Call of Duty Offers Free Battle Passes for Season 6—But There's a Catch

In a surprising move, some Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 players are receiving free Battle Passes for the latest season. However, it seems that Activision is only offering these freebies to users who have been away from the game for an extended period. Season 6 of Modern Warfare 3 kicked off on September 18, and it looks like Activision is making a final push to bring back lapsed players ahead of the release of Black Ops 6 in October.

While this is the last season for the game, Sledgehammer Games hasn’t held back when it comes to content in the Season 6 update. Players jumping into the game will find an abundance of new content, including various Shipment map variants, new weapons, and a brand-new 6v6 multiplayer map called Drive Thru. With Halloween approaching, fans can also experience the spooky Haunting event, live in both Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. This event brings chilling cosmetic bundles and modes filled with jump-scares, making the final season a thrilling experience.

How to Get a Free Season 6 Battle Pass in Call of Duty

If the Haunting event doesn’t draw players back, Activision is trying a different strategy: giving away free Battle Passes for Season 6. The catch? These codes appear to be sent randomly, and only to players who haven’t logged into Modern Warfare 3 in a while. Reports from social media suggest that there’s no way for players to request a code; instead, they simply have to wait and hope that Activision selects them for this offer.

Players Share Their Free Battle Pass Experiences

Reddit user Eymber93 is among those who received a free Battle Pass. They noted that they hadn’t played Modern Warfare 3 at all during Season 5 and had barely touched the game during Season 4. At first, the email offering the Battle Pass seemed like a suspicious spam message, but upon redeeming the code on Activision's official site, they found the Battle Pass waiting for them when they next logged in. They speculated that their inactivity likely triggered Activision’s decision to send them the free gift as a way to entice them back into the game.

However, not all players have been so fortunate. While some have received free Battle Passes, others have taken to social media to express their frustration at being left out. One user on Twitter mentioned that they hadn’t played since Season 1, yet still hadn’t received a code.

A Rare Move for Call of Duty

While it’s not uncommon for game publishers to offer free Battle Passes — with Fortnite and Apex Legends doing so in the past — it’s rare to see Call of Duty make such an offer. With Black Ops 6 just around the corner, it’s likely that Activision is using this tactic to re-engage players and encourage them to pre-order the next installment in the franchise.