Why Is Call of Duty Charging for Everything Now?
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Call of Duty just crossed a line-again. Leaks for Black Ops 7 reveal not just another price hike… but a new monetization scheme so aggressive, it's leaving fans stunned. We're talking $80 for the base game-plus battle passes, overpriced skins, and now... limited-time game modes that are paywalled. You heard that right: you'll soon need to pay to access temporary content that vanishes after a few weeks. No refunds. No replays. Just… gone.
Over the past few months, it's been nothing but bad news for gamers when it comes to pricing. Nintendo's next-gen Switch is rumored to cost more. Xbox and PlayStation subscriptions are climbing. Even accessories are getting price bumps.
And now? Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is reportedly launching at $80.
And that's just the entry fee.
It used to be outrageous to pay this much for a new title. Now it's standard-and Activision isn't stopping there.
We're not just talking about the usual stuff-skins, store bundles, battle passes. Those are already frustrating, but they've become normal. What's new and deeply concerning are the leaks pointing to a "pay-to-enter" model for seasonal events.
You know those fun in-game events-Halloween specials, Christmas game modes, Godzilla crossovers? They've typically been free for everyone. But starting with Black Ops 7, only paying players will get access.
Let's pause for a second.
You'll be asked to:
• Pay full price for the game.
• Buy a battle pass.
• Then pay again to unlock timed content that disappears after a few weeks.
According to reliable insider TheGhostOfHope, Black Ops 7 will introduce "higher-value" limited-time events that feature exclusive rewards and new gameplay mechanics. But to access them, you'll need to buy the premium battle pass-even if you already own the base game.
Here's the direct quote from the leak:
"Black Ops 7 will feature more seasonal temporary modes, and some of these will be considered higher value, bringing exclusive rewards and different gameplay mechanics/roles. However, the only way to access these will be through the premium battle pass."
In other words: you're now paying for DLC you can't even keep. Once that event window closes, so does your access-forever.
We've seen Call of Duty pull stunts before. Remember when DLC map packs splintered the player base? Only a fraction of users would buy them, leading to matchmaking chaos. Now they're repeating the same mistake-only this time, it's worse. These aren't just cosmetic additions. We're talking about core game modes that players won't be able to access unless they pay up.
And since they're limited-time, you don't even get the chance to revisit or unlock content at your own pace. It's gone for good. You're being charged more… to play less.
At least with a microtransaction, you usually get to keep what you bought. Here, you're buying access to something that will vanish. There's no ownership. No replay value. Just a high-cost rental disguised as an event.
It's the worst of both worlds:
• High cost like premium DLC.
• Limited-time like a live-service event.
• No long-term benefit or access.
It's hard to imagine anything more anti-consumer than this.
At some point, you have to stop and ask-what are we even paying for anymore? Games used to be expensive, sure, but you got something complete in return. A full campaign, multiplayer modes, unlockables-all baked into the price. Now we're shelling out $80 just to unlock the right to spend more. You buy a game, and then it nickel-and-dimes you with battle passes, cosmetic bundles, and now, limited-time paid events that vanish forever. It's not just exploitative-it's predatory.
This kind of model doesn't just hurt your wallet. It hurts the integrity of the game. Multiplayer titles thrive on player engagement, accessibility, and long-term community support. But how can a community thrive when it's being sliced apart by monetization walls? When players are split into "haves" and "have-nots" based on whether they coughed up for this week's premium pass? It's a terrible experience for everyone-not just the people who can't afford it, but even for the ones who do pay, only to find dead lobbies, fragmented matchmaking, or content that disappears before they've had a chance to enjoy it.
And what's worse is that none of it carries over. You can drop hundreds of dollars on battle passes, skins, and event content, and next year? It's gone.