Black Ops 6 Aggressively Pushes Battle Pass & Bundles with New In-Game Ads: A Step Too Far?

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is facing backlash for its recent implementation of aggressive in-game advertising. Players are reporting a surge in ads urging them to purchase the premium battle pass, weapon blueprints, and various bundles. This move, highlighted by Charlie Intel on X, has sparked criticism from the community, particularly given the game's established history of microtransactions.

These new advertisements are prominently displayed in areas where players spend a significant amount of time, such as the Create a Class menu and the Events tab. Even more intrusive, advertisements for weapon blueprint bundles now appear directly within the weapon select menu itself, serving as a constant reminder of items players might be missing.

"Activision has now added Bundle and Battle Pass advertisements to the Create a Class and Events tab with the Season 4 update in Black Ops 6 and Warzone," tweeted Charlie Intel, showcasing the extent of the advertising push.

The frustration stems from the fact that the battle pass already enjoys significant visibility within the game, boasting its own dedicated menu tab and frequent reminders to claim rewards and upgrade to the premium version. The weapon blueprint advertisements are seen as a particularly blatant attempt to incentivize players to bypass the weapon progression system by simply paying for instant access to new weapons. For players who haven't dedicated time to earlier seasons, these ads can feel especially manipulative, preying on the desire to unlock weapons quickly.

Microtransactions are nothing new to the Call of Duty franchise. Black Ops 6 already features mini-event battle passes and a vast store filled with weapon and Operator bundles. While in-game advertisements for these items may seem like a natural extension of this system, the increased frequency and prominent placement have clearly crossed a line for many players. This tactic has amplified pre-existing concerns about in-game monetization becoming more aggressive with each installment.

Despite the controversy, Black Ops 6 Season 4 introduces new maps, modes, and weapons. A John Wick Ballerina crossover event is also slated to begin later in the season. Dataminers have also discovered an upcoming Mastercraft weapon blueprint that includes intricate weapon-inspection animations.

Will this wave of advertisements push players away, or will the new content be enough to keep them engaged? Share your thoughts on the new in-game ads in the comments below!

• Activision
• Black Ops 6
• Call of Duty

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