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Modern Warfare 3 getting free 'Face Off' mode, non-free Content Collection 2
A new way of murdering your friends and/or strangers is coming to the Xbox 360 version of Modern Warfare 3 on May 15, in the form of "Face Off" mode. Face Off has been designed for 1v1 or 2v2 firefights, with its four maps built specifically for small, close-quarters battle between a small number of soldiers. The two free maps launching with the new mode, Aground and Erosion, take place on a beached ship on the coast of Scotland and on the Italian coast during a volcanic eruption, respectively. PlayStation 3 and PC dates for Face Off have yet to be determined.A new Content Collection is also on its way, available to Call of Duty Elite subscribers on May 15 and everyone else (with an Xbox) on May 21. Content Collection 2 includes three new multiplayer maps (Sanctuary, Foundation and Oasis), as well as two new Spec Ops missions (Iron Clad, Kill Switch) and the other two Face Off maps, Getaway and Lookout. As per usual, PS3 and PC dates are indeterminate, but everyone is welcome to take a peek at the new jams courtesy of IGN's trailer above.
Sony's barebones $299 Call of Duty: MW3 and 320GB PS3 bundle hits the streets May 25th
Right on schedule, Sony and Activision have teamed up again for this "Limited Edition" Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 bundle that's due to ship May 25th. Unfortunately, once you've opened the box the special experience is pretty much over, with only standard console and game inside, replacing the usual Uncharted 3 offering -- unlike last year's 160GB Black Ops combo, there's no free DLC (or anything else) to be had. Still, if you somehow don't have Sony's gaming machine in your living room already and have been aching to own some noobs on PSN then it's a decent option, even if any perks will have to be earned in-game.
Call of Duty Elite reaches 10 million users, 2 million paid subscriptions
Activision's Call of Duty Elite service puts another feather in its very busy cap today with a reported total of 10 million users, two million of which are paid subscribers. This is an increase of three million and 500,000, respectively, since last Activision dished out some numbers in February. The latest earnings report says it's "an increase of approximately 33% from January 31, 2012." As of March 31, Activision has 40 million monthly active users across all Call of Duty products and platforms.
PSA: MW3 Content Collection #1 now available on PC
The first collection of content for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has finally closed the circle and arrived on the PC, according to Raven Software's official Twitter account. This is the same content (the Liberation, Piazza, Overwatch and Black Box maps, along with new Spec Ops missions Black Ice and Negotiator) that originally arrived on the Xbox 360 back in March.Raven says there is one small consolation for PC gamers who've been made to wait so long. The company has added Infected and FFA Gunplay modes to the Community playlists, so you can throw down on those if you like. The collection itself is $14.99, available on Steam right now.
Modern Warfare 3 on PS3 gets 'Sanctuary' and 'Foundation' maps this Thursday via COD Elite
PS3-based Call of Duty Elite members will have another "content drop" this Thursday, in shocking defiance of Sony's usual Tuesday download schedule.The maps "Sanctuary" and "Foundation," released just about a month ago on Xbox 360, will be available this week in Modern Warfare 3 for paying Elite-ists. "Sanctuary" is a monastery high above Greece, and "Foundation" is a former concrete factory in South Korea. Both are home to dudes who will fire guns at you, and at whom you will, in turn, fire guns.
Modern Warfare 3 'Content Collection' coming to PC in May
A bundle of Modern Warfare 3 DLC will finally make it to PC hard drives on May 8, delivering sustenance to starving hearts and under-used high-DPI mice the world over. The "Content Collection" pack includes four maps (Black Box, Piazza, Liberation, Overwatch) and two Spec Ops missions (Negotiator, Black Ice).If any of that sounds familiar, it's because all of this DLC was already released on the PS3 earlier this month, and on the 360 back in March. Activision has yet to announce pricing for the pack, but if its console counterparts are any indication, it'll probably run somewhere around $15 bucks.
Modern Warfare 3 gets a free Steam weekend, we've never heard of it
This is obscure, but a few people might be interested in it: A little indie title called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is going to be free on Steam this weekend. The publisher, "Activision" (we've never heard of them – probably a really artsy two-man studio in Canada somewhere) needs a little more exposure for this game, so the multiplayer features will be free to download and play starting this Thursday, April 26, through the rest of the weekend, for anyone with a Steam account.So if you've got some free time this weekend, maybe give the game a download and give some struggling indie developers a little bit of your attention for once. Who knows – maybe if the weekend goes well, this "Activision" will be encouraged to enter a competition or two. It could be the next Independent Games Competition finalist in waiting!
Call of Duty's Robert Bowling opens game studio for next gen, Robotoki
This is an unexpected respawn. Robert "FourZeroTwo" Bowling, creative strategist and hype man for Call of Duty at Infinity Ward, who abruptly quit a month ago, is running the show at his own game development studio called Robotoki.Bowling tells Game Informer that Robotoki is focused on being a "developer development studio that just happens to make games." What? He continues, "We are focused on our team first and everything else second, because I believe as an industry, we have a lot to learn on how to treat talent. While we continue to out stride film and music entertainment in other areas, we are falling severely behind in how to properly inspire and support our creative talent."What about making money?Bowling said Robotoki is self-funded, working only with partners who support that model, where creative vision holders have complete control over the work. The company's first project will be revealed later this year and is targeted for next generation console, PC and mobile devices. Oh, Bowling is also hiring.
GameStop touts large selection of in-store downloadable PC games
GameStop announced today that its stores have "one of the largest PC game selections at retail," with – wait for it – over 1,500 downloadable titles available to purchase in its 4,400 stores. Oh yeah, you can also purchase this digitally distributed product on GameStop.com ... like a moon man living in some mad future.The announcement today isn't so much "news," as it is a reinforcement of the digital world to come and how GameStop fits into it. As the company explained in February, it sees significant revenue from customers purchasing digitally distributed content by cash or store credit. Not everyone has credit cards or uses PayPal."This tremendous PC game collection ensures gamers will always find what they want, and they can use cash, gift cards and trade credit as currency," said Steve Nix, GameStop's GM of Digital Distribution, who also notes customers can use their PowerUp Rewards for added value. GameStop is also offering up to 75 percent off PC games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Civilization 5, Age of Empires 3, Deus Ex Human Revolution and Magicka Collection starting today.
PSA: Modern Warfare 3 fires off 'Content Collection #1' on PSN today
Patient PS3 players can now purchase the first DLC dump for Modern Warfare 3. Non-premium Call of Duty Elite members and stock Modern Warfare 3 players can now download Content Collection #1, which includes a smattering of multiplayer maps and a pair of Spec Ops missions.Content Collection #1 can be downloaded on PSN right now for $14.99. Within it you'll find multiplayer maps Overwatch, Liberation, Piazza and Black Box – plus Spec Ops missions Black Ice and Negotiator.
Analysts: Modern Warfare 3 sales below Black Ops so far
Modern Warfare 3 had a strong start out of the gate, but hasn't shown the same vigor in sales as Treyarch's 2010 outing, Call of Duty: Black Ops – at least, according to industry analysts. Could the franchise fatigue we've seen across the pond be setting in here as well?According to comments made to Gamasutra, the firm estimates the total volume of sales for Modern Warfare 3 are down, somewhere around 4.2%, but it's not necessarily due to franchise fatigue. The firm posits that casual gamers are using their consoles more for streaming content (such as Netflix), and purchasing fewer games.Last month, year-over-year software sales continued to decline. The estimated sales for Modern Warfare 3 are for boxed copies only, mind you – Activision is making lots of cash on digital wares too.Activision has yet to comment on our inquiries, but with their annual earnings call due in the next couple weeks, we should hear one way or the other soon enough.
PSA: Modern Warfare 3 takes Sanctuary in Foundation on Xbox 360
Content drops 7 and 8 have deployed for Call of Duty Elite premium members on Xbox Live today. Multiplayer maps Sanctuary and Foundation are now available for download in Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox 360.Sanctuary (pictured above) takes place in Greece, throughout several different monasteries; Foundation is a map based in South Korea, inside a derelict factory. The two maps will be available to PS3 and PC players on some undisclosed future date.
Call of Duty creative strategist Robert 'FourZeroTwo' Bowling departs Infinity Ward [update: Activision responds]
Longtime hype man for the Call of Duty franchise, Robert Bowling, has resigned from Infinity Ward and Activision today. Robert "FourZeroTwo" Bowling, who served as creative strategist for Call of Duty and lead at Infinity Ward, just announced his resignation via Twitter. He has yet to announce where he is going next.Bowling stayed on at Infinity Ward following the mass exodus of staff who would go on to form Respawn Entertainment in 2010.Update: Here's Activision's official comment on the news: "We sincerely thank Robert for his many years of service. He's been a trusted and valued member of the Infinity Ward team. We wish him all the best on his decision to pursue future opportunities."
Save $50 on Xbox 360 Holiday or MW3 bundles on Amazon
Looking to save a little scratch on a new Xbox 360? Amazon has a couple of deals on offer, namely the 250GB Holiday bundle (including Halo: Reach and Fable 3) and the Modern Warfare 3 bundle? You can snag them for $250 or $350, respectively, $50 off the usual price.
PSA: Modern Warfare 3 Content Collection 1 on Xbox Live today
Content Collection 1 for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is available for widespread consumption now on Xbox Live, after launching on March 13 for Elite members. Content Collection 1 includes four new multiplayer maps: Liberation, Piazza, Overwatch and Black Box, plus two Spec Ops missions, Black Ice and Negotiator.Not "Black-ice negotiator," because it would be hilariously difficult to discuss anything of real import atop a slick of black ice, and MW3 is nothing but serious business.
Call of Duty Elite subs getting four more pieces of unnamed MW3 content this year
If those 20 pieces of planned DLC for Modern Warfare 3 weren't enough for you, perhaps four additional bits will do the trick. Activision is sharing the four-piece bonus with Elite subscribers throughout the coming months, but isn't saying exactly what the content will be. All we know is that it'll be interspersed throughout the planned Elite content "season."Elite's platform ubiquity is increasing as well, with the service's planned launch on tablets coming in the near future. Nearly 2 million folks have already snagged the app across both iOS and Android -- that's quite a few, considering approximately 7 million folks are Elite users. Activision promises a variety of (specified) updates to Elite's functionality over the next few months.%Gallery-150792%
Overwatch drops on Modern Warfare 3 PS3 March 29; Black Ice, Black Box and Negotiator 'on or around April 12'
PS3 players, you've got some new maps coming your way over the next 30 days. One of Swords reports that Overwatch is set to drop on Modern Warfare 3 PS3 on March 29. It'll be available to premium subscribers of the Call of Duty Elite service on PS3.Then, the multiplayer map Black Box, and two Spec Ops maps, Black Ice and Negotiator, will come to PS3 "on or around April 12." We recently got our hands on those maps, which we wrote about here.If you're wondering about the vague date, it's because the time for posting the DLC on the PlayStation Network is up to Sony -- it could go live in the morning, or it could go live late at night.
PSA: Black Ice, Black Box and Negotiator out for Call of Duty Elite subscribers on Xbox 360 today
Today you should find three new stomping grounds in Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox 360, provided you're a premium member of the Call of Duty Elite service. Black Ice and Negotiator, a pair of Spec Ops maps we were able to try out last week, and multiplayer locale Black Box, have been deployed in Modern Warfare 3.If you're not on board with Elite, you can pick up these maps -- along with Liberation, Piazza and Overwatch -- as part of the Content Collection #1 DLC pack on Xbox 360 from March 20.%Gallery-149099%
Negotiation with extreme prejudice in Modern Warfare 3 Spec Ops DLC
Striking that balance of emotional impact and tension in video games is no easy task. For one, video games aren't real, so I generally don't concern myself much when I run over a virtual pedestrian or cut off an AI driver in the final lap. I don't care if I'm a jerk in a video game.But there's something about watching some thug shoot an innocent virtual person in the face, directly in front of me, that really ticks me off. As Sledgehammer Games community manager Guy Beahm and I ran through the Spec Ops DLC coming to Modern Warfare 3 Elite subscribers tomorrow, and as part of Content Collection #1, I genuinely felt lousy when I was seconds from saving a hostage. I really wanted to save these people.%Gallery-149099%
Modern Warfare 3 'Content Collection #1' drops on Xbox Live March 20
Those who decided not to opt for premium status in the Call of Duty Elite program on Xbox Live will get their first taste of DLC for Modern Warfare 3 on March 20. Content Collection #1 includes the Liberation, Piazza, Overwatch and Black Box maps for multiplayer, plus Black Ice and Negotiator -- two Spec Ops missions.Black Ice tasks players with infiltrating a diamond mine and planting a bomb to cripple operations there forever. The Negotiator Spec Ops mission takes players to India, where they must rescue hostages by negotiating bullets into enemy bodies.Black Box, Black Ice and Negotiator will come to premium Elite members first on Xbox Live on March 13. All of this content will deploy on other platforms at a later, unspecified date.%Gallery-149099%
