‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’ adds Signature Weapons for dedicated players

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 won’t have a traditional campaign mode, but Treyarch and Activision want you to spend as much time as possible shooting up your opponents in competitive multiplayer. To encourage dedicated play, the game will introduce “Signature Weapons,” special versions of guns to help you stand out from the crowd.

“Signature Weapons are the most badass-looking weapons in Black Ops 4, and a badge of honor for the battle-hardened players that have invested the time to achieve the Mastercraft versions,” said Activision editorial manager Kevin Kelly in a blog post.

You won’t get a competitive advantage with Signature Weapons in Black Ops 4 so as to not throw off the balance in multiplayer, but their cosmetic changes might be enough to throw your enemies off their rhythm. The MX-9 Signature Weapon, for instance — which you get if you buy the Digital Deluxe, Digital Deluxe Enhanced, Pro, or Mystery Box versions of the game — features a bald eagle across the side with an enormous wing extending to the muzzle. We wouldn’t want to be on the business end of that thing.

In order to turn your Signature Weapons into their Mastercraft versions, you’ll have to complete special challenges. As you do so, you’ll unlock additional cosmetic changes to the weapon until you’re ultimately awarded the Mastercraft version. The difference between the two is pretty staggering. The pre-order bonus Divinity pistol, for instance, transforms from an olive drab and gray weapon into a gold and white gun that looks like it was pulled from Destiny 2.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has a lot more going for it than just standard multiplayer. The game includes three separate cooperative zombie campaigns at launch, and for the first time in the series, it includes a battle royale mode. Dubbed “Blackout,” the mode features air, land, and sea vehicles, which have typically been limited to kill-streak rewards in the series’ other games. Only time will tell if the mode is substantial enough to compete with the likes of Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 releases for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 12.