CoD Black Ops 4: How to Unlock All Blackout Characters

How to Unlock all Blackout Characters in CoD Black Ops 4

Here’s everything you need to know about how to unlock all Blackout characters in CoD Black Ops 4.

The Blackout mode of Call of Duty Black Ops 4 has a sizeable selection of playable characters. Aside from a few default character models and specialists from Black Ops 4, several familiar faces from Treyarch’s long-running series also made their way to the free-for-all battle royale game mode.

While looking to unlock all Blackout characters in CoD Black Ops 4, it’s good to know that select characters from the Black Ops series and Zombies cast are playable in Blackout. This includes Alex Mason, Frank Woods, Raul Menendez, Nikolai Belinski, Takeo Masaki, and much more.

Unlocking all Blackout characters in CoD Black Ops 4 is easier said than done, however. Some characters are simply unlocked through level progression. However, others require you to acquire character-specific items in supply drops and completing its accompanying challenges. Take note that you need to have the item equipped in your inventory and finish the match to complete the challenges.

With the presence of zombies in Blackout, Treyarch has implemented zombies-specific missions, unlocking the original Zombies cast. Don’t worry, they’re not Easter Egg-related. You’ll simply need to get your hands dirty and slay the undead with specific weapons while finishing in a certain spot during a Blackout match.

How to Unlock all Blackout Characters in CoD Black Ops 4

There are a number of characters you can unlock in Blackout, with some coming from the Zombies and multiplayer modes. We’ve broken down how to unlock all Blackout characters down below, broken down into where the characters are from – Blackout, Zombies, and Multiplayer, respecitvely.

Without further ado, here’s all Blackout characters in CoD Black Ops 4 and how to unlock them:

How to Unlock All Blackout Characters

• Frank Woods: Acquire Wood’s Bandana from the helicopter spawn point north of the Firing Range. Then, ride a helicopter and win the match with the Bandana in your inventory.
• Raul Menendez: Get the Locket item, kill two enemies with a shotgun, and finish the match with the Locket in your inventory.
• Reznov: Get the Ushanka Hat item from either Estates or Asylum. Get 1 Long Range Kill (200m or more), and Place in the Top 2 Squads, Top 3 Duos, or Top 5 Solos with the Ushank Hat in your inventory.
• Mason: Get the Stained White T-Shirt from the Supply Stashes. Wake the Sleeper Agent by Activated the Emergence Broadcast at Array and then place in the top 4 squads, top 8 duos, or top 15 solos with the Stained White T-shirt in your inventory.
• Ranger: Reach level 20 in Blackout.
• Frogman: Reach level 40 in Blackout.
• Airborne: Reach level 60 in Blackout.
• Seal: Reach level 80 in Blackout.
• Battle Hardened: Prestige to unlock this character in Blackout.

How to Unlock All Zombies Characters in Blackout

• Shadow-Man: Requires Black Ops Pass.
• Dempsey: You need to get the Juggernog Bottle from the Nuketown Bunker, Mystery Boxes, or Blightfather Special Event. Kill an enemy with any kind of grenade. Finish the match with the Juggernog Bottle in your inventory.
• Nikolai: Get the Monkey Bombs and throw one at the locked mausoleum door in the Graveyard. Get the Russian Tanker Hat and finish in the top 3 Squads, top 5 Duos, or top 10 solos with the item in your inventory.
• Richtofen: Play as Dempsey, Nikolai or Takeo. Get Dempsey’s Juggernog Bottle, Nikolai’s Russian Tanker Hat, or Takeo’s Letter to the Emperor in your inventory. Go to the Asylum and interact with the Blood Fountain to get the Blood Vial with these items in your inventory. Finish in the top 2 squads, top 3 duos, or top 5 solos with the Blood Vial in your inventory.
• Takeo: Get the Letter to the Emperor from the Typewriter or Blightfather Event in Asylum, Boxing Gym, or Lighthouse. Don’t use any equipment during the match and place in the top 3 squads, 8 duos, or 15 solos with the Letter in your inventory.
• Bruno: Get the Mug Shot item from Supply Drops or the Blightfather Event. Melee an enemy and then finish the match with the Mug Shot in your inventory.
• Diego: Get the Pulp Magazine as a drop from killing zombies or from the Blightfather event. Down an enemy with a headshot and finish the match with the Pulp Magazine in your inventory.
• Scarlett: Get the Racing Goggles and Scarf as a drop from killing zombies or from the Blightfather event. Then, kill any enemy with a vehicle and finish the match with the Racing Goggles and Scarf in your inventory.
• Shaw: Get the Alchemical Set from Mystery Boxes or, once again the Blightfather event. Kill two enemies with Wraith Fire or an Acid Bomb. Finish the match with the Alchemical Set in your inventory.
• Ultimis Nikolai: You can unlock this character in Blackout from Contraband in the Black Market. You’ll need to reach Tier 45 in Operation: Absolute Zero to unlock Nikolai.
• Ultimis Dempsey: You can unlock this character in Blackout from Contraband in the Black Market. You’ll need to reach Tier 95 in Operation: Absolute Zero to unlock Dempsey.
• IX Bruno: Get the Lion Pauldron from Mystery Boxes, down an enemy with a Combat Axe and finish them off, and then finish the match with the Pauldron in your inventory.
• IX Scarlett: Get the Steel Bracer as a drop from killing Zombies in Blackout. Open a Supply Drop and then finish the match with the Bracer in your inventory.
• IX Shaw: Get the Ritual Bowl as a drop from killing Zombies, use five perks, and then finish in the top 7 squads, 15 duos, or 30 solos with the Bowl in your inventory.
• IX Diego: Get the Mayan Crest from Equipment Stashes, kill or finish off a downed enemy with the Bowie Knife, and finish the match with the Crest in your inventory.

How to Unlock All Multiplayer Characters in Blackout

• Zero: You can unlock this character in Blackout from Contraband in the Black Market. You’ll need to reach Tier 1 in Operation: Absolute Zero to unlock Zero.
• Battery: Get Battery’s War Machine from a Supply Drops and get two kills with it. Finish the match with this weapon in your inventory.
• Firebreak: Get the Burned Doll item from Supply Stashes and kill an enemy with fire. Finish the match with the Burned Doll in your inventory.
• Nomad: Get Juneau’s Tags from Supply Stashes. Kill two enemies without taking any damage and finish the match with the tags in your inventory.
• Prophet: Get the Ocular Prosthetic from Supply Drops and win the match with three active perks and the Prosthetic in your inventory.
• Ruin: Get the Punching Mitts from the Red Crane at the Construction Site, the Lighthouse, the top of the Asylum roof, or the Rafter at the Turbine Hangar 2. Kill an enemy with a melee attack or using a gun at close range and finish the match with the Mitts in your inventory.
• Seraph: Get the Annihilator weapon from the Firing Range. You need to shoot first and then grab it from the green box in the building at the front of Firing Range. Get a kill with the Annihilator and finish in the top 15.
• Ajax: Acquire the Broken Armor Plating as a drop from opponents and collect three broken armor plates. Finish the match with three plates in your inventory.
• Crash: Acquire the Poker Chips item as a drop from enemies. Then, finish Blackout in top 3 squads, 8 duos or 15 solos, and finish the match with 15 healing items and the Poker Chips in your inventory.
• Recon: Check a supply box or supply drop in a Blackout match for this character mission. You’ll receive an item called the 1 Ching Coins. Keep this item in your inventory for the entire match, and you’ll also have to avoid taking damage from the danger circle. If you reach top 7 squads,  15 duos, or 30 solos in the match with both requirements met, you’ll unlock Recon.
• Torque: Check a supply box or supply drop in a Blackout match for this character mission. You’ll receive an item called the Note From Torque. Place two Razor Wires and one Barricade on the ground, and reach top 15 in solos, top 7 in duos, or top 5 in squads to unlock Torque.

Blackout’s character unlock system has its pros and cons. For instance, getting to use the more popular characters feels well-earned. The mere presence of a difficult to acquire character can also instil fear in some players. However, those who lack the skill or time investment won’t be able to play as their favorite characters from the get-go.

Not all characters can be unlocked by completing in-game missions. Players who purchase the Deluxe edition or the Zombies-themed Mystery Box edition will get access to 4 exclusive Blackout characters. Treyarch will also likely add more Blackout characters via DLC.

So, that’s how you can unlock all Blackout characters in CoD Black Ops 4. You can check our expansive Black Ops 4 wiki if you’re looking for more useful tips for the three-pillared multiplayer-focused modes of Treyarch’s game.

Our wiki has plenty of guides on all the game modes in Black Ops 4. We’ve got more multiplayer guides such as how to Prestige, how to change specialists, and how to level up and prestige fast. For Zombies we have guides on how to pack-a-punch in Voyage of Despair, IX, and how to forge the Magmagat in Blood of the Dead. Finally, we’ve got tips and tricks for Blackout, the best weapons for Blackout, and how to get merits and level up, too.