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Medal of Honor discounted on Amazon today, as we enter the Hot Zone
Though the recently released Medal of Honor "Hot Zone" DLC doesn't come free with your EA Online Pass (the add-on is $10), saving $20 on a new copy of the game might help ameliorate your hesitancy to really heat things up. As its Video Game Deal of the Day, Amazon has dropped the price of Medal of Honor by a cool third to $40. Additionally, EA has released the Hot Zone trailer -- embedded after the break. Apparently, the "Hot Zone" moniker is related to the DLC's new multiplayer mode, and not the possibility of the Tier 1 gang returning home, shaving their beards and hitting the town in crisp party shirts. Fooled again!
EA: Medal of Honor sells two million in first two weeks
According to EA's latest earnings report, "Medal of Honor is off to a strong start, selling-through 2 million units in just two weeks in October." Translation: EA sold 2 million of copies of Medal of Honor last month, following its October 12 launch. Two million is a pretty impressive feat for the reboot of a franchise that was all but sunk -- not to mention marred in a bit of controversy leading up to launch. It just goes to show you that overcoming any obstacle is as simple as shooting it with a gigantic gun. Growing a beard probably doesn't hurt, either.
Medal of Honor paid DLC also out November 2
Previously, EA revealed that it would release free Medal of Honor DLC to "Online Pass" holders on November 2. Today, the company announced that it will also issue a second DLC pack -- this one, the kind you pay for -- on the same day. The $10 add-on will include a new multiplayer mode, "Hot Zone" (a.k.a. "King of the Hill"). This Hot Zone DLC will also include two new maps, Hindukush Valley and Korengal Outpost, as well as redesigned versions of the Shahikot Valley and Helmand Valley maps. That's right -- even more venues for your totally fictional fight for a hill against the Opposing Force.
Free Medal of Honor DLC adds new multiplayer mode November 2
EA will release a free multiplayer download pack for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Medal of Honor on November 2. Well, free for those who have the Online Pass, anyway. The DLC adds a new multiplayer mode called "Clean Sweep," in which American troops help organize a messy home "an elimination mode where players must rely on their own skill and teammates' expertise to prevail as the winning team." The DLC includes two new maps designed for the new mode, called Bagram Hangar and Khyber Caves, and new versions of the Diwagal Camp and Kabul City Ruins maps also designed for Clean Sweep.
Former Marine reminds us Medal of Honor is just a video game
In his Medal of Honor review, Joystiq's Andrew Yoon writes: "Recalling the terminology, remembering the technology and feeling the burden of the mission, the campaign is a true learning experience -- one that I didn't expect, but ultimately enjoyed." This statement is a testament to EA and Danger Close's ability to successfully execute the so-called "historical fiction" element that was so key to the game's design and marketing. Andrew hadn't learned to be a soldier, but he was drawn into the "perceived realism" much in the way that any celebrated war movie or book has sucked in its consumers. Certainly, games' ascent into the high art of "realism" has rasied some issues for a medium commonly associated with kids stuff. If you're concerned that war (video) games are becoming too real, especially for the kids who get their hands on them one way or another, give former U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer Benjamin Busch's editorial on NPR a read. "The game cannot train its players to be actual skilled special operations soldiers, nor is it likely to lure anyone into Islamic fundamentalism," Busch writes of Medal of Honor. "It can grant neither heroism nor martyrdom. What it does do is make modern war into participatory cinema. That is its business." Busch's problem with Medal of Honor is in its depiction of the War in Afghanistan -- a war that's obviously going on "right now." He believes that it "equates the war with the leisure of games" (perhaps distorting how best for a civilian, including those considering enlistment, to understand war), and he argues that, despite "the fully articulated violence," Medal of Honor can't possibly emulate the reality of combat. "There is a truth common to all, and that is that playing war in any medium is not combat, and for a gamer, it's not even political. It's just sedentary adventurism in need of a subject." "The power of controlling your situation, to be able to stop the war and rest, is something that our soldiers are quietly desperate for. For those who patrol the valleys of Helmand, it is a way to impose limits on the uncertainty of war and the constancy of vulnerability," Busch reminds us. "A video game can produce no wounds and take no friends away."
Medal of Honor review: Danger close but no cigar
EA has tasked Danger Close and DICE with the formidable challenge of not only rebooting the Medal of Honor brand but making it a direct competitor to Call of Duty, arguably the biggest franchise on the planet. Instead of taking a more fanciful approach to "modern warfare," EA's offering zooms dangerously close to ongoing combat operations. Set in modern day Afghanistan, Medal of Honor is inherently provocative, if only for setting alone. But is it good? That depends on what you're looking for. Single Player Medal of Honor is essentially two games in one, with two developers and two engines (Unreal for campaign; Frostbite for multiplayer) powering the distinctly different components of the package. The decision to splinter the development of the game has a certain logic to it: single-player gamers are not necessarily multiplayer gamers, and vice versa. Presumably, EA's approach allows each mode to be optimized for their respective audience. As it turns out, this method makes for a rather confusing end product. When viewed as a standalone offering, Danger Close's campaign is one of the finest shooters I've experienced in years, successfully finding the middle ground between a realistic military simulation and a great piece of entertainment. The story, which covers two action-packed days in the US military's ongoing battle against insurgents in Afghanistan, masterfully switches between the perspective of an elite group of soldiers (Tier 1), and the Army Rangers, and offers a genuine, realistic look into the struggles of being a modern warrior. %Gallery-104838%
Medal of Honor marketing director explains 'Taliban' removal
In writing about the "controversy" surrounding Medal of Honor's multiplayer and the subsequent name change of one faction from "Taliban" to "Opposing Force," we've heard from two sides, primarily -- EA corporate and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. But we've never heard directly from the folks developing MOH -- Danger Close Games. Earlier this week at an EA event in New York City, we talked with Danger Close marketing director Craig Owens. Owens spoke to why he believes the name change occurred, what it will accomplish, and how internal reactions have been at Danger Close. In his eyes, it wasn't a result of AAFES-based GameStop stores not carrying Medal of Honor -- as he points out, the change hasn't affected the AAFES' sale embargo of MOH. "The objection was, kind of from an older generation that doesn't understand games, that the soundbyte was 'Play as the Taliban and kill US soldiers,'" though he admitted "There still is, it seems, a group that's still a little bit leery of a game taking place around an active conflict." Owens further clarified, adding that "Really the big thing was playing as a Taliban killing US troops. So we basically just changed it to 'Opfor' -- which is a term they [the US Armed Forces] use, some of our competitors use -- more out of respect." The AAFES, he contends, didn't factor into the decision whatsoever. He also pointed out that during the beta earlier this year, there were "about 500,000 people playing it, as the Taliban, killing US troops," without a single complaint. He further lamented the nefarious "soundbyte" that lead to the seemingly inevitable controversy, adding "Later that soundbyte kinda caught wind and got taken out of context, really."%Gallery-103178%
Military base GameStops reconsidering Medal of Honor sales
On the heels of this morning's announcement that Medal of Honor's multiplayer mode swapped the "Taliban" moniker in favor of "Opposing Force," we asked GameStop and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service if they would now allow the sale of the title on military bases. A representative for GameStop referred us to the AAFES, refusing to give comment and suggesting that we should check if the the military retailer's "position had changed." A representative from the AAFES told us that the service is "aware of reported changes to the latest Medal of Honor game" and that "the organization has been, and continues to be, engaged in a thorough review to fully understand the extent of the modifications." EA's Jeff Brown noted that the publisher isn't directly asking to "rescind the ban on the game," but did send the AAFES a letter last month "clarifying some facts about Medal of Honor." It seems there's still a possibility that this October's release will be available on military bases after all.
Medal of Honor devs rename 'Taliban' to 'Opposing Force' in multiplayer mode
In a reaction to outcry from friends and families of fallen soldiers, Medal of Honor developer Danger Close and publisher EA have decided to rename the multiplayer faction in their game from "Taliban" to "Opposing Force." Executive producer Greg Goodrich announced as much on the MOH blog this morning, explaining the alteration by saying, "We are making this change for the men and women serving in the military and for the families of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice -- this franchise will never willfully disrespect, intentionally or otherwise, your memory and service." This isn't the first such predicament Medal of Honor has faced in its development -- early last month it was revealed that GameStop stores within Army and Air Force bases wouldn't carry the game, with GameStop's internal memo naming the playable Taliban as its reasoning. Unfortunately, we're not sure we see a solution here -- considering combatant casualties in any war are "opposing forces," won't considerably more people be offended this way?
Medal of Honor really wants you to know about Tier 1
These Tier 1 guys, they sure know how to ... umm ... remind us that Medal of Honor is a modern war game -- you know, in the sense that they're tough looking and are clearly armed to the teeth. Heck, amidst all the danger they're in, they don't even shed tear one!
Medal of Honor multiplayer preview: A DICE-y compromise
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Medal of Honor wants to have Modern Warfare 2's babies. It's evident in the entire makeup of the multiplayer package -- from the progression system to the Killstreak-like Support Actions right down to the run-and-gun, lone wolf style of play. But, it has that patented DICE touch, which gives it just enough character to stand on its own two feet. %Gallery-103178%
Medal of Honor must sell 'at least three million copies' for sequel consideration
EA's upcoming Medal of Honor is a risky proposition for the company. Unlike Activision's Modern Warfare series, Danger Close's game is based upon a real-life conflict. With battles ongoing in the Middle East, MOH has rightfully attracted its fair share of controversy -- some are eager to say that the game is simply going too far. The military advisors EA has hired have the difficult job of "selling authenticity and realism" while making sure "it didn't go too far." Originally titled Medal of Honor: Anaconda, the game's pitch was essentially "Black Hawk Down for Afghanistan." It would be based on a failed operation called Anaconda, where a Navy SEAL was dragged to his death by Al Qaeda fighters. One consultant told the New York TImes that the original concept "hit a little too close to home" and would "put a sour taste in our brothers' mouths." Medal of Honor has evolved over its development, with a new found focus on "telling the soldier's story." One designer told the NYT that, differing from Infinity Ward's approach to the genre, "we want the player to feel, not like they're in a movie, but like they're in Afghanistan." Funding such an ambitious goal is certainly not cheap, with executive producer Greg Goodrich telling the newspaper that "if the game doesn't sell at least three million copies, I'm not going to be able to do another one." Certainly, the stakes are high for EA, attempting to capitalize on the success of its competitor's flagship franchise. But will Medal of Honor's approach resonate with gamers? We'll find out in one month's time.
EA won't bow to Medal of Honor controversy
Allow gamers to take up the mantle of the Taliban in your game and you're bound to receive some ire. EA is learning all about that with Medal of Honor, as the mainstream media and the British government have vocalized concerns. British Defence Secretary Liam Fox has actually called for a countrywide ban of the game outright, stating that it's "shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers," even though you don't actually kill any British troops in the game. Still, EA Games president Frank Gibeau isn't sweating the bad press. "We respect the media's views," Gibeau replied, "but at the same time [these reports] don't compromise our creative vision and what we want to do. The development teams care very much about what they're building, and of course a bit of criticism from the media causes some to get demoralised, but at the end of the day we're proud of what we're doing." Gibeau even compared the flak to the same types of reports that went on about Modern Warfare 2's infamous airport sequence -- one of many comparisons the two games have received. Gibeau is of the mind that the collaboration between EA and the US Military and Congressional Medal of Honor Society is what will win people over in the end, not just because of the accurate depiction of the ongoing conflict, but because it has allowed EA to produce "the best story for the game." Plus, we all know the world has a natural affinity for whiskered gentlemen -- just look at the popularity of Grizzly Adams! [Thanks, fais]
Medal of Honor campaign detailed on GameTrailers TV
If you missed the latest episode of GTTV, fret not: just past the break, we've embedded the episode, which pulls back the curtain on Medal of Honor's campaign mode. Initially, all we knew was that the game would take place in Afghanistan and you'd be among one of the beard-sporting elite known as Tier One Operators. However, thanks to executive producer Greg Goodrich, we now know a bit more -- specifically, that the campaign will be divided up into three parts and follows a team on the hunt for Al Quaeda. Goodrich also mentions the story will be told "from two different sides," implying that players will eventually be able to take up the mantle of the terrorists themselves. But, hey, why are we still gabbing on? Head on past the break and absorb this intel first-hand for yourself, including a look at two never-before-seen single-player levels. Consider it an order, soldier!
Medal of Honor LE tied up with Battlefield 3 beta invite
EA announced today that, in addition to some generally underwhelming digital goodies like early access to shotguns, the Medal of Honor Limited Edition will come with an invitation to the Battlefield 3 beta, being developed by MoH's multiplayer team at DICE. As for when to expect that beta to begin, an EA representative tells Joystiq that the company has "no further details" and that it'll start "within 12 month of Medal of Honor's release." Check out our multiple previews on Medal of Honor to find out what your Tier 1 self is in for when the game begins its retail assault on October 12.
Danger Close: The story behind EA LA's new name
"It was literally an exercise of about 20 minutes because it just came up, it happened, we went with it, and there you go," new Danger Close studio head Greg Goodrich told us in an interview last night, explaining how he and two of his colleagues came up with the new name of their studio (formerly EA LA). Late last evening, EA revealed that its Los Angeles-based development house would be rebranded. The studio is now known as Danger Close, which Goodrich told Joystiq is indicative of the reborn studio's direction. "I think the core of what we're doing right now and the sort of DNA of this team and this studio is the first-person shooter genre. I can't foresee us doing anything other than that in the near future, and specifically Medal of Honor." Goodrich did add, however, that his hands aren't tied creatively in terms of what the studio is allowed to do -- be it first-person shooter or whatever else it might have in store. That said, Goodrich wasn't speaking about anything other than Medal of Honor, and he remained coy about his studio's involvement with the game post-release. He's proud of the mutliplayer component built by DICE, but he's not ruling out Danger Close getting involved in multiplayer support, say through DLC. "Personally, I think that would be something that the guys here would be very excited about doing in the future," he offered. "But, you know, we're gonna see how this one works out and see how the fans accept it, and make those decisions at a later time." Goodrich is content to leave his studio's future plans a mystery. "That's also a part of creating your own identity and starting your own future, and throwing up a website that says 'Now hiring,'" he teased. "There's intent there."
'Danger Close' studio formed at EA by Medal of Honor team
In a somewhat unexpected announcement this afternoon, EA Los Angeles revealed the creation of a new studio, named "Danger Close," responsible for handling the upcoming reboot of Medal of Honor. If you've been paying close attention to the words of your generic soldier comrades in various war games over the past, say, 10 years, you've probably heard the term -- that's because "Danger Close" refers to "information in a call for fire to indicate that friendly forces are within 600 meters of the target" (according to About.com). Given that EA LA was the former studio working on Medal of Honor (alongside multiplayer developer DICE), this appears to be little more than a rebranding of EA's LA offices under the "Danger Close" nomenclature. That said, we've fired off a round of questions to EA and will let you know more about the studio as soon as we do.
