Kotaku: Call of duty 5

Call of Duty 3 Needed More Time For Greatness

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:00:00 MDT

Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4 was fantastic. Treyarch's CoD3 wasn't as fantastic. Granted, it was pretty good! But honestly, not as good as Infinity Ward's CoD2. (See where this is going?) Says CoD5 senior producer Noah Heller:

I'd say that one of the things that's hard for a player to understand, I'm sure you guys can understand it because you have a lot more insight into the industry, is that Call of Duty 3 was about eight months end to end for development... And it's very hard to make a great game in that time. Call of Duty 3 is a very good game. It sold very well so a lot of people must have liked it... But it's not the game this team could have made if it had the time to polish to the level they needed to... Look at the great games of just this last six months or year. Look at Modern Warfare, look at BioShock, look at GTA 4. What these games have in common is enough time to polish and iterate on it, and I think as an industry we're learning how important that is... I feel like it's a little bit of an underdog story almost. Here's a team that's never had a chance to actually make a game with this much time. Modern Warfare comes along and raises the bar really high and now the team says, we've got to show what we've got, we've got to show up with a great game or else the players aren't going to want to play it. Expectations are so high.

They are, they really are. Treyarch was given a two year development cycle for CoD5, so hopefully that extra time in the oven will pay off. Willing to give World War II another spin if the game dazzles.

World at War First Look [Videogamer]

Call Of Duty 5 Screens, Details (4-Player Co-Op)

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:00:00 MDT

Yes. Not just screenshots, but details. Details like a confirmation that the game will be taking place in both the Pacific and European theatres, as you control not only the Americans fighting the Japanese, but the Russians on their advance towards Berlin as well. Again. More details: the game will boast four-player, drop-in-drop-out co-op play for the 360, PS3 and PC versions of the game (Wii owners, you get "a unique co-op mode for two players"). Oh, and the game will also feature a scaling difficulty curve, based upon "a player’s experience rank and rank of the player’s friends" (when playing co-op). Screens are below, concept art and presser after the jump.

Sydney, Australia – June 23, 2008 – Leave your packs and bring extra ammo, Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Treyarch, announced today that they will be taking Call of Duty players deep into the South Pacific and European theatres this spring for Call of Duty: World at War™, a gritty fight that will pit players against enemies that know no surrender and show no mercy. Utilizing the Call of Duty 4®: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War throws out the rulebook of war to transform WWII combat through a new enemy, new tactics and an uncensored experience of the climatic battles that gripped a generation. As U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers, players will employ new features like cooperative gameplay, and weapons such as the flamethrower in the most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date.

“With Call of Duty: World at War, we’re re-defining what it means to play a WWII game,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head for Treyarch. “We’re excited to give players a host of new enemies that employ entirely new tactics, as well as new, groundbreaking tools – like co-op and the flamethrower – to succeed in the epic fight.”

Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-operative play, bringing fresh meaning to the “No One Fights Alone” mantra with up to four-players online for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, or two-player local split-screen on consoles. Nintendo Wii will also support a unique co-op mode for two players. For the first time ever players will experience harrowing single-player missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. The co-op campaign allows players to rank up and unlock perks in competitive multiplayer by completing challenges and earning experience points, adding continuous re-playability and team-based gameplay. Whether playing competitively or cooperatively – if players are online with Call of Duty: World at War – they will always gain experience points. Based on a player’s experience rank and rank of the player’s friends, Call of Duty: World at War will scale dynamically to provide a deeper level of challenge.

Call of Duty: World at War is in development for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Nintendo® Wii™ and Games for Windows® PC. The title is scheduled for release this spring and has not yet been rated by the OFLC.

For more information and exclusive updates about Call of Duty: World at War, visit www.callofduty.com.

Call Of Duty 5: First Trailer

Luke Plunkett — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 MDT

Well, here you go. Our first look at Call of Duty: World At War. There's World War Two, explosions, American soldiers running around shooting bad guys. It all looks very nice, very moody, very well-lit. Before you start: we know, yes, it might not bring the Infinity Ward Shit like Infinity Ward did, but can we have one CoD5 post go by where people can at least give developers Treyarch the benefit of the doubt? It'd make a pleasant change. Thanks.

Call of Duty 5 To Feature Co-Op, Eye Ball Burning

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:30:00 MDT

The first details about upcoming Call of Duty 5 hit today. Unlike the modern CoD4, CoD5 will return to WWII. The game will be set in the Pacific Theater. Also unlike CoD4, the game won't be developed by Infinity Ward, but CoD3 dev Treyarch. The upcoming title will feature co-op — a first for the series. Also, multiplayer will feature vehicles and squad-elements as well. The game is truly multi-plat, and the Wii version is being developed by a separate Treyarch team and will support the Wii Zapper. The game is gritty, apparently. How gritty?

The opening scene of the first level we are shown is a Japanese commander stubbing a cigarette out in the eye of a prisoner before slitting his throat - the blood splatters and dribbles down the side of the tent you are being held in. He turns towards you to deal out the same treatment but help arrives just in time. Cue a daring level-long escape.

EWWW, GROSS.
First CoD5 Details [videogaming247 via Strategy Informer]

Call of Duty 5 Already Playable

Leigh Alexander — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:40:00 MDT

Sources tell us that the upcoming Call of Duty 5 game in development is already playable, and currently going through quality assurance.

Treyarch is also said to be the developer, and the title, we're told, is set in a WWII Pacific environment and will be using Call of Duty 4's engine, the same engine on which the upcoming James Bond: Quantum of Solace movie game is being built.

Yesterday, on the company's call to investors, Activision publishing CEO Mike Griffith said CoD5 would be coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and DS, in addition to a return for the franchise to PS2 and Wii for the first time in two years.

Activision Denies Infinity Ward CoD Exclusivity

Mike Fahey — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:20:00 MDT

What a wonderful world it would be if Infinity Ward became the sole developer of the Call of Duty franchise, as rumors earlier today seemed to indicate, but it's one wonderful world that we won't be seeing anytime soon. Speaking to Eurogamer, Activision has vehemently denied the rumors.

A spokesperson for the publisher told Eurogamer it was a total fabrication, and that Treyarch and Infinity Ward would still alternately create installments in the shooter series.

This also lays to rest rumors that Activision Underground was shut down due to said non-existent exclusivity deal, due to the whole nonexistence of it all. All we can do now is hope that Treyarch can follow Infinity Ward's footsteps and provide us with a emotion-stirring rap anthem at the end of Call of Duty 5.

Activision rubbishes COD negotation talk [Eurogamer]

Treyarch Taking Call of Duty Back To WWII?

Michael McWhertor — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:00:00 MST

The gang at UK pub Gamer picked up on a job listing from Call of Duty 3 developer Treyarch that might point to the series returning to its World War II roots. The posting at Activision's career opportunities page is looking for a level builder to work on an "industry leading First-Person Shooter action war franchise" with serious experience. Later in the job description, Treyarch writes "if you're a fan of World War 2 shooters, then even better!"

Quite the leap, no? While we're positive that Call of Duty 5 is coming, we aren't sure whether Infinity Ward or Treyarch or another developer altogether will be holding the reins.

Level Builder - Call of Duty [Treyarch via Gamer]

Merger Fact Sheet Reveals Guitar Hero IV, Call Of Duty 5

Mike Fahey — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:20:56 MST

Several kotakuites have pointed us towards a PDF file detailing the Activision and Vivendi deal on Vivendi's website, getting all overexcited by the games listed as being in the pipeline on the Activision side. Guitar Hero IV and Call of Duty 5 are listed, alongside new Marvel titles, a new Tony Hawk game, a racing game from Bizarre, new Dreamworks titles, and James Bond. The vibe I've been getting from these emails is "OMG! Guitar Hero IV! CoD 5!" Come on folks, really. Was there any doubt that those two titles would be getting additional sequels? Was there some big scare I missed where they hinted that their most popular franchises were ending with the last installments? Calm down. Have yourself a nice cup of tea and save the excitement for when they announce Call of Guitar Hero, where you travel from the future to battle Nazis with the one weapon they can't counter - ROCK AND ROLL. *throws up horns*

Vivendi Activision Merger Fact Sheet (PDF) [Vivendi - Thanks Everyone]