Yes, GTA 6’s Ultimate Edition Really Could Be Cheaper Than These 15-Year-Old Shooters

For years, gamers speculated about the price tag of Rockstar Games’ long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 6. Many felt there was a real chance it could be $100, especially if it included the multiplayer portion at launch (fans now know that it will not). And while that long-theorized price point for the most anticipated video game of all time is accurate when looking at its $100 Ultimate Edition, which includes some flashy Vice City outfits and a few exclusive in-game shops, gamers were pleasantly surprised to find out that the standard edition is only $80 USD. However, an $80 price tag goes from a pleasant surprise to an offensive demand when it’s attached to games that are a decade and a half old.

While fans are still waiting for the official Black Ops and Black Ops 2 port release dates, as thus far Activision has only said they’re coming at some point in July, fans were quick to notice some recent price changes for these classic games on other storefronts. Naturally, fans and gaming outlets alike are assuming that because Black Ops and Black Ops 2 have just had their prices lowered to $40, this is what the PS4 and PS5 ports are going to cost. And while two old, albeit beloved, games costing $80 will be divisive, what’s even more frustrating is that getting their DLC could put the total cost far above the industry-shaking GTA 6.

PSA: Call of Duty: Black Ops’ Most OP PS5 Guns Are Already Clear

The original Black Ops is coming to modern PlayStation consoles at some point in July, so it’s worth refreshing one’s knowledge on the best guns.

Black Ops 1 and 2 Ports Apparently Aren’t Content Complete

Assuming this logic holds up, and owning BO1 and BO2 together will indeed cost gamers $80, then the recent DLC price decreases are similarly revealing. Map packs have dropped from $15 to $10 in Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2, with the BO2 Season Pass shifting from $50 down to $30. The only real reason to make this change now, when modern PlayStation ports of classic CoD games have just been announced, is if these prices will be applying to the new ports. Assuming this is true, completing the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2 could cost players:

Black Ops 1 base game: $40
Black Ops 1 DLC packs: $40
Black Ops 2 base game: $40
Black Ops 2 Season Pass: $30
Grand Total: $150

Balance the critic averages

Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)

Considering that the original Black Ops lacked a Season Pass — this kind of approach to content would not become the standard for a few more years — getting all its DLC will actually be more expensive than in BO2, the more modern game of the pair. And while some may argue that players should just ignore the DLC, making GTA 6 and these ports the same price, the reality is that the DLC is an integral part of these games. Maps like Kowloon are fondly missed, while Grind has been remastered so many times in newer games that many will have just assumed it was a base multiplayer map in BO2. That’s not even acknowledging the elephant in the room that is CoD Zombies. Sure, Kino Der Toten and even Five are iconic, but missing out on the likes of Call of the Dead and Moon just feels wrong. Mob of the Dead and Buried in BO2 are a similar story, as they are seen by many as truly must-have experiences.

The Complete Version of GTA 6 is $50 Cheaper Than BO1 and BO2, and That’s Simply Not Okay

The two base Black Ops games costing the same as a brand-new, technologically advanced experience from gaming’s most beloved studio was already questionable enough. However, the idea that the Ultimate Edition for GTA 6 is $50 cheaper than unchanged versions of some old-school CoD games — Black Ops 1 and 2 are just ports, not remasters or remakes — is sure to cause backlash. Right now, the need to re-buy DLC is just an assumption, but fans will know if it’s something they have to do very soon. And though there’s certainly room for Activision to bundle the games and DLC together so superfans can own everything, there’s really no telling if it will do so. For now, it certainly looks like owning the first two Black Ops games and their similarly impactful DLC on PS5 will cost fans $150, a notion that is going to be extremely hard not to take offense to.