Home > News > 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

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

by Blake Mar 03,2025

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 staggering $90 in COD Points, prompting calls for Black Ops 6 to transition to a free-to-play model.

Activision's Black Ops 6 Season 02 Reloaded update, released February 20th, introduced the crossover. Each of the four Turtles (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael) boasts a premium bundle priced at 2,400 COD Points ($19.99) each, totaling $80 for the complete set.

The Leonardo Tracer Pack, costing 2,400 COD Points or $19.99. Image credit: Activision Publishing.

Adding insult to injury, a premium event pass, mirroring the controversial Squid Game crossover, is available for 1,100 COD Points ($10). This pass grants access to exclusive cosmetics, including Splinter, unavailable through any other means. The free track offers limited cosmetics, including two Foot Clan soldier skins.

The community criticizes the crossover's focus on purely cosmetic items with no gameplay impact. Many argue that ignoring the crossover is easy, but the high cost continues to fuel discontent.

The Turtles event pass, only the second of its kind in Call of Duty. Image credit: Activision Publishing.

Reddit user II_JangoFett_II summed up the sentiment: “Activision casually glossing over the fact that they want you to pay $80+ for the Turtles, plus another $10+ for the event pass.” Other players express concern about the potential for future seasonal premium event passes, contrasting it with past events offering free, universally appealing rewards.

Black Ops 6's monetization strategy is under scrutiny. Beyond the base ($9.99) and premium ($29.99) battle passes, plus in-game store purchases, the added premium event pass is pushing players' tolerance. The consistent monetization across the $70 Black Ops 6 and the free-to-play Warzone is a major point of contention.

Many believe that the aggressive monetization, while perhaps acceptable for the free-to-play Warzone, is unacceptable for a full-priced title like Black Ops 6. This disparity fuels the demand for Black Ops 6 Multiplayer to adopt a free-to-play model, aligning it with similar titles like Fortnite and Apex Legends.

Despite the backlash, Activision and Microsoft are unlikely to alter their course, given Black Ops 6's record-breaking success. Its massive launch and increased sales demonstrate the franchise's continued profitability. This financial success justifies Activision's monetization strategy, regardless of player concerns.

Trending Games More >