Premium 'Day One Advantage' heading to CoD: World at War

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Sep 16th 2008 at 6:30PM }

"The average Call of Duty player has spent nearly five full 24-hour days of their lives online since purchasing the game," said Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith at the company's Analyst Day. An impressive feat, but one that leads to, as Griffith pointed out, "opportunities to monetize online gameplay." Time is money, as they say.

Edge Online reports the Call of Duty publisher will place higher priority on downloadable content for the upcoming Treyarch-developed installment, World at War, promising three times as much content and an ominously titled "premium" offering called "Day One Advantage." According to Alt + F4, this "advantage" manifests in online experience points being earned faster by paying players. If the game follows Call of Duty 4's online model and doles out better equipment at higher experience levels, the DLC will essentially give less thrifty gamers a headstart in the game's early days.

We've contacted Activision (and Michael Phelps) to confirm this information. Not that we're worried, since Griffith assured everybody that World at War would be "Treyarch's highest-quality game ever." Phew.

[Update: Treyarch Community Manager JD took to the webs to clarify rampant rumors regarding this "Day One Advantage" – it's not a way to earn experience quicker; it's not a DLC pack available on "day one" ("we are putting absolutely all of the content we can onto the disc"); and it's not a free backrub from the developers at Treyarch. Instead, it's "immediate access to a high-level rifle (for pre-orders) or LMG (for collector's edition) that other players will have to unlock via ranking up in multiplayer."]

Source -- Edge Online
Source -- Alt + F4

Tags: Activision, Activision-Blizzard, Call-of-Duty, Call-of-Duty-World-At-War, DLC, FPS, World-at-War

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Haggard (Free Mr.ESC!) @ Sep 16th 2008 6:35PM

Hooray, developers have learned from Battlefield Bad Company's mistakes.

They've learnt that what DICE decided not to do was a really good idea -_-

BananaBoat @ Sep 17th 2008 12:58AM

Reading the update, it seems like they haven't learned from Bad Company. The lesson of Bad Company (and Hellgate London, and alot of other games) is that it's never alright to let players pay for some sort of an advantage.

All things equal (take player skill out of the equation) and a high power rifle is an advantage. Put player skill into the equation though, and not so much (I love taking down people using the .50 cal rifle in COD4, with the lowly dragunov). Still, the argument here is more of a "Slippery slope" type of thing, with it being "pay to unlock weapons early" now and it being "pay for better weapons they'll never have" tomorrow.

(Why am I not asleep yet. Gahhhh)

Mike @ Sep 16th 2008 6:36PM

If a gamer pays to level up faster, they should also be forced to wear an in-game dunce cap.

RavenPaul @ Sep 17th 2008 12:37AM

Ha Ha, you are so right. I hope this game's rank will be different than COD 4. If not, then why be in a hurry to lvl up if all you can do is hit "prestige" mode and start all over or go for a golden gun. What a joke.

Lionbacker @ Sep 16th 2008 6:37PM

"Treyarch's highest-quality game ever."

Even better than Spider Man 2? That's a pretty hard act to follow.

XIII @ Sep 16th 2008 6:48PM

That is a bad policy in my opinion - paying to gain more experience....hmm sounds like they've been reading the wrong side of the headlines on MMORPG level grinding and gold farming scams.

Ichi the One @ Sep 16th 2008 6:49PM

Ugh, 3 times the DLC and giving a in-game advantage in MP to people who buy the DLC quicker? All the more reason to skip this game this holiday. There's tons of better games coming out anyways.

AlterEgo @ Sep 16th 2008 6:51PM

What the fuck?

PhydeWice @ Sep 16th 2008 6:56PM

So essentially, Activision is offering a power leveling service.

Mo @ Sep 16th 2008 6:57PM

is that an in-game shot?

theturtle363 @ Sep 16th 2008 8:17PM

yes it is

Grizzly @ Sep 16th 2008 6:57PM

Don't like it where this is all heading :(

mazza_man @ Sep 16th 2008 7:00PM

So lemme get this straight...now you can PAY to be better at games?

Brucie B @ Sep 16th 2008 7:10PM

I'll wait for COD6!

Merciless.Fire @ Sep 16th 2008 7:10PM

As long as it doesn't affect any features and the whole thing remains free, I'm okay with it.

mrfong @ Sep 16th 2008 7:15PM

Phelps is already on his tenth prestige.

LOKIOLR @ Sep 16th 2008 7:18PM

I think this is being blown a little out of proportion by the sound of the article. The "Day One Edge" is only some bonus content included with the collector's edition. Here's the quote:

Day 1 Edge: Dominate your rivals online and rank up faster with your instantly available FG 42 Machine Gun. The FG 42 is a high-level (45+) machine gun which you can have from day-one. Saw through your opponents from 50 yards with this fast firing machine gun.

Double Experience: Take advantage of a week of double experience in multiplayer to accelerate your advancement. (Limited time offer. Exact date for week of double experience will be announced on CallOfDuty.com, register online to receive confirmation of date and time and other key information.)

theturtle363 @ Sep 16th 2008 8:16PM

i'm glad you posted that, it should quell some angry rambling, that if what the article improperly implied was true would be well deserved

humperdinck @ Sep 16th 2008 8:47PM

No, that still makes me ramble angrily.

Josh Olin @ Sep 16th 2008 8:29PM

Let's get one thing straight folks =P

http://www.callofduty.com/intel/139

cod @ Sep 16th 2008 8:52PM

Sounds good to me - (its not cheating!) I am sick and tried of being kicked in the arse with COD4 from players with better weapons since still only level 14. If I had a choice and I could purchase the extra weapons, excellent. Not everybody has the time or place to earn the XP from playing daily. I just enjoy the casual game play of COD - but the level of XP from older players is a major turn off. For older gamers like myself I have to say good for Activision (or Treyarch) for the new business model! For crying out loud what is wrong with people? If you buy a car then you'll need to purchase petrol if you want to go someplace... So whats the difference if you purchased a game for $60 and and then extra $$$'s for the maps or weapons?? If you can't afford the maps/weapons then don't buy them - simple as that!

killian @ Sep 16th 2008 9:49PM

because than after weapons and maps it will be episodes and endings... or alternate endings... or better frame rates...

I like the idea of bonuses but nothing that throws the balance of the game...

They need to make a better matching system but that would not make more money...

They are not doing this for you cod they are doing it for money... so... I will not buy the game... was going to but not now...forget it...

It is a slippery slop to be on when we start having to pay for things on their own..