Treyarch
Latest
PSA: Black Ops 2 Revolution DLC out now on Xbox Live
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 players are waking up to a 'Revolution' on Xbox 360, as the DLC is now live on XBLM. The 1.86GB pack sets you back 1200 MSP, unless you're a Season Pass holder in which case it's yours via the in-game store for nada and niente.Revolution includes four multiplayer maps, the Zombies co-op map Die Rise, and the Peackeeper SMG. It also includes the new Turned mode, which lets players become zombies trying to chomp on the solitary human player to take his or her place.There's no ETA for the PS3 and PC releases, although retailer leaks suggested February 28. Treyarch game design director David Vonderhaar backed this up with a tweet noting the traditional time difference between Xbox 360 and PS3 releases is 30 days. %Gallery-177515%
PSA: Black Ops 2 deploys Nuketown Zombies on PS3, PC today
The Nuketown Zombies bonus map for Black Ops 2 is open for business on the PS3 and PC today, available as a free download to all Season Pass holders on each platform. Xbox 360 Season Pass holders have had access to the Nuketown Zombies map since mid-December.The Black Ops 2 Season Pass costs 4,000 MS Points ($50) and includes four DLC map packs on top of the aforementioned Nuketown Zombies map, plus an in-game calling card. None of the additional map packs have been released yet, though they're all due in 2013.
Black Ops 2's Nuketown Zombie DLC heading to PC and PS3 next week
While Xbox 360 owners have been playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's Nuketown Zombies DLC since December, PC and PS3 players have been patiently waiting for their turn.Season pass owners will be able to download Nuketown Zombies next week on PC and PS3, January 17 to be exact, according to a recent tweet from the official Call of Duty Twitter account. %Gallery-166597%
Black Ops 2 'Revolution' hits Xbox Jan. 29 with new weapon, mode, maps
Update: Activision has released an official trailer for the DLC pack, confirming much of the information originally posted below, such as its release date on the Xbox 360 and what each new map is like. Furthermore, the above trailer also reveals "Turned," a new zombie mode wherein players become zombies themselves, and the Peacekeeper, an SMG/assault rifle hybrid.'Revolution' DLC for Call of Duty Black Ops 2 is reportedly coming to PS3 and PC a month after it arrives on Xbox 360. That's according to a Facebook post by UK retailer HMV, as spotted by MP1ST, which says the first DLC pack comes to Xbox on January 29 and then to PS3 and PC on February 28. The dates are somewhat substantiated by an Amazon UK listing which says the DLC is coming to Xbox on January 29, but doesn't mention dates for PS3 or PC. Both listings say the DLC costs 1200 MSP, and is free to Season Pass holders.A leaked promotional image first indicated the DLC, its January 29 release date, and the inclusion of five new maps. The two retailers substantiate this info, and also note a new weapon in the DLC, the Peacekeeper SMG. The Amazon listing details the five maps as: Hydro: This large map allows you to use the dam and water to your advantage to block paths and stop enemies. Downhill: A medium-sized map based in the French Alps complete with snow, chair lifts, and a strategically placed lodge. Grind: Set within the locale of the Venice, California boardwalk, this small skate park map is sure to deliver fast and frenetic Call of Duty action. Mirage: This Gobi Desert multiplayer map utilises sand dunes to provide different levels of elevation and a sanctuary in the centre as a natural chokepoint. Zombies - Die Rise: The Zombie apocalypse has invaded China, turning downtown into a dilapidated and dangerous MC Escher painting.We've reached out to Activision for comment.
Black Ops 2 cross-map Tomahawk kill is not what you expect
Sure, you've seen people killed from across the map in Black Ops 2 dozens of times, but this one is unique once you see how it comes together. It's like we can feel the accepting nod of Ghost Rube Goldberg as he sips on a chilled Yoo-Hoo.
Rumor: Black Ops 2 'Revolution' coming January 29, bringing zombies along
An image promoting map pack DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 recently popped up on Reddit, called "Revolution." The images show what seem to be five locations for the add-on content: Mirage, Downhill, Hydro, Grind, and Die Rise. Die Rise also sports a picture of a zombie-like soldier. Other pictures of the promotional materials for the DLC note that it will be a timed Xbox 360 exclusive set to launch January 29.We've contacted an Activision rep for comment on the leaked images, and will update once we learn more.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 hosting double XP this weekend, League Play now live
Just in case you aren't already earning double XP in Max Payne 3 or Red Orchestra 2 this weekend, here's one more option for you to get twice as many progression points. Treyarch and Activision are hosting a double XP weekend in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, starting right now through Monday December 17 at 10am. The dev team also introduced League Play into the game this week, so you can now ladder up and play against opponents matched to your skill, and there are various Clan Ops and other challenges available to go after as well. Saddle up!
Xbox Black Ops 2 season pass holders get Nuketown Zombies today [update: Trailer]
Presumably as a result of all the radiation, zombies are shambling their way into Nuketown today. More specifically, Nuketown Zombies is headed to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 today for season pass holders on Xbox 360. The Call of Duty Twitter account announced the news, sharing the image above. As you can see, even Nuketown has seen better days.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 sales reach $1 billion in 15 days
Activision may have skipped its annual five-day totaling of Call of Duty sales, but the publisher announced this morning the latest installment, Black Ops 2, grossed $1 billion in 15 days.The publisher announced shortly after Call of Duty Black Ops 2's launch the annual blockbuster made $500 million in 24 hours at retail, eclipsing Modern Warfare 3's record of $400 million the year prior. The lack of a five-day total, which the company had done for three years running, gave some analysts "cause for concern" that Black Ops 2 wasn't selling as well as previous installments.Seeking a new way to contextualize the achievement, Activision noted the $1 billion milestone was achieved faster than James Cameron's Avatar, which in 2009 reached a billion in ticket sales in 17 days. Modern Warfare 3 reached the one billion milestone in 16 days.
Black Ops 2 patched on 360 and PC
Treyarch updated Call of Duty Black Ops 2 on PC and Xbox 360 this week, and now the patch notes for both updates are out in the wild.According to the patch notes, the Xbox 360 title update brings improvements to live and playback video streaming, as well as addressing a number of exploits and minor errors. The PC update increases the maximum field-of-view setting to 90 degrees, improves dedicated server matchmaking, and bundles in a few other fixes too.The PS3 version received a patch across the weekend targeting freezing and console shutdown issues. Activision is still receiving post-patch reports of in-game freezes.
Guinness record of longest game session set at 135 hours with Black Ops 2
The Guinness World Record for longest video game marathon was set by Australian Okan Kaya this week, after he played Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for 135 hours over seven days.Guinness rules allow for one ten-minute break every hour, which Kaya could bank and use in chunks. Yahoo's Plugged In reports the previous record was set by a Canadian pair playing the Resistance series for 120 hours.Kaya was in good company with Call of Duty Black Ops 2, which set sales records when it earned $500 million on its first day at retail.
Black Ops 2 patched on 360, glitches get stitches
The Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has received an update, and while the full patch notes won't be available until tomorrow, we do know some details thanks to Treyarch design director David Vonderhaar's Twitter account. Specifically, we know that an issue preventing Dragonfire drones from deploying correctly has been corrected, in addition to an error that caused Escort Drones to attack their owners and Theater Mode UI Error #226117, whatever that is. The bouncing care package glitch, which supposedly causes care packages to bounce wildly away from their drop location, is still being investigated and will not be corrected with this patch.
Black Ops 2 still freezing on PS3 for some players despite patch
Despite releasing a patch addressing the issue, Activision is still receiving reports of Black Ops 2 freezing on PS3. Going by the post-patch thread on Activision's forums, users are experiencing a variety of lock-up issues, with some unable to get past initial loading screens.Complaints about the PS3 version arose quickly after Black Ops 2's launch last week, with widespread reports of the game freezing and requiring a reset, and even of the console shutting itself off in-game. The complaints weren't tied to one particular event, although freezes commonly occurred during online multiplayer.Activision released patch 1.03 on Saturday, November 17, specifically addressing the freezing issue. However, a day later the publisher said it's aware "some customers are still experiencing PS3 lock-ups after installing the patch" and that it hopes to resolve the issue as soon as possible.While complaints are plentiful, the latest Call of Duty continues to sell. In the UK, Black Ops 2 enjoyed the fourth biggest launch ever for a video game, while worldwide it took in a whopping $500 million in its first day alone.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 rakes in $500 million in first day
Activision announced today Call of Duty Black Ops 2 made $500 million on its first day at retail, eclipsing the franchise's previous record of $400 million as set by Modern Warfare 3 last year. Back then Modern Warfare 3 sold 6.5 million copies in the US and UK to make that figure, suggesting even greater numbers of copies sold this time around.Black Ops 2 shifted 1 million copies at GameStop on day one alone, while Amazon noted it became the site's most pre-ordered game ever. We can expect an even more eye-popping amount in around a week's time, when Activision will likely reveal the five-day sales figure. Last year Activision disclosed Modern Warfare 3 made $775 million in its first five days, and at this rate Black Ops 2 will have its eyes set on ten figures for the same mark.
Report: GameStop Wii U game pre-orders at 1.2 million, double the Wii
GameStop patrons are more interested in Wii U than they initially were of the Wii, the retailer has revealed. Over 1.2 million individuals have pre-ordered Wii U games at GameStop, in addition to the 500,000 Wii U consoles claimed since opening up pre-orders back in September.That figure comes out to 2.4 games per console reserved, which GameStop has told Gamasutra is roughly twice the attach rate GameStop saw prior to the Wii launch. Top pre-orders include ZombiU, Assassin's Creed 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Scribblenauts Unlimited and New Super Mario Bros. U.The Wii U officially launches in North America on Sunday, November 18. On launch day, 23 different games will be available; a total of 50 games will be available within the Wii U launch window, which runs up to March 2013.
Call of Duty Elite app gets Black Ops 2 support on iOS, Android
The Call of Duty Elite app has been updated on iOS and Android to support this week's monolithic debut, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. You can use the app to check your career stats and recent match performances, edit your classes, and search for and apply to Clans – pretty much the same stuff you can do with the app via Modern Warfare 3.You can also use it to stream Call of Duty Elite TV, access multiplayer guides, and track challenges. The iOS app is universal and compatible with all iDevices running iOS 5.0 or greater; however, the app does not have iPhone 5 screen support.
Report: Some Black Ops 2 retail discs contain Mass Effect 2 info
Players who bought retail PC copies of Black Ops 2 – some of the same people who waited in line for hours on a cold November night during the midnight launch – popped in the second installation disc to find that it's for Mass Effect 2. Reports on Steam, Reddit, 4chan and the Black Ops 2 forums describe the same problem, and the video below shows it in action (along with some NSFW language).This prevents these players from installing Black Ops 2 with the discs, but each retail copy comes with a Steam key and the entire game can be installed digitally. It will take a while, but it is at least, eventually, playable; this process largely negates the entire "waiting in line for a retail version" thing, though.We've contacted Activision for more information.
Metareview: Call of Duty Black Ops 2
Like a giant warhead hurtling towards a resigned bunny rabbit, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 explodes into the holiday season today. In our review, Xav lauds the multiplayer for "offering plenty of in-game and inherent rewards," but criticizes the game's "lackluster story that fails the ambition shown by the branching campaign." With Black Ops 2 being a fairly big deal, it turns out there are others who also have opinions on Treyarch's shooter. IGN (93/100): "Combined with the host of subtle and overt improvements to the array of other systems, the additions to make it more appealing to Esports, and the more fleshed out Zombies mode, this is not just a fantastic Call of Duty game, but one of the best shooters of the last decade." G4 (90/100): "A ton of work has gone into this game from top to bottom, and it stands as a real testament to the developers who didn't want to just coattail this one into the books. Nearly every system and aspect of the game has been tweaked or overhauled, and it certainly shows in the final product." EGM (90/100): "The first Black Ops put Treyarch on par with Infinity Ward; with Black Ops 2, they surpass them. This is the most impressed I've been with Call of Duty since the first Modern Warfare; aside from some problems with the Strike Force missions, this is a shining moment for the franchise." Game Informer (85/100): "For shooter fans that don't require as deep of a dive, Black Ops 2's multiplayer may feel like more of the same. No significant new match types are present, and the Pick 10 system doesn't drastically change the gameplay experience. Most of the changes to the Call of Duty formula come in campaign mode, and they are executed with mixed results. Despite some frustrations, Black Ops 2 is yet another massive, polished, finely tuned entry in a series that shows no signs of slowing down." GameSpot (80/100): "The campaign hits the same satisfying rhythms, the multiplayer captures the same frenetic intensity, and the cooperative zombies mode delivers the same stale undead-massacring action. Caught between striving for the future and remaining rooted in the past, Black Ops 2 finds solid footing, providing another great ride on the Call of Duty rollercoaster."
Black Ops 2 'Nuketown Zombies' now in DLC Season Pass, out in December
Originally included as an incentive in the "Hardened," "Care Package" and "Digital Deluxe" versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, the Nuketown Zombies map will now be included in the DLC Season Pass, too. Nuketown Zombies will debut to Season Pass holders some time in December.The Nuketown Zombies map is a variant of the Nuketown 2025 multiplayer map available to all pre-orderers, an updated version of the fan-favorite Nuketown from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Black Ops 2 stats won't be reset at launch, says Treyarch
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 multiplayer stats won't be nuked back to nil when the game officially releases tomorrow. Treyarch game design director David Vonderhaar took to Twitter to say there won't be a reset at launch. So if you have an early copy your stats should be preserved come launch day, unless you're a "bad person doing bad things."While there are undoubtedly those who've gotten hold of an early copy via unscrupulous means, there are going to be plenty of people who got one legitimately. Heck, Amazon is already sending out pre-ordered Wii U copies.
