How to unlock weapon upgrades in Sniper Elite 5

Developer Rebellion has reinvented how the weapon upgrades are doled out in Sniper Elite 5. This new iteration features a reworked ballistic model for all weapons, and not just for the sniper rifles. Machine guns and pistols can trigger the x-ray kill cameras and unlock earned with secrets, rather than simply leveling a weapon. This guide will break down how to make weapon upgrades for these powerful armaments.

Finding a workbench

Workbenches are the essential upgrades to find, and if you get near one, a golden gear icon will appear on the map. Seek them out before you extract from a mission to unlock various weapon parts and upgrades. Each campaign mission contains three different workbenches: one for sniper rifles, one for secondary weapons, and a final one for pistols and sidearms.

Weapons themselves can be unlocked via story progression and completing hit list hidden objectives. These are specific ways to take a target out, such as with a landmine or destroying a vehicle they are riding in. These unlock requirements are listed next to each locked weapon on the loadout screen.

Identifying the upgrades you want

Finding which upgrade you want to focus on is easy. When customizing a loadout, highlight the locked weapon upgrade, and the game will detail how to unlock it in the lower right of the screen. This will help cut out a lot of time focused on leveling weapons, as finding them in a mission is much faster than the old way of upgrading.

These new upgrades vary in functionality, and very few of them offer flat benefits without a penalty. If an upgrade provides more range, it often comes at the cost of reload speed or aiming speed. Think carefully about which upgrade you want for a particular weapon and collect them all to complete your armory.