Fans are growing increasingly frustrated with Black Ops 6's steep pricing for skins, especially following the latest crossover event with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Dive in to understand why some players are pushing back against Activision's monetization strategy!
Black Ops 6 Facing Backlash From Fans
BO6 Expensive Crossover TMNT Skins
The excitement around Black Ops 6's crossover with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles during its Season 2 Reloaded event has been overshadowed by the high costs associated with unlocking the skins. Each turtle—Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello—comes with a hefty $20 price tag. Master Splinter's skin is accessible through the $10 Battlepass Premium Track. When you tally it up, fans are looking at a staggering $100 just for the turtles, not counting the additional $10 TMNT-themed weapon blueprint.
What's particularly irking players is that Black Ops 6 isn't a free-to-play game; it retails at $69.99. This has led to comparisons with games like Fortnite, where a Reddit user, neverclaimsurv, pointed out, "That is INSANE. In Fortnite, I think I paid $25.00 for all 4 turtles, and that's a free game."
Moreover, there's the added concern that these skins won't carry over to future Black Ops titles, making the investment feel even more temporary. As Reddit user SellMeYourSirin noted, "It has everything to do with the fact a full-price game (that’s likely gonna be replaced within the next year) has THREE tiers of battle passes." This is significant, as the game offers a free first tier, while the other two require payment.
Despite being the highest-grossing video game in the United States in 2024, the future of Black Ops 6's monetization strategy may hinge on fan feedback. If dissatisfaction continues to grow, Activision might reconsider its approach to paid crossover events.
Black Ops 6’s Mixed Steam Review
Black Ops 6 currently holds a mixed rating on Steam, with only 47% of 10,696 reviews recommending the game. The dissatisfaction extends beyond just the pricing of skins. Players are reporting frequent PC crashes, which severely hamper their gaming experience. LemonRain, a Steam user, shared their frustration: "This game has had problems with hard crashing since launch, but the latest update has made it so I can’t complete a single match. Reinstalling. Safe mode. Support. Nothing works and I have given up."
Additionally, the presence of hackers in multiplayer matches is a significant grievance. Some players have encountered hackers who can instantly eliminate all opponents before a match even begins. One player recounted waiting 15 minutes in a lobby only to be matched with hackers.
In a unique form of protest against Activision's increased use of AI, some users have resorted to AI-generated negative reviews. Rundur, a Steam user, explained, "Since Activision can't be bothered hiring real people anymore, I've decided to take advantage of AI myself and ask ChatGPT to write this negative review for me. Enjoy."
Despite these issues, Black Ops 6 continues to generate substantial revenue, largely driven by its lucrative battle passes, which are more expensive compared to other shooters in the market.
