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Call of Duty: Black Ops shatters UK day-one sales record
As we learned yesterday, the act of dude-shooting has worldwide appeal. In a follow-up, MCV reports that data provided by the UK's GfK Chart-Track service breaks down the particular explosiveness of Call of Duty: Black Ops' launch sales in the region, which set the day-one software sales record in the UK with 1.4 million units sold -- and, by deduction, indicates that an estimated 4.2 million copies of the game were sold in the US on Tuesday. UK purchases alone lined Activision's pockets with a heavy £58 million sum (about $93.5 million) in launch day revenue, a 22-percent increase over last year's UK launch of Modern Warfare 2. The reason for this massive increase? Activision chalks it up to a higher install base of PS3s and 360s in the region, as well as to the fact that, unlike MW2, there are Wii and DS versions of Black Ops (which certainly accounted for a few sales, right?). Those are pretty good guesses, but we think it's because everyone keeps colloquially shortening the title of the game to "Blops," which is an inherently British-sounding word. Example: "Fancy some Blops, guv?"
Call of Duty: Black Ops PC multiplayer patched
We haven't spent much time with it ourselves, but everything we've heard from friends and other journalists points to the PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops' multiplayer being -- in technical terms -- a poopie. Today, Activision pushed out some anti-poopie fixes via Steam, including: Friends fix for join in progress and Friends tab in server browser Performance improvement for dual and quad core systems We're hoping the patch will be enough to cure everyone's ills, but either way, we'd caution players to not fly off the handle. When you participate in a beta, these things happen. Until you actually pay for the product, you don't have much right to complain. ... Wait -- what?
Call of Duty DLC to be Activision's 'largest digital offering ever'
Activision's CFO Thomas Tippl has promised at an industry conference in New York that 2011 will bring the company's "largest digital offering ever" in the form of DLC for the Call of Duty franchise. Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg made a similar statement last week, saying that Activision would offer "the Call of Duty community our largest line of an exciting new digital content ever." That could just be lots of new maps and content packs to download, or it could finally be the long-rumored subscription-based service Activision reportedly wants to put in place. Either way, if you were one of the many, many people who shelled out $60 for Call of Duty: Black Ops earlier this week, Activision says not to put your wallet away just yet -- it's got some other offers coming soon that you might want to take advantage of.
Black Ops meets J-pop in Japanese commercial
This Japanese ad for Call of Duty: Black Ops, featuring Ravex and Namie Amuro's "Rock U", might seem to prove that J-pop and the military don't mix. But, then, the Japanese Coast Guard provides a pretty convincing argument to the contrary.
Treyarch working aggressively to squash Black Ops cheaters
Treyarch's David Vonderhaar has considerable emotional investment in Call of Duty: Black Ops, having served as Multiplayer Design Director. That helps explain his fiery comments regarding complaints that players had already hacked the game's online multiplayer component. On the official Black Ops forums, Vonderhaar explained that most of the videos circling the YouTubes feature older dev versions of the game, or use exploits that can be easily hotfixed or patched "just like we said we would." Vonderhaar expressed disappointment in these complaints, saying, "What many of these people want is to be Internet nerd famous. I'm not going to make them famous and you shouldn't either." He later added, "We are disinterested in making mini-celebrities out of douche-bags." Wow, we're actually kind of inspired by his passion, here. If everyone adopted the "no fame for douche-bags" credo, just think how much of a better place we'd be living in! There'd be no reality television at all.
Cuban government site deems Call of Duty: Black Ops 'perverse'
Since Call of Duty: Black Ops is still fresh off the press, we're going to do our very best to avoid spoilers here, so bear with us. Okay, who's the most famous Cuban guy you know? No, not Andy Garcia. Not Daisy Fuentes either, she's a girl. The other one, with the beard. Rhymes with Lastro. ... Right! So in the first mission of the game you're tasked with finding him and ... hurting him. Maybe hurting him so badly that he will be, like, the opposite of alive. Hint, hint. That's predictably peeved some folks in Cuba. According to a Guardian translation, a recent story on government-run website cubadebate read, "What the United States government did not achieve in more than 50 years, it now tries to do virtually. This new video game is doubly perverse. On the one hand, it glorifies the illegal assassination attempts the United States government planned against the Cuban leader ... and on the other, it stimulates sociopathic attitudes in North American children and adolescents." We had reserved this space to make fun of whatever crazy thing the Cuban paper said, but they kinda nailed it, right?
PC gamers complain of Call of Duty: Black Ops performance issues
According to player reports picked up on by Strategy Informer, the PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops suffers from some rather serious issues. Most notably, players have been experiencing performance dips in single player and multiplayer. As the video after the break demonstrates, the game will stutter and periodically freeze every few seconds, resulting in some undeserved deaths and undoubtedly a fair amount of rage (Destructoid pointed out similar issues in its review of the title). The issue appears to stem from a memory problem, with users reporting that Black Ops often hogs up much more CPU than is necessary, even climbing as high as 100 percent according to some users. According to Treyarch's David Vonderhaar, the company is aware of the problem, though he offered no further details on a potential fix. Additionally, GameServers.com, which provides dedicated servers for the game, has stated on its forums that the lag is related to an internal game bug and that Treyarch is "looking into it." We've contacted Treyarch and will update as soon as we hear anything.
Activision: Black Ops tops Modern Warfare 2 day-one sales record, with 5.6M sold in US and UK
According to Activision's early "internal estimates," this week's launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops is the series' largest -- financially speaking -- of all time, accruing $360 million in sales thus far between the United States and the United Kingdom. Accounting for all that money is an approximate 5.6 million copies landing in customers' hands solely on November 9, compared with 4.7 million moved during last year's Modern Warfare 2 launch. In case you needed further proof that the vast majority of the millions of Call of Duty players out there don't have any idea about that whole Infinity Ward debacle, or don't have any hangups over which studio makes the year's CoD, here it is.
Digital Foundry examines the impact of 3D in Call of Duty: Black Ops
Most players have yet to meet or don the required specs necessary to enjoy Call of Duty: Black Ops in 3D. The intended-to-immerse visual effect doesn't come for free, after all -- not even for the game itself. Joystiq came away impressed with developer Treyarch's implementation of the technology across three different platforms, but our commentary lacked the technical foundation you'll find in Eurogamer and Digital Foundry's latest minute inquiry. According to Richard Leadbetter's thorough analysis (which also pits the Xbox 360 version against the PS3 rendition), Black Ops takes a significant performance hit when played in 3D on consoles. "Away from individual perceptions and back to the cold hard realities of performance and controller response, there's little doubt that 3D impacts the core experience of playing Black Ops. What you gain (or don't gain, depending on the individual's viewpoint) from the 3D effect you lose in terms of controller response and frame-rate," Leadbetter wrote, noting the severity of the drawbacks in a franchise praised for its smooth framerate and quick controls. "On both versions of the game there's often a sense that you're wading through treacle, almost as if you're battling the control scheme to get some semblance of the response you get from playing in 2D." (Note: Black Ops does not, as far as we know, include a level set in a malfunctioning sugar refinery.) Despite the PlayStation 3 making a hard push for 3D adoption -- next year's Killzone 3 being one of the standout titles -- Leadbetter concluded that playability on Sony's console suffered the most. "We've logged the PS3 game running as low as 20FPS - and that's just in the very first street battle in the initial Cuba level." This lack of parity between versions is a problem unique to 3D games -- film studios need only be concerned with how well a film plays with the audience, and not how well the audience plays it. However, as new technology gains wider acceptance, the tradeoffs should become less costly. We're bound to lose a few on the frontline first.
Xbox UK boss won't take a bet on Halo: Reach outselling Black Ops
About a month ago, Microsoft's UK director of Xbox and Entertainment, Stephen McGill, said he expected Halo: Reach to outsell Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops. We had a nice laugh about it in the company of some analysts. Later, in an interview with Eurogamer, McGill waffled like an Eggo and wasn't willing to put money down on the claim. Asked if he would bet a "tenner" that Halo would outsell Call of Duty: Black Ops, the executive said Activision's shooter would jump ahead because it's multiplatorm (logical!), whereas Reach is only available on the Xbox 360. When the bet was adjusted to be only for the Xbox 360, McGill stated, "I'm tightfisted with my cash, so I'm not going to bet anyone any money about anything." We have an exercise routine after the break that won't cost a dime.
Activision hands out 'free' Black Ops gear for female Xbox Live Avatars
Due to an error on Activision's part, any female Xbox Live Avatar can be outfitted in some Call of Duty: Black Ops virtual gear free of charge. Having only printed codes for male Avatar gear inside of the Hardened and Prestige edition packages, the publisher had to quickly create two universal codes for female gear, allowing any account with a female Avatar to nab the two outfits -- with the right codes. Thankfully, a CAG user has shared these codes with the rest of the world. (Those bears would be so proud!) By inputting the code GYVF8-PF7RY-28D7V-VGWV8-CFGRM into your Xbox (or online), you can snag the "SR 71 Flight Suit"; while inputting R76BQ-CR3MF-G2TTF-9G36R-BQWJD will net you a "Woods Outfit." The duds aren't available through the Marketplace otherwise, so sorry ladies, you can't try them on first -- but, hey, beggars can't be choosers! [Thanks, David from Berkeley]
Metareview: Call of Duty: Black Ops
A new entry in the Call of Duty franchise is like a large cauldron of rich, hearty stew -- everyone's going to find something different to say about it. Whether it's comments on the complex flavor of the broth, the freshness of the vegetables, or the depth of the zombified multiplayer component, no two reviews could possibly be the same. This metaphor went off the rails very, very quickly. Anyway, now that you've read our review of Call of Duty: Black Ops, why not see what the rest of the peanut gallery has to say? GamePro (5/5 Stars): "The good news is that the game is absolutely worth the investment, and even if you find yourself disagreeing with some of the changes Treyarch instituted or you run into a bunch of morons who are hell bent on ruining a particular mode for you, you have plenty of other options to keep you engaged for a good long time." GameTrailers (9.3/10): "Treyarch has closed the gap between its games and the Modern Warfare franchise with boundless customization, a keen sense of what makes the formula a success, and listening to fans." 1UP (A-): "When examining this seventh (and therefore odd-numbered) Treyarch installment beside the studio's history, it's apparent that not only does Black Ops show how much Treyarch has grown as a developer, but that it's easily their best title yet." IGN (8.5/10): "Call of Duty: Black Ops is a great overall package that has a ton of content to enjoy. The multiplayer modes are largely based on what was established by Modern Warfare, but the twists that Treyarch throws in work well." Giant Bomb (4/5 Stars): "Do you want to play more Call of Duty? I'm guessing the answer is yes, and by all means, Black Ops is worth playing. But for all its ambitious steps to set itself apart from the previous games, it flounders in a few too many of those areas to be a total success."
GameStop expects Black Ops launch day to be 'the biggest' in history
Hey, buddy -- how're you feeling? Perhaps a little fatigued, due to your late-night odyssey to your local games retailer to grab a hot and fresh copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops? According to GameStop merchandising senior VP Bob McKenzie, you probably did just that. In a recent interview with Gamasutra, McKenzie explained that he's "convinced it'll be the biggest launch that we've ever had, that the industry has ever seen." McKenzie attributes his claim to the unprecedented number of pre-orders the game has pulled in, as well as a general consumer interest shown by GameStop shoppers. He added, "I think it's a loyal fanbase for the franchise and [Activision has] done a great job of really getting out in front of it and really making this an event." Yeah, like a gamer holiday! Thanksgunving! Gunnoween! Gunchristmas?
Call of Duty: Black Ops review: The great battle
Maybe it's our competitive streak. Maybe it's the fact that we're constantly battling, over leaderboards and in deathmatches, that pushes us to compare one console against another, one franchise title against its peers, or even, as the industry has grown and matured, one developer's artistic creation against another's. Even when developers work in huge teams for years to craft a great experience, we're children of numbers and "less or greater than," of rankings and high scores and levels. Someone's got to win, and someone's got to lose. Maybe it's only natural, then, that much of the discussion around Call of Duty of late falls into the question of whether Infinity Ward is a better studio than Treyarch, or whether megapublisher Activision can continue to have a successful series of games without Jason West and Vince Zampella. Our little community keeps asking, like some political zealot overcome with decision on the eve of an election: Are you with IW or Activision? Did you like WaW or CoD4? Will you like Black Ops more than MW2? Our competitive nature is working against us here. The truth is that, in the latest two iterations of Call of Duty, we've gotten two great games. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward brought us a cinematic, action-filled FPS combat title with a strong and lasting multiplayer element. And with Call of Duty: Black Ops, Treyarch has done the same thing. %Gallery-107013%
Call of Duty: Black Ops' other secret game mode
The historical zombie hit squad in Call of Duty: Black Ops isn't the game's only undead unlockable. Head past the break to see a mode that shows off "total carnage" and may cause "smash TV" levels of frustration.
New Transformers, Spider-Man and more next year, Activision doing 'large-scale' Call of Duty
Activision's recent conference call wasn't all facts and figures, you know. The company also outlined the future of some of its biggest franchises over the course of the next calendar year. According to CEO Eric Hirshberg, the publisher will launch titles from "proven franchises including the Hero brand, Spider-Man, X-Men and Transformers, which will be supported by what is expected to be another major blockbuster movie from Michael Bay." Sounds like they're kinda putting the cart in front of the giant, shapeshifting robot-car with that one. Hirshberg also made the unsurprising announcement that 2011 would also see the release of a new Call of Duty, explaining "in the back half of 2011, we are launching a new, large-scale Call of Duty FPS title." Considering the last installment in the franchise had like, ten different scenes where nukes went off, we don't know how much "larger" the proceedings could become. Unless, of course, Hirshberg was referring to Activision's oft-rumored plans to monetize the series' multiplayer component. Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter, who previously predicted Activision would subscriptionalize the franchise this year, released a statement shortly after the conference call, stating, "We expect Activision to announce plans to monetize multiplayer online some time in 2011, and expect greater visibility into the release schedule throughout the year."
Some Black Ops Gunnars to go with your Jeep
The Call of Duty: Black Ops cross-promotional marketing continues with the revelation of specially branded shades from Gunnar Optics, makers of "digital performance eyewear." The glasses are being manufactured in conjunction with Mad Catz, which is responsible for all official Black Ops accessories. The decked out specs appear to sport the same design as Gunnar's MLG Legend model, and feature handsome Black Ops branding on the sides and are designed to reduce eyestrain during long sessions with your favorite digital screens -- and reportedly, they actually work too. Amazon has the glasses listed for $80, which is relatively cheap compared to some of Gunnar's offerings. One of Swords also notes that the set will include a carrying case, cloth bag and a USB drive. According to Amazon, the drive will be of the 1GB variety and will pack a download code for the "Bradygames Call of Duty: Black Ops Mini guide."
Kimmel and Kobe go to war in live-action Black Ops trailer
War is undoubtedly Hell -- except in those rare instances where it's actually really fun! Like, sure, you're constantly risking death, but that's what makes it so entertaining! And sometimes, while you're killing people Jimmy Kimmel shows up! Look at him try to use that rocket launcher! What a card! And Kobe Bryant is there! He's a celebrity! We could get murdered by a celebrity. Fine, we're entirely cognizant of the fact that the Call of Duty: Black Ops trailer described above and posted below takes place in a wondrous, fictitious world -- but we can dream, can't we? We can dream of being shot to death by professional basketball players. We have that right.
Target discounting one-year Xbox Live cards with CoD: Black Ops purchase
Starting this Sunday (Nov. 7) and running through the following Saturday (Nov. 13), Call of Duty: Black Ops buyers at Target are being offered a little something extra with their game purchase: an Xbox Live one-year subscription card for half price. As sent over by some Target-employed tipsters, the forthcoming week's advertisement flyer reveals the Black Ops-branded Xbox Live cards to be just $30 when purchased alongside next week's big release. Just think of all the things you can do with that extra $30! You could get, like, a whole bunch of really delicious frozen yogurt! Or you could use it towards Microsoft Points -- sure to be useful when DLC for Black Ops inevitably arrives with a $15 price point per map pack. The choice is yours! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Call of Duty: Black Ops edited for Japanese audience
Square Enix announced today that some changes have been made to the Japanese localized version of Call of Duty: Black Ops. All dubbed copies of the PC and console versions will see swastikas replaced with the Iron Cross in zombie mode. Strangely, the subtitled version of the game, which will be released prior to the dubbed version, will retain the swastikas. 1UP notes that Square Enix announced other cuts to all versions of the game last month, namely scenes of dismemberment and scenes of extreme violence during an interrogation. Furthermore, the company issued an apology as part of today's statement, as it previously stated that the zombie mode would not be altered from the US version.
