The ‘Elite’ service has been priced and detailed, the killstreaks have been changed and the ‘Hardened Edition’ has been confirmed – among a few other things.
This weekend’s Call of Duty XP event has seen a lot of your questions about all things Call of Duty and Modern Warfare 3 answered. We have attempted to summarise as much as possible.
Firstly, the ‘Hardened Edition’ has been confirmed and the details are pretty much as per the leaked info earlier this week. The big draw of the ‘Hardened Edition’ is the addition of a year’s subscription of ‘Call of Duty Elite’ which is valued at $50. According to PSX Extreme the ‘Hardened Edition’ will retail for $99.99.
So what does one get for the $49.99 (£34.99) subscription to ‘CoD Elite’? The service will entitle subscribers to extra content, including multiplayer maps, spec ops missions, and new game modes, which if paid for separately could total around $60. The plan is to release DLC on a monthly basis.
On top of all this, premium Elite members will be allowed to participate in competitions for prizes – both real and virtual. As an example, Activision is planning to give away a special CoD-themed Jeep to a lucky Call of Duty Elite beta participant. Also, paid members can level up clans and receive 8 times more video-capture capacity, and they can view strategy and analysis from some of the best players in the world. You also have full access to Elite TV, which features episodic content and folks like Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Ridley and Tony Scott.
Then – and most likely most controversially – there have been changes to the multiplayer component of the game. Robert Bowling insists there are “more changes to the game than ever before.”
“This is the most balanced Call of Duty experience ever,” explained Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling.
“Map layout, speed of movement, perks, every area has been meticulously balanced. We listened to the fans. As such, there’s no longer a Commando perk, no Last Stand, no shotgun as a secondary weapon. And we’ve added in more choices to support a wider variety of play-styles than ever before.”
Two new game modes have joined the old modes ‘Free-for-All’, ‘Team Deathmatch’, and ‘Domination’. ‘Kill Confirmed’ and ‘Team Defender’ will be playable across all the game’s 16 maps.
‘Kill Confirmed’ requires players to collect the dog tags from a downed enemy before the kill is registered, giving the opposing team chance to ‘deny’ the kill if they manage to collect their teammates’ tags first.
‘Team Defender’ is a new take on Capture the Flag, in which one team must grab the flag and protect its carrier to increase their score.
Along with those two public game modes, there are a bunch of new private match options including ‘Infection’ (where the ‘infected’ kills enemies to recruit them to their team), ‘Drop Zone’ (hold a drop zone for points and care packages), ‘Team Juggernaut’ (each team plays alongside an AI juggernaut character), ‘Gun Game’ (be the first to dominate with every gun) and ‘One in the Chamber’ (in which players gain ammo by defeating enemies).
As well as levelling up your character, guns can also be evolved as you progress. All 40+ of the real-life weapons included in the game can be improved with proficiency unlocks such as reducing recoil, allowing the use of two attachments and so on.
Along with the new modes, there has been an overhaul of the Killstreaks in the game. When setting up your load-out, players will be able to choose between three packages, which all reward Pointstreaks in different ways.
The Assault Strike Package works in the same way as Killstreaks in MW2, rewarding players with offensive bonuses such as Predator drones and helicopters.
The Support Strike Package offers support-style rewards such as UAVs, SAM turrets etc. Unlike the Assault Strike package these do not reset on death, but accumulate over the course of the match.
The Specialist Strike package rewards players with new perks as they progress a Pointstreak. After an eighth consecutive kill your character receives every perk in the game, but resets to none when you are killed.
“We really went back to drawing board here,” explained Bowling.
“In MW2 Killstreaks were basically optimised for Team Deathmatch play. In objective-based games there was no benefit for the player who wanted to focus on clearing objectives. To combat that we’ve changed Killstreaks to the Pointstreak system, which rewards diverse play styles. Now it isn’t just about kills: you earn points for assists, objectives and so on.”
Modern Warfare 3 will now also feature Facebook integration, which will allow you to play with other gamers who share your interests, as well as hook up with friends who play the game via the social network. A host of web, iOS and Android applications will expand your game yet further, allowing you to amend load-outs while away from the PC or console.
Finally, private matches will now allow players to create new game modes which are then shared and promoted in the community, with the best making their way into the public playlists.
ALL-NEW STRIKE PACKAGES: Killstreaks have been redesigned to reward different play styles and skill levels through unique Strike Packages. Completing game mode objectives now counts towards your Pointstreak progression. For the first time ever, kills are not the only way to earn Pointstreaks. This also allows Pointstreaks to cater to more unique play-styles:
Assault Strike Package – Pointstreaks within this package chain and are designed for more direct damage (Predator, helicopter, etc), just like in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Your streak resets on death.
Support Strike Package – Pointstreaks within this package do not chain. However, streaks do not reset on death. Streaks are more support oriented (UAV, Counter UAV, SAM turret, etc)
Specialist Strike Package – Pointstreaks designed for the expert players. Rewards come in the form of additional perks. A player activates additional Perks as they progress in a Pointsreak. These perks last until death.Strike Packages include (not limited to):
Assault:
Streak count resets on death
5 kills: I.M.S.
9 kills: Strafe Run
9 kills: AH-6 Overwatch
10 kills: Assault Drone
15 kills: JuggernautSupport:
Streak count does not reset on death
5 kills: Ballistic Vest
5 kills: Airdrop Trap
10 kills: Recon Drone
14 kills: Stealth Bomber
18 kills: Juggernaut ReconSpecialist:
Unlock one additional Perk at 2, 4, and 6 kill intervals for up to 3 additional Perks beyond the 3 Perks each player already has assigned to their custom load out at the beginning of a matchDeath Streaks make their return in Modern Warfare 3 and include (but not limited to):
4 – Juiced (run faster)
5 – Revenge (last person to kill you is visible on radar)
5 – Hollow Points (increased bullet damage for 1 kill)
6 – Dead Man’s Hand (player falls into last stand with C4)NEW WEAPON PROGRESSIVE RANKING SYSTEM: MW3 evolves your gun progression
Modern Warfare 3 features more than 40 of the most high-speed weapons that are either in-use or being field-tested by special forces:
Primary: Assault: SMG, LMG, Sniper Rifles, Shotguns and Riot Shield
Secondary: Machine Pistols, Handguns and Launchers
New weapon progression is designed to improve specific weapon leveling unlocks (attachments, reticules, and camos) and Weapon Proficiencies
Weapon Proficiency allows players to specialize their weapons with new attributes (some unique to weapon classes)Proficiencies (not a comprehensive list):
Kick – Reduced recoil when firing
Attachments – Two attachments on Primary weapon
Focus – Reduced flinch when hit
Stability – Reduced sway when ADSAttachments (not a comprehensive list):
Red Dot Sight
Silencer
Holographic sight
Dual Scope (Close Range/Long Range Optics)NEW PERKS
Recon – Explosive damage paints the target on the mini map
Blind Eye – Undetectable by air support/sentries
Assassin – Undetectable by UAV, portable radar, thermal, heartbeat
Quickdraw – Faster aiming
Stalker – Move faster while aiming
Marksman – Identify targets at longer rangeNEW GAME MODES
Fan favorite game modes make their return (Free-for-All, Team Death, Match, Domination, etc.), and a series of new modes make their introduction to the Modern Warfare series:
Kill Confirmed – Collect dog tags from killed players. Prevent the other team from collecting yours
Team Defender – Grab the flag and protect the flag carrier to increase your team’s scoreNEW GAME MODES FOR PRIVATE MATCH
Infection – The infected kills enemies to recruit them for the infected team.
Drop Zone – Hold the Drop Zone for Team Points and Care Packages.
Team Juggernaut – With the support of a juggernaut, kill players on the opposing team. The first team to reach the score limit wins.
Juggernaut – Kill the Juggernaut to become the new Juggernaut
Gun Game – Be the first to dominate with every gun
One in the Chamber – Gain ammo by eliminating enemies. Be the last to survive.CUSTOMIZABLE GAME MODES FOR PRIVATE MATCH
Private matches have been significantly enhanced to allow players to create new, customizable game modes in addition to the new modes for private matches (listed above) and share newly created games modes with friends.
Through ELITE, subscribers can vote on favourite new modes and those modes could make their way into public playlists.MULTIPLAYER MAPS: 16 Maps – including the maps shown at Call of Duty XP:
Resistance
Dome
Underground
Village
ArkadenDEDICATED SERVERS:
Modern Warfare 3 will support dedicated servers on Day 1. Players will be able to: browse, filter, favorite, and join Call of Duty: MW3 dedicated servers of their choice
Players will be able to setup their own server and administer their MW3 dedicated servers with direct control over features such as game rules, setup and ban lists.SPECIAL OPS (CO-OPERATIVE GAMEPLAY):
Having made its introduction in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Special Ops makes its return in Modern Warfare 3 with a bevy of additions that innovate as a stand-alone mode, but also serves as an effective springboard into multiplayer action.Survival Mode: – Making its first appearance in MW3, Survival Mode is the New Special Ops mode in which players face wave upon wave of attacking enemies. Acquaint yourself with all 16 MP maps by playing through them on Survival Mode – a great way for players to prepare for online multiplayer.
Mission Mode: Mission Mode makes its return, allowing players to team up with a friend locally or online for 16 new time-trial and objective-based missions.
Ranking/Progression System: An independent rank progression system within the Special Ops based on the rank progression players encounter in multiplayer.
Press Release:
Activision and developers Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games delivered a knockout punch to the thousands of attendees present at the XP keynote with the reveal of new Modern Warfare 3 features. Strike Packages—including Assault Strike, Support Strike, Specialist Strike and others—will overhaul the Killstreak system and create the most balanced and immersive multiplayer experience ever. The new Weapon Proficiencies system empowers players to modify their load-out to suit their individual play-style. User-generated game modes, a universal player card, loyalty rewards and new game modes like Kill Confirmed and Team Defender capped a stunning lineup of gameplay innovations.
These innovations will work in tandem with the Call of Duty® Elite social gaming platform to dramatically enhance the multiplayer experience. Launching alongside Modern Warfare 3 this fall, Call of Duty Elite is designed to help gamers Play Better Together. Also on display at this morning’s presentation, Call of Duty Elite delivered detailed stat tracking and performance analytics, integrated Facebook friend support, clan creation and management, and a device-agnostic hub for all things Call of Duty, connecting gamers via console, smartphone, tablet and web. Users can even customize matches via mobile and push them to the game remotely—the changes will be waiting the moment they boot up their console.
Call of Duty Elite features the deepest free service in gaming. For uncompromising Call of Duty devotees, the premium annual membership offers an unrivaled level of integration with the franchise and likeminded hardcore fans. The premium membership includes a year’s worth of Modern Warfare 3 DLC available monthly during the 9-month DLC season, daily competitions for in-game and real-world prizes, 24/7 competition calendar, clan competition, up to 24 minutes of HD gameplay video capacity, and the highly-anticipated Call of Duty Elite TV.
The new Call of Duty Elite TV will offer original, episodic video programming from top Hollywood talent, including executive producers Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. RSA (Ridley Scott Associates) is working on a new program, Friday Night Fights, where real life rivals battle it out in Call of Duty multiplayer. Additionally, digital content and production studio DumbDumb, led by Will Arnett and Jason Bateman in partnership with Ben Silverman’s multimedia studio, Electus, is also working on content for Call of Duty Elite. The production company is in development on two new programs, Cocked Hammers and n00b tube!, both airing this fall on Call of Duty Elite TV.
And it didn’t stop there. All Call of Duty XP attendees were treated with a redemption code for a free copy of the limited Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition when it becomes available, which includes a free year’s membership of Call of Duty Elite featuring all Modern Warfare 3 DLC.
Call of Duty Elite will launch this November with an all-inclusive DLC premium annual membership for the annual price of $49.99, less than $5 per month.
Press Release:
GAME ON: CALL OF DUTY® XP HAS LANDED
World’s First-Ever Call Of Duty® Fan Spectacular Delivers To Thousands of Attendees and Online Viewers Worldwide
Call Of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 Multiplayer Locked And Loaded, Revealed Live And Free To Play On The Showfloor
$1 Million Tournament Presented By Xbox 360 Underway
Landmark Live Event Featuring Call Of Duty-Inspired Action-Experiences, Celebrity Cameos, Concerts And More
Los Angeles – Sept. 2, 2011 – Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) CEO Eric Hirshberg kicked the global Call of Duty® fan community into overdrive this morning when he presided over the debut of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3’s epic multiplayer mode, the opening act of Call of Duty XP, the greatest Call of Duty gamer celebration ever conceived.
Immediately following the presentation, attendees were turned loose on the showfloor for two full days of gaming, multiplayer challenges and one-of-a-kind real-world experiences, all inspired by the signature action and intensity that has made Call of Duty one of the most lauded and successful entertainment franchises ever. The centerpiece of competition is the Call of Duty $1 Million Tournament Presented by Xbox 360®, a massive 32-team, single-elimination battle royale that pits the world’s premiere Call of Duty gamers against each other for a share of the record $1 million prize purse. The top eight teams will be in the money—the winning squad will pocket $400,000 after the grand finale Saturday night. Call of Duty fans around the globe began qualifying weeks ago on the record-setting Call of Duty®: Black Ops for the historic competition.
A colossal 12-acre compound in Playa Vista, California—where Howard Hughes famously built the Spruce Goose—has been completely transformed for XP’s inaugural edition. Onsite activities include:
- A once-in-a-lifetime chance to paintball firefight across a life-size replica of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 2’s Scrapyard level.
- The opportunity to speed-run the infamous Modern Warfare® 2 The Pit training sequence, for real.
- A live action thrill ride across a sprawling, obstacle-ridden challenge course in the Jeep® Ops Experience.
- A Call of Duty®: Black Ops military-style zip-line plunge across the compound.
- One-on-one battles in the raised Juggernaut Sumo ring.
- Rations for sale at Modern Warfare 2’s iconic Burgertown and Nate’s Grab N Go food joints.
- A tour of the Call of Duty armory and museum, featuring concept art, weapons and gear, and memorabilia from the entire franchise.
Also on tap are appearances by basketball greats Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, supermodel Marisa Miller, Stacy Keibler and actor/comedian Nick Swardson. Attendees can sit in on developer panels hosted by Treyarch and Beachhead Studios, plus a special panel featuring actors from Call of Duty® Black Ops and the Modern Warfare® series. Each day will be capped by stellar live performances, including the critically-acclaimed Dropkick Murphys – known for their complex distillation of classic punk rock, Celtic folk and American rock ‘n roll – who will close the show’s first night. And coming off the release of his fifth #1 album, the global smash “Watch the Throne,” hip-hop icon Kanye West is set to close Call of Duty® XP on Saturday night.
Call of Duty XP promotional partners have embraced this unique opportunity for Call of Duty fan service. In addition to co-sponsoring the $1 million tournament, Microsoft revealed the new Xbox 360 Limited Edition Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Custom Console. Sporting a 320GB hard drive, two wireless controllers and a Bluetooth headset, the collectible console will launch simultaneously with Modern Warfare 3 on November 8th. The Jeep® brand thrilled fans with an exclusive tease of the new 2012 Wrangler Call of Duty® Special Edition. Also debuting in November, this custom four-wheeler was designed with input from Modern Warfare 3 developers. Mountain Dew gave fans a first taste of the new Mtn Dew Game Fuel Tropical flavor, which was developed in collaboration with the Modern Warfare 3 development team. DEW and sister brand Doritos tortilla chips will offer double XP to North American Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gamers with every purchase of specially marked packages starting in October.
Activision and developers Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games delivered a knockout punch to the thousands of attendees present at the XP keynote with the reveal of new Modern Warfare 3 features. Strike Packages—including Assault Strike, Support Strike, Specialist Strike and others—will overhaul the Killstreak system and create the most balanced and immersive multiplayer experience ever. The new Weapon Proficiencies system empowers players to modify their load-out to suit their individual play-style. User-generated game modes, a universal player card, loyalty rewards and new game modes like Kill Confirmed and Team Defender capped a stunning lineup of gameplay innovations.
These innovations will work in tandem with the Call of Duty® Elite social gaming platform to dramatically enhance the multiplayer experience. Launching alongside Modern Warfare 3 this fall, Call of Duty Elite is designed to help gamers Play Better Together. Also on display at this morning’s presentation, Call of Duty Elite delivered detailed stat tracking and performance analytics, integrated Facebook friend support, clan creation and management, and a device-agnostic hub for all things Call of Duty, connecting gamers via console, smartphone, tablet and web. Users can even customize matches via mobile and push them to the game remotely—the changes will be waiting the moment they boot up their console.
Call of Duty Elite features the deepest free service in gaming. For uncompromising Call of Duty devotees, the premium annual membership offers an unrivaled level of integration with the franchise and likeminded hardcore fans. The premium membership includes a year’s worth of Modern Warfare 3 DLC available monthly during the 9-month DLC season, daily competitions for in-game and real-world prizes, 24/7 competition calendar, clan competition, up to 24 minutes of HD gameplay video capacity, and the highly-anticipated Call of Duty Elite TV.
The new Call of Duty Elite TV will offer original, episodic video programming from top Hollywood talent, including executive producers Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. RSA (Ridley Scott Associates) is working on a new program, Friday Night Fights, where real life rivals battle it out in Call of Duty multiplayer. Additionally, digital content and production studio DumbDumb, led by Will Arnett and Jason Bateman in partnership with Ben Silverman’s multimedia studio, Electus, is also working on content for Call of Duty Elite. The production company is in development on two new programs, Cocked Hammers and n00b tube!, both airing this fall on Call of Duty Elite TV.
And it didn’t stop there. All Call of Duty XP attendees were treated with a redemption code for a free copy of the limited Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition when it becomes available, which includes a free year’s membership of Call of Duty Elite featuring all Modern Warfare 3 DLC.
Call of Duty Elite will launch this November with an all-inclusive DLC premium annual membership for the annual price of $49.99, less than $5 per month.
Activision will donate 100% of the ticket sales of Call of Duty XP to The Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit, public benefit corporation that seeks to help returning soldiers transition back to civilian life, find work and establish careers. Fans who are unable to attend or simply want to follow the action, including the Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer reveal, can do so by visiting www.callofduty.com/xp. Highlights will also be posted on Modern Warfare 3 and Black Ops Facebook pages, www.xbox.com and the Xbox Facebook page.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.
About the Call of Duty Endowment
The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit, public benefit corporation created by Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. The organization seeks to help soldiers transitioning to civilian life find work and establish careers and to assist organizations that provide job placement and training. For more information about The Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.About DumbDumb
DumbDumb is a digital content and production studio led by Jason Bateman and Will Arnett. By using their well-known comedic tone and sensibility, DumbDumb creates and produces brand-inspired entertainment content that reaches audiences across all forms of social, digital and traditional media. Their goal is to enhance traditional marketing and advertising activities, and ultimately revolutionize the way advertisers connect with their audiences. With the backing and distribution expertise of Ben Silverman’s multimedia entertainment studio, Electus, and IAC, DumbDumb is a valuable strategic and creative resource for brands looking to harness the power of entertainment and humor. For more information about DumbDumb, visit www.DumbDumb.com.About Electus
Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Headed by Ben Silverman, in partnership with IAC [NASDAQ: IACI], the company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be a true partner in campaigns and content creation. For more information on Electus, visit www.electus.com.###
[Source: Blue’s News, CVG, Eurogamer, G4TV]
