Unlocking the Maelstrom Shotgun Early in Black Ops 6: Bypassing the Merry Mayhem Event

With the arrival of Season 1 Reloaded in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, players are diving into the festive spirit with the Merry Mayhem event. The main attraction here? The Maelstrom shotgun, a must-have reward for those dedicated enough to tackle the challenges. It’s not an overwhelming grind, but collecting it over two weeks will demand some effort.

To snag the Maelstrom, you’ll need to power through all tiers of the Merry Mayhem event by racking up 618,000 XP. However, if you’re the kind who can’t wait to start leveling up this beauty—or you’re just eager to add another gun to your camo collection—there’s a shortcut you might be interested in.

But be prepared to pay for it.

An enticing offer is currently available in the in-game store, a bundle called Bad Manners. This pack includes a blueprint named “Party Etiquette,” designed specifically for the new Maelstrom shotgun. Like the Sirin 9mm that was featured in the recent Hit List event, those willing to invest some real-world cash can get early access to this new weapon.

This Bad Manners bundle is priced at 1,800 COD Points. Along with the Maelstrom blueprint, you’ll also bag another blueprint for the Goblin, plus a few cosmetic extras. You might be wondering, “Do I need to unlock the weapon first?”

The short answer is no. Having a weapon’s blueprint means you can use it across Black Ops 6’s various modes right away. This makes using your Prestige level Permanent Unlock tokens on weapons something of a waste, considering there are alternative avenues to obtain them. The current Season 1 Battle Pass also offers a variety of weapon blueprints that you can unlock without spending your tokens.

So, if you’re looking to get that new shotgun in your hands before the crowd, consider using some COD Points now. Would I suggest this route? Not exactly, but it’s available if you’re itching for it.