RipTen Videogame Blog » call-of-duty

Call of Duty Elite Releasing Third Xbox 360 Map, PS3 Owners Still Waiting for First

Rick Givens — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:30:46 +0000

Modern Warfare 3 players REJOICE! But only if you have Call of Duty Elite, and only if you play the game on the Xbox.

On February 21st, Premium Members will be able to access the third map, Overwatch, which is next in the line up for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3′s Content Season for Call of Duty Elite. This third map will be available to Xbox Live Members with the Premium subscription a full week before PlayStation 3 owners even get the first map. PC? No word on that; nor when Call of Duty Elite will be available for that platform, so uncross your fingers and exhale, otherwise you will get arthritis and die.

Overwatch will be set at a construction site atop a New York City skyscraper. Featuring two levels and a near symmetrical layout, a central bridge and side routes will allow players to approach from multiple angles, while the lack of safety barriers will make it easy for you to belly flop onto the pavement if you don’t watch your step.

While Xbox Premium members are getting what looks to be all the content first, Activision states that PS3 Premium members will get the content before non Premium members. Somewhere down the road, those that didn’t sign up for the service, or who are PC gamers will get the content, maybe, one day….Okay, so no one really knows when the hell that will be, but the standard has been about a month apart for each platform. So, sometime in March PC gamers might expect the DLC, at full price.

Modern Warfare 3 DLC Hits PS3 February 28 for Elite Members

Todd Schlickbernd — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:30:51 +0000

Activision has finally let Sony and its PS3 into the Modern Warfare 3 DLC club, or, at least the bouncer has given them an estimated seating time. The first map pack for Modern Warfare 3, which includes Piazza and Liberation, will finally be available on PS3 on February 28. That is, for Call of Duty: Elite members. So if you’re not one of those people, then you get to wait even longer! How ridiculous it is that not only does PS3 have to wait for the maps, even the people who are paying a bunch of money to get things early still have to wait. Oh man. How silly.

At the very least, Activision has put out a nice resource for people who are looking to know when maps and missions are coming out for Modern Warfare 3 in the form of their content calendar. Stare at it while you PS3-players wait another four weeks for your maps.

Battlefield 3 Sells Over 10 Million Units

Alex Co — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:30:28 +0000

While EA might not have taken the shooter crown from current-king Call of Duty, it’s off to a very good first step. Electronic Arts has just revealed its third-quarter earnings for the fiscal year of 2012 and things are looking very good.

EA has revealed that the DICE-developed shooter, Battlefield 3, has now amassed over 10 million units sold across all platforms. Mind you, this is not moved, shipped or any other marketing term, but actual units sold to consumers.

The figure, which saw a two million increase since last November when the publisher revealed that BF3 has already shipped 12 million units with eight million sold.

In the same fiscal report, EA claims that FIFA 12 has also reached 10 million units sold; while its biggest US sports franchise – Madden NFL 12 has sold five million units to date.

What does this mean for the FPS genre? Nothing much. Call of Duty and its publisher Activsion is still the king of the roost, but this proves that another FPS can make a pretty significant dent in the saturated genre if done well. Does this mean Battlefield 4 will outsell Call of Duty 27? Who knows, but it’s a fun war to watch.

Are you one of the 10 million players who bought Battlefield 3?

Via: [IndustryGamers]

New Modern Warfare 3 Maps Available Today for CoD: Elite Members

Sam Naylor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:00:49 +0000

Two new maps, Liberation and Piazza, will be available today for Call of Duty Elite members on Xbox Live.

The release of these maps marks the start of a “content release season” for Elite members, with more content coming over the next 9 months (then a beautiful new baby Call of Duty will be born).

Liberation is a militarized Central Park, and is suited to long-range: sniper and LMG users. The map brings back mounted turrets (there’s only 1 in the vanilla game) on opposing ends of the map.

Piazza is set in an idyllic seaside village, “where blind corners and a complex network of branching pathways pose danger at every turn.” As opposed to Liberation, this map is much more close-quarters and has a more vertical layout.

MegaUpload King Tops Modern Warfare 3 World Leaderboard Despite Arrest

Todd Schlickbernd — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:30:33 +0000

Kim Schmitz, also known as Kim Dotcom, recently arrested founder of recently indicted website MegaUpload, was apparently one heck of a Call of Duty player. Modern Warfare 3, is a fiercely competitive multiplayer game and Schmitz managed to rise to the top rank on the leaderboards for free for all on Xbox in it before his arrest. He posted a time-lapse video to celebrate and document that occasion, capturing his accumulation of 150,000 kills.

Regardless of the current suspect his actions with Megaupload are under, dude can shoot. That or he doesn’t sleep. That or he has a ridiculous amount of money and time, so if he decides he’s going to go be #1 on the leaderboards for the best selling game of all time with the largest multiplayer base of all time, he can. And he did. What’s even more amazing is that despite being arrested on Thursday, MEGARACER (Kim Dotcom’s gamertag) is still listed as #1, a rank he’ll surely lose if he ends up incarcerated for any extended period of time. If I were him, I’d be concerned that that I might have called a future inmate a on my quest to the top.

Modern Warfare 3 has a map pack coming out this week, if Schmitz is going to make a move now and somehow magically use the power of money to somehow aid himself, it’ll be soon. I wonder, are rich people at the top of every leaderboard? Who has more time and less responsibilities, jobless, despondent teens and adults leeching off someone or rich people who entire planets worth of money simply for owning something and existing at the same time (harder than it sounds)?

Either way, score one for rich dudes.

Via Venturebeat

Activision CEO Talks About Transparency, Getting Past the Modern Warfare 3 Leak

Chad Lakkis — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:48:09 +0000

Current Activision CEO, Eric Hirshberg, gave an interesting speech at Advertising Age’s Creativity and Technology event during CES this year, one that focused on the company’s approach when dealing with the massive Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 leak that hit the web in a big way back on May 13th, 2011.

He talked about fans of the franchise, and how they had every right to enjoy the information and discuss it via the multitude of online social outlets that propigate the web today. He went on to say that he implored his team to embrace the leak and live on, to view it as an opportunity instead of an obstacle. Eric called a meeting within Activision to answer one simple question, “if this leak had never happened, we would not have been able to do what?” The answer in short, revolved around the concept of welcoming “transparency” and being “straight with people.” He often used the term “lean into it,” telling his team to embrace the fire, to embrace the discussion. To ask themselves why they would normally rejoice at the notion of millions of fans discussing their game, but with this instance found themselves cringing at it simply because they did not control the moment and means which it was revealed.

Ultimately, Eric and his team decided to use the social media avenues, he described as a “blessing,” to reach out to their fanbase, admit the leak was not something they wanted to see happen, and release a teaser trailer they had planned to debut on television 4 weeks later, via the internet at that very moment instead. Traditional means such as radio and television were replaced with Facebook and Twitter.

While I think Eric’s candor and willingness to think outside the box is refreshing to say the least, some may not fully understand the lesson to be learned here for the next company that finds themselves in the same unfortunate situation. Is he suggesting they offer up their shirt when caught with their pants down? Is he asking that they openly embrace defeat, by changing their outlook? Does he want them to use Jedi mind tricks to shrink what most would see as a massive problem into something that could easily be tucked into the category of “don’t sweat the small stuff?”

The comic in me compares this to an individual realizing that there’s a burgler in their home as they head down to the fridge for a midnight snack, and instead of calling 911 (or shooting him between the eyes) they ask him if he needs a hand carrying their 60′ flat screen out the front door. Why? Because they’d rather get back to eating left over chicken wings in their bunny slippers.

On one level, yes, they didn’t allow the effort of another individual to ruin their “Feng shui” as they approached a highly anticipated product launch, but on the other, they broke away from their rollout strategy, essentially waving what some will deem a white flag to an internet community that, while great in a many ways, is often guilty of harboring criminals for their own informational gain.

Eric and his team had a choice. The freedom to decide whether or not they were going to let a situation that was clearly out of their control steer them off course. In the end, they found a way to rise above it all despite the disappointment they undoubtedly felt at the time of the leak.

Years ago, a friend of mine, who now runs one of the biggest movie blogs on the web, was approached by (let’s call him a thief) who had lifted information off the set of a blockbuster movie prior to it’s release. He approached my friend and asked him if he would be interested in purchasing said information for publication on his site. My friend said he would think about and call him back. Instead he contacted the studio and arranged a sting operation of sorts, after convincing the individual that he was interested in making the deal. Police apprehended him and my friend was later rewarded with an exclusive director sit down session by the studio for doing what he believed to be the right thing.

On a day where many sites, including RipTen, are making black out tributes in recognition of SOPA and PIPA protests, Eric’s calm approach to his company’s dillema and my friend’s clear conscience decision regarding his own, are prime “reaction” and “action” examples pertaining to both the “outcome” and “opportunity” of unlawful information distribution and the internet freedom we all stand to possibly lose.

It’s my belief that the majority of the problem lies in the choices we make, not in our right to make them. Regardless of which side of the information we find ourselves on, we should always strive to make sound decisions that we’re not afraid to stand behind, and fight to preserve our rights, not because we hope to someday abuse them, but because we truly believe we’ve earned them.

Is Treyarch Working on Call of Duty: Black Ops 2?

Justin Carter — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:06:35 +0000

The Call of Duty franchise has been split between two developers: Infinity Ward, best known for the Modern Warfare subseries; and Treyarch, best known for everything else. With the release of Modern Warfare 3 this past November, it’s time for Treyarch to once again step up to the plate.

Back in 2010, they put out the widely praised Call of Duty: Black Ops. Seems now that instead of doing another CoD game set between WWII and modern times, Treyarch is working on a sequel to Black Ops. Fusible reports that Activision has bought the rights for www.blackops2.com, along with domains purchased up to Black Ops 6. The domain is owned by MarkMonitor, an internet brand protection company. One of their clients is, you guessed it, Activision. The last update was this past Friday, January 6. No word from Activision yet, but we’ll keep you in the know if anything changes.

via IGN

Modern Warfare 3 Hits $1 Billion Milestone In Just 16 Days

Chris Carlson — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:20:34 +0000

It’s no surprise that Call of Duty breaks every friggin sales record known to man year after year, but this year is something special. In just 16 days after release, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 crossed the $1 billion sales mark overtaking the record set in 2009 by the feature film “Avatar“, which reached $1 billion in 17 days.

Here’s some other interesting facts. With more than 30 million gamers, the Call of Duty community now exceeds the combined populations of the cities of New York, London, Tokyo, Paris and Madrid. That is nucking futs!

CEO of Activision Publishing Eric Hirshberg, released a statement saying:

“Call of Duty has become that rare entertainment franchise that transcends its own genre. Core gamers love it, as our stellar reviews show. But every year, new people are drawn into Call of Duty, and while the franchise continues to set records, our fans still seem to want more, demonstrated by our record setting start on Call of Duty Elite. We are committed to helping everyone connect, compete and improve their game, Call of Duty style.”

You can hate on the franchise all you want for not changing, but with money like this, there’s no way Activision is changing the likes of Call of Duty anytime soon.

Who Knew Kinectimals Was This Scary?

Dave Oshry — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:55:19 +0000

Many of us bad ass gamers probably overlooked Kinectimals when it was released. I mean, we don’t wanna be seen playing a motion control game with puppies and kittens amirite?

Well apparently, if this latest video from Rooster Teeth is to be believed, Kinectimals is a lot more bad ass than you thought:

Now if only Kinectimals, the Cabela’s games or Need For Speed: The Run were this good.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies Coming to iOS

Brandon Fenty — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:50:14 +0000

One of my personal favorite games on the iPhone is COD:Zombies. Others have come and gone, but that game has stayed on my phone since it launched. So you can guess how exciting it is to hear that a Black Ops version is going to be released tomorrow.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies is an iOS game app based on the Zombies mode from Treyarch’s best-selling console hit, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and adapted by Ideaworks Game Studio, who built it specifically for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies delivers a Zombies experience never before seen on mobile platforms, including the original Call of Duty: Black Ops map Kino der Toten, and 50 levels of Dead-Ops Arcade, with even more features, upgrades and maps to come. Gamers can play solo, or battle it out in a true multiplayer experience with up to four people using the new Voice Chat feature.

Get ready to check it out on the app store tomorrow!

The Adventures of Riot Shield Man Bring Justice to Modern Warfare 3

Dave Oshry — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:00:37 +0000

This do gooder has a fever, and the only prescription… is more riot shield!

Riot Shield Man is a master of blending into his surroundings. Is that another barrel? No, it’s RIOT SHIELD MAN!!

This is clearly the best thing about Modern Warfare 3 so far. That and Spec Ops Survival mode. For more on MW3, check out the RipTen Review.

Modern Warfare 3 Breaks Records with $775 Million in Sales Worldwide

Sam Naylor — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:12:45 +0000

Modern Warfare 3 has shat all over Skyrim‘s successful launch by selling $775 million worldwide in just five days.

Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard’s CEO, said:

With $775 million of sales of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in its first five days, Call of Duty has become the first entertainment property in history to set five-day launch records for three consecutive years across all forms of entertainment. Call of Duty is one of the most valuable entertainment properties in the world.

…While rolling in the buckets of money he’s made off of it. The game has also set a world record for consecutive players on Xbox Live at one time, with 3.3 million unique players online in a day.

Is it worthy of the attention? You can read our review to find out, or just tell each other the answer in the comments below.

Watch Jonah Hill and Sam Worthington Play Modern Warfare 3 in Real Life

Dave Oshry — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:40:11 +0000

Remember last year when Kobe Bryant, Jimmy Kimmel and a bunch of other random celebrities got together for that “There’s a Soldier in All of Us” commercial for Black Ops?

Well, this beats that by a landslide:

Dwight Howard is such a noob.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 noobs it up on November 8th.

Moron Bids $1,725 for Modern Warfare 3 on eBay

Sam Naylor — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:55:51 +0000

In a staggering display of either idiocy or trolling, someone has bid $1,725 for a leaked copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Either the bidder is a complete and utter dunce or it’s a dickhead fake bid, and in either case it’s a moronic thing to do. Four days before the game comes out, and you need to buy this fucking game so badly? Sheeeeeeeeeeeit.

The game has reportedly been leaked from Kmart and is “in hand” and “ready to ship” from the seller.

Via Joystiq

Modern Warfare 3 Stolen – Leaked on the Internet

Justin Carter — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:39:40 +0000

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s another leaked game! At a shipping warehouse in Fresno, California, someone managed to get their hands on half of a 2-disc set for the upcoming Modern Warfare 3. There’s no telling what’s on which disc, but the hunt for anyone who’s pirated the game is on. One pirate issued a warning to anyone stupid enough to get it illegally:

“Do not buy MW3 before release date. They will come get you. I already went through it.”

If you’re someone who can’t go 20 minutes without being on the internet, like me, I’ve got one piece of advice for you: stay away from Youtube. Seriously. Otherwise, you’ll end up seeing who died in Halo: Reach, or watching the ending to Gears of War 3. You’ll hate yourself for it, but you won’t be able to look away.

Modern Warfare 3 hits stores November 8 for the PS3, 360, and PC.

[Via IGN]

Improve Yourself With This New Call of Duty: Elite Trailer

Dave Oshry — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:45:04 +0000

Do you want to be a better CoD player? Of course you do.

Well, Call of Duty Elite wants to help you out.

In this latest trailer, Beachhead Studio tells you just how CoD Elite can up your game:

For more information visit: http://www.callofduty.com/elite

This is the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Launch Trailer

Dave Oshry — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:08:23 +0000

The time has almost come. World War 3 is almost upon us? Are you ready? More importantly, are Soap and Price ready?

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 explodes onto all platforms on November 8th.

Freddie Wong Shows Why Playing With Inverted Controls Is a ‘Bad’ Idea

Dave Oshry — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:15:29 +0000

Most people don’t play with the same control scheme as their friends. Everyone has their own way to play. Some people prefer keyboard and mouse, others prefer a controller. Some people like to play with their aiming natural, and some people like to play with their controls… inverted.

Friends don’t let friends play inverted.

Friends also don’t usually let friends use their controls at all because then they go and rebind all their keys and when you go back in to play a new game your keybinds are all fucked up and you get your ass handed to you and then have to spend 10 minutes rebinding all your keys when your asshat friend could have just created a new control profile but nooooooooo he was too lazy and now your life sucks… #Rant

Stay tuned to RipTen for continued coverage of Freddie Wong and all his awesome videos.

New Modern Warfare 3 Trailer Is Full of Awesome (and Explosions)

Dave Oshry — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:29:47 +0000

With all the talk surrounding Battlefield 3 as of late, you may have honestly forgotten that a new Call of Duty is coming out next month!

Nah, you didn’t forget, did you? DID YOU?!

Anyhow, if the teams behind Modern Warfare 3 have anything to say about it, you won’t be forgetting about their game anytime soon.

TAKE THE SHOT, PRICE!!

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 explodes on November 8th.

Infinity Ward Confirms There Can Be Only One MW3 Collectors Edition

Justin Carter — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:30:18 +0000

Since the release of Modern Warfare 2, each Call of Duty game has had a Prestige Edition. They aren’t just known for that, but also for having something worth $150 that’s also batshit insane. Based on recent history, I’d have thought that MW3′s Prestige Edition would come with a spy plane or a working ACR, but it looks like that won’t be happening at all. Infinity Ward employee Robert Bowling recently tweeted that the Hardened Edition would be the only collector’s edition for the game.

“The Hardened Edition of #MW3 will be the only collectors edition available this year.”

There you have it folks. For $99 dollars, the Hardened Edition is yours. It doesn’t get any better than that. Seriously, they didn’t make a better version. Sure, you still get that year of CoD Elite, but it doesn’t look like you’ll be flying around a remote-controlled jet anytime soon. Does this mean anything to you?

Modern Warfare 3 will be available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC on November 8.

[Via HBG]