Black Ops 6's TMNT Crossover Sparks Player Outrage Over Pricing

Activision's latest Black Ops 6 crossover event, featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) as part of Season 2 Reloaded, has ignited a firestorm of criticism from players due to its exorbitant pricing. The individual character skins (Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello) are priced at $20 each, while Master Splinter costs an additional $10 via the premium Battle Pass. This totals a staggering $100 for the complete set, excluding a $10 TMNT-themed weapon blueprint.

This pricing model has particularly angered players given that Black Ops 6 is a full-priced game ($69.99). Comparisons to free-to-play titles like Fortnite, where similar character packs are significantly cheaper, have fueled the backlash. Reddit user neverclaimsurv succinctly summarized the sentiment: "That is INSANE...In Fortnite I think I paid $25.00 for all 4 turtles, and that’s a free game."

Further compounding the issue is the likelihood that these skins will not carry over to future Black Ops installments. This means players' significant investment will be tied to a single game, likely to be superseded within a year. Reddit user SellMeYourSirin highlighted this point, stating, "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."

Despite the negative feedback, Activision's aggressive monetization strategy, fueled by Black Ops 6's status as the highest-grossing video game in the US in 2024, is unlikely to change drastically without substantial pressure from its player base.

Black Ops 6's Troubled Steam Reviews

Black Ops 6 currently holds a "Mixed" rating on Steam, with only 47% of 10,696 user reviews recommending the game. Beyond the pricing controversy, players cite numerous issues, including frequent game crashes, rampant hacking in multiplayer, and concerns over Activision's increasing reliance on AI.

Steam user LemonRain exemplifies the frustration, stating, "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...Nothing works and I have given up." Other players report encountering hackers who can instantly eliminate opponents, sometimes even before a match begins.

In a symbolic protest against Activision's AI integration, some users have even employed AI chatbots like ChatGPT to generate negative reviews. Steam user Rundur's review reads, "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 the widespread criticism and numerous reported issues, Black Ops 6 continues to generate substantial revenue, largely driven by its high-priced battle passes, highlighting a concerning trend in the gaming industry.