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Video Games Help Us Make Faster Decisions
Scientists from the University of Rochester have found that playing fast-paced action video games helps players make decisions 25 percent faster than normal, yet no less accurate. We’ve long known that playing video games helps sharpen reflexes and motor skills, but a new study proves that gaming also has a strong effect on our cognitive…
By Mike Fahey Published September 13, 2010 -
Call of Duty: Black Ops Will Have Just One Dedicated Server Option
Stung by PC gamer outrage over the lack of dedicated server support in Modern Warfare 2, Activision has responded with something they’ll appreciate about as little: An exclusive deal making GameServers.com the only dedicated server option for Black Ops. IGN reported the news on Friday. A ranked dedicated server will cost $14.95 per month, with…
By Owen Good Published September 12, 2010 -
Call Of Duty And Hollywood Go Way Back
Call of Duty is no stranger to Hollywood. While a couple of big time movie stars are going to do voice work in the upcoming Black Ops, this is far from a first for the series. There have been rumblings of a possible Call of Duty movie. Those rumblings were followed up by comments from…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 7, 2010 -
Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer Hands-On: Always Bet On Black
It’s a safe bet that Call of Duty: Black Ops will become the de facto multiplayer shooter of the fall, deservedly so for the intelligent, exciting online features that developer Treyarch is adding to the series—most notably, gambling. Of the hours’ worth of Call of Duty: Black Ops that I played at Activision’s multiplayer preview…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 2, 2010 -
Black Ops Introduces “Combat Training” For Multiplayer [Update]
Multiplayer matches that include AI opponents will be a feature of Call of Duty: Black Ops ina mode the game’s studio built to include gamers who are disinclined to spend much time in the game’s notoriously challenging live multiplayer culture. Saying there is a large segment of the Call of Duty community that never takes…
By Owen Good Published September 1, 2010 -
Winning Big, Losing Big In Call of Duty: Black Op’s Four Wager Modes
Call of Duty: Black Ops’ new Wager Matches are free-form game modes designed to be “adrenaline junkie fun,” Treyarch Design Director David Vonderhaar told a gathering of press tonight. These matches are separate from your standard ranked matches in your online competitive playing. In Wager Match you take the currency you’ve earned and you can…
By Brian Crecente Published September 1, 2010 -
Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer Preview Live!
We’ll be playing Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer for the first time tonight at an Activision event in Los Angeles, a shindig expected to be filled with announcements, excitement and plenty of hands-on time with Treyarch’s new shooter. For everything that happens from the event, make sure to follow our liveblog below. Any questions…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 1, 2010 -
Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer Preview Event Tonight
Tonight, publisher Activision and developer Treyarch will be holding a multiplayer preview event for the next game in the wildly successful Call of Duty series. Kotaku will be there, enjoying our first hands-on time with Call of Duty: Black Ops. Keep an eye peeled for new Call of Duty: Black Ops video, gameplay impressions and…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 1, 2010 -
Call Of Duty Developers Have Had Enough Of The Second World War
Call of Duty developers Treyarch, a studio that made its name developing World War Two games, is done with World War Two. Phew. Having developed first Call of Duty 3 and then Call of Duty: World at War, the team behind the upcoming Black Ops has all but ruled out a return to the 20th…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 27, 2010 -
What If Call Of Duty Was A Pokemon Game?
Who needs Bulbasaur when you can fight with Ghost? Who needs pocket monsters in your Pokemon game when you can have the heroes of Call of Duty take turns slashing and poisoning? One amazing video depicts the unreal Pokémon: Modern Warfare. (Video includes text-based profanity, so be mindful before sharing with Pokémon-loving kids.) The video…
By Stephen Totilo Published August 26, 2010 -
George Lucas Suing Mind-Control Tech Company
The creator of the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas, is suing the creators of the Jedi Mind thought technology tech. Jedi Mind, Inc. makes a handful of thought-controlled software and a brainwave detecting headset. Jedi Mind’s “Master Mind” is, according to the official website, “the revolutionary gaming application that allows users to play their favorite…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 24, 2010 -
Call Of Duty Devs Warn Of Gamertag Imposters
The multiplayer trailer for the latest Call of Duty game had some gamertags featured, and some unscrupulous souls are taking advantage of that to scam people on Xbox Live. Josh Olin and David Vonderhaar, from Call of Duty: Black Ops developers Treyarch, have alerted fans of the game to the fact that someone is contacting…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 12, 2010 -
Call Of Duty Map Packs Downloaded Over 20 Million Times
Complain about the cost of Call of Duty map packs all you want; it doesn’t stop Activision charging a ton for them, and it’s certainly not stopping people from buying them. The publisher revealed today that over 20 million map packs for the Call of Duty franchise have now been sold. That’s not just Modern…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 3, 2010 -
Call of Duty’s Pay To Play Rumors Squashed By Treyarch, Infinity Ward
The publisher of Call of Duty may want to explore “new digital business models” for its bestselling military shooter—perhaps as an MMO—but rumors of Modern Warfare 2 going pay-to-play appear to be premature. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward’s Robert Bowling took to his massively followed Twitter account today, dispelling rumors that the…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 19, 2010 -
Lawsuit: Activision Created Modern Warfare “Police State”
Guarded doors, secret interrogations and broken promises are just the latest allegations laid out in the ongoing saga about the break-up between the world’s largest game publisher and the people in charge of creating Modern Warfare 2. Activision created a “police state,” conducted secret “interrogations” of employees and held $54 million dollars hostage as they…
By Brian Crecente Published July 9, 2010 -
Activision Wants “More Value” For Call Of Duty Xbox Live Players
The Call of Duty games have a massive multiplayer following on Xbox 360. But is the series going to make the leap to a massively multiplayer online game? Nothing is confirmed yet. “We’ve heard that 60 per cent of [Microsoft’s] subscribers are principally on Live because of Call of Duty,” Activision Blizzard honcho Robert Kotick…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 5, 2010 -
Call Of Has A LOT Of Helicopters
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’s most famous aerial sequence may involve an AC-130 Hercules, but as this clip shows, the real stars of the show are the game’s helicopters. All 147 of them. How do we know there are 147 helicopters? Because some guy has a blog called “Call of Helicopters“, in which every…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 21, 2010 -
Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Package Dated For PS3, PC
Infinity Ward provides an ETA for Modern Warfare 2‘s second map pack. PlayStation 3 owners get the “Resurgence Pack” on July 6 in the US, the next day in Europe. PC gamers worldwide get it July 6. Hoorah!
By Michael McWhertor Published June 11, 2010 -
Modern Warfare: Frozen Crossing Outdoes The Previous Best Call of Duty Fan Film
How can this short action flick manage to knock out the previous title holder for best fan made Call of Duty movie? It’s bigger, bloodier and has a more substantial budget. And it’s from the same creative team. The second chapter of Niko Pueringer and Sam Gorski’s Modern Warfare: Frozen Crossing makes use of its…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 7, 2010