Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Introduces Squid Game Event with Paid Rewards
This weekend, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will launch a special event inspired by the popular Netflix series, Squid Game, coinciding with the show’s second season premiere. However, this event introduces a twist: some of its most coveted rewards are locked behind a paid event pass. Essentially, players will need to purchase an additional battle pass on top of the already priced $70 game—a fitting reflection of class struggle in this military shooter’s latest crossover.
Event Details and Features
The Squid Game themed event kicks off on January 3 and will feature limited-time activities across BO6’s multiplayer modes, zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone. Players can expect to engage in iconic challenges from the show, including the notorious Red Light, Green Light game. The update also brings new operator bundles for sale, such as the Pink Guards Tracer Pack.
More controversially, certain rewards—like an exclusive Front man operator skin—are only accessible through a premium track within an event pass that costs approximately 1100 COD Points (around $11).
Premium Track Benefits
According to Activision’s announcement regarding this update: “While all players can earn items through the Free reward track, opting for the Premium reward track unlocks even more exclusive content.” Purchasing this premium option allows access to additional themed rewards like the instant unlock ‘High Authority’ XM4 Assault Rifle Blueprint along with Blueprints for various weapons including a Knife and GS45 Pistol. Other incentives include a Concussion Grenade Equipment Skin, unique Finishing Moves, and emotes like ‘throwdown’ as well as themed visuals such as ‘Who’s Left’ Talking Gun Screen.
A Shift in Monetization Strategy
While it is not uncommon for Call of Duty to monetize appealing content further through microtransactions or bundles available in their shop offerings; introducing a paid battle pass specifically for events marks a new approach. Previous collaborations with franchises like Fallout or Dune allowed players to earn rewards simply by participating without any extra cost involved.
In contrast to these earlier models where players coudl accumulate COD points back through gameplay progression within battle passes—a feature that has recently been removed—the current setup restricts many desirable items behind paywalls.
Community Reactions and Market Performance
this shift towards monetization mirrors trends seen in other games like Fortnite but lacks one significant advantage: being free-to-play. The ongoing debate surrounding microtransactions comes amid broader community concerns regarding skill-based matchmaking systems and anti-cheat measures within Call of Duty titles.
Despite these controversies surrounding its monetization practices and gameplay mechanics, Call of Duty continues to thrive commercially; it is projected once again to be among last year’s top-selling games while consistently leading console weekly active user statistics.