Was that announcement trailer a little too quick for you to admire the new Maverick rifle coming to Call of Duty: Ghosts in the upcoming Onslaught DLC? No problem. Sean Byers, Ghosts' vehicle and weapon artist, took to Twitter to post some exquisitely detailed artwork of the two-in-one gun, in both its assault and sniper rifle forms.
If you look closely at the picture above, you'll notice some details that Infinity Ward hasn't divulged about the gun yet: the suppressor, the different sights, selective fire switch just above the grip, etc. The scratches, scrapes and dents make the rifle look truly battle-worn, echoing the game's story, and the wood stock makes this thing look sturdy as hell.
As for the sniper rifle, seen below, the dichotomy between the worn wood and ultra sleek looking and technologically modern barrel and scope is a bit unusual at first glance, but is, in technical terms, really friggin' cool looking.
The weapon is no doubt a great addition, but the reason most people will pick up the Onslaught DLC will be for the new maps, each of which has a special and unique feature for players who complete a field order:
* Fog - players assume the role of the iconic babysitter bloodletter, Michael Myers of "Halloween," complete with trademark music and axe
* Bayview - call in a naval artillery strike
* Containment - call in an airstrike to detonate a radioactive missile, destroying anyone in the immediate area
* Ignition (a remake of Scrapyard from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2) - activate a test engine that ignites and burns enemies in the area
The DLC also brings in additions for the game's alien hunting Extinction mode, picking up where the last mission, "Point of Contact," left off. It also adds in two new alien types:
- the "Phantom," capable of turning invisible mid-leap.
- the "Breeder," an enormous boss creature
You can get a closer look at the DLC's maps and alien newcomers here.
Onslaught hits Xbox platforms first, later this month, January 28. Expect it to hit the rest of the platforms after in late February. No pricing details just yet, but I'm sure the DLC packs are free for Season Pass holders. According to that Pass, the next DLC will be Devestation, followed by Invasion, and finally, Nemesis. Additional content gained with the Pass include instant access to the map originally only offered as a pre-order bonus, Free Fall, and the Team Leader digital content pack, which "includes a unique MP character head" sporting the Ghost mask, weapon camo, reticle, player patch, player card and player background, all of which will be playable in-game upon purchase.
For anyone who has the game on either PS3 or Xbox 360 and plans on upgrading to the next-gen systems, anyone who buys the pass by the end of May 2014, all the content comes with you to the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.
You can check out the DLC announcement trailer here, and a recent live action trailer here.