Leveling up in Black Ops 6 already takes an age, but the developers seem obsessed with making the grind take as long as possible

Leveling up in Black Ops 6 already takes an age, but the developers seem obsessed with making the grind take as long as possible

As a seasoned gamer with over 20 years of experience under my belt, I find myself increasingly frustrated with the current state of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Despite my enthusiasm for the game, I can’t help but feel that Treyarch is intentionally making it a grueling, time-consuming process to progress through the Prestige levels.


As a game analyst, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Despite being an occasional gamer, I’ve found myself immersed in this title for well over 100 hours now. My progress may be gradual, but I’m diligently working my way up the Prestige levels.

It’s a grind, for sure. But I’m fine with that. What I’m not fine with is the apparent obsession with making it take as long as possible. It’s almost certain a large percentage of the players out there won’t hit Prestige Master, and it’s even more certain that of those that do, very few will ever hit the level cap after that.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but wonder why the development team at Treyarch seems so fixated on extending the development process. It’s no secret that progressing in their games is a time-consuming endeavor, with me nearing Prestige 4 after investing over 100 hours. And even then, I’m barely halfway to achieving Prestige Master. Using my best guess, it seems I might need close to 400 hours of gameplay, if not more, given my current skill level. It’s a fascinating approach indeed!

Alongside the current dispute regarding legacy 2XP tokens and the glitch that spoiled the final day of the double XP event, as well as the lengthy progression time, this situation leaves a rather uneasy feeling within me.

What’s been going on lately with XP in Black Ops 6?

Leveling up in Black Ops 6 already takes an age, but the developers seem obsessed with making the grind take as long as possible

For your convenience, if you’re not completely familiar with the workings of the Prestige system, let me explain it briefly: The system consists of ten levels. When you reach level 55 for the first time, instead of moving on to level 56, you can opt for Prestige. After that, you start over again from level 1, aiming to advance to the next Prestige level. Once you’ve completed Prestige 10 times, you will then achieve Prestige Master. Essentially, to reach this point, you need to have leveled up a total of 560 times.

Initially, levels advance rather swiftly as you begin at lower stages. However, as you approach level 55, you’ll require more XP to progress, making the process slower. Reaching Prestige Master means you’ll have access to a massive 1,000 levels to conquer. In total, this amounts to over 1,500 times you’ve leveled up with some extra, making it an extensive and time-consuming journey. Only a select few who amass an enormous amount of XP and invest significant game time will likely achieve the currently undisclosed rewards upon reaching the Prestige Master level 1,000 cap.

So why this apparent obsession over making it take longer?

Leveling up in Black Ops 6 already takes an age, but the developers seem obsessed with making the grind take as long as possible

Initially, we held our first 2XP event, which turned out fantastic. Due to some intense gameplay sessions, I managed to climb up a whole Prestige tier within just two days, with many others likely advancing even further. However, a patch was released that was meant to boost XP earnings in certain modes but instead decreased it across all multiplayer modes. Consequently, the remaining hours were essentially wasted, and players didn’t receive any apology.

Initially, when Warzone combined with Black Ops 6, there was a debate regarding legacy double XP tokens that were transferred over. At first, these tokens were used, then they were taken away, but players found a method to activate them across their accounts within Warzone. However, Treyarch has since decided to rescind this decision, likely due to the negative feedback from the community. It seems a suitable resolution is in progress now.

Now that the Drone (UAV) has had its power reduced, it will provide fewer points and won’t stay airborne for long. It might be necessary to adjust its active time; after all, if it provides too much of an edge in the game, it’s only fair to balance things out. However, drones and Counter-drones are convenient methods for passively earning points during gameplay, and more points translate into more Experience Points (XP). The score generation has been significantly decreased, with each point now being about one third of its original value.

According to Dexerto’s report, it seems more beneficial for the enemy team to destroy it rather than use it, and a player has gone so far as to accuse Treyarch of waging an ‘XP war.’ Undeniably, it gives off that vibe.

Earn more XP if you buy the full game

Leveling up in Black Ops 6 already takes an age, but the developers seem obsessed with making the grind take as long as possible

If there had ever been a mechanic that could have been added to Black Ops 6, which I fully disagreed with, it’s this. If you buy the full game, you get a 30% XP boost now in Warzone.

In simpler terms, since Warzone’s battle royale mode is free, it’s used to encourage players to make additional purchases. However, asking for $70 if you primarily play Warzone might seem excessive, especially considering the various in-game items they plan to sell over the coming year.

It’s particularly annoying that this rule appears to only affect individuals who purchase the game directly, yet here I am, a Game Pass subscriber and Vault Edition upgrade owner, who is actually paying for the game, and I can’t boost my Warzone XP. At minimum, those of us playing on Game Pass should be given equal treatment. It just doesn’t seem fair.

It’s a long grind already, players need to feel like they’re being rewarded

Leveling up in Black Ops 6 already takes an age, but the developers seem obsessed with making the grind take as long as possible

The sheer volume of levels, and as such rewards, that can be unlocked by leveling up in Black Ops 6 is already eye-watering. For a game that will be succeeded by another in 12 months, that most of the more active players will migrate to, it’s already a task the overwhelming majority will not complete. I very much doubt I have over 1,000 hours, at least, to dedicate to try and hit Prestige Master 1,000.

In the game, it seems like there’s a lack of sufficient methods for players to be recognized or rewarded for actively participating in the game. It can already be challenging to enjoy objective-based modes when so many seem to view them as prolonged Team Deathmatch sessions and excessively focus on boosting their KD (Kill/Death) ratio.

There needs to be a balance struck here, perhaps. The XP rewards for players should be substantial enough to feel satisfying yet not overly challenging to earn in the game.

It seems to me that Treyarch might be employing an unconventional strategy to keep player engagement, perhaps by making advancement slow or requiring payment for additional XP. This approach could potentially turn the game into a cash-grabbing experience. However, the quality of the game itself should be sufficient to retain players naturally, and those who are most committed will continue playing regardless. It’s just frustrating when it feels like this method is used, as it can lead to player attrition.

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2024-11-20 21:09