On the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is currently celebrating the “Shamrock & Awe” event. However, the festivities are not well received by all fans. Once again, the pricing policy of the game is the focus of criticism.
What is the event about? Since March 12, the seasonal spring event of Operation Grand Heist from Black Ops 4 has been live – at least on PS4. PC and Xbox One are expected to follow a week later.
The event brings, among other things, a spring update for the Blackout map and paints it in a juicy green color with a lovely spring sun. Additionally, the in-house Battle Royale now receives a Hardcore mode. The traditional multiplayer mode features a event-specific mode called Stockpile, and there are also new theme-inspired contents for Zombies.
What is the problem with the spring event? However, one thing that many fans expected is missing or at least not without further costs – the appropriate rewards in the form of new items.
Because while the event in Call of Duty: WW II still brought new playable items and weapons into the game, that is no longer the case for Black Ops 4. Shamrock & Awe does not receive its own stream in the Black Market through which new items could be earned.
Instead, players have the option to acquire a special order in the Black Market for the equivalent of €20. This reward package contains some pre-known event items as well as 10 reserve crates.
What do angry fans say? Numerous players are once again upset about the pricing policy of Black Ops 4. Because the appropriate event rewards for Shamrock & Awe – for many the primary motivation to participate in the event – are essentially hidden behind a €20 paywall.
No other rewards are available. Additionally, there is no opportunity to earn these event-specific rewards in-game. The actual content would therefore be limited to some new modes and a map update. Only a calling card and a gesture could be picked up when logging in.
So those who want to fully enjoy this event have to pay extra – even though it is supposed to be free for everyone. This practice is highly irritating for many players. On Reddit, numerous fans are now expressing their frustration. Because this development would take away the joy of playing from many.
Notably: Previously, users in similar discussions often called for restraint and emphasized that such rewards are purely optional cosmetic items. However, when one now looks at the comments, very few voices can be found that tolerate or accept such pricing policies.
Is there a reaction from Treyarch? No, there isn’t one at the moment. But it will be interesting to see how Black Ops 4 reacts to this criticism. Because when there was recently some trouble regarding the introduced loot boxes, the developers quickly made adjustments.
What do you think of the “Shamrock & Awe” event itself? And what do you think about the way event rewards are handled?
