Activision's TMNT Deal Spurs Free-to-Play Call for Black Ops 6

Securing all items from Call of Duty's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover could require up to $90 worth of COD Points, prompting the community to demand that Activision make Black Ops 6 free-to-play.

Activision recently revealed new content coming to Black Ops 6 Season 02 Reloaded on February 20, giving players a look at the mid-season Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collaboration.

Each of the four Turtles—Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael—will be available in their own premium bundle. Based on previous collaborations, these bundles are expected to be priced at 2,400 COD Points or $19.99 each. Collecting all four Turtles would mean spending nearly $80 in COD Points.

There’s more. Like the controversial Squid Game crossover, the Turtles event also includes a premium event pass for 1,100 COD Points or around $10. It features a range of exclusive cosmetics, including Splinter, which is locked behind the premium pass. The free track offers two Foot Clan soldier skins and other cosmetic items.

Many players point out that the Turtles content is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect gameplay. Skipping these paid bundles doesn't impact competitive play in Black Ops 6 multiplayer, and some are content to leave these purchases to dedicated collectors.

That hasn’t stopped vocal criticism from parts of the community, however. Players are accusing Activision of overpricing cosmetics and treating Black Ops 6 like a free-to-play game—just as Fortnite does.

“Activision casually expects players to spend $80+ for all four Turtles—plus another $10+ for the TMNT event pass rewards,” stated Reddit user II_JangoFett_II. “Call of Duty’s greed strikes again… It’s despicable!”

“Looks like we’ll see an event pass every season now,” Hipapitapotamus speculated. “Remember when in-game events actually offered cool universal camos for free?”

“The Turtles don’t even use guns,” APensiveMonkey commented. “Their fingers wouldn’t fit… it just doesn’t make sense.”

Let's break down how Activision monetizes Black Ops 6. Each season launches with a new battle pass—the base version costs 1,100 COD Points, or $9.99. A premium version called BlackCell is also available for $29.99, which can’t be bought with COD Points. Additionally, the in-game store continuously rotates cosmetic items for sale, and the Turtles event pass runs on top of all that.

“They expect players to buy the game, the battle pass or BlackCell, and now this premium event pass? That’s too much,” PunisherR35 added. “If this becomes standard, Call of Duty should shift to a free-to-play model for multiplayer and campaign.”

Truthfully, Activision’s aggressive monetization in Call of Duty isn’t new. But the premium event pass—introduced in the Squid Game crossover—has pushed some players to their limit. As many have noted, Activision applies the same monetization strategy to the $70 Black Ops 6 as it does to the free-to-play Warzone, which puts the premium title in an awkward position. What feels acceptable in a free game doesn’t necessarily translate well when players have already paid $70 just to access multiplayer.

That’s exactly why calls for free-to-play multiplayer in Black Ops 6 are growing louder. Each new microtransaction makes the paid multiplayer experience feel more like free games such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, Marvel Rivals—and of course, Warzone.

Still, Activision and its parent company Microsoft are unlikely to change course, especially given Call of Duty’s massive popularity. Black Ops 6 had the biggest launch in franchise history, breaking single-day Game Pass subscription records. PlayStation and Steam sales also surged 60% compared to last year’s Modern Warfare 3. Clearly, Call of Duty remains immensely profitable—no doubt a welcome outcome for Microsoft, which acquired Activision for a staggering $69 billion.