For the first time in franchise history, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will introduce cosmetic variations of the base weapons.
As explained by Activision, these "Signature Weapons" - as they are referred to, officially - will not offer any sort of game-boosting stats. They perform exactly like their base counterparts, except they offer a design that shows the world you've completed that weapon's unique challenges.
"The beauty of Signature Weapons is in the additional layers of depth that they add to the game’s progression with their individual challenges," Activision explained. "These challenges must be completed in order to unlock additional cosmetic rewards for that weapon, with the final being a Mastercraft version of the Signature Weapon."
You can unlock your first Signature Weapon, the MX-9 Signature Weapon (pictured above) - on Day 1 by simply purchasing the Digital Deluxe, Digital Deluxe Enhanced, Pro Edition or Mystery Box Edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Additionally, players who pre-order Black Ops 4 from GameStop will receive the Divinity, the Signature Weapon variation for the Strife pistol. By completing all of its associated in-game challenges and unlocking all of the rewards will reward you with the golden Divine Justice variation of it.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is set to launch next month on October 12, 2018. A beta for the game's new Blackout battle royale mode will be hosted on September 10 for PS4 and September 14 for Xbox One and PC.