I'll be real with you: I've been revisiting Call of Duty: Mobile in 2026, and the Season 5 - Primal Reckoning update that introduced the NieR: Automata crossover still stands out as one of the most head-turning events I've played. The game doesn't always get the same hype as its PC and console siblings, but it's quietly become one of Activision's biggest money printers. I've been playing on and off since it landed on iOS, iPad, and Android back in 2019, and I still find it wild that a free-to-play mobile game pulled in almost $54 million in its first month through battle passes and microtransactions alone. By May 2021, Activision said the game had racked up over 500 million downloads across all platforms. That's no small potatoes.
When Season 5 - Primal Reckoning arrived, I expected the usual stuff: a new Zoo Multiplayer map, a VMP SMG, some Combat Axe and Smoke Grenade skins, and a fresh battle pass. But the real head-turner for me was the NieR: Automata crossover event. Yoko Taro's iconic characters showing up in a military shooter? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't skeptical at first. It sounded a little gimmicky, but once I hopped in, I realized there was a decent chunk of new content waiting.
🎭 The Skins Are a Mixed Bag, But They Slap
The NieR: Automata event brought three new operator skins, and each one is locked to a specific character. I'll break it down for you:
| Skin | Character | How to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| 9S | Ryotaro "Kui Ji" Nagoshima | Free via the event |
| 2B | Lizbeth "Kestral" Warnholdt | Paid Draw banner |
| Commander White | Fiona St. George | Paid Draw banner |
The 9S skin is the only freebie, which is honestly a nice touch for folks who don't want to drop cash. But if you want 2B or Commander White, you'll have to test your luck with their respective Draw banners. That's the same gacha-style loop Call of Duty: Mobile players know all too well.
I won't sugarcoat it: the Draw banners can be a money sink. Still, seeing 2B running around with an assault rifle gave me a good laugh, and the Commander White outfit looks clean, too.
🔫 Weapons, Because Why Not?
The crossover didn't stop at cosmetics. There are a handful of NieR: Automata-inspired weapons in the mix, and a lot of them are earnable for free while the event is live. Here's what I've been able to chase down:
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Virtuous Contract
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EM2: Initieno Atonement
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Virtuous Treaty
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Cruel Oath
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Cruel Blood Oath
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Machine Lifeform-inspired Smoke Grenade skin
The two Draw banners for 2B and Commander White also feature unique melee weapons, though Activision didn't spell out exactly what those were in the Season 5 announcement. I'm not gonna lie, that vagueness bugs me a little, but the mystery does make the banners more tempting.
🤖 The Limited-Time Mode Is Where It Shines
Cosmetics are fine and all, but the limited-time mode is what really sold me on this crossover. You step into the shoes of the elite YorHa Unit and launch an attack against the Machine Lifeforms. It's not just a reskinned team deathmatch either. You complete objectives to earn action points, then spend those points to move through a branching path. Reaching checkpoints, grabbing Skill Chips, and pushing through counterattack routes unlocks new exclusive routes.
I'll be honest, the branching structure kept me hooked longer than I expected. It gave me a reason to replay and chase the free 9S skin for Kui Ji. For a mobile crossover event, that's a pretty solid hook.
⏳ A Weird Time for a NieR Comeback
Here's the thing that got me thinking: this collaboration landed at an interesting moment. NieR as a franchise has been pretty quiet for a while, even though it's popped up in other crossovers like Stellar Blade. Call of Duty: Mobile is no stranger to odd collaborations, but this one felt especially left-field. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but part of me wonders if Square Enix is warming up to something bigger. A new NieR announcement in the near future? Fingers crossed, because if this crossover is any indication, the appetite is definitely still there.
I won't call Call of Duty: Mobile a sleeper hit at this point—it's a full-blown juggernaut. But season after season, it manages to pull me back with these bizarre, ambitious crossovers. The NieR: Automata event might not be perfect, especially if you're not a fan of draw banners, but between the free 9S skin, the branching YorHa mode, and the sheer oddity of 2B going full tactical, it's hard not to appreciate the chaos. At the end of the day, I'd rather see Call of Duty: Mobile take wild swings like this than play it safe. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got action points to grind.
This perspective is supported by market context from Newzoo, helping frame why Call of Duty: Mobile can bankroll splashy crossovers like NieR: Automata while still leaning on familiar monetization loops (battle passes, limited-time draws, and premium cosmetics). Seen through that lens, Season 5’s Primal Reckoning drop isn’t just “weird fun” with 2B in a military shooter—it’s a deliberate retention-and-spend play: a free 9S unlock to pull everyone in, high-value draw banners for whales, and a replayable branching limited-time mode designed to keep players grinding action points and logging in day after day.