Season 1 drops on Thursday, December 4th, and the first thing most of us will do is poke the new guns to see what actually holds up in real matches. If you're warming up in a CoD BO7 Bot Lobby or just jumping straight into pubs, you'll notice the pool still isn't huge, but it's got personality. That slow drip of unlocks matters, too. It keeps week-one lobbies from turning into one copy-paste loadout, and it gives you time to learn what a weapon really feels like under pressure.

Battle Pass Headliners

Early on, the Battle Pass has two clear chase items. First comes the KOGOT-7 on Page 3, a full-auto SMG with that MP7 vibe: fast, tidy, and built for tight angles. The iron sights are clean enough that you can skip an optic and spend the slot on something that actually changes the fight. Up close it's nasty, but you'll feel it fall off when you try to stretch lanes. Hit weapon level 39 and the Akimbo Prestige attachment turns it into a pure room-clearing tool—less range, shakier hip-fire, and way more "hold W and commit" energy. Later you'll unlock the Maddox RFB on Page 6, a steady assault rifle that's comfy in mid-range duels and doesn't punish you for missing one bullet. At level 43 with prestige, the 13-inch Burst Barrel alters the cadence so every second shot hits harder, but it asks more of your recoil control and timing.

Week 1 Reward And The Knife Problem

Week 1 is all about the Ballistic Knife as the mastery reward, and it's the kind of weapon that creates stories. No attachments, no build guides, just you and a spring-loaded gamble. In a chaotic objective push, it's a quick delete button if you're close enough. At range, it's mostly pride on the line. You'll miss a bunch. Then you'll land one ridiculous throw, and suddenly you're trying it again for the next five games.

Late-Season Wildcards

The later event drops look like they're made to mess with the meta in a fun way. The Sokol 545 LMG can swing between a slower, more controlled pace and a faster, higher-recoil spray, which means you'll be swapping playstyles without swapping weapons. Its Prestige mod pushing it into a 6-round burst sounds loud and a bit unhinged, but the mobility bump could make it a real choice for aggressive LMG players. The NX Ravager crossbow is even stranger: explosive bolts by default, then the Tribolt Prestige attachment that spits three bolts at once. That's basically a pocket ambush tool, and it'll punish anyone who thinks they're safe behind cover.

Snipers, SMGs, And The Grind

For sniper fans, the Hawker HX is the one to watch, with that BO2 Ballista inspiration—quick handling, solid resistance to getting knocked off target, and the kind of feel that makes you re-challenge corners you probably shouldn't. The Prestige attachment is still under wraps, but if the Tactical Stance rumor is real, expect some flashy clips and a lot of angry killcams. The Strumwolf 45 SMG rounds out the season as a low-recoil headshot printer, and that leaked mag that boosts damage while wrecking recoil sounds like a classic "high risk, high reward" trap people will swear is broken. If you're trying to keep up with the unlock pace without living in the menus, it helps to have a plan for your time and resources, and that's where U4GM comes in for players looking to buy game currency or items so they can stay focused on playing matches instead of juggling the grind.