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Modern Warfare Makers Not Giving Up On Squashing Hackers
The situation for Modern Warfare fans on the PS3 was looking grim, but developer Infinity Ward says they’re still focused on getting their security in order. “Nothing is being left unattended,” writes IW creative strategist Robert Bowling.
By Michael McWhertor Published January 24, 2011 -
StarCraft Modder’s Tense Week Gets A Storybook Conclusion [Corrected]
A week ago, Ryan Winzen was a college student with another year and half until completing his degree. Today, he’s the mod community’s Cinderella story, with a foot in the door at one games studio and a pat on the back from another. [Correction] An earlier version of this story misidentified Winzen by his last…
By Owen Good Published January 21, 2011 -
NASCAR 2011’s Delay Isn’t Due To Points System Change
Earlier this week Eutechnyx, the studio behind NASCAR’s revival on console gaming, delayed NASCAR 2011 to March 29. Then word passed that the racing series will refining its championship points structure for the next season. Were the two related? No. At least according to Gregg Baker, the Eutechnyx community leader. Speaking to Operation Sports, Baker…
By Owen Good Published January 21, 2011 -
“World of StarCraft” Will Go On, Likely Under A Different Name
Click to viewA YouTube takedown and a call from a top lawyer for a major games publisher notwithstanding, what happened this week to the programmer leading a fan-made StarCraft role-playing game must be the secret hope of many a modder. “World of StarCraft,” led by modder Ryan Winzell, will not be shut down by Activision…
By Owen Good Published January 20, 2011 -
Report: Modern Warfare 3 Coming In November, Spin-Off Delayed To Get It Done
If we’re getting a Modern Warfare 3 this November, it’s going to come at the cost of an Call of Duty spin-off from the head creator of Dead Space, the Los Angeles Times reported today. Citing “people familiar with the situation,” the paper says that Infinity Ward, the studio behind the last two Modern Warfares…
By Stephen Totilo Published January 20, 2011 -
Did The Creators of Call of Duty Delay A Map Pack To Help Out The Competition?
After months of finger-pointing and allegations, the company behind the massively popular Call of Duty series may have proof to support claims that one of their video games was sabotaged by its creators at the urging of a rival. An internal email from a rival Electronic Arts executive, released today as part of a court…
By Brian Crecente Published January 20, 2011 -
Video’s Takedown Jolts “World of Starcraft” Makers
YouTube’s takedown of a video showing “World of Starcraft” sent tremors through the mod community that Starcraft’s publisher was out to shut down the fan-made MMO. Activision Blizzard has yet to comment officially, leaving the project in an uncomfortable limbo. Stirring the pot further is the fact that the MMO was developed with Starcraft II’s…
By Owen Good Published January 19, 2011 -
Activision Can Take Its Black Ops And Go Home, You Know
A huffy customer support worker at Activision, no doubt fed up dealing with people complaining about Call of Duty: Black Ops’ poor online performance, has snapped over an email exchange with tech blogger Jason Koblovsky. Koblovsky, who for months has – along with many others – experienced connection issues with the game when attempting to…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 19, 2011 -
More Than 300 Million Dead In 24 Hours
A real-world tragedy is a triumph for Activision and developer Treyarch. Dutch infographic makers Spijkermat average the stats from Call of Duty: Black Ops’ multiplayer lobby in order to paint this grim picture of death and destruction. [Infographic] 24hrs COD: Black Ops [Spijkermat]
By Mike Fahey Published January 18, 2011 -
Modern Warfare Maker Says It Can’t Fix Rampant Hacking On PS3
That Call of Duty games are routinely exploited by cheaters and hackers, regardless of platform, is nothing new. But players of the PS3 version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 say the situation is worse than it’s ever been. “This issue is really out of hand,” writes one member of the Infinity Ward forums,…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 17, 2011 -
First Look At The New Mutants Of X-Men Destiny
The people who made games Too Human and Eternal Darkness are now making an X-Men adventure for Activision, a game that lets players mold their own mutant. This is what that game, X-Men Destiny, is looking like right now. First screen shots of Silicon Knights’ X-Men game made their way online, via a YouTube video…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 17, 2011 -
A Look At Call of Duty: Black Ops’ New Map Pack, Due Feb. 1
Zip-lines, collapsing ice bridges and auto-turrets are all coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer next month, if you game on an Xbox 360. Due out on the Xbox 360 on Feb. 1, and perhaps one day the Playstation 3 and PC, the First Strike map pack will include four new multiplayer maps and…
By Brian Crecente Published January 17, 2011 -
Your First Look Of The New Spider-Man Of 2012
The spectacular Spider-Man is swinging back to movie theaters in 2012, this time with actor Andrew Garfield donning the spider-suit and (500) Days of Summer director Mark Webb in the director’s chair. When Activision gets around to the video game adaptation of the Spider-Man reboot, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions developer Beenox may be handling development duties.…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2011 -
Quick, How Many Ads Can You Spot On This NASCAR Box
Let’s thank the crew behind the Activision Eutechnyx NASCAR 2011 The Game Lowe’s GoDaddy Cheerios Impala. They gave us some super box art that run real good today. The game releases March 29, part of a sportspocalypse month in gaming.
By Owen Good Published January 12, 2011 -
Was Modern Warfare 2 An Act Of Sabotage?
Was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 a “silent rebellion” on the part of Infinity Ward, an early shot in the big Activision legal battle? Kotaku commenter Shibuya ESPer explores the possibility in today’s Speak-Up on Kotaku. Has anyone ever considered the ridiculous possibility that (Modern Warfare 2) was actually a premeditated “silent rebellion” type…
By Mike Fahey Published January 12, 2011 -
James Bond Comes Back To Movie Theaters In 2012
James Bond will be coming back to the big screen for his 23rd film on November 9, 2012, starring Daniel Craig as the super spy, a film that’s reportedly a direct follow-up to 2008’s Quantum of Solace. The next Bond film was originally planned for a 2011 release, but financial woes at studio MGM pushed…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 11, 2011 -
Modern Warfare Creators Taking Damage From Legal Fees
According to new documents released today, the ongoing legal battle between the creators of Call of Duty and the franchise’s publishers is beginning to take its toll on those involved. Last month, Activision sought to expand the scope of the lawsuit by including Electronic Arts, the publisher that is now home to the new studio…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2011 -
Will Call of Duty Get Standalone, Pay-To-Play Online Multiplayer?
Call of Duty publisher Activision has been talking about new ways to make even more money from its shoot ’em up cashcow for years. A new report makes it sound like a new way to play Call of Duty online is imminent. The analysts at Wedbush Securities believe that Activision is set to reveal a…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 3, 2011 -
Activision Threatens 600 UK Jobs Over Loss of Tax Breaks
Activision’s so incensed over the United Kingdom’s rollback of promised tax breaks for video games development that the publisher is considering the withdrawal of its 600-employee office from the country, according to The Telegraph. Though tax relief proposals had support from both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat leadership in Parliament, the plans were scrapped in…
By Owen Good Published January 2, 2011