There are clear indications that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is likely adopting a battle pass system similar to its competitor Fortnite. In Black Ops 4, this is referred to as the “Supply Stream.”
Announcement or Leak? It is somewhat difficult to say how official this is. A blog post on the official Call of Duty site seems to have gone live, but it has since been deleted.
Fan sites, however, have discovered and recorded the post (via CharlieIntel). The post introduced a new feature called “Supply Stream.” In English, this translates to something like “Supply Line”: a way for supplies to reach the front.
This is how the Supply Stream of Call of Duty works: It is said that the “brand new system” guarantees players new equipment as they progress through various tiers.
- Regular players must reach each tier on their own.
- Buyers of a “Black Ops Pass” receive 10 tiers for free each season.
This means that players [with Season Pass] will receive the latest outfits, weapon variants, and emotes faster than others.
This could be behind the leak: The blog post was apparently written to additionally promote the “Season Pass” of Black Ops 4, which is already available commercially.
Then someone at Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 noticed that the Supply Stream had not yet been presented – and therefore deleted the blog post. That might be how it happened.
This is the Black Ops Pass: The “Black Ops Pass” of Call of Duty is the season pass for the game. It is sold for about €50.
What does this mean? A lot can be inferred from the short section:
- Seasons in Black Ops 4 are probably planned, meaning game periods that will also bring new cosmetic items and change regularly.
- A “Ranking” system is apparently also planned, where players can progress and level up over time.
- It is not clear whether the “Supply Stream” will be available for free or if access must be purchased.
How does it work in Fortnite? In Fortnite, the seasons last 10 weeks – that’s how long a battle pass is valid. The “Battle Pass” costs €10 there, and players need about 75 to 150 hours to complete such a pass.
As a reward, there are mainly skins, emotes, and other cosmetic gimmicks. The latest battle pass included 7 skins and 100 cosmetic items.
In Fortnite, it has become customary for each season to include two special skins, which are further developed and are particularly stylish and sought after.
What is the catch of such a battle pass? The basic idea is that players buy a pass for a specific fixed amount. However, they still have to unlock individual tiers in this pass themselves and then receive cosmetic rewards for each new tier they climb.
The advantages of such a system for the studio:
- Players are bound to a game and must actively play during a season to obtain all rewards included in the pass.
- This also ensures that each “new” season generates attention, attracts new players, or brings back veterans.
The advantages of the system for players:
- For players, it is an attractive offer because they receive relatively many cosmetic items for relatively little money.
- Many players also enjoy the feeling of leveling up and receiving new rewards – it has that “loot and level” effect.
We asked before the release whether Black Ops 4 understands that this “constant evolution” of the game is key to Fortnite’s success. Apparently, they understood this:
