News
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Faces Backlash Over New In-Game Ads for Premium Skins
<p data-start="83" data-end="473">A surprising new feature in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has caught players off guard. Instead of just showcasing weapons, the weapon selection menu now includes prominent advertisements pushing pricey skins and premium weapons. This change is stirring frustration among longtime fans who feel the game is becoming overly commercialized — especially since Black Ops 6 is a paid, premium title.</p>
<p data-start="475" data-end="840">Players noticed the ads at the very top of the weapon build list, making it almost impossible to avoid seeing offers for $20 to $30 skins every time they switch gear. The backlash was swift and loud, with many calling out Activision for what they see as an aggressive move to milk more microtransaction money from a community that already paid upfront for the game.</p>
<h2 data-start="842" data-end="893">A Subtle but Annoying Shift in Player Experience</h2>
<p data-start="895" data-end="1306">The ads aren’t your usual pop-ups for fast food or sneakers, but they still feel intrusive. One user pointed out, “It’s not like they’re selling cheeseburgers here, but this kind of ad placement in a premium game is new—and unwelcome.” Unlike free-to-play titles, where ads and microtransactions are expected, players argue that Black Ops 6 shouldn’t have to shove paid cosmetic items in their faces constantly.</p>
<p data-start="1308" data-end="1586">The timing of the ads&#8217; appearance—with Season 4 rolling out—makes it clear that this isn’t a bug or an accident. It’s a deliberate design choice by the developers. The same player who flagged this said, “Activision’s developer who suggested this feature must be proud. I’m not.”</p>
<p data-start="1588" data-end="1778">For many, this kind of constant upselling crosses a line. &#8220;I paid $60 to $100 for the game,&#8221; said another, &#8220;and now I’m getting bombarded with ads like it’s some cheap mobile game? Come on.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="1780" data-end="1897">The reaction across social media echoes this sentiment. Comments range from sharp disappointment to outright disgust.</p>
<p data-start="1780" data-end="1897"><a href="https://www.theibulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-weapon-skins-in-game-screenshot.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57575" src="https://www.theibulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-weapon-skins-in-game-screenshot.jpg" alt="call of duty black ops 6 weapon skins in-game screenshot" width="1396" height="792" /></a></p>
<h2 data-start="1899" data-end="1964">Fans Compare Black Ops to Mobile Games and Free-to-Play Models</h2>
<p data-start="1966" data-end="2247">In a related online discussion, someone quipped that Call of Duty is becoming &#8220;SpongeBob SquarePants’ Krusty Krab,&#8221; referring to the animated show’s fast-food joint famous for aggressive sales tactics. Others went further, calling the ad intrusion “pathetic” for a big-budget game.</p>
<p data-start="2249" data-end="2554">Many players drew comparisons between Black Ops 6 and the free-to-play Warzone, where microtransactions are more expected—if still controversial. “If this was just Warzone, I wouldn’t be mad,” wrote one fan. “But this is a full-priced game getting more expensive and still pushing ads? That’s ridiculous.”</p>
<p data-start="2556" data-end="2654">Another added, “It feels like some indie mobile game, not a flagship title from a huge developer.”</p>
<p data-start="2656" data-end="2856">There’s a growing concern that the relentless push for microtransactions might undermine the core gameplay experience. Some fans openly stated they’ve never uninstalled a Call of Duty game so quickly.</p>
<h2 data-start="2858" data-end="2918">Developer Response and Player Frustration on Other Fronts</h2>
<p data-start="2920" data-end="3257">Treyarch, the studio behind Black Ops 6, recently shared updates about tackling cheating and maintaining game quality. They acknowledged how cheaters “severely impact the experience” and promised to keep banning accounts throughout 2025. In fact, 136,000 ranked play accounts were banned across Black Ops 6 and Warzone earlier this year.</p>
<p data-start="3259" data-end="3500">But while the anti-cheat efforts have been highlighted, the new ad feature is getting little to no mention from the developers. For many players, it feels like the game is focusing more on monetization than fixing bugs or improving gameplay.</p>
<p data-start="3502" data-end="3689">One frustrated user summed it up bluntly: “You can’t just squeeze money out of people and expect the game to be decent. I’m not asking for perfection, just for it not to be a buggy mess.”</p>
<h2 data-start="3691" data-end="3744">How Microtransactions Are Reshaping Premium Gaming</h2>
<p data-start="3746" data-end="3956">The addition of these weapon menu ads is part of a broader trend in the gaming industry. Even premium-priced titles are leaning into microtransactions, cosmetics, and “season passes” as ongoing revenue sources.</p>
<p data-start="3958" data-end="4002">Here’s a quick look at the backlash pattern:</p>
<div class="_tableContainer_16hzy_1">
<div class="_tableWrapper_16hzy_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse" tabindex="-1">
<table class="w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)" data-start="4004" data-end="4689">
<thead data-start="4004" data-end="4118">
<tr data-start="4004" data-end="4118">
<th data-start="4004" data-end="4030" data-col-size="sm">Aspect</th>
<th data-start="4030" data-end="4077" data-col-size="sm">Player Reaction</th>
<th data-start="4077" data-end="4118" data-col-size="sm">Industry Trend</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody data-start="4232" data-end="4689">
<tr data-start="4232" data-end="4346">
<td data-start="4232" data-end="4258" data-col-size="sm">Ads inside paid games</td>
<td data-start="4258" data-end="4306" data-col-size="sm">Seen as intrusive, money-grabbing</td>
<td data-start="4306" data-end="4346" data-col-size="sm">Increasingly common</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="4347" data-end="4460">
<td data-start="4347" data-end="4373" data-col-size="sm">Microtransaction pricing</td>
<td data-start="4373" data-end="4421" data-col-size="sm">Considered expensive ($20-$30 skins)</td>
<td data-start="4421" data-end="4460" data-col-size="sm">Cosmetic items dominate sales</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="4461" data-end="4575">
<td data-start="4461" data-end="4486" data-col-size="sm">Player expectations</td>
<td data-start="4486" data-end="4535" data-col-size="sm">Want fewer ads, better gameplay</td>
<td data-start="4535" data-end="4575" data-col-size="sm">Developers prioritize revenue streams</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="4576" data-end="4689">
<td data-start="4576" data-end="4601" data-col-size="sm">Cheating and bugs</td>
<td data-start="4601" data-end="4650" data-col-size="sm">Frustration remains despite bans</td>
<td data-start="4650" data-end="4689" data-col-size="sm">Ongoing challenge for studios</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<div class="absolute end-0 flex items-end"></div>
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<p data-start="4691" data-end="4851">It’s a tricky balance. Studios need to fund ongoing development and servers, but players expect to get what they paid for—a game first and a marketplace second.</p>
<h2 data-start="4853" data-end="4899">Physical vs Digital: The Shifting Landscape</h2>
<p data-start="4901" data-end="5179">Interestingly, a poll related to this controversy shows many gamers still prefer physical copies of games over digital. Out of more than 120,000 votes, a strong segment sticks to physical discs, perhaps as a way to “own” the game more fully—free from constant digital upselling.</p>
<p data-start="5181" data-end="5439">But digital sales continue to rise, pushing publishers to rely on in-game stores and ads to boost revenue. So, gamers who buy physical games might feel caught in the middle: paying full price upfront yet still encountering constant pushes for extra spending.</p>
<p data-start="5441" data-end="5562">So, what do you think? Does the push for in-game ads ruin the experience, or is it the new normal we all have to accept?</p>

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