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Call of Duty XP 2011, a two-day event for CoD fans, with proceeds going to charity
A smaller portfolio isn't the only thing Activision Publishing is cribbing from its sister company, Blizzard. A major component of supporting massive brands like Call of Duty (and World of Warcraft and StarCraft) is fan service and Activision is ready to take its support of the heretofore nebulous Call of Duty community to the next level with Call of Duty XP 2011, a two-day gathering promising "total Call of Duty immersion" at a "secure 12-acre compound in the urban confines of Los Angeles." Earlier this week, we had a chance to speak with Eric Hirshberg, Activision Publishing CEO, about the announcement. "Call of Duty XP is going to be the ultimate fan experience for Call of Duty fans. A two day, immersive live event for fans of Call of Duty," Hirshberg told Joystiq. "We think it's going to set a new bar for experiential live fan-based events." That experience includes a first look at the multiplayer component of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the "full feature functionality" of the still opaque Call of Duty Elite online service, a $1 million CoD tournament sponsored by Activision and "lead sponsor" Xbox 360, and a handful of other big ticket opportunities. "We are constructing a full-scale replica of one of our multiplayer maps as a paintball stadium for fans," Hirshberg said. "We're reconstructing the legendary level from Modern Warfare 2, The Pit, which fans can actually run." More interested in what you're going to be able to eat at an all-Call of Duty event? "You'll be able to eat at Burger Town from Modern Warfare 2," Hirshberg added, quite seriously.
Sledgehammer's action-adventure Call of Duty isn't dead yet
Sledgehammer Games is currently hard at work on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, in conjunction with Infinity Ward. But what of the game Sledgehammer was originally supposed to have been working on, the one meant to "extend the franchise into the action-adventure genre?" Well, Sledgehammer isn't working on it now, but it may put its momentum back into that project following MW3, if Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg's feelings are any indication. "Right now Sledgehammer's 100% focused on Modern Warfare 3," Hirshberg told IndustryGamers. "We haven't announced the future slate or future plans for the studio. They were originally working on an extension of the Call of Duty franchise into an action/adventure genre and that's a game I still want to play." His personal interest in playing it may not be enough to get Sledgehammer focused 100 percent on the action-adventure project, however; when asked if the genre change was a good idea, Hirshberg said only that "it remains to be seen."
Time Magazine defends Modern Warfare 3's faux cover
Some of you are young gentlemen, right? Of course you are. And like any young gentleman, you're a savvy newsreader, so you likely turn to Newsweek or The Nation for political analysis. We understand, Time Magazine just isn't for you since it started catering to older readers -- that's fair. But Time wants to win you over, and it's hoping that its promo tie-in with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will help in that battle. "This is where the boys are," Time publisher Kim Kelleher told the New York Times, adding, "This is a great way to connect with millions of people we might not have otherwise connected with." According to the piece, both Time's editors and executives agreed to allow the use of the magazine's iconic cover wrapper after realizing that the pre-order bonus would be seen by many millions of Time's most elusive demographic -- young American males. If that justification weren't enough for your journalistic sensibilities, managing editor Richard Stengel adds that the faux use of the cover for this promotion was "a similar idea in a different medium," comparing it to the various "Person of the Year" covers for fictional characters or concepts. He also points out that the medium involved in this case -- video games -- is part of "one of the biggest entertainment franchises of all time." Now that was a necessary detail, Mr. Stengel!
Modern Warfare 3 preview: Spec Ops Survival mode
Neither the single-player nor multiplayer modes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are playable at this year's E3, but Activision is running a demo for a brand new version of co-op that Infinity Ward is calling Spec Ops Survival. I say Infinity Ward is calling it that (and they are, because that's its name), but given that this is multiplayer, it was probably developed in conjunction with Sledgehammer Games and/or Raven Software. Activision wasn't completely clear on just how the co-development work is being divvied up, so we're not sure who to credit for it. Whoever made it, Spec Ops Survival is a brand new mode for co-op in the Modern Warfare series. I was told that Spec Ops missions are still available (though those weren't being shown off at all), but Survival is a new mode that can be played on any of the maps being used for actual multiplayer. The map used in the demo was called Dome, and after a quick breakdown of the mechanics (it's Horde, basically -- waves of enemies show up on the map, and you and a partner have to take them out) my Activision cohort and I went to work. %Gallery-124479%
13 minutes of unadulterated Modern Warfare 3 footage, through the streets of Manhattan
The fact that Joystiq's offices are located not too far from the Manhattan-based battle in these 13 minutes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 makes this post a bit ... awkward for us to write. On one hand, the concept of liberating the Huffington Post Media Group newsroom from Russian invaders is thrilling. On the other hand, when we play games, we kind of like to forget about the office. And then on our other, third hand, there's the slightly enjoyable thought of seeing the New York Stock Exchange turned to rubble. You'll excuse us, but we're still a bit mad about that whole international financial crisis. Anyway, head past the break to check out the full gameplay clip.
Call of Duty Elite enlisting 'Hollywood talent' to create web TV series
The Call of Duty Elite news train keeps on keeping on, with UK paper the Guardian reporting that a premium membership will include "exclusive access" to a Call of Duty-themed web TV series. "We have engaged some top Hollywood talent to create linear video content that will be exclusive to Elite members," Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg tells the Guardian. "That content is inspired by Call of Duty." With Elite intended to maintain, or even increase, interest in the Call of Duty brand between its annual releases, some linear video programming could certainly help bridge that gap and keep subscribers coming back to Elite. "If you're a sports fan, there are lots of ways for you to connect with that hobby, that passion, not just on the day that the games are played, but throughout the week, and we wanted to give [Call of Duty players] real entertainment value," Hirshberg says. And that's about all we have in the way of details. No word on whether the Hollywood talent Activision's procured will create live action, ala Find Makarov, animated, ala Halo Legends, or machinima content, ala John Hillcoat's excellent Red Dead Redemption short. Hirshberg says, "We're not going to give much more detail until we have something to show. That'll be later in the year."
Call of Duty Elite is the paid 'digital platform' from Beachhead Studios, built for MW3 [Update: Now with video!]
[Note: Our preview of the Call of Duty Elite service is live here!] Hours ahead of the agreed-upon embargo for the news, the Wall Street Journal is the first to report on Call of Duty Elite, the long-reported "digital platform" in development at Activision's new Beachhead studio. Designed to complement this fall's Modern Warfare 3, Elite will be a paid service though "portions of the service will be free" including a Facebook-inspired Groups feature. Other features of the service include the Bungie.net-like ability to display stats to analyze player performance, "gauging factors such as which weapons have been most successful for them in killing enemies." If you're worried that you'll suddenly have to pay for online multiplayer in Call of Duty titles, don't be. The Journal reports that "players will still be able to compete against each other online without subscribing to the service." Activision hasn't yet pinned down a price point, though it does expect the cost to be less than comparable "online-entertainment services" like the $8/month Netflix. Part of that fee will go towards a "customer-service operation that will be needed to support it." It will also include the year's map packs, which cost $15 each, taking some of the sting out of any annual charge. [Update: The trailer detailing the entire service has been leaked on YouTube – hat tip @CheapyD – ahead of tomorrow morning's 9am embargo; if the WSJ article left you with some questions, try the video after the break. Still have questions? We'll do our best to answer everything tomorrow morning! Update 2: Looks like Activision pulled the original YouTube trailer but, now that the embargo's up, we added our own version after the break. Click away!]
Modern Warfare 3 preview: Two heads are better than one
After a two-minute recap montage of everything that's happened thus far in the narratively impenetrable Modern Warfare saga -- wow, I barely remembered any of that! -- two people took the stage. On the left side, standing in front of a giant Infinity Ward logo was Robert Bowling, "creative strategist" at the troubled developer and, obviously, not one of the studio's now-fired founders. On the right side, standing in front of a giant Sledgehammer Games logo, was Glen Schofield, head of the newly formed studio that was originally slated to "extend the franchise into the action-adventure genre." Now, they were both on stage flanking an even larger Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 logo. "For the last year we've been working together with Infinity Ward to deliver Modern Warfare 3," Schofield told the crowd in Los Angeles last week, forcing every games journalist there to wonder how things were going before Sledgehammer pitched in. "We came out of Modern Warfare 2 with a very strong vision of what we wanted for Modern Warfare 3," Bowling chimed in. "Things we wanted to add, things we wanted to polish, the payoff we wanted to deliver to our fans who've invested come November 8, 2011. Luckily, in the execution of that, we were looking for a team that had the same passion for the franchise, the creative skillset we could turn to, and we found that in the entire studio of Sledgehammer Games." And that was all they had to say about the unusual circumstances that led to both men presenting what is arguably the highest-profile release of the year on stage with each other. "Like Infinity Ward, we believe the game should do the talking," Schofield said, effectively ending that portion of the presentation.%Gallery-124479%
Modern Warfare 3 gameplay trailer arrives, reveals November 8 launch date
A new trailer for Modern Warfare 3 has surfaced, showing not only a war-torn United States, but a war-torn world -- oh, and a launch date: November 8, 2011. Why are you still reading? Jump past the break to complete your first recon op for gameplay footage!
Massive Modern Warfare 3 leak reveals setting, multiplayer modes, and more
What happens when a large contingency of a series' creative team packs up, and two additional teams are brought on to round out the production? Apparently, you get a lot of loose lips. Details of Modern Warfare 3, in development across Infinity Ward, Raven Software, and newcomer Sledgehammer Games, have been leaked with an unusual amount of specificity to Kotaku less than a month before its presumed big reveal at E3. A lot of that specificity is wasted on spoilers which, in addition to being generally unwanted for those of us who haven't played the game, are about a Call of Duty title meaning they follow multiple characters through multiple elaborate setpieces. Oh, and there's shooting. MW3 begins right where MW2 left off: with the US trying to prevent a Russian invasion. Your roles include a "Russian Federal Protective Services agent, SAS Operative, tank gunner, and AC-130 gunner" as well as some old friends from previous MW games and some new characters, notably "Frost" and "Sandman." About those setpieces! Modern Warfare 3 will reportedly include 15 missions that take place across "a dozen cities around the world including New York, Paris and London." If some of that selection sounds familiar, that's because this fall's Battlefield 3 will find itself in "Paris, Tehran and New York." Awkward. But it's not just Manhattan, it's also Brooklyn, Mogadishu, and more, if the list of 20 multiplayer maps is to be believed. (It's unclear if these include maps from the inevitable DLC map packs.) Spec Ops is back as well, with the mission-based co-operative offerings from Modern Warfare 2 accompanied by a new "Survival" mode or, as you're more likely to know it by, Horde mode. The goal: You and your pals will defend yourselves from increasingly difficult waves of enemies. There are seven "Mission" maps and five "Survival" maps listed. Previous Modern Warfare installments were so shrouded in secrecy, nearly up until the time of release, that it's hard to imagine how such a massive, seemingly coordinated leak took place. Oh, and one last detail: the release date! Kotaku's report pins MW3 for November 8, just a week after Uncharted 3 and a few days before Skyrim. [Update: Infinity Ward's @fourzerotwo just weighed in on the leak, offering, "A lot of hype & a lot of leaked info on #MW3, some still accurate, some not. To avoid spoiling the experience, I'd wait for the real reveal." We wonder how the accurate / not accurate percentages look; regardless, if you want 100% accurate you'll want to hear it straight from the dev. Everyone else, dig in.]
Sledgehammer Games hires Guy 'Dr. DisRespect' Beahm as community lead
The beaming guy you see in the image above isn't just another pretty face in the gaming industry -- he's Guy Beahm, new community manager at Sledgehammer Games. Like Josh Olin at Treyarch and Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling at Infinity Ward before him, Beahm will be taking the lead on community activities and promotion for the third Call of Duty studio. As a result, we expect his Twitter account to start exploding any minute. Beahm will apparently be discontinuing his "Dr. DisRespect" online moniker in favor of something more befitting his new position. "While it was entertaining to develop content through the Dr. DisRespect character, it's time for him to retire," Beahm said in the official announcement. We've dropped his final Dr. DisRespect skit after the break as a reminder of what Beahm once was ... and what he could've been.
Viral marketing lets slip the dogtags of Modern Warfare 3 [update: Activision comments]
Two years ago, Infinity Ward used the Game Developer's Conference Awards show to unveil the trailer (and date!) for its hugely anticipated followup, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. If we're reading the signals right, it's looking to use the conference for the reveal of the third installment (Modern Warfare 3?), a game that's been shrouded in mystery following the developer's very public (and very ugly!) executive departures. Someone sent over a pair of dog tags, pictured above, that include a link to findmakarov.com, with the totally-a-tag-line "End the War" stamped above it. The site includes a countdown which takes us to 10am ET next Wednesday, March 2. The other dog tag belongs to – gross, a dead guy! – Lt. General Shepherd, MW2's main bad dude, who evidently has a birthdate of ... next Tuesday? Wait, that's not right ... The site's whois information has been anonymized, and we're busy trying to confirm the validity of the tags with Activision. The GDC Awards take place on Wednesday night this year and, glancing at our packed GDC calendar for next week, Tuesday night belongs to EA's competing Battlefield 3. So either Activision wants to steal some of their thunder, or this is a comically elaborate ruse on EA's part. The return address indicates Toronto-based "viral marketers" VVO Media are behind the mailing and, with a slim portfolio, it's tough to say who they're working for. Oh viral marketing, how we grow tired of you. [Update 5:45pm – VVO Media's site is now offline. Go figure.] [Update 8:05pm -- We've received the following comment from an Activision spokesperson: "There seems to be a great deal of speculation about the next Call of Duty project. Let me be clear that we are not revealing yet. Anything indicating otherwise is a hoax." We contacted EA for comment when the story first broke and have yet to receive a response.] %Gallery-117632%
Report: Infinity Ward co-developing Modern Warfare 3 with Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare publisher Activision has repeatedly stated that Infinity Ward is doing fine since heads Vince Zampella and Jason West were ousted from the company early last year. A report on the LA Times' Company Town blog, however, tells a different story -- according to the piece, both Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software have been tasked with helping develop the next, still unannounced Modern Warfare title, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. "People familiar with the situation" claim that Sledgehammer is working with the remaining staff at Infinity Ward on developing the game's single-player campaign, while Singularity developer Raven Software is in charge of bringing up the multiplayer side of things. The sources also contend that, like past Call of Duty titles, MW3 is expected to ship this November. Additionally, Sledgehammer is said to have halted production on its own spinoff Call of Duty title in order to help IW out. Update: Activision issued a comment in response to the LAT piece, stating, "There's been much specultion recently. We look forward to releasing details for the next Call of Duty in the near future."
Activision studios head brings development strategy into focus
"It doesn't make sense anymore," Activision executive VP of worldwide studios Dave Stohl declared to us in a small office, hidden away from the noisy E3 show floor. "You've really got to focus." The executive, who oversees every development studio that Activision owns, was reflecting on the old business model that encouraged studios to take on multiple projects at once. Today, the industry's leading third-party publisher has a new mantra: one game per studio. "People want the freedom to put all their resources against the big opportunity, and that's what we're trying to do," Stohl explained during our conversation at last month's show. We wondered if the shift in strategy was less ingenuity and more a sign of the times. Last year's holiday season was headlined by two major events: the slowdown of music game sales and the ridiculous success of Modern Warfare 2.
Activision exec Thomas Tippl speaks out on current Infinity Ward conditions
Ever since the private relationship between the ex-Infinity Ward heads and Activision management broke down and became a publicly debated matter (through two lawsuits), the state of affairs at IW have been up in the air. Various reports from "sources close to the studio" have arisen at Kotaku, with one alleged insider calling the studio "dead" and another giving a far less grim report. Activision execs, however, have been fairly quiet on the situation -- that is, until now: Chief Operating and Financial Officer Thomas Tippl spoke with the LA Times Company Town blog this week, saying that the development house "still has nearly 100 people," he claims. "They've built a deep bench, and the change of guard will provide an opportunity for some of the rising stars to put their own stamp on the Call of Duty franchise." Further, he refutes charges that his company has been anything other than good to its studios. "We treat our developers extremely well," Tippl stated. He contineud that Activision's "independent studio model" allows developers "a lot of creative freedom while we take care of the back office stuff." Whatever the internal issues are, he reconfirmed that three separate internal studios are currently hard at work on Call of Duty titles.
Sledgehammer Games working on Call of Duty game
When Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey left Visceral Games to form Sledgehammer Games with Activision, you may have jokingly speculated that the Dead Space creators set to work immediately on Call of Duty. After all, it was either that or Guitar Hero. You would have been correct. Activision today revealed that Sledgehammer is working on a Call of Duty game with a targeted 2011 release date, which will "extend the franchise into the action-adventure genre." No other details were released about the game, but it sounds more like a spinoff than a sequel. Third person, perhaps?
What's in a Name: Sledgehammer Games
It's been awhile since we've brought you the origin story of an industry presence, so here's what Glen Schofield had to say about coining his new studio, "Sledgehammer Games," during our recent chat: "We wanted to establish, with more than just a name, our passion and dedication to the studio goals -- from building a world class culture and team, to delivering top quality games -- so we needed a brand for the studio. We started with a list of adjectives that reflect our personality, style and games we like to play and make. Some were hilarious, and some didn't have a chance of getting through legal approval. In the end, Sledgehammer Games always stuck out. "We mocked up slogans for the studio in the same spirit. Slogans like 'hard hitting entertainment' and 'high impact games' seemed to capture the idea, and Sledgehammer nailed both really well. For us, the name Sledgehammer and logo felt right -- it's something that leaves its mark, and that's what we intend to do. We work hard and play hard, and in the end we plan to leave our mark within the gaming community. "It worked out well for us as we can also have a lot of fun with the logo, website and other branding opportunities. In fact, I am getting it tattooed on my forehead tomorrow." –Glen A. Schofield, GM and V.P. of Sledgehammer Games Like this feature? Be sure to check out the What's In A Name Archives.
Interview: Glen Schofield on Dead Space, Sledgehammer Games and the transition from EA to Activision
We don't have to tell you who Glen Schofield is. The guy's been cementing his name in the industry for years now, and considering his recent realignment from EA's banner to Activision's, starting a new studio in Sledgehammer Games, we all have a lot of questions. Let's get to it: You were one of the individuals most responsible for bringing Dead Space to fruition -- one of Joystiq's best games of 2008. How difficult an endeavor was conceptualizing that game, and how willing -- in the way of providing resources -- was EA to create the game? Dead Space was an idea I wanted to pursue for quite a few years while at EA. I brought the idea to the previous president when I believed the window was right for the game to fit within EA's portfolio. At the time, EA was largely leveraging licensed IPs, and getting support for a new IP concept was tough. I really appreciated the opportunity he gave us. Fortunately, we had a passionate team of developers who poured a ton of energy into converting our skeptics into believers. In the end, the critical response by fans and the press is something myself and the entire team are very proud of. Visceral Games (formerly EA Redwood Shores) is still an EA studio, currently wrapping up Dante's Inferno. When you began Dead Space, Game Informer #174 -- the official unveiling -- called you guys a "renegade team." Who was on that team, and how did you earn that "renegade" status?
Ex-Visceral Games staff find new home with Activision's 'Sledgehammer Games'
It's official: Visceral Games staffers Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey (best known for Dead Space) have taken positions at a new Activision studio in Foster City, California, called Sledgehammer Games. This tidily clears up two rumors we've been hearing. Yes, Schofield and Condrey went to Activision. Yes, the trademark for "Sledgehammer Games" is for their new studio! As for the small matter of what the studio is doing ... all Activision says is that it's an "as-yet-unannounced new videogame." It might be called Bloodhunt. It might be an "innovative" action game. Kotaku posits that it might even be Activision's new James Bond game, given that Schofield worked on From Russia with Love back at EA. Whatever it is, we're sure it will be totally visceral ... you know, like a hit from a sledgehammer. As a service to those of you thinking about it anyway (i.e. all of us), we've got the Peter Gabriel video after the break.
New Activision title 'Bloodhunt' revealed by Australian Ratings Board
There's not a lot of meat here, so roll with us: Activision Blizzard has classified a previously unannounced game titled "Bloodhunt" with the Australian Ratings Board, giving it a MA 15+ rating for "strong violence." Also, we know Activision is starting up a new San Mateo-based studio, headed up by former Visceral Games exec Glen "Dead Space" Schofield. That studio – which may be called "Sledgehammer Games" – is reportedly working on an action title. No, really – that's all we've got. We'll file "Bloodhunt" here, so you can keep an eye on this story as it grows. [Via Eurogamer]
