According to GamingBolt, with the release of the Season 4 update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, it appears that Activision has begun adding advertisements to parts of the game’s user interface. This move has sparked widespread negative reactions from players. As reported by IGN, Reddit users confirmed that since the new update, ads have started to show up in various parts of the game’s menus—particularly in the loadout management and weapon selection screens.
Weapon Bundle Ads Replace Useful Info
A majority of the advertisements are focused on promoting premium weapon bundles. Based on user-shared screenshots, ads for bundles like Reactive: Peek Performance, Comic Bonanza Tracer Pack, and Reactive: Bank Roll now appear directly in the game menus. Even the event tab, which traditionally displayed playlists and helpful info such as double XP events, has been replaced with promotional banners for the Battle Pass.
Reddit Users Speak Out Against Monetization
One Reddit user, whambampl, wrote:
“One of the most annoying changes I noticed in Season 4 is a new ad slot added above the custom loadout list. Now, every time you switch loadouts, you’re forced to look at ads for skins that cost 20 to 30 dollars. I’m sure the developer who came up with this awful idea is very proud of themselves.”
The backlash has been intense. Many players argue that a full-priced multiplayer game should not be cluttered with intrusive commercial promotions. One user pointed out that this level of advertising might be more understandable in a free-to-play title like Call of Duty: Warzone—but not in a $70 premium release.
Price Tag Doesn’t Justify the Ads
The most common point of frustration among players is the fact that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launched at a price of $70, yet still features in-game advertising. Another Reddit user wrote:
“This game still costs 80 euros. I get that most of their revenue comes from the in-game store, but the least they could do is keep the menus clean if I’m paying premium prices.”
One sarcastic user added:
“Just wait until pop-up ads appear during gameplay, asking you to buy bundles while you’re in the middle of a match.”
Future Titles May Include Even More Monetization
Even though Black Ops 6 hasn’t been out for long, rumors about the next installment in the franchise are already circulating online. According to The Ghost of Hope, the next entry—possibly titled Black Ops 7—may take things even further by restricting certain events to Battle Pass owners only.
Although no official details have been confirmed yet, reports suggest that future updates will place greater emphasis on seasonal events, with exclusive skins, special items, and crossover operators only available through the premium version of the Battle Pass
