Call of Duty: Ghosts perk system explained

In a post on the Call of Duty website, Infinity Ward detailed the perk system for next week's Call of Duty: Ghosts, the first game in the series for next-generation systems.

Infinity Ward boasted that the perk system for the game will offer an "incredible level of customization." The game will ship with 35 perks weighted with a point value of 1 to 5.

Loadouts will have a pool of 8 points to spend on perks, for a total of 12 depending on loadout decisions. On top of the 8 initial points, a single perk point is associated with the primary and secondary weapon slots, as well as lethal and tactical.

Taking away any of the items for an additional perk point will allow for a maximum of 12 points to spend, Infinity Ward said.

"If you’re a Perk fanatic, you're welcome to forgo all weapons and equipment, starting each spawn with only a knife in hand and 12 points' worth of perks. It's your choice," the developer said.

Regarding how players will unlock perks, Infinity Ward said this can be done in two ways. Every perk is marked with a level and a squad point cost. Once players reach the listed level, the perk will be automatically unlocked. Players can unlock perks early by spending squad points for immediate access, Infinity Ward said.

The 35 perks in Call of Duty: Ghosts belong to seven different categories, which players can mix and match as they see fit to create a "near unlimited" number of possible combinations. These categories are: speed (sleight of hand, stalker), handling (on the go, steady aim), stealth (takedown, incog, motion sensor), awareness (sitrep, wiretap), resistance (focus, blast shield), equipment (extra tactical, extra attachment), and elite (gambler, ping).

A detailed breakdown of all 35 Call of Duty: Ghosts perks and their attributes is available on the Call of Duty website. Call of Duty: Ghosts launches November 5 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Wii U. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions will be released as launch titles next month.