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CultureTotal RecallCall of Duty, You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby
Activision’s Call of Duty franchise occupies a fascinating place in the gaming landscape. It is the world’s biggest-selling annual series, yet each year offers only incremental improvements. It is beloved by millions, yet derided by many as well. Its production values bring out the best in video games, while its online multiplayer community often brings…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 8, 2011 -
On the Eve of Modern Warfare 3, a Very Cool Illustration of Soap and the Gang
As we gear up to dive into Modern Warfare 3 (Top question: will you be more of a Jonah Hill or a Sam Worthington?), it’s fun to pause for a minute and take a look back. Artist Sam Gilbey sent in this illustration that Activision commissioned him to do promoting Call of Duty Elite, the…
By Kirk Hamilton Published November 7, 2011 -
The Week in Dangerous Games: Shooting Drugs in Modern Warfare 3 (Not Like That)
It’s the height of the fall rush, and more and more games rain down upon us every day. And with so many games, whoever will tell us which of them contains objectionable content? The Entertainment Software Rating Board, that’s who! Each week, we take a look at the newest, most salacious ESRB ratings and assemble…
By Kirk Hamilton Published November 7, 2011 -
This is How Many People Are Already Playing Modern Warfare 3
Here’s a snapshot of what Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 looked like four hours before the game officially hit the U.S. This tiny map shows where the game’s 118,995 online players were signing in to log a few frags. As you can see, despite having not yet launched here, the U.S. is not underrepresented.…
By Brian Crecente Published November 7, 2011 -
Modern Warfare 3: The Underdog?
It’s been a season of dueling titans, to be sure. We’ve got Uncharted 3 vs. Gears of War 3, Skyrim vs. Dark Souls… and of course, Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 This time last year, the Call of Duty franchise was top dog. Medal of Honor had been vanquished, and the Battlefield 3 promotional…
By Kirk Hamilton Published November 7, 2011 -
A History of Battlefield Versus Call of Duty
Battlefield 3 hit stores late last month, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 hits tomorrow. The two series, delivering different takes on first-person shooter warfare, both have a storied history. This mammoth graph charts the history of both series, their games, the sales, the review scores. Which is series is better? That’s really about personal…
By Brian Crecente Published November 7, 2011 -
Call of Duty Elite is Now Open for Business
Unless you’re one of the several thousand people playing early, you’ll be waiting until midnight to get your hands on Modern Warfare 3, but Activision’s Call of Duty Elite service is now rolling out, ready to keep you occupied until then.
By Mike Fahey Published November 7, 2011 -
‘The Video Game Industry Have Profited From Fear and Anxiety About Terrorism,” Professor Says
Suffolk University Professor Nina Huntemann is probably not calling in sick tomorrow to play Modern Warfare 3. She’s no fan. Amid all the hype for the release of this year’s huge first person shooter, she wants anyone who will listen to know what’s wrong with Modern Warfare, Battlefield and the rest of video game’s interactive…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 7, 2011 -
A Video Game Company Wants to Turn Virtual War Into Our Next National Pastime
Baseball, hockey, football… Call of Duty? If the people behind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 have their way, the next big sport people around the world will be obsessing over will involve virtual soldiers killing each other in perpetual warfare. With more than 25 million copies of their last Call of Duty game sold,…
By Brian Crecente Published November 7, 2011 -
Has Call of Duty Driven Hundreds of Teens into Military Service?
In today’s installment of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Tony Danza suggests the Call of Duty series from Activision is responsible for countless teenagers deciding to join the military and be all that they could be in the games. If there’s one thing Call of Duty has done right, it’s trick hundreds of teenagers into…
By Mike Fahey Published November 7, 2011 -
Report: Masked Bandits Steal 6000 Copies of Modern Warfare 3
As if we needed reminding of how big a commercial event the release of a new Call of Duty game is, word comes from France that a truck full of copies of the game has been hijacked by professional thieves. On Saturday the truck, driving through Créteil in southern Paris, was rammed by another vehicle.…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 7, 2011 -
Full-Length Jonah Hill Modern Warfare 3 Ad has a Special Guest Star at the End
The 30-second version of “The Vet & The Noob” started playing last night on GameTrailers. Here now is the 90-second version of the ad, starring Sam Worthington and Jonah Hill (whose most recent flick, Moneyball featured a cameo by Activision top dog Bobby Kotick.) Keep your eyes peeled until the end, when a guy who’s…
By Owen Good Published November 5, 2011 -
Jonah Hill, Sam Worthington Star in This Live Action Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Ad
The official live-action trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 isn’t supposed to hit until Sunday. But it’s started popping up on website ads late Friday night so we grabbed a copy. In it we see Jonah Hill of Superbad fame and is that Sam Worthington of Avatar fame kicking ass as video game…
By Brian Crecente Published November 4, 2011 -
Activision Cools Fears of Pre-Release Modern Warfare 3 Bannings
A foreboding, backchannel warning from Xbox Live’s top cop seemed to suggest that those who legitimately bought Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 from a retailer, before its official street date on Tuesday, could face sanctions if they played it online. Activision has sought to calm those concerns, although still, it kinda sorta would like…
By Owen Good Published November 4, 2011 -
California Man Pleads Guilty to Trading Video Game Cheat Codes for Child Pornography
A 22-year-old California man pled guilty today to child pornography charges for getting a 10-year-old boy to send nude pictures of himself in exchange for Call of Duty “cheat codes,” according to U.S. Attorney court records. John Kenneth Calderon Basto, also known as Tribal x MoDzz, of Long Beach, California, pled guilty to causing the…
By Brian Crecente Published November 4, 2011 -
Modern Warfare 3 Now Available for Purchase and Pre-Load on Amazon
Amazon’s digital download service is serving up fresh copies of Modern Warfare 3 standard edition to all comers today, allowing players to purchase and pre-load for play at launch, with a $10 digital download coupon to sweeten the deal. [Amazon]
By Mike Fahey Published November 4, 2011 -
Leaked Copy of Modern Warfare 3 Sells for $1,725 on eBay
There’s only four days until you’re officially allowed to buy Activision’s latest blockbuster FPS. That’s 96 hours. Yes, K-Mart screwed the pooch and let some units slip out into the wild, where they’ve been spotted on eBay. But, you’d be playing such a copy at your own risk, at least if you don’t want severe…
By Evan Narcisse Published November 4, 2011 -
Call of Duty Elite Delayed on, Yes, PC
Call of Duty: Elite, the franchise’s new online “platform” may not be a game, but we’re still going to add it to the list of “stuff that launches on console but is delayed on PC” anyway. Beachhead Studio head Chacko Sonny has told Activision community man Dan Amrich that not only will be service not…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 4, 2011 -
Is This Spoiler Modern Warfare 3‘s “No Russian” Moment?
This post has a spoiler in it. If you want a tiny part of Modern Warfare 3, which officially hits Nov. 8, spoiled, read on. If you don’t, this is a post (and comments section) you should skip. Okay? We all here? Let’s dive in. The above clip was sent to Kotaku, with the tipster…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 4, 2011
