season pass
/ˈsiːzən pæs/
CommonA one-time purchase that unlocks all downloadable content or expansions for a game.
Older term that predates the modern battle pass era. Sometimes used interchangeably with battle pass by people who grew up with older games, which can cause confusion.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | got the deluxe edition so the season pass is already included | The player bought a higher-priced edition that bundled in all DLC. | reddit, 2022 |
| 02 | should i buy the season pass or just wait for the GOTY edition on sale | Asking whether to purchase DLC now or wait for a cheaper all-in-one release. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | back when season passes were actual content and not just cosmetics | Nostalgic comment comparing older DLC bundles to modern cosmetic-only battle passes. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Referring to a bundle purchase that includes all DLC for a game.
- Describing older AAA monetization models from before live-service became dominant.
- Comparing upfront bundle pricing against individual DLC purchases.
Do not use it when
- You mean a timed seasonal reward track with challenges.Use “battle-pass” instead.
- You mean a monthly subscription.Use “subscription” instead.
Season pass vs battle pass
season pass
Season pass is a one-time DLC bundle, usually for story content or expansions.
VS
battle-pass
Battle pass is a timed, challenge-based reward track for cosmetics.
Origin and context
Borrowed from sports ticketing, where a season pass gives access to all games in a season. Adopted by the video game industry in the early 2010s as a DLC bundle model.
- First seen
- early-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/season-passUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0