Black Ops 7 Counter Skies Event Offers 20 Rewards Over 16 Days

Treyarch's Counter Skies event went live in Black Ops 7 and Warzone on March 17 at 10 AM PT, kicking off a 16-day window that runs through April 2 and puts 20 total rewards within reach, half of them completely free.

The event splits into two tracks: a Free Track with 10 rewards and a Premium Track carrying another 10 for 1,100 COD Points. The headliners on the free side are the Swordfish A1 marksman rifle and the Echo 12 Backlash Launcher attachment. Rounding out the free tier are the Commando Op and Aeronaut operator skins, the Barbed emblem (an instant unlock the moment you log in), a Bot Brigade loading screen, a 1 Hour Double XP Token, the Guild Rep sticker, Airways weapon charm, and the Fired Up camo. The Premium Track adds weapon blueprints including the Waylay DS20 Mirage AR and Field Hunt RK-9 SMG, the Hedge operator skin, and a finishing move.

The Swordfish A1 is the pull here, and it requires some work. To claim it, complete all nine challenges in the free tier of the Counter Skies pass and then manually claim the Swordfish A1 tile. The weapon is a four-round burst marksman rifle returning from Black Ops 4, where it briefly dominated public lobbies. In its BO7 form it carries a fast fire rate and very low recoil suited to medium and long range engagements, trading off some mobility and handling to get there. Notably, it is not available through the standard weapon grind or the Battle Pass.

Event XP is shared across Multiplayer, Zombies, Warzone, Endgame, and the recently launched Black Ops Royale mode, so progress carries over regardless of where you play. Warzone players have no separate unlock requirement: kills, completed contracts, and general match survival all feed the Counter Skies progression bar. Once the challenges are cleared, claiming the reward adds the Swordfish A1 directly to the Warzone weapons list. Playing exclusively Warzone may take slightly longer depending on match performance, but touching 6v6 or Zombies is not a requirement.

On the question of whether the Premium Track is worth 1,100 COD Points: the Swordfish A1 and Echo 12 are both free, meaning the paid side is entirely cosmetic. If Blueprint variants of the DS20 Mirage or RK-9 appeal and you have COD Points already banked from Battle Pass earnings, the spend is reasonable. Spending real-world currency for operator skins in a first-person shooter is a harder case to make.

Counter Skies launched five days after Season 2 Reloaded arrived on March 12, following the Altitude Tactics event. When it closes on April 2, the Swordfish A1 and Echo 12 Backlash Launcher will migrate to the Armory for anyone who did not unlock them during the event window. Every other reward, including the cosmetics on both tracks, will not return after the event ends. A store bundle containing a Swordfish A1 blueprint is also planned, though pricing and timing have not been announced.