Full transparency.

We're a month-and-a-half away from the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and Activision has devised another attempt to convince players to pre-order the military shooter, though this one goes beyond offering $5 in store credit.

Anyone who pre-orders a digital copy of Modern Warfare 4 - on any platform - will receive the Inner Circuit M4 Assault Rifle Blueprint. Weapon Blueprints are custom-made builds with a unique look, and they have been a thing in Call of Duty since the 2019 Modern Warfare reboot.

The M4 Blueprint in question has two variants, one of which is exclusive to Xbox. Everyone on PC, PlayStation 5, and Switch 2 receives a mil-spec version cloaked in translucent black. On Xbox, however, the same Blueprint will glow in translucent green in homage to the original Xbox - the same sort of colour as the translucent limited edition Xbox Series X that's coming out. The skin has other stylings, too, such as an Xbox logo on the magazine well.

The catch? Only players on Xbox will be able to see the custom green version. That is, if an Xbox player joins a cross-play match with players from other platforms, those players will see the standard version in their killcam.

"Designed as a tribute to 25 years of Xbox, the Inner Circuit Blueprint takes cues from classic translucent Xbox hardware," the developer explained on the official Call of Duty blog. "Its transparent green finish exposes the weapon's internal systems, turning the technology beneath the surface into part of the visual identity."

Call of Duty, of course, has long had platform-specific bonuses - such as skins inspired by PlayStation characters - but they've always been exclusive to that platform. The M4 pre-order bonus in question is not exclusive to any particular platform, but its unique look can only be perceived by players on a single platform, which is unusual.

This new bonus is also notable because it seemingly proves it's possible for players to see a different version of the same skin. Call of Duty's outlandish weapon and character skins have long been a point of contention amongst players, and many suggested offering an off toggle that keeps the default designs for players who want a grounded look without taking away from those who paid for the skins.

Modern Warfare 4 is set for release on 23rd October on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2.

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