It’s 2019 and loot boxes are still a thing. The latest update to Black Ops 4 called Operation Grand Heist came with the introduction of loot boxes, referred to as Reserve Crates. Black Ops 4 came out last October, and it took four months for the developers to feel it was time to add in the controversial reward system. However, they offered a straightforward method for players to earn them.
There are two ways you can receive a Reserve Crate in Black Ops 4. You can purchase one for 200 COD points (the game’s currency players acquire with cash), or they can spend two hours in the game’s multiplayer or Blackout mode and receive one. To obtain 200 CoD points, you’ll have to fork over $2, so the loot boxes are not outrageously expensive. Still, following Activision Blizzard’s massive layoffs last week, it doesn’t seem like the best time to try and ask players for more money.
Inside the Reserve Crates, you’ll have the chance to earn a variety of different cosmetic items, such as outfits, warpaints, and weapon prints. A considerable problem about these loot boxes, reported by Eurogamer, is the fact players have the chance to acquire MKII versions of a gun. These MKII versions provide the player with a 25 percent experience boost for every kill with that gun. The experience boost can quickly stack up for the more advanced players, easily bringing up their ranking and giving them a massive lead compared to those unwilling to pay for the crates.
It seems Activision did not learn from EA’s BattleFront 2 fiasco, where, in the initial build of the game, a player obtained better abilities through loot boxes. This progression system has since changed.
We’ll see if the public outcry is enough for Activision to pull the loot boxes, or not. Black Ops 4 players have already started to vent their rightful frustration on the game’s Reddit forum.
