COD Mobile Season 9: Grav Rifle, Modes & Free Rewards
Season 9 of Call of Duty: Mobile will feature a Halloween-inspired battle between Vampires and Werewolves, a new assault rifle, a limited-time Multiplayer mode, returning collaboration playlists, and plenty of opportunities to earn rewards without purchasing the Premium Battle Pass. It is also the first time that the seasonal theme and select Battle Pass designs have been chosen based on community votes.
Season 9, Vampires vs Werewolves, will release on October 14, 2026 at 5 PM Pacific Time. For players in India, this is 5:30 AM IST on October 15.
The most important information is not only about the new weapon. This season also has a faction competition with unique weapon blueprints, a special event that awards a K9-Unit skin for collecting Howlbones, and a new option to download seasonal content in advance. You can save time by knowing which rewards are free, which come with a paid pass, and which are tied to events before the update drops.
The theme of the new season revolves around a war between two factions of the undead. Players can now choose to play as either Vampires or Werewolves in the new Fang Wars event, and the Battle Pass will feature operator and weapon skins that were voted on by the community.
Activision has officially announced the release date of the new season and some of the features that will be available. It is always worth checking the in-game schedules, availability periods, and requirements for rewards as the season progresses, as a season announcement does not mean everything in the season will be available at the same time.
How is Season 9 different?
The biggest change is that the community has voted on the direction of the season.
Activision has stated that players influenced the seasonal theme and the designs of certain Operator Skins and Weapon Blueprints through its “Your Season, Your Vote” polls. The season’s concept, which pits Vampires against Werewolves, also includes items like Minotaur — Pack Commander and Sparrowhawk — Moonlight Vengeance in the Premium Battle Pass.
Not every item in the season was voted on by players. The official announcement only lists the theme and certain Battle Pass designs as community-voted content.
There are three basic reasons you should be watching Season 9:
A new option: The Grav Assault Rifle is added to the free Battle Pass tiers, giving players a new gun to grind for without having to buy the Premium Pass.
A new Kill Confirmed twist: Leader’s Kill Confirmed brings a high-value target to each team, offering a reason to protect a teammate rather than solely focus on eliminations.
Reward paths out with the Battle Pass: Fang Wars, Call of the Dead and the Season 9 Challenge Pass bring out separate challenges and rewards.
For game players who like to earn their items through playing, these alternate paths of progression are even more important than finishing the cosmetic theme.
New Grav Assault Rifle: How to Unlock It
The Grav Assault Rifle is one of the key new weapons added in Season 9. Activision has confirmed that it will be part of the free Battle Pass tiers.
The publisher touts the weapon as optimized for long-range combat, noting its high bullet velocity. This indicates the weapon is designed to be effective when firing at distant targets, but the information provided in the announcement is not sufficient to determine how it will stack up against the game’s existing assault rifles.
Is the Grav Rifle free?
Yes. The Grav Assault Rifle is listed as one of the free Battle Pass rewards.
You don’t have to buy the Premium Battle Pass just to unlock the new weapon. However, you still need to reach the appropriate free tier to unlock it. The official announcement doesn’t give a universal tier number in the text of the article, so players should refer to the in-game Battle Pass for the exact unlock position and requirements.
And the Legendary Grav blueprint?
The Grav — Vitae Devourer is a Legendary weapon blueprint that is part of the Hunger Eternal Draw during the season.
This is different to unlocking the base Grav Assault Rifle through the free Battle Pass. The free weapon and the Legendary weapon blueprint should not be confused.
The announcement also mentions the Grav — Solstice Herald blueprint as part of the Premium Battle Pass content. So there are a few different ways players can get their hands on the weapon during the season, but not all of them have the same unlock requirements.
Should you immediately upgrade from your current assault rifle?
Not really. The description of a weapon isn’t sufficient to say that a gun is going to be best for every player.
When the season launches test yourself the Grav in the practice range if there is one and use it in normal matches before going competitive with it. Check the recoil, aimspeed, interval between shots, reload pattern and your accuracy rate on those distances.
The official description is what you’d expect from a ranged weapon, but it’s not saying that the Grav will be better than everything else in every scenario. The choice should be based on actual performance and personal preference.
Leader’s Kill Confirmed: A Multiplayer Mode Description
Leader’s Kill Confirmed introduces a special target in the usual Kill Confirmed format.
The Leader: One member on each team is assigned as the Leader. This is one mech-equipped Operator who can be seen by both teams. When the Leader is shot by the opposing team, the character releases a dog tag that’s worth more points than a regular tag, and the Leader holder switches to another teammate.
This mode causes three conflicting priorities:
Protect your team’s current Leader.
Locate and kill the enemy Leader. Pick up tags to get your team to its goal.
Normal Operators also receive access to unique abilities that allow them to further the combat role being played throughout a match, according to the announcement from Activision.
Why the Leader changes the match
In a normal objective-focused match, players make decisions based on their location, where enemies are located, and the quickest way to reach the objective. Leader’s Kill Confirmed adds a target that can influence the entire team’s movement.
If your Leader goes too far ahead without backup, the other team may be able to get a high-value tag. On the other hand, if your team is only concerned with keeping the Leader alive, this may create space for the enemy to gather regular tags or to take control of key areas of the map.
The enemy Leader is no different. It may be worth pursuing that player, but a poorly executed attack can leave your team vulnerable.
Tips for playing your first matches
Always be aware of where the Leader is. The role is visible to both teams, so assume opponents are aware of where the Leader is. You can’t treat the Leader as just another teammate who can roam wherever they please without attracting attention.
Work together, don’t charge in alone. A coordinated push is more likely to put pressure on the enemy while minimizing unnecessary risks. If your team is defending your Leader, you should be positioning yourself in ways that cover the most probable enemy pushes, rather than all huddling into one small spot.
Don’t forget about normal tags. While the Leader tag is worth a lot more, the mode is still based on Kill Confirmed objectives. Going after a high-value target at the wrong time could cost your team other chances.
Understand the unique abilities. Activision has confirmed that regular Operators will gain special abilities in the mode. How useful they are will depend on how the abilities are implemented, so test them out and see how they influence fights as the match goes on.
The mode is limited-time, so it’s worth playing early if you want to experience the new rules before the playlist changes.
Fang Wars: Choose Vampires or Werewolves
The core faction event, Vampires vs Werewolves: Fang Wars, has players picking a side and running missions to support their faction in the competition.
Each faction has an associated weapon blueprint:
Vampires: SO-14 — Moonlit Marksman Rifle.
Werewolves: Type 25 — Lone Wolf Assault Rifle.
here are other milestone prizes that both factions can fight for including: The Purifier — Deadly Nightshade Operator Skill Skin, Type 19 — Petal Pattern Assault Rifle Blueprint, Swagger Strongbox, among other items.
Faction-themed calling cards are also part of the event. Both factions get their own victory themed calling cards, and the winning faction get a Gold version of their teams calling card.
Which faction to choose?
Pick which rewards and what kind of atmosphere you like better, don’t just assume one side is easier or has better perks universally.
Unless you only want to be on the side of the Vampires for the SO-14 blueprint, which might be a reason to join their side. However, if the Werewolves Type 25 design is more to your liking then the other faction may be for you.
Keep in mind that the faction-specific blueprints are not the common milestone rewards. Activision says the “shared” rewards can be obtained by members of both factions, so you don’t have to pick a side just to go after those mutual items.
Gold Calling Card for the winning faction introduces a competitive flair to the event, but the notification does not specify that joining the winning faction will automatically grant all rewards without completing the necessary missions.
What are the things you should focus on the most?
If the K9-Unit skin is what you want most, keep an eye on your Howlbone count and try to reach the 100-item mark. Don’t spend event currency on other items until you know how the event rewards are structured and if the skin is automatically unlocked at the milestone.
The best way to farm Howlbones can’t be gleaned from the announcement. See what there is to do and each active mission’s rewards, as Season 9 comes to life.
Even More Free Rewards: Battle Pass and Challenge Pass
The Grav rifle isn’t the only prize you can get without buying the Premium Battle Pass. Free tiers also feature weapon charms calling cards, stickers, weapon skins and even more new camos, Activision says.
There is a separate Season 9 Challenge Pass which focuses on Daily & Weekly Missions. Completing these tasks levels up the pass and gain you tokens which you can use to get season rewards.
Rewards for the Challenge Pass were announced:
QXR — Rose Requiem Weapon Blueprint.
Showoff Emote.
More seasonal things to come.
The key difference is that the Battle Bow and Challenge Pass are two separate progression tracks.A player who concentrates on just one may miss rewards linked to the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does COD Mobile Season 9 come out in India?
Season 9 will be released on October 15, 2026 at 5:30 AM IST. This is the Indian time conversion of Activision’s official October 14 5 PM Pacific Time launch.
Is the Grav Assault Rifle free in COD Mobile Season 9?
Yes. Activision has confirmed that the Grav Assault Rifle is included in the free Battle Pass tiers. Players will need to progress through the appropriate tier to unlock the weapon, but the Premium Pass is not listed as being required to unlock the base weapon.
How do you get the K9-Unit — Fantasma skin?
The K9-Unit — Fantasma Operator Skill Skin is unlocked by collecting 100 Howlbones in the Call of the Dead seasonal event. Activision states that the skin is automatically unlocked once players reach this milestone.
Which faction should I choose in Fang Wars?
Players can choose to join the Vampires to earn the SO-14 — Moonlit Marksman Rifle blueprint or the Werewolves to earn the Type 25 — Lone Wolf blueprint. Shared milestone rewards are available to players in both factions.
What is Leader’s Kill Confirmed?
Leader’s Kill Confirmed is a limited-time Multiplayer mode where each team has a visible Leader. Taking out the Leader will drop a dog tag worth significantly more points, and the Leader role will be passed to another player on the team.
Are all the rewards in Season 9 free?
No. While there are free Battle Pass tiers and event rewards, there are also Premium Battle Pass items, a Ground Forces subscription, and store draws.