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The Modern Warfare Fight: Your Guide to Activision Vs. Infinity Ward
The ongoing legal tussle between Call of Duty: Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward and publishing giant Activision is full of intrigue, accusations, lawsuits, a mass exodus of key staffers from the studio behind the game and, now, allegations of sabotage. Updated with recent developments. At stake is the future of Infinity Ward, the studio behind…
By Michael McWhertor Published December 22, 2010 -
Call of Duty Giant Suing Rival Over Modern Warfare Meltdown, Paints Uglier Picture
The nasty lawsuits between Call of Duty publisher Activision and the ousted lead creators of that hit series got nastier today with accusations that the president of rival EA was instrumental in trying to “hijack” the Call of Duty developers. And there’s more mud being slung. Activision also says the makers of Modern Warfare gleefully…
By Stephen Totilo Published December 21, 2010 -
Black Ops’ First Downloadable Content Is Oscar Mike
The first downloadable content for Call of Duty: Black Ops has been revealed. It’ll go on sale on the Xbox 360 on February 1, and cost $15. The DLC comes in the form of a multiplayer map pack, containing four “regular” levels and one for the game’s zombie mode. Two of the regular maps are…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 20, 2010 -
Modern War Gear Solid 3: Revenge of Kotickovich!
Metal Gear’s “Solid Snake” and Modern Warfare 2’s “Ghost” join forces once again in the third chapter of epic crossover parody Modern War Gear Solid. Can they finish the fight? Can you see where this is going? In the third and perhaps the most impressive fan film from Beat Down Boogie, Snake and Ghost face…
By Michael McWhertor Published December 14, 2010 -
LEGO Black Ops Is Too Gory To Ever Be A Video Game
Will we ever get a Call of Duty game for the kids? Not if it’s as bloody and gory as LEGO Black Ops, the stop motion animated elimination bloodbath from YouTube movie maker Keshen8. You won’t find much in the way of killstreaks, perks or outrageous tomahawk kills, but LEGO Black Ops, via FourZeroTwo’s Twitter,…
By Michael McWhertor Published December 13, 2010 -
What’s Modern Warfare Doing In A Special Needs School?
That’s what parents near Sacramento, Calif., want to know and, you know, I do, too. Officials at East Valley Education Center in Oakdale, Calif. refused to appear on camera, but it sounds like they were using video games as an incentive or a reward to help kids with developmental difficulties socialize. That’s well and good…
By Owen Good Published December 11, 2010 -
Black Ops Has Probably Already Outsold Your Favorite Video Game
Call of Duty: Black Ops was released a month ago today. In that time, it has already sold more copies in the USA than games like Ocarina of Time, Super Mario Kart and Halo 3. Looking for specifics? That’s 8.4 million copies sold. In just the United States. Of course, it helps that the game…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 10, 2010 -
Call of Duty “Phenom Booter” Use Lands British Teen In The Slammer
A U.K. teen using a tool called “Phenom Booter” to kick players off Call of Duty servers back in September is now enjoying a stay in jail following an investigation by the Manchester police department. Phenom Booter, which triggers a denial-of-service attack that can clear a server of specific users, or all of them, is…
By Owen Good Published December 9, 2010 -
NSFW: Can Trashtalking Rattle A Real Soldier?
Morons yammering away in your headset can be off-putting to the average gamer toiling through a round of Call of Duty online, but how does it affect the combat capacity of an actual, trained soldier in the field? Machinima specialist Rooster Teeth’s new series Immersion seeks to find out, having US Special Forces veteran “Shane”…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 2, 2010 -
Activision: Call of Duty Boxed Copies Will Never Have Subscriptions
The Call of Duty experience you have now, the one that includes Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops and future Call of Duty boxed games, will never include a subscription fee, Activision tells Kotaku. “We will never charge for multiplayer for Call of Duty,” Eric Hirshberg, newly appointed CEO of Activision Publishing, told me as our…
By Brian Crecente Published November 24, 2010 -
Call of Duty Creators Infinity Ward Have Been ‘Reconstructed’
The studio that started the Call of Duty phenomenon fell to pieces earlier this year with the firing of its co-founders and the following mass exodus of pissed off Infinity Ward employees. With enough money, you can recover from that. And when you’re Activision Blizzard, you can put Infinity Ward back together again. You can…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 19, 2010 -
Black Ops Is Making The Rolling Stones This Much Richer
That Call of Duty: Black Ops ad featuring Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Kimmel is selling more than just copies of Treyarch’s war game. It’s also bringing in cash for The Rolling Stones, thanks to the spot’s use of “Gimme Shelter.” Billboard runs the numbers of the Stones uptick in sales, noting that track sales of…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 19, 2010 -
Ice-T: From Cop Killer To COD Killer
When I was thirteen, Ice-T was the baddest dude on the planet, rapping about pushing dope and killing cops. There were no musicians who seemed as hard as him. The guy was scary. Now? Even as he eases into middle age, Ice-T still seems like someone you wouldn’t want to set off, but over the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 12, 2010 -
Call of Duty: Black Ops Luckiest Kill Is Axe To Ankles
We’ve seen off the wall knife kills before in Call of Duty multiplayer—remember this lucky Modern Warfare 2 stab?—but across the map, off the wall, off the floor and into the Achilles heel of an online opponent? The unlucky recipient—a player by the handle of “BotteDimix”—of this Call of Duty: Black Ops tomahawk is likely…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 11, 2010 -
Black Ops Dev: Glitchers Are “Douche-Bags,” Who Want To Be “Internet Nerd Famous”
David Vonderhaar is not a happy guy. The design director for Call of Duty: Black Ops’ multiplayer is busy dealing with the baffling lag problem in the PC version, so please stop “Twit-bombing” him with video of glitches and exploits. “I’m not going to talk about it publicly,” an obviously pissed Vonderhaar said in the…
By Owen Good Published November 10, 2010 -
Cuba Slams Call of Duty: Black Ops As ‘Perverse’ Propaganda For Sociopaths
Call of Duty: Black Ops is rubbing one nation the wrong way. Cuba’s state-run media has blasted Activision’s latest entry in the Call of Duty series as “doubly perverse” propaganda for a story arc involving former president Fidel Castro. According to a report from the AP, state-run news web site Cubadebate is slamming Black Ops,…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 10, 2010 -
Report: Call Of Duty To Go Back To The Future, Recruit ‘Space Marines’
The people who helped create sci-fi horror adventure Dead Space may be taking the Call of Duty series to its final frontier, bringing the bloody war game into space and into the future. According to a report from Gamasutra citing “industry sources,” Activision studio Sledgehammer Games may be creating a Call of Duty “set in…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 9, 2010 -
Ice T Unboxes, Huffs Fresh Call of Duty: Black Ops
Body Count singer and star of Law & Order SVU, Ice-T, is one of the first to legitimately get his hands on a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops. What does the rapper think of Black Ops’ smell? It sure sounds like he enjoys that new Call of Duty scent. Mr. T performs unboxing…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 8, 2010 -
NBA All Star ‘Addicted’ To Call Of Duty
Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams has long had Nov. 9 circled. Not because his team will play LeBron James and the Miami Heat then. Because it’s when Call of Duty: Black Ops releases. Williams says he’s “addicted” to it. “I actually don’t play any new video games except ‘Call of Duty,'” Williams told ESPN’s Jon…
By Owen Good Published November 6, 2010 -
Kobe, Kimmel Are Killing It In Call of Duty: Black Ops Ad
Call of Duty isn’t only enjoyed by businesswomen, construction workers, line cooks and hotel concierges—professional basketball players and late night talk show hosts love it too! Or so says the first, explosive Call of Duty: Black Ops ad. Activision and Treyarch tap the star power of Kobe “Mamba” Bryant and Jimmy “Proud n00b” Kimmel to…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 4, 2010