battle pass
/ˈbætəl pæs/
Very CommonA paid seasonal progression system in a game that unlocks cosmetics and rewards as you play.
Often used with mild complaint. Saying someone 'bought the battle pass' can imply they are spending money on cosmetics instead of skill.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ngl the battle pass slaps this season | The rewards this season are actually good. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | forgot to finish the battle pass and now it's gone rip | The player ran out of time to claim all rewards before the season ended. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | not spending $10 on a battle pass when i barely play anymore | The person does not think the purchase is worth it given how little they play. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | maxed the battle pass day 3 lol | The player completed all tiers extremely quickly. | tiktok, 2023 |
Use it when
- Referring to a seasonal paid progression system in a game.
- Discussing whether a season's content is worth buying.
- Complaining about FOMO mechanics tied to a limited-time track.
- Describing how someone unlocked a specific skin or item.
Do not use it when
- You mean a subscription or monthly membership.Use “subscription” instead.
- You mean a one-time DLC or expansion.Use “DLC” instead.
Variations and related forms
Battle pass vs season pass
battle pass
Battle pass is tied to a single season with timed challenges and XP-gated rewards.
VS
season-pass
Season pass traditionally unlocks DLC or content packs, often without a time limit.
Origin and context
The format was popularized by Fortnite in 2017 and quickly became standard in live-service games. The term itself describes a tiered reward track unlocked through gameplay during a defined season.
- First seen
- 2017
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/battle-passUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0