If you’ve spent any time in the Call of Duty lobbies lately, you know the vibe has shifted. It’s not just about the typical military grit anymore. Right now, everyone is talking about the BO6 Squid Game event. It’s a bizarre, high-stakes collision between Netflix’s brutal survival drama and the fast-paced chaos of Black Ops 6.
Honestly, it’s one of the weirdest and most engaging crossovers we’ve seen in a while.
The event officially kicked off on January 3, 2025, and it’s basically taking over every corner of the game—Multiplayer, Zombies, and even Warzone. If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll recognize the green tracksuits and those creepy pink guards immediately. But even if you’ve never seen a single episode of the series, the new mechanics are going to change how you play.
What the BO6 Squid Game Event Actually Is
Basically, this isn't just a handful of skins you can buy in the shop. It’s a full-blown gameplay overhaul with limited-time modes (LTMs) that actually use the rules of the show. The centerpiece is the Red Light, Green Light mode in Multiplayer.
It plays out on a specialized version of the "Red Card" stadium map.
You’re forced into a third-person perspective, which feels super weird for a CoD game at first, but it makes sense for seeing the competition around you. The rules are simple: move when Young-hee (the giant creepy doll) says "Green Light," and freeze when she says "Red Light." If you twitch during a red light, you’re dead. Literally.
- Round 1: No weapons. Just a mad dash.
- Rounds 2 and 3: Ground loot starts appearing. This is where it gets messy because people start meleing and executing each other while trying to beat the clock.
The Controversy Over the Event Pass
We need to talk about the elephant in the room: the Event Pass.
For the first time, Activision introduced a tiered reward system for an event like this. There’s a free track and a premium track. The premium one costs 1,100 COD Points (about $10).
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A lot of people are pretty annoyed about this. Usually, these events are a way to earn free stuff just by playing. While there are 10 free rewards—including the "Player 006" and "Player 115" skins for Niran and Maya—the "best" stuff is locked behind that ten-dollar wall.
If you want the Front Man operator skin, you have to pay.
It’s a bit of a bummer for the completionists who don't want to open their wallets, but at least the new Cleaver melee weapon is on the free track. You just have to grind out about 356,000 XP to get it.
Zombies and Warzone Aren't Safe Either
If you’re a Zombies main, you aren't escaping the doll. The Dead Light, Green Light mode is arguably more stressful than the Multiplayer version. You’re playing on maps like Liberty Falls or Citadelle des Morts, trying to survive waves of the undead, but you’re also fighting the clock.
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During the "Green Light" phase, you get a massive boost to the Essence you earn from kills. You want to hoard this. Why? Because during the "Red Light" phase, your Essence starts draining if you move.
Standing still while a horde of zombies is sprinting at your face is... a choice. You basically have to spend your points as fast as you get them so you don't lose them when the light turns red.
Warzone has its own version too. The Squid Game: Warzone LTM adds random challenges to Urzikstan. You might be in the middle of a gunfight when a Red Light, Green Light prompt triggers for the whole lobby. It adds a layer of "what is happening" to the battle royale that definitely keeps things from feeling stale.
Bundles You Can Find in the Store
Aside from the Event Pass, there are three main Tracer Packs that they’ve rotated into the shop.
The Pink Guard Tracer Pack lets you play as the Managers, Soldiers, or Workers from the show. It comes with pink weapon blueprints for an SMG and an AR. Then there’s the VIPs Tracer Pack, which features the gold panther and lion masks. These are for the players who want to look like the wealthy observers from the series.
The most unsettling one is definitely the Young-hee Tracer Pack. Yes, you can actually play as the giant doll. Sorta. It’s an operator skin that looks like her, and it comes with a "Don't Move" assault rifle blueprint.
How to Get the Most Out of the Event
If you're trying to max out the event before it ends (the current end date is January 28, 2025), you need to be smart about your XP.
- Play the LTMs: Modes like Pentathlon (which includes Piggy Bank TDM and Roulette) offer unique ways to score points that you won't get in standard matches.
- Use Double XP Tokens: Since the Event Pass is entirely XP-based, popping a token before a long session is the only way to hit that 356k mark without losing your mind.
- Check the Challenges: There are specific squad objectives in Warzone that give you a decent chunk of progress toward the rewards.
The BO6 Squid Game event is a lot to take in. It’s a mix of childhood games turned deadly and the typical sweaty Call of Duty gameplay we're used to. Whether you think the paid Event Pass is a predatory move or just "the way games are now," the actual modes are genuinely fun to mess around in.
To jump in, just look for the dedicated Squid Game tab in the main menu. You'll be able to track your progress there and see exactly how much XP you need for the next unlock. If you're going for the Cleaver, prepare for a bit of a long haul, but it’s definitely the standout item of the whole crossover.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your COD Point balance to see if the 1,100 points for the Premium Pass is worth it for the Front Man skin.
- Equip Double XP tokens specifically for the Squid Game Moshpit to accelerate the 356,000 XP grind.
- Head to the "Red Card" playlist in Multiplayer to try the third-person Red Light, Green Light mode before the event expires on January 28.