Seems kind of obvious to say in light of recent developments, but in an interview with Develop magazine, the Infinity Ward community manager pointed to Twitter as an instant and constant source of feedback in building Modern Warfare 2.
"I communicate with our Twitter followers the same way I'd communicate with my office buddies," Bowling told Develop.
So if something happens I just throw it out there and opinions come in and we converse. Also during development, if we are sitting in a design meeting and we are arguing about something, no matter what it is I can just turn to what is now 60,000 people and post the same question.
Do we think will players like this?' well why don't we ask 60,000 of them and get a good representation of what we think they may like. Twitter has been fantastic throughout development, and I would recommend many, many more people adapted that into their design schedule.
It's not a carte-blanche relationship - the feedback Bowling pulls from Twitter must fit with Infinity Ward's design philosophy. "Typically stuff like: ‘we want more gore.' That's against our design philosophy," he says. "We don't make gory games. It's not that we can't, but it's not the experience we go for."
Over the lifespan of this game's development, tons of news has broken through Bowling over Twitter, so it's no surprise that channel has affected the arc of Modern Warfare 2, prerelease. It shows Twitter's not just a pass-through for trivia or hype, as some might dismiss it, but a useful way for both sides to stay in touch.
Infinity Ward Talks Twitter [Develop]