How to unlock characters in Call of Duty: Blackout
Learn how to unlock the numerous skins and characters available for use in Call of Duty's battle royale mode, Blackout.
Blackout is Call of Duty’s latest game mode that tasks players with killing one another until one player or team survives, but there are biggest risks at stake, specifically, unlocking character skins. There are currently 28 characters for players to unlock in Call of Duty Blackout and each of them requires players to complete a slightly different goal.
How to unlock characters in Blackout
Each of the 28 unlockable character skins in Blackout requires players to find an item during a match, complete a challenge, and then either finish, place, or win the match. All of these must be done within the same match which means players cannot find the item in one game and then do the objectives in another. It’s also worth noting that players must hold on to the item for the entire match, so no dropping it if you run out of space in your backpack. The match placements are also based on a solo play, the number will change if a game of duos or squads is played.
- Find a character's item during a match of Blackout
- Complete the quest/objective
- Keep item for entire match
- Finish the match in the correct place
Thanks to the various Reddit users over in the Black Ops 4 subreddit for collating a lot of the following information.
| Character | Item | Quest/Objective(s) | Match Placement |
| Blackout | |||
| Reznov | Discovery pending... | ||
| Mason | Discovery pending... | ||
| Woods | Find the bandanna | Get in a helicopter during a match | Win the match |
| Menendez | Find the locket | Kill an enemy with a melee Kill an enemy with a shotgun |
Finish the match |
| Ranger | Echelon 20 | ||
| Frogman | Echelon 40 | ||
| Airborne | Echelon 60 | ||
| Seal | Echelon 80 | ||
| Battle Hardened | Echelon 80 Prestige | ||
| Zombies | |||
| Shadow Man | Own the Blackout Pass | ||
| Dempsey | Find the Death Machine | Kill zombies | Top 10 |
| Nikolai | Find the Cymbal Monkey | Kill zombies | Top 10 |
| Richtofen | Find the Ray Gun | Kill zombies | Top 5 |
| Takeo | Find the Katana | Kill zombies | Top 10 |
| Bruno | Discovery pending... | ||
| Diego | Discovery pending... | ||
| Scarlett | Find the Racing Goggles and Scarf | Discovery pending... | |
| Shaw | Discovery pending... | ||
| Multiplayer | |||
| Battery | Find a War Machine | Get kills with the War Machine | Top 15 |
| Firebreak | Find the Burned Doll | Get a kill with fire | Finish the match |
| Nomad | Discovery pending... | ||
| Prophet | Discovery pending... | ||
| Ruin | Craft the Grapple Gun | Top 15 | |
| Seraph | Find the Annihilator | Get kills with the Annihilator | Top 15 |
| Ajax | Collect 3 Armor Plates from players | Finish the match | |
| Crash | Find the poker chip | End the match with 15 healing items | Top 8 |
| Recon | Find the I Ching Coins | Do not get damaged by the Collapse | Top 7 |
| Torque | Find the Note from Torque | Destroy 2 Razor Wires and 1 Barricade | Top 7 |
Collecting some of these character skins in Blackout, let alone all of them, is going to challenge even the best players. A lot of luck will be involved in actually finding the items, and then it's down to skill (and a bit of luck) to get the necessary kills and match placements. Be sure to check out our other guides, such as all Specialist classes and abilities and all weapons and guns in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
