Following the introduction of loot boxes (Reserve Crates) into Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Activision has now confirmed that after you reach a certain tier within the game, free Black Ops 4 Reserve Crates will no longer be available to you. Black Ops 4 Reserve Crates are normally earned through play rather than requiring purchase via microtransaction. However, once you reach Tier 100, going beyond that will not see you rewarded with any more reserve crates.
According to MP1ST, the removal was confirmed by the Activision Support Twitter account. In response to a question about not earning reserve crates after Tier 100, Activision Support responded, “so as soon as you reach Level 100 there [is] actually not a way to earn reserves from that point forward.” Previously, free Black Ops 4 Reserve Crates would be earned after reaching the last tier of an Operation and then going beyond it.
This news will likely come as a disappointment to fans looking to avoid microtransactions in the game. Even before the introduction of loot boxes, four months after the game’s release, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 had plenty of ways for players to spend money. Black Ops 4 Reserve Crates saw the game introduce their version of loot boxes. However, they were almost immediately derided for being over-complicated and deceptive [via Eurogamer].
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has had a rough couple of weeks across the board, from lawsuits to new competitors. Moreover, PC players of the game weren’t happy at the restructuring of the game’s multiplayer modes which saw the removal of Free-For-All. The lawsuit in question was instigated by professional wrestler Booker T. who claimed the game’s prequel comic copied his likeness. Support for Black Ops 4’s battle royale mode Blackout has been slowing down when compared to games like Fortnite, and with the sharp rise of Apex Legends, the game is likely to have taken a further hit.
