Less than a week before launch, Activision has revealed a major piece of information about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare; that the game won’t include loot-boxes, but will instead include a Battle Pass. Following the recent trend seen in games like Apex Legends, the Modern Warfare Battle Pass system will allow players to earn extra cosmetic items. However, this system won’t be available at launch.
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Battle Pass System
Activision have previously said that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare would not feature a Season Pass or console-specific early access promotions. Indeed, it has seemed obvious that Modern Warfare will follow the live-service model trend like other major titles currently dominating the market. Dropping loot-boxes is also not exactly surprising; loot boxes are near universally unpopular among gamers, and have also been attracting controversy elsewhere, with gambling regulators keeping a close eye on how they were being implemented. As such, several major developers and publishers have begun to shift away from their usage.
The big announcement, however, is that players can expect to see a Modern Warfare Battle Pass instead of a Season Pass. This is a surprisingly late announcement for such a feature, although it apparently won’t feature at launch. “The Battle Pass System for Modern Warfare will not launch when the game releases on October 25th,” explains Activision; “Here’s why: First and foremost, we are all focused on making the Day One experience awesome. Second, it’s important for us that everyone who is playing Modern Warfare has the chance to work their way through the new game and unlock all the rewards that are waiting for you.”
The Battle Pass will come later in 2019, apparently. Details about the system are a little hazy at present. However, Activision states that there will be a Free and Premium Stream in the Battle Pass System. Base weapons and attachments will be unlocked through gameplay. Meanwhile, the Battle Pass and In-Game Store will feature cosmetics that don’t impact game balance. It’s currently unknown what Activision will charge for the Battle Pass, or how frequently they will release post-launch content seasons.