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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."
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.
Portal 2, Arkham City and BF3 clean up at 2012 BAFTA game awards
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts had its annual awards ceremony for excellence in gaming last night (or earlier today, depending on your proximity to England), with Portal 2 winning the BAFTA for Best Game. Also in contention for that prize were Batman: Arkham City, which ended up winning the BAFTA for Action, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which didn't win anything.Battlefield 3 took home top honors in Audio Achievement, Online Multiplayer, and the publicly voted-upon GAME Award of 2011, edging out its bitter rival Modern Warfare 3 in all three categories. Jump past the break for a full list of the evening's winners and nominees.
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%
PSA: Modern Warfare 3 Elite DLC starts today on PS3
The Call of Duty Elite "Content Season" begins for PS3 owners today, with the release of the "Piazza" and "Liberation" maps for Modern Warfare 3. You'll be able to download the maps today whenever the PlayStation Store updates.For more information about the maps, you can consult the trailer above. Or, you know, ask anyone with an Xbox 360.
PSA: Call of Duty Elite Clan Operations deployed on Xbox 360 and PS3
Console gamers have been missing out on some Call of Duty Elite functionality -- specifically, Clan Operations. Activision promised Clan Ops would be available soon and delivered today, flipping the switch that lets clans take part in competitions for extra experience and prizes. While all Elite members can take part in Clan Ops, only premium members will be scored and ranked on their performance.If you're still having trouble understanding how it all works, check out the handy explanation after the break, care of Activision.
UFC Undisputed 3 indisputably beats UK chart competition
THQ, currently trading at $0.62 a share, has some good news for investors as UFC Undisputed 3 grappled the top spot on the UK charts this past week. According to Chart-Track, it is the first top title for the publisher since Homefront in early 2011. The good news does come with a caveat, as the previous installment in the franchise may have debuted in second place, but performed better at launch in raw sales numbers.With no other new combatants in the octagon making it into the top 40 last week, the UK top ten involved a lot of shufflin' and shifting based on retail promotions. FIFA 12 and Modern Warfare 3 moved into second and third, respectively. Last week's number one, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, dropped 63 percent in sales and out of the top ten into the 12 spot.Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, boosted by a new 3DS edition and discounts on the Wii version, saw the title up 94 percent to take the ... Rice-a-Roni? What do you receive at the olympics for fourth place?
Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer free on Steam this weekend
Did you know the weekend technically starts now? According to Steam it does, anyway. Don't even bother showing up to work tomorrow.Steam users will have access to Modern Warfare 3's full multiplayer suite of modes starting right now. All you have to do is install the game and you can play as much multiplayer as you want until Monday -- unless you want to buy the game, of course.
Modern Warfare 3's 'Overwatch' map DLC kills you before you fall 70 stories
We're just gonna tell you up front: you're gonna wanna skip to about 50 seconds into this trailer before you see any gameplay featuring Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's "Overwatch" map in action. And you're gonna want to do that, as the first part is just Rob Riggle talking total nonsense. But the map part? Aces.
Call of Duty: Police Warfare is an outstanding, fan-made concept
An outstanding concept trailer for a downloadable game, dubbed Call of Duty: Police Warfare, has grabbed our attention and wrestled it to the ground -- no pepper spray needed. The only problem? It's just a fan-made concept trailer. Hey, Activision! Let's get it done!
