Michael Phelps gets CoD: World at War early, but not really

by Kyle Orland { Sep 1st 2008 at 8:30PM }

As if winning eighteen thousand gold medals at the Beijing Olympics wasn't enough, swimmer Michael Phelps got a further reward for his awesomeness on last Thursday's CBS Early Show -- an early copy of Call of Duty: World at War provided by publisher Activision. But all was not as it seemed. As developer Treyarch revealed on its blog, the box Phelps was handed on live TV actually contained an I.O.U. card for the final version of the game, which is still in production. It's not all smoke and mirrors, though -- Phelps has been promised "the first disc off the production line ... later this year." We suppose that's understandable. Michael Phelps may be amazing, but it seems even he can't change the laws of time and space (or can he?) (no he can't).

Check out a video of the "giveaway" after the break (jump to 3:28 for the moment of falsehood).

[Via MTV Multiplayer]

Watch CBS Videos Online

COD: WAW CODE 3: H2VYG-V34K6-W6HD2-6V9MQ-T2Y4Y

Tags: activision, call-of-duty, call-of-duty-world-at-war, CBS, early show, EarlyShow, treyarch, world-at-war

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Haggard @ Sep 1st 2008 8:37PM

I did wonder why it was being held back till November if it was gold and ready to go.

I mean, if they had the full version ready to give Phelps; surely they'd go for a September release to avoid the heavy hitting releases.

But I guess this article answers that question.

WiiFTW @ Sep 1st 2008 8:49PM

It's quite obvious, they're giving Phelps an unfinished copy of the game so he can finish programming and beta testing it while swimming at over 9000 miles an hour.

Lone Starr @ Sep 1st 2008 11:00PM

Um...it's over 9000?

*gets beaten by an angry crowd*

carg0 @ Sep 1st 2008 8:39PM

you think Phelps wasn't already aware of this? you could tell by his reaction. he was like "oh, ok...thanks. i have to eat now."

F1 @ Sep 1st 2008 8:41PM

On a side note Burger King made a huge profit right after the interview.

F1 @ Sep 1st 2008 8:40PM

Michael Phelps may not be able to, but my sources say Chuck Norris was present at the finales. I wonder...

Obie @ Sep 1st 2008 8:42PM

Morning shows are so full of fail. Poor Mike.

Wiinterfang @ Sep 1st 2008 9:18PM

What do you mean poor mike?

Obie @ Sep 1st 2008 9:45PM

I mean having to sit and answer stupid questions, oh well, he doesn't seem to mind.

BananaBoat @ Sep 2nd 2008 12:12AM

Immediately after receiving the box, Michael Phelps could be seen sprinting to his dressing room. After finding the IOU, Michael Phelps was seen to have Dolphin kicked so hard that a new hurricane formed in the Atlantic ocean.

More on this story at the hour.

Wiinterfang @ Sep 1st 2008 8:44PM

Phelps is too busy swimming and eating 40 whole pizzas a day.

Moptimus Slime @ Sep 1st 2008 8:45PM

just when Treyarch thought it was safe to go back in the water

Wiinterfang @ Sep 1st 2008 8:50PM

A shark and a gorilla show up.

The Doctor @ Sep 1st 2008 9:49PM

With raptor riding banditos close behind them.

DanB91 @ Sep 1st 2008 8:49PM

It's a box of lies!!!111one

calvin @ Sep 1st 2008 8:52PM

what's his psn???? haha.

calvin @ Sep 1st 2008 8:53PM

ugh i mean psn id

LAZoftheTamarinds @ Sep 1st 2008 8:55PM

You gotta wonder huh. I mean that is a COD WAW PS3 version box.

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 1st 2008 8:53PM

The box is a lie!

Immortal Technique PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Sep 1st 2008 10:32PM

nice ... Dude must play PS3 tho ... Nice plug for Activision ... Phelps mania should move an extra 50K copies first week alone

ANTCEP @ Sep 1st 2008 8:56PM

the slip is in the box the wrong way round

philmcphail @ Sep 1st 2008 9:07PM

Yeah, I noticed that. And you'd think when giving a game away months early to a famous athlete on morning television news, the damn product would be PRESENTED flawlessly from factory errors.

Wiinterfang @ Sep 1st 2008 9:00PM

I heard that the gave Phelps the Rock band 2 version of Nintendo 64.

Foetoid @ Sep 1st 2008 9:04PM

OR, maybe he got the Nintendo 64 version of Rock Band 2

Wiinterfang @ Sep 1st 2008 9:19PM

Damn you terrible English skills!!!!
You make a fool of me once again!! >:(.

Mr.ESC @ Sep 1st 2008 10:30PM

But now you know and KNOWING is half of the battle.

G.I JOE!!

xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 2nd 2008 8:22AM

PORK CHOP SANDWICHES!!!!

Obie @ Sep 1st 2008 9:01PM

Mike is a bit weird lookin', must be all that water.
But who cares, he is rich and probably gets more ass than everyone here and Kotaku combined!

WRE @ Sep 1st 2008 10:42PM

More guy ass, or more girl ass?

Obie @ Sep 1st 2008 11:03PM

Oh snap!

Wiinterfang @ Sep 1st 2008 9:03PM

Why are we making Chuck Norris jokes about Michael Phelps?

Foetoid @ Sep 1st 2008 9:05PM

Because they both think they're tough?

Foetoid @ Sep 1st 2008 9:06PM

That comment was meant for Wiinterfang. I have to remember that sometimes, when you click Reply, it goes down to the comment section at the bottom no worries but doesn't display the 'replying to' bit :(

Vcize @ Sep 2nd 2008 10:23AM

It happens if you've already posted once in the article. The next time you hit reply, it won't bring up the "replying to...." bit and will just make a new post.

You have cut the end off the URL so it ends with the page number and reload the page, and then you can reply again.

Vcize @ Sep 2nd 2008 10:24AM

See, I just cut the #c14057646 out of the URL so it ends with /1 and now my second reply will work.

Functions as designed, right joystiq?

Yourself @ Sep 1st 2008 9:29PM

Shame on you for that link, Joystiq (or can he?). That was the worst thing I've read all week. I had to stop once I got to the following paragraph:

"This is the end my friend. Dumbing down of America before the marketing and media and political gods is long complete. Knowingly or not we are in it just for the sake of chasing our own tails. Eating our own young. We are part of the societal and global loop structure that is larger than the capability of our individual comprehension of the matters that concern us and our well-beings. We are pre-wired, pre-programmed, and our basic emotions and life experiences are pre-determined. We are intellectual cyborgs that have inbred and self-mutated. Worst of all -- we come with no expiration date."

Drew @ Sep 1st 2008 9:29PM

Well, this proves it. The PS3 is the Superman of consoles. But only by a hundredth of a second.

007craft @ Sep 1st 2008 9:32PM

they just gave him the ps3 version. What if he has an xbox? also, that host must really like michael. at the end she nearly orgasims just from the thought of here being able to talk to him lol. From the sound of his response, sounds like he doesnt have a girlfriend, which probably means its gonna be ultra hard to find some1 genuine because of all the money suckers whos will be after him.