The timing is no coincidence. Shortly after Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 landed on PlayStation for the first time, something quietly shifted on the Microsoft Store: all 32 DLC packs for the Xbox version dropped to free. No announcement, no fanfare. Players just started noticing the price tags had vanished, and word spread fast.
If you are already in the Black Ops series and thinking ahead to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, this is a good moment to revisit where the franchise's identity was sharpest.
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What changed on the Microsoft Store
Before the PS5 ports of Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2 went live earlier this month, these DLC packs carried individual price tags on Xbox. Nothing dramatic, but enough friction to make most players skip them. Now every single one has been zeroed out, with no expiry date communicated and no official statement from Activision or Microsoft explaining the move.
The shift appears to be a direct response to the renewed attention the older Call of Duty titles are getting. Both games have crept into the Xbox top 100 paid charts even at full base game price, which signals real demand. Dropping the DLC cost removes one more barrier for returning players.
All 32 packs, listed
The full collection covers a wide spread of cosmetic content, a few functional extras, and one map that still gets talked about:
- Africa Pack, Asia-Pacific Pack, Europe Pack, North America Pack, South America Pack
- Afterlife Pack, Aqua Pack, Bacon Pack, Beast Pack, Benjamins Pack
- Breach Pack, Comics Pack, Coyote Pack, Cyborg Pack, Dead Man's Hand Pack
- Dia de Muertos Pack, Dragon Pack, Extra Slots Pack, Glam Pack, Graffiti Pack
- Jungle Warfare Pack, Kawaii Pack, Nuketown 2025 Pack, Octane Pack, Pack-A-Punch Pack
- Paladin Pack, Party Rock Pack, Rogue Pack, UK Punk Pack, Viper Pack
- Weaponized 115 Pack, Zombies Pack
The Nuketown 2025 Pack and Zombies Pack are the headliners here. Most of the rest are calling cards and weapon camos, but free is free, and claiming them now takes about two minutes.
The base game situation
Here's the thing: the DLC going free does not help players who do not already own Black Ops 2. The base game is still sitting at full price on the Microsoft Store, which feels steep for a title where the servers are not exactly in peak condition. It has been discounted to as low as $14.99 historically, and with the Xbox Summer Sale window approaching, there is a reasonable chance that changes soon.
What most players miss is that both Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2 are already performing well on the Xbox charts despite the price. A discount could push them to the top spots almost immediately given the current momentum.
Worth jumping back in?
For anyone who already owns the game, claiming all 32 packs is a no-brainer. The cosmetic variety is solid for a title this age, and the Extra Slots Pack in particular has practical value for multiplayer loadout flexibility.
The bigger picture is that Activision and Microsoft are clearly trying to keep the older Black Ops entries relevant as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 builds momentum. Giving away legacy DLC is a low-cost way to keep players engaged with the franchise while the newer entry draws attention. If you want to see how the series has evolved in terms of loadout depth and operator variety, the Black Ops 7 strategy guides are worth a look for context on where things stand now.
