Call of Duty 2025 May Lock Limited-Time Modes Behind Battle Pass Paywall

The upcoming Call of Duty 2025, widely believed to be Black Ops 7, may restrict access to some limited-time modes (LTMs) unless players purchase the Battle Pass, according to a new leak from reliable insider TheGhostofHope.

A Shift in Access to Seasonal Content

Traditionally, Call of Duty's LTMs have been free for all players. However, the leak suggests Black Ops 7 will introduce "higher value" seasonal modes that are only playable by Battle Pass owners, marking a significant change in how players access content.

"Black Ops 7 will reportedly have more seasonal LTM’s and some of them would be considered “higher value” with unique rewards and different game mechanics/modes BUT the only way to play the LTMs will be to have the battle pass unlike how it's currently free for everyone".

This means that to participate in certain temporary modes, players may need to spend $20–30 on the Battle Pass. The pass will reportedly bundle these LTMs with premium cosmetics, crossover operators, and rewards previously tied to separate Premium Event Tracks seen in past "Reloaded" mid-season updates.

"They are planning on taking the higher tier skins, loot, and crossover operators for LTMs and making them only accessible to Battle Pass owners instead of having the "Premium Event Track" we currently get during Reloaded updates".

Monetization in the Microsoft Era

These changes align with reports that Call of Duty 2025 will be among Xbox’s first $80 games, following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

During the recent Xbox console price hike, Microsoft said that pricing will remain scaled — smaller titles may still launch at $50 or less — but AAA blockbusters like Call of Duty and the upcoming GTA 6 are expected to hit the $80 ceiling.

For Xbox Game Pass users, who gain access to new Call of Duty titles at a reduced upfront cost, the Battle Pass restrictions may represent Activision’s way of extracting additional revenue from a growing subscription player base.

While this approach may seem new to recent players, veterans of the series might remember that Call of Duty has previously restricted content behind paywalls. For years, new multiplayer maps were only available through paid DLC packs, whereas much of this content is now provided free to all players.

What We Know About Call of Duty 2025

• Title: Likely Black Ops 7

• Setting: Semi-futuristic, circa 2030–2035

• Narrative: A sequel to Black Ops 2

• Features: Remastered Black Ops 2 maps and new game mechanics

• Release: Fall 2025 (expected)

• Platforms: Xbox (Game Pass), PlayStation, PC

As with all leaks, this information should be treated as unconfirmed until Activision makes an official announcement about Call of Duty 2025's monetization structure.