Monetization · all games
Battle pass
A season-long reward track with free and paid tiers, unlocked by playing, where the paid tier adds better rewards.
Also called: season pass, premium pass, event pass, seasonal pass
A battle pass is a list of rewards that unlock one by one as the player earns points or experience during a season, which usually lasts a few weeks. Everyone gets the free track. Buying the premium track unlocks a second, richer row of rewards, including ones already passed.
It combines monetization and retention. The purchase is one clear price, and the value depends on playing, which gives payers a reason to return regularly for the whole season. Missions and daily tasks usually feed the points that move the track forward.
Many passes show the locked premium rewards next to the free ones at every tier, so players see exactly what they are missing as they progress.
In mobile games
Mobile battle passes usually open from a banner on the main screen, show a horizontally or vertically scrolling track of tiers, and present the premium unlock as a single purchase, sometimes with a higher tier that also skips levels.
What to watch for
- Seasons too short to finish without paying for tier skips. Players who pay and cannot finish feel cheated.
- Running so many passes at once that players lose track of which one they bought.
