BO6 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Crossover Disappoints Fans Due to Exorbitant Prices

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) has ignited a firestorm of criticism from players due to its exorbitant pricing. The Season 2 Reloaded event locks individual turtle skins (Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello) behind a $20 paywall each, while Master Splinter costs an additional $10 via the premium Battle Pass. This brings the total cost to a staggering $100, 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 bundles are significantly cheaper, fuel the outrage. Reddit user neverclaimsurv commented, "That is INSANE...In Fortnite I think I paid $25.00 for all 4 turtles, and that’s a free game."

Adding insult to injury, the limited-time nature of the skins means players' investments are likely non-transferable to future Black Ops installments. Reddit user SellMeYourSirin highlights the issue: "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 backlash, Activision's aggressive monetization strategy is unlikely to change soon, given Black Ops 6's status as the highest-grossing video game in the US in 2024. However, sustained player pressure could potentially influence future decisions.

Black Ops 6's Troubled Reception on Steam

Black Ops 6 currently boasts a "Mixed" rating on Steam (47% positive), reflecting widespread player dissatisfaction. Beyond the pricing controversy, numerous complaints cite game-breaking crashes, rampant hacking in multiplayer, and Activision's increasing reliance on AI.

Steam user LemonRain summarizes the 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." Other users report encountering hackers who can instantly eliminate opponents, sometimes even before a match begins.

The shift towards AI has also prompted a wave of protest, with users leveraging AI chatbots like ChatGPT to generate negative reviews. Steam user Rundur's review exemplifies this: "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 overwhelmingly negative player feedback, Black Ops 6 continues to rake in significant revenue driven by its costly battle passes, highlighting a concerning trend in the gaming industry.