Call of Duty is certainly one of the most popular video game licenses of the moment. It is therefore quite logical that it is more in the spotlight than other games, but it is once again its economic model which has caused controversy. Activision has just confirmed the launch of another Battle Pass for the game, making some players unhappy once again.
Activision introduces a second Battle Pass for Call of Duty Black Ops 6: is enough enough?
With a polished campaign and beloved multiplayer mode, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 became the biggest launch in the series' history, reinforcing the dominance of Activision in the sector, a publisher bought for $69 billion by Microsoft in 2023.
However, Activision seems insatiable. Despite a game sold for €80, a Battle Pass for €10 (with additional options), and the BlackCell addon for €30, the company is asking for even more. His new idea? Add a Squid Game Premium Event Pass at €10 (1100 COD Points), a second Battle Pass which introduces a new series of exclusive rewards locked behind an additional microtransaction.
This new event allows players to unlock the operator Front Man and various other rewards. But many ultimately wonder if this addition was really necessary, and even more so at the proposed price. After recurring complaints about cheating and requests for gameplay corrections, this marketing choice is seen as a total disconnection from players' expectations. Irritation is growing in the community, already tired of having to spend more and more on content deemed superfluous.
It should still be noted that several rewards can be unlocked without even paying for the premium version of the new Battle Pass. These new features, as well as temporary game modes for multiplayer, Zombies and Warzone, will be available from January 3 at 7:00 p.m. Paris time. You can also discover some gameplay extracts in the video below.
Paying twice for exclusive content doesn't work
Players already pay for the Battle Pass to get skins and rewards, but content from the Squid Game collaboration is not included in the regular Battle Pass. It is this problem that is being criticized today by the Black Ops 6 community.
The responses on the networks point to a desire on the part of Activision to charge players ever more and to monetize its game excessively. These systems are not really new and are, for example, applied in Fortnite, but it should be noted that the Epic Games game is free, which is not the case for Black Ops 6. By inviting players to pass at the checkout two, even three times, Activision alienates some of the most loyal players in its franchise.
Of course, creating licensed content like Squid Game comes at a cost. But Activision here gives the impression of not listening to its community, which is already irritated by persistent problems like cheating. The general feeling is pretty clear: gamers are tired of seeing a series they cherish fall into a spiral of excessive monetization.
Black Ops 6 is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 as well as PC via Steam, the Windows Store and Battle.net. Black Ops 6 integrated Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from its launch, as well as PC Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
