The NuCal Reward Pass is free for everybody who owns Marathon. Bungie added the NuCaloric cosmetic collection on October 6, 2026, and there’s no expiry date, so you can unlock the skins whenever you have time to play.
You won’t get all the rewards just for logging in. The pass uses SILK earned through Runner levels, and you choose which reward nodes to buy as you work through its pages. Here’s how to make progress without paying for a premium upgrade.
NuCal Reward Pass: How to open the NuCal Reward Pass
From Marathon’s main menu, open Rewards Pass and select the new NuCaloric pass. It launched with the Nightfall Refresh on October 6 and is included at no additional cost for anyone who owns the game. There is no separate LUX payment needed to activate this particular pass. Older Rewards Passes may show their own premium-track options, so make sure you’ve selected the October collection before trying to unlock a skin.
How SILK works
SILK is earned through Runner level progression, not bought as a store currency. Bungie’s support guide says each Runner level grants 10 SILK. Gain XP from normal matches and contracts, then spend the SILK on reward nodes. You can hold 140 SILK during normal play. If you’re near the cap, spend some before heading out again; another level-up while full won’t leave room for the expected earnings. Your SILK balance is separate from Credits used on equipment and LUX used on premium cosmetics.
Unlocking new pages
The NuCal Reward Pass uses pages with multiple nodes. You can select rewards in any order on the page you’re currently viewing, but the next page opens after you’ve spent enough SILK on the existing one. Browse ahead so you know which reward you want to reach. If you’re saving for a specific Runner style, rushing to buy every lower-tier item can leave you short later. The exact price of each node appears in the in-game pass rather than in Bungie’s October overview.
Which rewards can you unlock?
Bungie has confirmed a selection of NuCal-inspired Runner shell cosmetics and published the artwork alongside its Nightfall Refresh roadmap. The public announcement does not give an exhaustive table of every named item and SILK cost. You can browse the full available collection in the pass menu before selecting a node. An alleged complete item list without screenshots or actual game data is worth checking closely, since the older Season 2 rewards have also changed with the latest economy patch.
NuCal Reward Pass: Is the NuCal Reward Pass time-limited?
No. The developer said the new pass will remain available and can be completed at your own pace. You don’t need to race to finish it by the first Cryo Archive opening or the December 8 Symbiosis update. The Reward Pass system also keeps older passes accessible, so the October addition doesn’t simply replace everything players were working towards. If you prefer using your weekend to grind faction progression, the NuCal cosmetics can wait.
Free pass versus paid upgrades
Bungie’s usual Rewards Pass model offers free nodes and optional paid premium tracks purchased with LUX. That isn’t the arrangement being advertised for the NuCal Reward Pass: access to the October collection is free. You still need to put in the gameplay to earn SILK and unlock the rewards themselves. Don’t buy LUX to fix what looks like a locked NuCal page. Check your SILK, current page spending and game version before spending real money.
What happened to Season 2 rewards?
Update 1.1.9.2 swapped weapon schemas and materials in the older Season 2 Rewards Pass for Credits, reflecting the latest economy changes. That is separate from the new NuCal collection. If an old reward node now offers money rather than the item you remembered, it’s a deliberate patch change rather than proof that the NuCal skins have been removed. Previous Rewards Pass cosmetics and the new pass can sit alongside one another in the menu.
NuCal Reward Pass: Getting SILK faster during Nightfall Refresh
The October patch increased experience for killing UESC troops and lowered faction reputation requirements. Run contracts, stay alive and clear manageable enemies along the way to extraction to build Runner levels. Try Sponsored Queues if you don’t have the gear to risk a full-price kit. Every Runner level is another 10 SILK, so steady matches can move your NuCal Reward Pass along without a forced high-risk grind. Spend before reaching the balance cap.
What if an item will not unlock?
Check that you’re viewing the correct page and have enough SILK for the selected node. A later page may require more spending on the one before it. If nothing responds, return to the main menu and reopen Rewards Pass, then restart the client if the screen seems stuck. Bungie’s help centre has previously taken reports about reward-node interactions, but that isn’t evidence of a specific October-wide bug. The NuCal Reward Pass itself is included with your game purchase.
Related Guides
Official source: Bungie’s Marathon information.
