Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has returned to its classic elements, reviving features such as prestige progression, simplified weapon balancing, and more conventional map layouts. This installment also introduces a revamped version of the Battle Pass that’s much clearer for players to navigate.
The battle sector system from MW2 and MW3 has been replaced with a traditional Battle Pass format that offers numerous cosmetic rewards and experience point boosters for active players throughout the season. In this guide, we’ll break down how the Battle Pass functions in BO6, how to earn Battle Pass Tokens, and give a brief overview of the Blackcell feature this year.
Understanding the Battle Pass in Black Ops 6
The Battle Pass in Black Ops 6 closely resembles those from MW2019 and Cold War, rather than the earlier titles. It utilizes a linear progression model consisting of 14 pages that you unlock by playing Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone. The complicated battle grid system from MW2 and MW3 has been phased out.
If you’ve participated in any live service game with a Battle Pass, you’ll find this system familiar. As you compete in Black Ops 6 or Warzone, you’ll work towards earning a Battle Pass Token, which you can use to unlock items on each Battle Pass page. By unlocking enough items on a given page, you can access the next one in line.
Battle Pass Pages
Rewards from the Battle Pass are divided into pages. When you first access the Battle Pass—found in the lobby menu for Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone—you’ll see 14 sets of unlockable rewards. Initially, you can only start with the first page, but as you redeem rewards, you’ll unlock further pages.
Each page offers 7-9 rewards that you can redeem with Battle Pass Tokens earned from playing BO6. You can choose any reward from accessible pages, except for the item on the far right of the page. This exclusive item can only be claimed after you unlock all the other rewards on the same page. For instance, if you want to claim the XM4 blueprint on Page 1, you must first unlock all six items on that page. Additionally, that locked reward also requires a Battle Pass Token to claim, meaning each page needs seven Battle Pass Tokens to be fully completed.
Unlocking Rewards
When you first enter the Battle Pass, it will automatically set to redeem your tokens. We suggest turning off this automatic token spending. You can change this setting in the Battle Pass menu, allowing you to use tokens on the rewards you genuinely want.
To claim your rewards, select any reward on a page that you’ve unlocked. Doing so will make that item available for use across all game modes. If you unlock a weapon blueprint, that weapon becomes permanently accessible, even after you prestige. We highly recommend unlocking weapon blueprints first to expand your arsenal while you level up, and getting experience point boosters is also beneficial.
Earning Battle Pass Tokens
Battle Pass Tokens are earned passively while playing Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone. Your progress toward tokens is solely based on the time you spend playing, not your match performance or skill. Progress is gained at a consistent rate across all game modes. You can speed up your Battle Pass progress by using a Double Battle Pass XP Token before a match. Be mindful that Double XP Tokens expire in real-time, so ensure you have enough playtime to maximize their use.
Aside from XP tokens, the best way to increase your Battle Pass progression is to minimize downtime between games. Generally, Zombies and Warzone tend to award Battle Pass Tokens slightly faster since you stay in-game longer rather than waiting for matchmaking.
Tier Skips
Occasionally, promotional offers and in-game events provide Tier Skips that work similarly to Battle Pass Tokens. Currently, the only source for Tier Skips is the Blackcell Battle Pass, which grants you 20 Battle Pass Tokens for that season.
Instant Page Unlock
For Blackcell owners, there’s an instant page unlock feature. This allows you to bypass the prerequisites for a page and start collecting rewards from it immediately. You can use this feature once per season, so plan carefully.
For example, if you wanted to unlock a weapon blueprint on Page 14 but just began the season, you could apply your page unlock to start gaining those rewards right away. However, this doesn’t unlock all the rewards on that page; it only grants you the chance to claim those with Battle Pass Tokens.
What is Blackcell?
Blackcell serves as a premium version of the Battle Pass, offering exclusive skin variants and 20 Battle Pass Tokens. The skins in the Blackcell package often feature a black and gold theme with dynamic elements, unique to that season’s Battle Pass and not available in the cash shop afterward.
If you aren’t particularly interested in the skins, your main reason for getting Blackcell would be the 20 Battle Pass Tokens it provides. Normally, acquiring a Battle Pass with those tokens would cost 2,400 CoD Points, or around $20. However, Blackcell costs $30, so it’s up to you to weigh the value of those additional skins against the price.