📈 All About Call of Duty Mobile's Battle Pass

See how one of the best monetizing games in the world implements their battle pass!

Hello GameMakers,

This week, we will wrap up an ongoing Call of Duty: Mobile series by delving into their battle pass.

For your reference, here are the subjects we covered in this series over the past 2 weeks:

• All You Need to Know about Call of Duty Mobile Liveops Events

• Make that Money! Two-Tier Gacha Systems in Games (Call of Duty Mobile)

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Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I believe to be significant emerging structural changes that could completely disrupt the games industry. We’re already seeing some of that happen, for example, with the failure of many massive budget game projects and the rise of Chinese game development.

This week, I’m in LA to meet with folks in the gaming industry to think about the future and what I believe will potentially be one of the most significant years in the games industry in a while: 2025 is coming up! If you have thoughts on these topics, feel free to reach out.

In this newsletter:

1. Top Revenue: At #1, #2, and #3 worldwide, Royal Match and the two 4X champs, Last War Survival and Whiteout Survival, take the top 3 spots!

2. Top Downloads: Block Blast remains #1 worldwide, and Infinity Nikki launched at #1 in China.

3. Top Steam Revenue: Path of Exile 2 jumped 5 spots to take #1. Keep watch of #3 Marvel Rivals; this game looks very promising.

4. Highlight: We end our Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) series this week with a study of the CODM Battle Pass. Check out our analysis from Shilpa Gaur below!

Top 10 Mobile Revenue (Worldwide, US, and China)

• Oh damn, Royal Match and the two 4X champs, Last War Survival and Whiteout Survival, take the top 3 spots in worldwide revenue!

• At #9 worldwide, it's amazing to see Love and Deepspace, a narrative-based romance game, make it into the top 10.

• Note the profound differences in the top 10 games from the US vs. China. While the US likes casual and Match-3 games, China prefers MOBAs and auto-chess.

Top 10 Mobile Downloads (Worldwide, US, and China)

• At #1 worldwide, Block Blast retains its #1 spot.

• At #1 China, Infinity Nikki is an open world “cozy” game including platforming, puzzle-solving, and dress-up gameplay elements. It is the 5th installment in the Nikki series.

Top 10 Steam Charts by Revenue

• It's great to see many new games in the top 10.

• At #1, Path of Exile 2 jumped up to claim the top spot.

• At #3, I believe Marvel Rivals seems to be the most promising game to launch recently.

• At #5, Indiana Jones and the Great Circles is a first-person single-player action-adventure game.

Introduction

Call of Duty: Mobile’s (CODM) Battle Pass is a tier-based monetization system that runs in 4 to 8-week seasons. It features free and premium tracks across 50 tiers, with bonus progression to tier 200. The system drives retention through daily engagement and monetization through premium purchases. We dive deep into its core mechanics, architecture, reward distribution, sales and merchandising, and pricing strategies. For this article, we analyze the Battle Pass rewards of the season 10 Battle Pass 2024.

Key Highlights

• Seasonal duration of 4-8 weeks creates urgency and maintains engagement

• 50-tier primary progression system with extended progression up to tier 200

• Dual-track reward system (free and premium) with strategic reward distribution

• Three purchase options: Standard Pass (560 CP), Bundle (1280 CP), and Ground Forces Subscription ($10.99/month)

• Region-specific pricing strategy while maintaining consistent reward value

• The premium track offers 560 CP return, offsetting the initial cost

• Battle Pass focuses on Epic rarity rewards

• Higher rarity rewards like Legendary & Mythic rarity weapons, characters are reserved for higher value gacha and excluded from Battle Pass

Understanding Spend Drivers in CODM Battle Pass

CODM's Battle Pass monetization is driven by fundamental player motivations that shape purchase decisions and long-term engagement. These motivations translate directly into specific design elements that maximize both player satisfaction and revenue potential.

The Battle Pass design deliberately addresses these spending drivers through strategic reward placement, tiered bundle options, themed collections, and clear value demonstration. This understanding of player psychology forms the foundation for the Battle Pass's core mechanics and architecture.

Call of Duty: Mobile Battle Pass

Core Mechanics & Architecture

CODM’s Battle Pass is a progression-based game system designed with four pillars. These pillars encompass seasonal structure, tier-based progression, XP-driven advancement, and dual-track rewards, making the Battle Pass an engaging and rewarding player experience.

• Seasonal Structure

Each Battle Pass runs along each season, which lasts 4 to 8 weeks, creating a time-boxed progression journey. This limited duration drives urgency and engagement as players strive to complete their progression before the season ends and rewards reset.

The reset mechanism encourages sustained engagement as players strive to complete their goals within the defined timeframe. A fresh start every season also helps maintain long-term player interest.

• Tier-Based Progression System

The Battle Pass's core is its tier-based progression system, which consists of 50 main tiers. Players unlock key rewards by earning XP.

After completing the main 50 tiers, players can progress to tier 200, earning store credits as bonus rewards. This extended progression system maintains prolonged engagement and a sense of achievement.

• XP-Driven Advancement

Players must earn XP in the game to progress along the battle pass tiers. These XPs can be earned by completing matches, participating in various game modes, completing tasks, achieving objectives and other in-match activities like landing eliminations, capturing objectives, winning awards, etc.

The XP system forms the foundation of progression, directly converting player activity into tier advancement and earning rewards. This creates a clear relationship between time investment, gameplay participation and reward acquisition.

• Dual-Track Reward Structure

The rewards are split into two parallel tracks, catering to both free and premium players:

• Free Track: This track is available to all players and provides a basic set of standard rewards. It acts as an entry-level incentive, showcasing the Battle Pass’s value. It:

  • Provides basic rewards and seasonal items

  • Serves as a preview of the Battle Pass value

  • Maintains an inclusive player ecosystem

• Premium Track: Players who opt for the premium track gain access to exclusive rewards in addition to those in the free track. This added value appeals to dedicated players, incentivizing purchases and reinforcing progression satisfaction. It:

  • Unlocks exclusive premium content

  • Grants access to both premium and free rewards

  • Enhances the overall reward experience

  • Creates clear value proposition for purchases

This architecture ensures that every gameplay session contributes to Battle Pass progression, keeping players consistently engaged throughout the season.

Reward Distribution

CODM's Battle Pass entices players with a huge pile of rewards. It offers these rewards through a dual-track system strategically differentiating value between free and premium players. The reward distribution spans 50 tiers, carefully balancing cosmetic and functional items to appeal to different player motivations. The following table shows the no. rewards by rarity for both free & paid track-

We see just one legendary rarity reward for the paid battle pass, which, as we will see, is just a calling card reward. The highest rarity for primary rewards of weapons & characters is an epic rarity only. CODM’s Battle Pass gives no legendary or mythic weapons or character rewards.

Let us now see the rewards in more detail, focusing on the free & paid tier.

Free Track Reward Distribution

CODM's Battle Pass free track implements a sophisticated reward strategy that balances player satisfaction with premium conversion potential. This strategic distribution spans multiple reward types and rarities, creating engagement through both functional and cosmetic rewards.

The free tier reward distribution for CODM Season 10 2024 battle pass is shown below:

This data showcases CODM's focus on maintaining high perceived value while preserving premium track allure. The reward structure's details reveal how this translates to player value:

This reward structure serves multiple objectives:

• Balanced Progression

  • Strategic spacing of currency drops maintains steady engagement, enhancing player retention

  • Combat items are distributed to enhance the core gameplay experience

  • A mix of battle royale classes and standard items caters to different play styles, broadening the appeal

• Value Perception

  • High-rarity items positioned as progression milestones drive session frequency

  • Themed variants ("Moonlight Wisp"/"Light Strips") create collection value and seasonal engagement

  • Currency rewards provide tangible progression metrics, improving satisfaction scores

• Premium Incentive

  • The free track showcases item quality while limiting quantity, creating an upgrade desire

  • Strategic inclusion of premium-tier items demonstrates upgrade value

  • Currency rewards introduce players to the premium economy, facilitating conversion

This carefully designed distribution system showcases CODM's approach to player retention and monetization strategy, creating clear paths to premium conversion while maintaining free player satisfaction.

Premium Track Reward Distribution

The premium track of CODM’s Battle Pass offers exclusive, high-value rewards designed to provide enhanced gameplay experiences and cosmetic upgrades for paying players. This track focuses on delivering epic and legendary rewards that elevate the player experience while justifying the cost of entry.

The paid tier reward distribution for CODM Season 10 2024 battle pass is shown below:

The charts above reveal the premium track's focus on epic-tier rewards, which dominate the distribution at over 70%. The track also features one legendary reward, adding prestige and rarity to the progression system. This strategic distribution reinforces the premium track's value proposition, offering items that free track players do not have access to.

Let's examine the specific rewards that create this value:

The premium reward structure serves the following objectives:

• Premium Value Delivery

  • 4 Epic character skins with unique designs and themes

  • 9 weapon blueprints featuring exclusive "Lunar Cycles" variants

  • Strategic distribution of Epic items (71.1%) reinforces the premium worth

  • The inclusion of a legendary reward creates a prestige factor, further motivating purchases.

  • The blend of functional and cosmetic rewards ensures that competitive and casual players are rewarded.

• Thematic Consistency

  • The "Lunar Cycles" theme unifies weapon and equipment designs

  • Coordinated cosmetic sets across characters and accessories

  • Themed variations create collectable appeal

• Economic Benefits

  • Battle Pass cost offset by rewarding the players with 220 CP return through tiered distribution (70+10+10+10+10+10+20+20+10+50)

  • Premium currency recovery subtly incentivises continued investment in future passes

  • Additional Vault Coins enhance overall reward value

The premium track’s design ensures players feel rewarded for their investment, offering a mix of aspirational and practical items that significantly enhance the gameplay experience. It encourages long-term Battle Pass investment through both immediate rewards and currency returns.

Unique Feature of Paid Battle Pass- Rearranging Rewards

CODM's Battle Pass features a unique reward customization system that allows players to rearrange the order of Epic rewards to match their preferences.

Through a simple drag-and-drop interface accessible from the main Battle Pass menu, players can modify when they receive specific Epic weapons (at tiers 1, 10, 20, or 40) and Epic character skins (at tiers 1, 12, 30, or 50).

This personalization feature enhances player satisfaction by letting them prioritize their most desired rewards while maintaining the overall Battle Pass progression structure.

Sales & Merchandising

CODM's Battle Pass merchandising employs a multi-tiered sales approach, offering players multiple entry points while maximizing perceived value. Following are the three battle pass options: Standard Battle Pass, Battle Pass Bundle and Ground Forces Subscription

CODM's Battle Pass presents three distinct value tiers, each targeting different player needs:

The Standard Battle Pass (560 CP) focuses on core value, offering all premium rewards with a 220 CP return, 25% XP boost, and instant unlock rewards. This base option attracts value-focused players seeking premium content without extra features.

The Battle Pass Bundle (1280 CP) accelerates progress by instantly unlocking 12 tiers and adding exclusive rewards. Marketing emphasizes a 35% savings message, positioning it as the efficiency choice for players wanting faster progression.

The Ground Forces Subscription ($10.99/month) is the premium option, bundling Battle Pass access with monthly exclusive rewards, crate discounts (50% off 10X pulls), and XP boosts. This comprehensive package targets highly engaged players seeking maximum value and ongoing benefits.

Each tier maintains clear value differentiation while serving specific player segments and engagement levels, as shown in the table below:

This tiered approach allows players to choose their preferred entry point while maintaining clear value distinctions between options. The standard pass is the baseline, with bundles and subscriptions offering enhanced benefits for more invested players.

Battle Pass Vault

CODM also offers Battle Pass Vault, which provides an alternative access path to previous Battle Pass content, though without CP returns. This creates a distinct value proposition for collectors and returning players.

Cost of Battle Pass

CODM implements strategic price discrimination across regions while maintaining consistent value delivery. The Battle Pass SKUs’ pricing across regions is as follows:

Total Value of Battle Pass

Understanding the value of a Battle Pass involves analyzing what the player spends versus what they receive in rewards. The player pays an upfront cost to access all rewards, culminating in the main rewards at Tier 50.

Players have two options to reach Tier 50:

1. Play and Progress: Earn XP through gameplay to unlock rewards across tiers.

2. Pay to Skip Tiers: Spend CP (in-game currency) to bypass tiers and instantly claim all rewards up to a specific level.

Let’s break it down with an example:
If a player skips 10 tiers by paying 1,200 CP (10 tiers × 120 CP per tier), they unlock all rewards up to Tier 10. Here, the player substitutes time and gameplay effort for CP to progress and claim rewards.

Cost Breakdown:

• Upfront Battle Pass Cost: 560 CP

• Cost to Skip One Tier: 120 CP

• Cost to Skip All 50 Tiers: 6,000 CP (120 CP/tier × 50 tiers)

Total Battle Pass Cost: 560 CP + 6,000 CP = 6,560 CP

Real-World Value Comparison:

• Total Cost in CP: 6,560 CP

• Equivalent in Dollars: $75.00

• Actual Player Cost (Upfront Battle Pass Price): $6.40

By purchasing the Battle Pass, players effectively receive a discount of approximately 91%, unlocking rewards worth $75.00 for just $6.40. This significant value proposition is one of the key factors driving the popularity of Battle Pass systems in games.

Conclusion

CODM's Battle Pass succeeds through balanced reward distribution, strategic pricing, and consistent engagement mechanics. The system effectively monetizes through premium conversions while maintaining free player satisfaction, creating a sustainable revenue model.

The regional pricing strategy raises market awareness while maintaining consistent value delivery. The system successfully balances free player retention with premium conversion potential through strategic reward distribution and clear value demonstration.