and others like Hipapitapotamus lamenting the shift from free, universal rewards to costly event passes. APensiveMonkey even humorously criticized the crossover's thematic consistency, stating, "The Turtles don’t use guns... Their fingers wouldn’t even... I hate this..."

It's important to understand how Activision monetizes *Black Ops 6*. Each season introduces a new battle pass costing 1,100 COD Points or $9.99, with a premium version, BlackCell, priced at $29.99. Alongside these, there's a constant flow of purchasable cosmetics in the store. The TMNT crossover and its premium event pass add to this already extensive monetization strategy.

The sentiment among some players, as voiced by PunisherR35, is that the combination of a paid game, battle passes, and now premium event passes is excessive. They argue that if such monetization continues, *Call of Duty* should consider a free-to-play model for its multiplayer mode, similar to *Fortnite*, *Apex Legends*, and *Warzone*.

Activision's monetization tactics are not new, but the introduction of premium event passes has pushed some fans to their limit. The standardized approach to monetization across the $70 *Black Ops 6* and the free-to-play *Warzone* has not sat well with many, who feel that what is acceptable for a free game does not translate well to a paid one.

Despite these criticisms, Activision and its parent company Microsoft seem unlikely to change course, given *Black Ops 6*'s record-breaking launch and significant impact on Game Pass subscriptions. Sales figures have also surged, reflecting the franchise's enduring popularity and justifying the monetization strategy from a business perspective, especially after Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision.