COD Points, or Call of Duty Points, have become a core element of the Call of Duty (CoD) ecosystem. Initially introduced as a form of in-game currency, they have evolved from a simple cosmetic tool to a fully integrated economic system within the franchise. From the early days of Modern Warfare to the expansive world of Warzone, COD Points have changed how players interact with the game, how content is delivered, and how monetization works in the series.
Let’s break down the evolution of COD Points, looking at how their role has shifted, how players have responded, and what that means for the future of Call of Duty.
When COD Points were first introduced, they served a basic but crucial function: enabling microtransactions. This shift started to take form seriously around the time of Call of Duty: Black Ops III (2015), but the groundwork was laid earlier with supply drop systems in Advanced Warfare and Black Ops II. However, Buy COD Points as a standalone currency began to gain relevance with Modern Warfare (2019) and became mainstream with Warzone.
At their core, COD Points were designed to allow players to purchase cosmetic items, Battle Passes, and other downloadable content. This allowed Activision to monetize post-launch content without fragmenting the player base through paid map packs, which had been a longstanding issue in earlier CoD titles.
Before COD Points, CoD games typically charged for map packs via DLC. This divided the player base—those who paid had access to new content, and those who didn’t were left behind. With COD Points, Activision introduced a system where players could buy cosmetic items and season passes while keeping maps and core gameplay accessible to everyone. This shift was fundamental and necessary for the franchise’s longevity.
With the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), COD Points found a new purpose. This was the point when the franchise began to standardize the Battle Pass model, with COD Points at its heart.
The Battle Pass introduced a tiered system of unlockable content. Players could earn items like skins, weapon blueprints, calling cards, and even more COD Points. The system rewarded players for their time, offering a free track and a premium track. If you purchased the premium Battle Pass using COD Points, you could potentially earn back enough COD Points to buy the next season’s pass.
This was a massive win for players. For the first time, a dedicated player could fund future Battle Passes simply by playing regularly and completing challenges. It added a level of engagement and reward that felt tangible and fair, especially compared to random loot boxes that had previously dominated the monetization model.
One of the guiding principles in Modern Warfare's monetization approach was that COD Points should be used for cosmetics, not competitive advantages. This helped prevent pay-to-win scenarios, where players could spend money to gain an edge. Instead, spending COD Points became about expression—getting the Operator skin or weapon blueprint that suited your style.
When Call of Duty: Warzone launched in 2020, everything changed. COD Points became more important than ever, largely due to Warzone’s free-to-play model. Without a base game purchase required, Activision leaned heavily on COD Points and Battle Passes to generate revenue.
Warzone attracted tens of millions of players in its early months. Since the game was free, it opened the floodgates for a larger audience, including those who may have never paid for a Call of Duty game before. COD Points became the key way players invested money into the game. From purchasing new Operators, finishing moves, tracer packs, and reactive skins, players had endless options to personalize their gameplay experience.
This opened up a new era of monetization. The game wasn’t just about unlocking content through gameplay anymore—it became a marketplace. COD Points were the currency that let you access it.
Another evolution that Warzone brought was integration across multiple titles. COD Points weren’t confined to just one game anymore. You could earn and spend COD Points in Modern Warfare (2019), Cold War, Vanguard, and Warzone itself. This unified economy allowed players to feel like their purchases had more long-term value. Buy a skin in Cold War? You could use it in Warzone. This continuity across titles created a stronger incentive to invest in cosmetics and the Battle Pass.
The reception to COD Points has been mixed, evolving with how they’ve been implemented. Initially, players appreciated the fairness of the Battle Pass model and the removal of loot boxes. But over time, concerns have grown about the pressure to spend and the aggressive push of monetized content.
With the release of Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare II (2022), COD Points became even more central. The marketplace became more polished, with new mechanics like DMZ and more in-depth Battle Pass branching systems. The Battle Pass in Warzone 2.0 allowed more player choice in how they unlock content, adding strategic decision-making to how you spend COD Points.
By this point, COD Points were not only used for in-game characters and weapon blueprints but also for crossover events. From horror icons to comic book characters and athletes, the game became a pop culture crossover machine. These crossovers weren’t cheap, and COD Points were the ticket in.
As the store became flashier and the skins more elaborate, a divide started to grow between players who loved the content and those who felt the game was turning into a cash grab. COD Points became both a tool of customization and a symbol of monetization fatigue.
COD Points aren’t going anywhere. As long as Call of Duty remains a major franchise with a live service model, COD Points will be part of the formula. But the future will likely be shaped by a few key factors:
Activision needs to maintain a balance. Players are willing to pay for content as long as it feels fair and doesn't interrupt core gameplay. As long as COD Points stay cosmetic-focused and don’t tip into pay-to-win territory, most of the community will continue to engage.
Expect COD Points to remain integrated across all future titles. Whether you're playing the latest CoD campaign, multiplayer, or Warzone mode, your currency will likely carry over, creating a sense of investment continuity.
Players are starting to ask for more ways to earn Buy COD Points through gameplay, especially with rising costs of bundles and premium skins. Whether through challenges, ranked progression, or event participation, giving players more paths to earn COD Points would increase goodwill.
As character and weapon customization become more complex, COD Points could allow for more modular purchases. Instead of buying full skins or blueprints, players might one day use COD Points to purchase attachments, animations, or design pieces individually.
COD Points have gone from a simple currency to the backbone of the Call of Duty economy. In the early days, they solved the problem of fragmenting the player base. In the era of Warzone, they became the engine behind a booming free-to-play shooter. Their impact has been profound—changing how content is delivered, how players interact with the game, and how long a single title stays relevant.
