Following the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover, players are growing weary of Black Ops 6's costly in-game skins. Discover why some fans feel dissatisfied with Activision's monetization approach.
Black Ops 6 Faces Fan Criticism
BO6 Premium TMNT Skins Spark Outrage
Players are expressing disappointment over Black Ops 6's recent collaboration with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT), featured in the Season 2 Reloaded update. The frustration stems from character skins being placed behind a significant paywall.
Unlocking the four turtles—Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello—requires $20 per character. Meanwhile, Master Splinter's skin is accessible through the $10 Battlepass Premium Track. Purchasing all five character skins totals $100, not including the additional $10 TMNT-themed weapon blueprint inspired by Master Splinter's gear.
What particularly upsets some players is that Black Ops 6 is a premium game priced at $69.99, yet cosmetic items demand further investment. Many have compared this model to free-to-play titles such as Fortnite. Reddit user neverclaimsurv remarked, "That is INSANE. In Fortnite, I paid $25 for all four turtles, and that's a free-to-play game."
Beyond the initial game cost, Activision is unlikely to transfer these skins to future Call of Duty releases, meaning purchases won’t carry over once a new Black Ops title launches. Another Reddit user, SellMeYourSirin, pointed out, "It all comes down to a full-price game—expected to be replaced soon—having not one, but three tiers of battle passes." The game includes one free tier, with two premium tiers requiring payment.
Despite being one of the highest-earning video games in the U.S. this year, Activision shows no signs of slowing down its paid crossover events for Black Ops 6. That said, sustained player feedback could potentially influence future strategies.
Mixed Reviews on Steam for Black Ops 6
Black Ops 6 currently holds a "Mixed" rating on Steam, with 10,696 user reviews and only 47% recommending the game. In addition to complaints about pricey cosmetics, players report frequent PC crashes, widespread hacking in multiplayer modes, and concerns over Activision's use of AI tools.
Steam user LemonRain explained their negative review: "This game has experienced hard crashes since launch, and the latest patch makes it impossible to finish a match. I've tried reinstalling, safe mode, and support—nothing works, so I'm giving up."
Players who haven't encountered crashes still describe running into hackers who can end matches before they even begin. One user shared waiting 15 minutes in a lobby only to face cheaters immediately after joining.
In protest of Activision’s increased AI integration, some players are using AI tools like ChatGPT to generate negative reviews. Steam user Rundur noted, "Since Activision won't hire real people, I asked ChatGPT to write this negative review for me. Enjoy."
Despite the backlash, Black Ops 6 maintains strong revenue through its battle pass system, which remains pricier than most competitors in the shooter genre.
