Developer Treyarch and publisher Activision's "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6" is under fire in relation to its Squid Game crossover, as the best rewards are all locked behind a premium pass.
Activision just confirmed that it plans to charge players an extra fee to give them a chance to acquire some of the content that is coming with the new collaboration.
The publisher shared more details about the event, which includes a Red Light, Green Light limited-time multiplayer mode.
Squid Game Premium Pass
There are also new operator bundles that are based on characters from the highly popular Netflix series that players can use. But fans are mostly concerned about the new Squid Game Event Pass, which features a free and a premium track.
The publisher has shared information about what each track would include, where the premium pass has the Front Man operation skin.
Activision also confirmed that the premium track for the latest crossover will cost 1,100 COD Points, which cost $9.99, according to IGN.
The official blurb for the premium track says that all players can progress and unlock items along the free pass. It also noted that the premium track offers a lot more items for people who are willing to cough up the cash.
The paid part of the battle pass includes the "High Authority" XM4 Assault Rifle Blueprint as well as blueprints for the Knife, GS45 Pistol, and Saug SMG. It also gives players a chance to get a Concussion Grenade Equipment Skin, a Finishing Move, and a lot more.
Best Rewards Behind Paywall
One of the things about the Squid Game pass that people are unhappy about is that it costs the same as a seasonal premium battle pass, which has a lot more rewards.
The latter also gives players a chance to earn back some of the COD Points that they spent on the pass, PCGamesN said.
This is the first time that the "Call of Duty" franchise has introduced a paid event pass into one of the games. Previous crossovers, such as the "Fallout" and "Dune" events, let players earn rewards by simply paying without the need to pay COD Points or real-life money.
Many fans are calling the situation more proof that the franchise is trying to mimic "Fortnite's" collaboration-fueled business model. However, what the "Call of Duty" series is not doing is being free-to-play.
The controversy also comes as there are ongoing community complaints about "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6" regarding skill-based matchmaking and anti-cheat protections, according to Kotaku.
