There are plenty of sectors to go through (pic: Activision)

Season 1 of Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 will kick off with a revamped battle pass system, that looks like nothing you’ve seen before.

The launch of Warzone 2 on November 16 will officially kickstart Season 1 for both Call Of Duty sequels, giving you the chance to start climbing the ladder towards special items straight away.  

If you’re a fan of battle royales or first person shooters in general, you’ll know that their battle passes traditionally feature a linear progression system.  

However, Call Of Duty has found a way to completely switch things around, and make Season 1’s battle pass resemble a map or Risk style board game. Let’s see what’s new and what you might recognise from previous versions of the game… 

Is the Season 1 battle pass free in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2? 

As Warzone 2 brings forth a suite of new features and additions to the Call Of Duty meta, not everything you used to take for granted is still the same.

Like any other battle royale game, Season 1’s battle pass will feature both a free and a premium version, which you can purchase for 1,000 COD points or £8.49. 

Some items are available without purchasing the battle pass, but to get access to all its features, such as brand new operator Zeus, you will have to get the premium version.

A brand-new face has joined Call Of Duty (pic: Activision)

The base version of the battle pass gives you access to 20 free items, whereas the premium lets you unlock over 100 items. 

There’s also a battle pass bundle that will grant you 20 battle pass tokens (or 25 if you’re playing on PlayStation) to give you a head start. 

Normally, you can earn battle pass tokens by simply playing the game, like tiers in the old system. 

How to level up the Season 1 battle pass in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 

Activision has scrapped linear progression through the battle pass tiers and in its place you’ll find a new multi-sector map.  

The intention behind this change was to give you more choice over what items you want to unlock, to suit your playstyle, with the map divided up into different sectors.

You’ll have to use your earned battle pass tokens to unlock items across the map, which will showcase each season’s theme.

The battle pass almost looks like a board game (pic: Activision)

Each sector contains a main item which is called a high value target or HVT. For example, the HVT in sector A1 is a weapon blueprint and there are four items that must be unlocked before getting access to the HVT. 

You have to unlock an entire sector, including the HTV item, before moving to a new one, so make sure you spend your battle pass tokens wisely.  

It’d be better if you decide which of the season’s rewards you’d prefer in advance, whether that means taking the quickest path toward a new operator skin or one of the new weapons. 

All the new weapon and operator skins in the Season 1 battle pass for Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 

Planning ahead can be crucial when it comes to unlocking special rewards in Season 1’s battle pass. 

You’ll need 30 battle pass tokens to unlock both new weapons, which are in sectors A6 and A7.  

The new weapon located in A6, the BAS-P SMG, has an aggressive fire rate and can prove useful when completing the campaign’s final missions by picking it up from Shadow Company operators. 

You can unlock this submachine gun for free (pic: Activision)

At launch, the weapon will fire 870 rounds per minute, putting it just below the PSDW 528. However, its ammo is the same as the MX9, making it a potential powerhouse at closer ranges. 

The other new weapon located in A7, the Victus XMR sniper rifle, is a hard-hitting long-range weapon of the same calibre as the Signal 50 but must be handled with precision. 

Both weapons are HTVs meaning that you’ll get them for free once you unlock the other items in their sector. 

On the other hand, you’ll find three new operator skins in sectors A9, A11, A18. Here are all of them: 

Sector A9: ‘The Unseen’ operator skin for KorTac mil-sims Sector A11: ‘Ursidae’ operator skin for Zero Sector A18: ‘Blackout’ operator skin for Roze 

Roze’s all black look has been refreshed (pic: Activision)

To equip some of these skins, you’ll have to unlock certain operators by completing specific tasks, such as campaign or co-op missions. 

If you want to get a head start, we’ve figured out how to unlock all the SpecGru and KorTac operators in Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2. 

What do you get for completing the Season 1 battle pass in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2? 

If you manage to reach 100% completion on the battle pass map by conquering all 20 sectors (excluding the bonus sector) you’ll gain access to the Victory sector. 

The Victory sector contains the following high-tier items: 

‘Olympus King’ operator skin for Zeus ‘Mortal’s Bane’ weapon blueprint 300 COD points 

The Mortal’s Bane is a weapon blueprint that’s custom-made for Zeus, and it features five attachments that combine for a mobile midrange build. It comes in handy if you want to catch enemies off-guard, as you can use it around corners and other cover. 

More: Gaming

How to unlock the bonus sector in the Season 1 battle pass in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 

The map-like battle pass features a bonus sector, A0, which you can unlock by purchasing the premium version. 

Besides the season’s first new operator Zeus, the bonus sector also features four additional items: 

10% battle pass boost ‘Myth Maker’ weapon blueprint for SMGs ‘Articulate Response’ weapon blueprint for sidearms ‘Chronophobia’ gun screen  

Gun screens are new customisation features that allow you to attach widgets to your weapons. The Chronophobia one shows you the real world’s time and date, if you’re keen to keep track of how much time you spend on gaming.

Call Of Duty: Warzone 2.0 launches for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC on Wednesday, November 16.

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Season 1 of Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 will kick off with a revamped battle pass system, that looks like nothing you’ve seen before.