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Call of Duty Cited As Possible Factor in Fatal Shooting of 10-Year-Old Boy
A preteen who killed a friend inside a Georgia home was playing Activision’s popular first-person-shooter before the fatal shots were fired. According to ABC affiliate WJBF, three young boys were playing Call of Duty: Black Ops on the night of March 26th, when the eldest of them picked up a semi-automatic that belonged to his…
By Evan Narcisse Published March 28, 2012 -
Call of Duty‘s Robert “fourzerotwo” Bowling Steps Down
Infinity Ward Creative Strategist Robert Bowling, known as one of the most public faces of the Call of Duty franchise, has stepped down from his position, he said on his Twitter feed today. Activision sent over an official statement on the situation this afternoon: We sincerely thank Robert for his many years of service. He’s…
By Jason Schreier Published March 26, 2012 -
When Will a Modern Military Shooter Let a Woman Lead the Charge?
Will we ever see a Call of Duty game with a female protagonist? Commenter Nameloi wonders if the modern military shooter genre will ever give females a starring role on the battlefield in today’s Speak Up on Kotaku. Will there ever be a modern military game with a prominent female character(s)? This is something that…
By Mike Fahey Published March 21, 2012 -
This Nazi Zombie Hungers for Your Brains (Well, Cash)
Nazi zombies are the stars of both movies and video games. With good reason. You combine a Nazi and a zombie and you’ve got twice the bad guy. The premise is now set in (poly)stone with this statue from Sideshow, which shows an undead member of the 1000-year Reich in full lurch. As with most…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 21, 2012 -
With Any Luck, The Terrorists Really Are Using Call of Duty To Train
Semi-reliable British news source The Sun reports that terrorists are using Call of Duty and Halo to keep in touch with each other and train for terrorist attacks. “Kids’ fave keeps their plots secret,” The Sun blares, which may well be possible. Scum terrorists may be using Call of Duty voice chat over Xbox 360…
By Stephen Totilo Published March 20, 2012 -
Shooting 15-Year-Old Modern Warfare Players is Fine, Just Don’t Sleep With Them
Maine resident Cassandra Grant, 22, faces charges of second-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor after a round of Modern Warfare grew into a nine-month relationship with a 15-year-old Connecticut boy. According to authorities, Grant met her unnamed victim (which I suppose is the correct term here) in March of 2011 while playing…
By Mike Fahey Published March 13, 2012 -
WTPT: Kid Loses It When His Mom Insists He Quit Call of Duty
We’ve all encountered some pretty hilarious gamers on Xbox Live, whether they’re intentionally comedic or not. The diverse age range means that many of these encounters involve some kid battling with his mom or dad to stay online for just a little bit longer. Two guys camp out in an airplane in Call of Duty,…
By Tina Amini Published March 12, 2012 -
Kotaku EastThis Banned PS3 Owner Looks Bonkers
Anyone who films himself or herself ranting about a ban and posting it online might have issues. Anyone who does that while wearing a plastic bag might be nutso. In this video, a PS3 owner, who was apparently banned from the PlayStation Network, bitched and moaned—while wearing a several snuggies and a plastic bag on…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 12, 2012 -
Activision Wins Small Battle in Large Call of Duty Lawsuit
Publisher Activision took home a small victory in its longstanding legal battle against Call of Duty creators Jason West and Vincent Zampella earlier this week, convincing a Los Angeles judge to drop a fraud claim against it, according to a news report. Bloomberg reports that State Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle dropped one of two…
By Jason Schreier Published March 9, 2012 -
Trolling Private Ryan Replaces Matt Damon With Small, Angry Child
There is trolling in the name of evil, in which you act like an asshole. But there can sometimes be trolling in the name of public good. Like this. Authentic military terminology is a part of the game, kid! War isn’t all murder and explosions. There are communications protocols to maintain as well.
By Luke Plunkett Published March 5, 2012 -
Here Is Modern Warfare 3‘s Definitive “Chuck Norris” Kill
When some terrorist asshole’s got everyone pinned down, there’s only one way to solve the problem—up close and personal. Put another way, you can’t kill Chuck Norris at close distance; close distance to Chuck Norris always kills you.
By Owen Good Published March 4, 2012 -
The Kalashnikov Rifle Is Getting an Upgrade
The Russian government will spend part of a $690 billion military improvement budget on introducing a new model of its Kalashnikov rifles, known more commonly as AK-47s and one of the most common weapons in the real world and video games. (See Call of Duty, among many others.) “We are planning deep modernization of the…
By Stephen Totilo Published February 28, 2012 -
Do Not Attempt These Painfully Awkward Video Game Pickup Lines on Other Living Creatures
“A lot of black girls, some of them are too light. Some of them are too dark. But you? You’re like the Perfect Dark.” When Bay area pickup artists Simple Pickup are tasked with getting girls’ phone numbers using lines incorporating video game titles, that was the best they could do. How can they possibly…
By Mike Fahey Published February 23, 2012 -
The Call of Duty Game That Never Was
I love behind-the-scenes insights into the making of my favorite games. Although I usually watch or read them after I’m finished with a title, instead of before one is released, I enjoy reading and watching the stories of the production itself. Any successful game, large or small, takes a remarkable amount of coordination and dedication.…
By Kate Cox Published February 21, 2012 -
Activision Removes French Games Journalists From Alleged Blacklist
Remember that purported Activision blacklisting of French website Gameblog that had everyone up in arms over the weekend? And that comment by Activision that said everything was just a big misunderstanding? Well, whatever that misunderstanding was, it’s been cleared up. Gameblog reported that they received a call today that effectively resumes communications with Activision. Editor-in-chief…
By Evan Narcisse Published February 21, 2012 -
New Modern Warfare 3 Prestige Levels Hitting Xbox 360 Today, PS3 Next Week
The latest Call of Duty will get 400 new ranks and 5 new prestige levels for Xbox 360 today and PlayStation 3 on February 28, Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling said today. PC users got’em last week. [Robert Bowling]
By Jason Schreier Published February 21, 2012 -
Bored Soldier Recreates Modern Warfare Box Art
Note the “bored” was the words of Reddit user Travissimo, not me. I can’t picture soldiers serving overseas having enough spare time to approach being bored, let alone bored enough to engage in box art cosplay. Of sorts. But hey, he must have had a little spare time, because he does a damn good job…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 21, 2012 -
Reporter: Activision Blacklisted Us Because I Refused to Pull Call of Duty Sequel Story [UPDATE]
Yesterday, reports that a sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops would hit this year circulated all over the internet, sourced to a product page that went live on Amazon. Gameblog.fr reported on this apparent slip-up, as did other French websites, but they refused to pull the story when asked by Call of Duty publisher…
By Evan Narcisse Published February 18, 2012 -
Black Ops 2 Reportedly Outed by Amazon as This Year’s Call of Duty
French game site Gameblog.fr reported earlier today that Amazon’s French digital storefront leaked details about the next installment in Activision’s blockbuster FPS series. The site claims that a product page for the sequel to the 2010 Call of Duty title went live on Amazon.fr and that, after they reported this, Activision France requested that the…
By Evan Narcisse Published February 17, 2012 -
Rob Riggle Tours the Dizzying Heights of Modern Warfare 3‘s Overwatch Map
Former Daily Show correspondent Rob Riggle wriggles his way into Modern Warfare 3‘s upcoming Overwatch map, giving us a guided tour of the hoary heights of New York City skyscrapers. You’ve seen the screens, now catch live scenes from the upcoming downloadable map, coming February 21 to Call of Duty: Elite members on the Xbox…
By Mike Fahey Published February 15, 2012