Activision adds in-app purchases to Call of Duty: Black Ops II

'

Activision is adding a series of in-app purchases to Call of Duty: Black Ops II, which the publisher is calling Micro Items.

The items will be available starting Wednesday March 13 for the Xbox 360. Activision community manager Dan Amrich says the "optional" packs contain "either personal customizations or nice little luxuries that I’ve seen players request."

"None of them affect gameplay," adds Amrich, "but they are small, specific ways to enhance your online experience."

The main Micro Items for sale are called Personalisation Packs, which Amrich says are like "dress-up for your favorite weapons." Each Personalisation Pack contains its own weapon camo, three targeting reticles, and a custom calling card. The only one shown at present was the Bacon Personalisation Pack, which wraps your weapons in cooked strips of the world's most famous cut of cured pork.

Personalisation Packs will sell for 160 Microsoft points, and the in-app purchases will launch first on the Xbox 360. Activision will announce availability on other platforms at a later date.

Activision will also offer the Extra Slots pack for another 160 Microsoft points, which will add 10 create-a-class slots (giving a total of 20 if the player's prestige level is high enough) and allow players to store 20 additional emblems, 32 extra films, and 40 screenshots.

There are also Flags of the World Calling Card Packs, which add a series of calling cards to the game based on national flags. These are to be distributed in packs based on region and will cost 80 Microsoft points each.

Nuketown Zombies, which was previously only included with the Hardened and Care Package editions of the game, will also be made available for purchase for 400 Microsoft points.

Alongside the addition of the in-app purchases, Activision will make Nuketown 2025--the futuristic take on the first Black Ops' most popular multiplayer map, offered as a preorder bonus in Black Ops II--available to everyone for free.

"At the end of the day, all of these items are completely optional, and were created for players who've asked for more customization options. If that's not you, that's fine; everybody gets Nuketown 2025 for free, so definitely take advantage of that."

For more information on Call of Duty: Black Ops II, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

'