Call of Duty Players Criticize Squid Game Collaboration Skins for “Insane Money Grab”

The recent collaboration between Black Ops 6, Warzone, and Netflix’s popular series, Squid Game, has sparked significant backlash among players, who perceive the crossover as little more than a “money grab.”

With Squid Game Season 2 shattering viewership records on Netflix, the series has carefully cultivated its branding—including partnerships with notable brands such as McDonald’s and Duolingo. The gaming sector has joined this marketing frenzy, with a prominent collaboration emerging with Activision’s acclaimed first-person shooter franchise, Call of Duty.

While the crossover offers players complimentary features like the exhilarating Red Light, Green Light game mode and some enticing killstreaks, the majority of the associated content remains hidden behind a costly paywall. Participants are particularly frustrated as this content is split across four distinct bundles, leading to a collective expense that many deem excessive even before the items are available.

Squid Games LTM on Hacienda in BO6 multiplayer — Activision

The Squid Game crossover brings a piece of the thrilling Netflix series into the ever-popular FPS genre, but at a steep price.

Cost Breakdown of the Squid Game x Call of Duty Collaboration

As revealed by Activision, this collaboration features an Event Pass specifically for the Squid Game theme, where players can earn certain free rewards over time. However, to acquire all available items—including the coveted Front Man skin—players must invest in the Premium Track, which has already drawn severe criticism for offering fewer rewards than typical Battle Passes while costing 1,100 CoD Points.

In addition to the Premium Event Pass, players are faced with three themed bundles: a purchase strategy that offers no flexibility for individual purchases. Here’s the cost summary for these bundles:

Pink Guards Tracer Pack Bundle: 2,800 CoD Points
The VIPs Tracer Pack Bundle: 2,400 CoD Points
Young-Hee Tracer Pack Bundle: 2,400 CoD Points
Premium Event Pass: 1,100 CoD Points

To unlock all the content from this collaboration, players must accumulate a staggering total of 8,700 CoD Points, which translates to approximately $87 USD. This price point has left players incredulous, with some expressing frustration on social media. One player notably stated, “No thanks, I’ll just save my $87 for the next Call of Duty,” reflecting a common sentiment among gamers.

Another player voiced their discontent, saying, “This is an insane money grab for an insanely broken game,” while yet another commented, “Activision is clearly money hungry. They spend all this time working on bundles and crap cosmetics instead of actually improving the game.”

Anticheat not working, hackers, no server fixes, player numbers dropping, AI generated art and top COD streamers playing other games Activision’s response: MONEY

— 謙 RELL 信 (@KenshinRell) January 5, 2025

The ongoing issues surrounding hacking and gameplay stability have further heightened player dissatisfaction, leading some to label Call of Duty a “scam.”With hackers plaguing Black Ops 6 and Warzone and many notable content creators transitioning to other games, it appears that player confidence in the franchise is waning. Despite the growing discontent, the release of the new Squid Game bundles is expected any day now.

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