Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[NPD: Guitar Hero 3 is this generation's highest-grossing game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/npd-guitar-hero-3-is-this-generations-highest-grossing-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/npd-guitar-hero-3-is-this-generations-highest-grossing-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/npd-guitar-hero-3-is-this-generations-highest-grossing-game/#comments Call of Duty: Black Ops might be the best-selling game by unit sales, but it isn't the US bestseller in terms of gross revenue. According to NPD data going back to 1995, and compiled by CNBC, the honor of the highest-grossing game of "this generation" goes to another Activision game, the Axl Rose-angering Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock. Black Ops is #2.

The list of the NPD's top ten best-selling games by revenue (after the break) includes a second Guitar Hero game, too -- R.I.P. -- along with Rock Band and both Wii Fits, which suggests that the best way to make a lot of revenue is simply to make your game cost more. Although Wii Play and Mario Kart Wii are also on the list, so maybe people just really like finding peripherals inside their game boxes, like cereal box prizes.

Continue reading NPD: Guitar Hero 3 is this generation's highest-grossing game

JoystiqNPD: Guitar Hero 3 is this generation's highest-grossing game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4GH3GH3-Legends-Of-RockGuitar-Hero-3Guitar-Hero-3-Legends-Of-Rockguitar-hero-world-tourLegends-Of-Rockmario-kart-wiimicrosoftmodern-warfare-2nintendonpdpcplaystationps3rock-bandsaleswiiwii-fitwii-playxboxFri, 25 Mar 2011 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops won't back down in E3 remix trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/14/call-of-duty-black-ops-wont-back-down-in-e3-remix-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/14/call-of-duty-black-ops-wont-back-down-in-e3-remix-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/14/call-of-duty-black-ops-wont-back-down-in-e3-remix-trailer/#comments Video game fans love putting footage on YouTube, remixing gameplay with the sounds of Linkin Park and/or Eminem. Activision has outdone the fans, making their own official Call of Duty: Black Ops E3 trailer, featuring Eminem's "Won't Back Down." Much of the footage has been seen before, but you'll see a few frames of brand new footage of Treyarch's latest.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops won't back down in E3 remix trailer

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops won't back down in E3 remix trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-black-opse3-2010microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 14 Jun 2010 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Games on Demand: Call of Duty 4, Battlestations: Midway]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/games-on-demand-call-of-duty-4-battlestations-midway/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/games-on-demand-call-of-duty-4-battlestations-midway/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/games-on-demand-call-of-duty-4-battlestations-midway/#comments It's all about war on Xbox Live Games on Demand this week. Up for grabs are two war, one from the history books and another inspired by more modern fare. Battlestations: Midway puts players in charge of sea and air skirmishes of World War II. Meanwhile, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is ... well, you're probably familiar with that one. As always, even in war, prices and availability vary by region.


Xbox.com: Add Battlestations: Midway to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
Xbox.com: Add Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to your Xbox 360 download queue ($39.99)

JoystiqGames on Demand: Call of Duty 4, Battlestations: Midway originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 May 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbattlestations-midwayCall-of-Dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-4-modern-warfareeidosgames-on-demandinfinity-wardxblmxbox-liveTue, 25 May 2010 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Pachter: EA, DICE and Respawn will impact future Call of Duty sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/pachter-ea-dice-and-respawn-will-impact-future-call-of-duty-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/pachter-ea-dice-and-respawn-will-impact-future-call-of-duty-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/pachter-ea-dice-and-respawn-will-impact-future-call-of-duty-sa/#comments Do you imagine that every morning, when Michael Pachter wakes up, he dons a black robe, a pointy hat, drops a bunch of stuff into a bubbling cauldron and just predicts? Yeah, we do too. What a life, right?

His latest portent involves Respawn Entertainment, the new shop of former Infinity Ward-ers Jason West and Vince Zampella, and it goes a little something like this: the Call of Duty franchise will see lowered sales, thanks to more competition in what we like to call 'the near-superhuman military dudes blowing junk up' market.

"I think that it is likely that future games will sell fewer units in the past, primarily due to increased competition from Respawn, DICE and EA games that will likely be in the same or similar genres," Pachter said. He also anticipates that many gamers will recognize that West and Zampella are off the franchise, but that "the majority of consumers will either not know or will not care enough to shun future games." The lack of Infinity Ward's branding certainly didn't stop World at War from moving a bajillion units.

JoystiqPachter: EA, DICE and Respawn will impact future Call of Duty sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-modern-warfarecall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2diceeaea-partnersElectronic-Artsinfinity-wardmichael-achtermodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2respawnRespawn-Entertainmentwedbush-morganThu, 22 Apr 2010 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Study says violent gaming doesn't have a major impact on sleep]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/17/study-says-violent-gaming-doesnt-have-a-major-impact-on-sleep/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/17/study-says-violent-gaming-doesnt-have-a-major-impact-on-sleep/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/17/study-says-violent-gaming-doesnt-have-a-major-impact-on-sleep/#comments A team of Australian researchers recently conducted a study to determine what effect -- if any -- late-night violent gaming sessions have on a young person's sleep cycle. Two groups of teenage boys were either made to play 50 minutes of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare or watch March of the Penguins while lying in bed. The results showed that the group who played Modern Warfare took only a few minutes longer to fall asleep than those watching the movie, causing the researchers to think presleep gaming's negative effects "may be more modest than previously thought."

These results aren't entirely conclusive, as some have taken umbrage with the relatively small 50-minute testing session, which is Sony's recommended amount of continuous gaming time. Personally, we're not convinced Modern Warfare was the best game to get these kids' adrenaline flowing. Next time, we suggest a rousing round of Flower.

[Via GamePolitics]

JoystiqStudy says violent gaming doesn't have a major impact on sleep originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionaustraliacall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-4-modern-warfareinfinity-wardmarch-of-the-penguinsmodern-warfaresciencesleepstudySat, 17 Apr 2010 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[XBLM listing reveals 5 maps, 2 CoD4 remakes in MW2 'Stimulus Package' DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/xblm-listing-reveals-5-maps-2-cod4-remakes-in-mw2-stimulus-pac/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/xblm-listing-reveals-5-maps-2-cod4-remakes-in-mw2-stimulus-pac/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/xblm-listing-reveals-5-maps-2-cod4-remakes-in-mw2-stimulus-pac/#comments We may have to wait until March 30 for Modern Warfare 2's first DLC, the "Stimulus Package," but thanks to an Xbox Live Marketplace listing for the map pack, we aren't in the dark anymore as to its contents. The blurb reveals the pack will contain "5 additional action-packed maps," including three all new ones ("Bailout, Storm, and Salvage"), as well as two remakes from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare ("Crash" and "Overgrown").

"Bailout" is said to be "a multi-layered apartment complex," while "Storm" is described as "an open industrial park littered with heavy machinery," and "Salvage" is "a snowy junkyard fortified by stacked debris and crushed cars." Presumably, if you're reading about the details of unreleased a MW2 map pack, you already knew that "Crash" is a "war-torn urban environment" and "Overgrown" is set in a large dry creek. No pricing is set, unfortunately, though you can ogle the XBLM listing for now if it makes you feel any better (though we wouldn't suggest it).

[Update: Clarified Stimulus Package DLC date of release.]

[Thanks CL4P-TP!]

JoystiqXBLM listing reveals 5 maps, 2 CoD4 remakes in MW2 'Stimulus Package' DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bailoutcall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-4-modern-warfarecall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2cod4crashdlcmapathymapsMicrosoftmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2overgrownsalvagestimulus-packagestormxblmXbox-360xbox-live-marketplaceSat, 13 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NPD: Wii Play is best selling 'game' of all time in the US]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/npd-wii-play-is-best-selling-game-of-all-time-in-the-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/npd-wii-play-is-best-selling-game-of-all-time-in-the-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/npd-wii-play-is-best-selling-game-of-all-time-in-the-us/#comments If there's a statistic measuring how well a game sold, you're likely to find Wii Play lingering in it somewhere. It's not only been the best-selling game of 2009, but also just recently made itself known as the top seller for the last decade. Now, according to NPD data (via GameSpot), the software-hardware hybrid has claimed another throne: top-selling non-PC US game ever.

It's a pretty prestigious list and while no exact figures are listed (save for the bundle's October performance, selling a whopping 11.1 million units in that month alone), the other games listed should give you an indication of just how many homes Wii Play has invaded. Taking second place is Guitar Hero III, the first game to earn $1 billion in revenue, followed by Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The others in the top ten are generally expected, including Activision's other $1 billion earner, Modern Warfare 2 (notable because, damn, that was fast!), along with a pair of other Call of Duty games. Head over to GameSpot for the full list.

JoystiqNPD: Wii Play is best selling 'game' of all time in the US originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-4-modern-warfarecall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2Call-of-Duty-World-at-WarDSgrand-theft-autogrand-theft-auto-san-andreasGuitar-Heroguitar-hero-3guitar-hero-iiiinfinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2NintendonpdrockstarsalesWiiwii-playXbox-360Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top Ten: Call of Duty holds 3 of top 5 slots]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/xbox-live-top-ten-call-of-duty-holds-3-of-top-5-slots/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/xbox-live-top-ten-call-of-duty-holds-3-of-top-5-slots/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/xbox-live-top-ten-call-of-duty-holds-3-of-top-5-slots/#comments You know what we want for Christmas? A more interesting Xbox Live Activity top ten to write about. Just as it did the week of Nov. 9, the Call of Duty franchise has held up three of the top five slots this week, with Halo 3 in second place and Grand Theft Auto IV taking the spot formerly held by the Left 4 Dead 2 demo.

As hard as we might wish for a shakeup in the new year, we're not sure what title's going to be the one to do it. Surely we won't see four CoD games in the top five in 2010. Surely.

JoystiqXbox Live Top Ten: Call of Duty holds 3 of top 5 slots originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2Call-of-Duty-World-at-Wargrand-theft-auto-ivhalo-3infinity-wardtreyarchxbox-live-top-tenWed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: People apparently played CoD4, World at War]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/18/xbox-live-top-10-people-apparently-played-cod4-world-at-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/18/xbox-live-top-10-people-apparently-played-cod4-world-at-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/18/xbox-live-top-10-people-apparently-played-cod4-world-at-war/#comments Seriously, guys? Everyone on the planet runs out and buys Modern Warfare 2 and you're still playing Call of Duty 4 and World at War? We can understand you folks who chose to play Halo 3 -- the whole Modern Warfare 2 experience may not be your idea of a good time -- but Major Nelson's Xbox Live activity chart for the week of November 9 simply vexes us.

In less puzzling news, the XBLA activity is along the lines of something we're used to seeing. Trials HD remains atop the list, followed by Castle Crashers and South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play. Konami's Zombie Apocalypse also managed to survive the gauntlet and make its way onto the list and, combined with the recent release of Left 4 Dead 2, we feel mankind is finally starting to reach acceptable levels of preparation for the inevitable future of a world plagued by the undead.

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: People apparently played CoD4, World at War originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warkonamimodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2Nihilistic-Softwaresouth-parksouth-park-lets-go-tower-defense-playtrials-hdworld-at-warxblaxbox-livexbox-live-top-tenzombie-apocalypseWed, 18 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Digital Foundry analyzes Wii Modern Warfare, deemed 'functional']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/digital-foundry-analyzes-wii-modern-warfare-deemed-functional/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/digital-foundry-analyzes-wii-modern-warfare-deemed-functional/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/digital-foundry-analyzes-wii-modern-warfare-deemed-functional/#comments
Obviously, the Wii port of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was going to have a few setbacks visually. However, Digital Foundry's recent hands-on with the game suggests developer Treyarch was successful in recreating the overall feel of the original game. "Texture detail and geometry levels are savagely hacked down, lighting effects and shadowing are brutally pared back, frame-rate is cut from 60FPS down to the more manageable 30FPS," the preview notes. However, "it does a good enough job of capturing the look of the original," Digital Foundry concludes.

Of course, visuals aren't the most important aspect of Modern Warfare's transition to the Wii. Digital Foundry answers the hard-pressing question: how does it control? At times "beautifully," although "awkward button placement on the controller makes things difficult for anything other than running and gunning."

It may be watered down, but Reflex will finally grant Wii owners the ability to see what all the fuss was about. While the port is deemed "functional," we can't help but lament the fact that this Wii port still can't best some games from the last generation of consoles.

JoystiqDigital Foundry analyzes Wii Modern Warfare, deemed 'functional' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutycall-of-duty-4modern-warfaremodern-warfare-reflexNintendotreyarchWiiWed, 11 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Deal of the week: 50% off CoD 4's Variety Map Pack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/deal-of-the-week-50-off-cod-4s-variety-map-pack/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/deal-of-the-week-50-off-cod-4s-variety-map-pack/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/deal-of-the-week-50-off-cod-4s-variety-map-pack/#comments
This week, Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers will be able to snag Call of Duty 4's Variety Map Pack for half off, Activision announced. We've seen this with car dealers a million times. With next year's model -- Modern Warfare 2 -- about to hit the show floor soon, Activision is looking to get as much as it can out of the older model.

Still, if you're happy fragging folks in the older model, then you may want to check out the Variety Map Pack -- which has been discounted by half to 400 ($5) on Xbox Live and $4.99 on PSN, culminating in a double XP event for both consoles this coming weekend. Though odds are, if you care about this dinosaur of a game still, you and a majority of the other 13 million or so players probably already own this content.

Gallery: Call of Duty 4: Variety Map Pack

JoystiqDeal of the week: 50% off CoD 4's Variety Map Pack originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-4cod4deal-of-the-weekinfinity-wardvariety-map-packxblmxbox-live-deal-of-the-weekMon, 02 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq is undecided about Wal-Mart's Modern Warfare 2 ad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/joystiq-is-undecided-about-wal-marts-modern-warfare-2-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/joystiq-is-undecided-about-wal-marts-modern-warfare-2-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/joystiq-is-undecided-about-wal-marts-modern-warfare-2-ad/#comments We just can't quite figure out what to make of Wal-Mart's new Modern Warfare 2 ad. Sure, it's kind of funny, featuring two dudes ragging on one another. It gets across the idea that people can buy the game at Wal-Mart really fast, continuing the store's "fastest way to play" campaign. It does not, however, help us decide if Modern Warfare 2 is something we want to play. Granted, the readers and staff of Joystiq already know the answer to that particular quandary.

The company ran similar ads for Madden 09 and Madden 10, which certainly don't need in depth advertising to get people excited. Has Call of Duty reached Madden levels of recognition? Is the name the only marketing it needs at this point? Apparently, Wal-Mart thinks so. See the ad after the break.

[Via Destructoid]

Continue reading Joystiq is undecided about Wal-Mart's Modern Warfare 2 ad

JoystiqJoystiq is undecided about Wal-Mart's Modern Warfare 2 ad originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2infinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfare-2wal-martXbox-360Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[COD4 on the cheap on Steam this weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/cod4-on-the-cheap-on-steam-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/cod4-on-the-cheap-on-steam-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/cod4-on-the-cheap-on-steam-this-weekend/#comments Just in time to wring a few more sales out of Call of Duty 4 before Modern Warfare 2 hits the market, Steam is marking the game down to $23.99 through Monday. We're told that's a 40-percent savings, which we're also told is rather considerable. What we know, however, is that Call of Duty 4 is an excellent electronic game cartridge, and it's easily worth the scratch. And seriously, at this point, there are approximately only twelve people that haven't played it.

So, we'd just like to congratulate Steam in advance for the $287.88 it will rake in this weekend.

JoystiqCOD4 on the cheap on Steam this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-Dutycall-of-duty-4infinity-wardsteamFri, 30 Oct 2009 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward: Activision didn't want Call of Duty to go Modern]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/infinity-ward-activision-didnt-want-call-of-duty-to-go-modern/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/infinity-ward-activision-didnt-want-call-of-duty-to-go-modern/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/infinity-ward-activision-didnt-want-call-of-duty-to-go-modern/#comments Activision's always been a company with a finger squarely placed upon the pulse of the gaming culture. It knows what we need -- and what we need is more World War 2-based first-person shooters. Call of Duty's part-time developer Infinity Ward struggled with that notion for years according to a recent Official PlayStation Magazine interview with Ward's Vince Zampella. If Activision had its way, Zampella explained, Modern Warfare probably never would have happened. Whoa, did anyone else just get a really weird chill down their spine?

Zampella said Activision "thought working on a modern game was risky," and went so far as to conduct "market research" supporting its fears to quell Infinity Ward's desire for modernization. We're not sure which market Activision surveyed, however, as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare moved over 14 million units. We bet the publisher talked to WWII veterans. "Yeah, our war was the coolest! Kids today with their AC-130s. That's not fightin'. That's just flyin' a big, bomb droppin' robot kite."

JoystiqInfinity Ward: Activision didn't want Call of Duty to go Modern originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4fpsinfinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2Vince-Zampellaworld-war-iiXbox-360Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: Halo 3, Trials HD, Forza 3 demo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/xbox-live-top-10-halo-3-trials-hd-forza-3-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/xbox-live-top-10-halo-3-trials-hd-forza-3-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/xbox-live-top-10-halo-3-trials-hd-forza-3-demo/#comments As our more astute readers likely gathered from this very post's headline, another week has gone, so it's about time we checked in with Major Nelson to see what made his list of the most-played games on Xbox Live. Unsurprisingly, Bungie's dynamic duo of Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST managed to do well, taking the first and third spots, respectively -- Call of Duty 4 was in the second slot, while Forza 3's demo managed to get some play time on folks' boxes, taking a tight turn into the seventh place spot.

On the XBLA side, Trials HD did backflips to the top of the list, beating out recent releases Zombie Apocalypse and Bust-A-Move Live!. The remainder of the XBLA list saw favorites Battlefield 1943 and Shadow Complex rounding out the bottom end of the top five.

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: Halo 3, Trials HD, Forza 3 demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-1943bungiebust-a-move-livecall-of-duty-4forza-3halohalo-3halo-3-odstKonamiNihilistic-Softwareshadow-complextrials-hdxblaxbox-live-top-tenzombie-apocalypseTue, 06 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10 dominated by Shadow Complex, CoD: World at War]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/xbox-live-top-10-dominated-by-shadow-complex-cod/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/xbox-live-top-10-dominated-by-shadow-complex-cod/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/xbox-live-top-10-dominated-by-shadow-complex-cod/#comments
Major Nelson has revealed the latest figures for Xbox Live activity, which once again sees Call of Duty: World at War being the most played Xbox 360 Live title. That's not to say it's all business as usual, as the Lost Planet 2 co-op demo managed to claw its way onto the list, along with a new Xbox Live Arcade pair, Shadow Complex and Trials HD.

Both titles made it onto the top two spots on XBLA's most played list, with Chair's Metroid-inspired adventure making its debut in first place. The remainder is comprised of usual suspects Battlefield 1943, Marvel vs Capcom 2 and 'Splosion Man.

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10 dominated by Shadow Complex, CoD: World at War originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-1943call-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warchairchair-entertainmentdemoepicepic-gameshalohalo-3lost-planet-2marvel-vs-capcom-2mementooutpost-kaloki-xshadow-complexsplosion-mantrials-hdxblaxbox-live-top-10xbox-live-top-tenTue, 25 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CVG: No multiplayer beta for Modern Warfare 2 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/cvg-no-multiplayer-beta-for-modern-warfare-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/cvg-no-multiplayer-beta-for-modern-warfare-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/cvg-no-multiplayer-beta-for-modern-warfare-2/#comments
Update: Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling has given the final word on a Modern Warfare 2 beta, saying it's not out of the realm of possibility, but also not very likely. "While no Public Beta is currently announced we do plan on running an extensive Closed Beta among Infinity Ward, Activision, and possibly first party partners worldwide ... once the internal beta is completed, if for any reason we feel we didn't receive the feedback, address the issues, or have the result we expect, we would consider pushing forward with a public one. However at this point only an internal Closed Beta is planned." And that's that! ... or is it?! (We're pretty sure it is.)

We know you had a great time testing Call of Duty 4's multiplayer component before the final game launched, so we're sad to note CVG's report that Modern Warfare 2 will not go the same route as its predecessor. An Activision spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that there will be no multiplayer beta for the game.

We also know that sucks, so in an effort to get Activision and developer Infinity Ward to change their minds, we've started this online petition. It's bound to get their attention, right? Hello? Are you going to get a pen? It's on the internet, you don't need one!

[Thanks, Cr4sh Dummy]

JoystiqCVG: No multiplayer beta for Modern Warfare 2 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbetacall-of-duty-4infinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfare-2multiplayerXbox-360Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: Nazi zombies run amok]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/xbox-live-top-10-nazi-zombies-run-amok/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/xbox-live-top-10-nazi-zombies-run-amok/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/xbox-live-top-10-nazi-zombies-run-amok/#comments
Guys, do you ever play anything aside from four games? Major Nelson reports that last week's Xbox Live activity was very much the same as the week before ... and the week before that. Taking top spot was none other than Call of Duty: World at War, followed by usual suspects Halo 3, Call of Duty 4 and Gears of War 2. Madden 10 took last place, which isn't much of a surprise considering it released on Friday. Come next week, we're sure you'll be hearing more about that one.

On the XBLA side, it was all about Trials HD, as the title earned top honors. Turtles in Time Re-Shelled managed to shell shock the competition by taking second and DICE's Battlefield 1943 continues its sad story of decline, falling to third. Well, okay -- maybe it's not a sad story, per se.

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: Nazi zombies run amok originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbattlefield-1943call-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-wardiceeagears-of-war-2halo-3infinity-wardmadden-10treyarchtrials-hdxblaxbox-live-top-10Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: There can be only 1 (17)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/xbox-live-top-10-there-can-be-only-1-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/xbox-live-top-10-there-can-be-only-1-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/xbox-live-top-10-there-can-be-only-1-17/#comments
Major Nelson's latest battle report comes as a bit of a surprise as Halo 3 was the most-played retail game of last week. With all of the new Gears of War 2 content, we were sure that game would be at the top, but Epic's title only managed to claw its way to fourth place yet again. It was bested by the usual double dose of Call of Duty action in Call of Duty 4 and Call of Duty: World at War.

On the XBLA side, the frenetic tag-based combat of Marvel vs Capcom 2 was too much for the competition. Capcom's brawler enjoyed top placement, finally bumping down Battlefield 1943 to second place. Coming in at third was none other than 'Splosion Man, Twisted Pixel's excellent follow-up to previous Arcade hit, The Maw.

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: There can be only 1 (17) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-1943call-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-wargears-of-war-2halo-3marvel-vs-capcom-2splosion-manthe-mawtwisted-pixelxblaxbox-live-top-tenTue, 04 Aug 2009 09:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Patch to fix Call of Duty 4 multiplayer exploit 'in the works']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/03/patch-to-fix-call-of-duty-4-multiplayer-exploit-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/03/patch-to-fix-call-of-duty-4-multiplayer-exploit-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/03/patch-to-fix-call-of-duty-4-multiplayer-exploit-in-the-works/#comments
There's good news and slightly-less-good news for the many fans of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare's multiplayer. The good news comes from Infinity Ward community manager Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling via his twitter feed: the developer is onto the recently discovered multiplayer exploits that unscrupulous players are using to cheat their way to victory. The slightly-less-good news is that the fix is "in the works," meaning there's no definite ETA for it.

Still, we'd have to imagine Infinity Ward has been hard at work on the patch -- we just hope it comes up with something very special for whoever discovered and used the exploit. We'll keep you updated as we hear more, but hey, Robert, you know how to reach us ...

JoystiqPatch to fix Call of Duty 4 multiplayer exploit 'in the works' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4exploithackinfinity-wardMicrosoftrobert-bowlingXbox-360Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: 1 vs. 100 joins the fray]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/xbox-live-top-10-1-vs-100-joins-the-fray/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/xbox-live-top-10-1-vs-100-joins-the-fray/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/xbox-live-top-10-1-vs-100-joins-the-fray/#comments Sure, we could sit up here and do our usual Xbox Live Top 10 thing: Major Nelson posted the Xbox Live activity for last week. Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Call of Duty: World at War and Gears of War 2 were winners, and XBLA's most-played game was Battlefield 1943. All is as we expect with the world. However, we feel the Xbox Live Top 10 has a much more notable characteristic this week: 1 vs. 100!

Major confirms that Xbox Live's game show will now be incorporated into the weekly lists. We're anxious to see if it will perform better in the future -- not that seventh place is a bad debut.

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: 1 vs. 100 joins the fray originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1-vs-100battlefield-1943call-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-wargears-of-war-2halo-3xblaxbox-live-top-10Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Realtime Worlds explains shift to MMOs, says online market is 'untapped']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/realtime-worlds-explains-shift-to-mmos-says-online-market-is-u/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/realtime-worlds-explains-shift-to-mmos-says-online-market-is-u/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/realtime-worlds-explains-shift-to-mmos-says-online-market-is-u/#comments
(click to MMO-size)

Crackdown developer Realtime Worlds -- currently working on upcoming MMO All Points Bulletin -- is pretty excited about cashing in on the online market. During his keynote at the Develop conference this week, RTW exec David Jones explained his company's shift to MMO development as one with the intention of heading where "the big dollars are."

"Online ... is very, very much untapped -- it's kind of like winding the clock back 10 or 15 years," he said during the speech. Jones apparently cited Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 as examples of games where players "invest hours" in the single-player campaign but "ten times that online" -- but isn't your game PC-only, Mr. Jones? We're not so sure, considering Jones' repeated references to "next-gen technology" throughout the keynote, 100-person servers for online play, and the recent EA partnership announcement -- though we'd be a lot more inclined to believe it if even a single MMO existed on current-gen consoles in any real capacity. When we asked RTW for comment on the possibility of APB coming to consoles, a representative told us, "There's no update on that front." Hey, we tried, right?

JoystiqRealtime Worlds explains shift to MMOs, says online market is 'untapped' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbbusinesscall-of-duty-4crackdowndave-jonesdevelop-conferencehalo-3mmopcrealtime-worldsWed, 15 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: Halo, can anyone hear me?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/07/xbox-live-top-10-halo-can-anyone-hear-me/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/07/xbox-live-top-10-halo-can-anyone-hear-me/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/07/xbox-live-top-10-halo-can-anyone-hear-me/#comments Xbox Live sure can, Master Chief, as your game Halo 3 was once again the most played title on Xbox Live. For the week ending June 29, many gamers took to the floating rings in space for some first-person combat, knocking down the duo of Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty 4 to second and third place, respectively. The rest of the list posted by Major Nelson is pretty run-of-the-mill, save for what came in last place: Rock Band 2. We can't remember the last time Rock Band 2 populated this list. So, good for you, little game-that-could!

On the XBLA side, it's all about the Worms 2. Explosive sheep were quite the draw, as the sequel to Team17's fragfest managed to beat out another popular XBLA title, Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalker. We guess Magic: The Gathering is all tapped out. Get it? Hello? Where are you going?

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: Halo, can anyone hear me? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warhalo-3harmonixinfinity-wardmagic-the-gatheringmaster-chiefrock-band-2treyarchworms-2Worms-2-Armageddonxblaxbox-live-top-tenTue, 07 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: World remains at war]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/23/xbox-live-top-10-world-remains-at-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/23/xbox-live-top-10-world-remains-at-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/23/xbox-live-top-10-world-remains-at-war/#comments
Dearest Lorraine,

Microsoft's Major Nelson has brought us another annual status report on enemy movements throughout Xbox Live, and it's not pretty. Conflict has surrounded us, as the enemy, Call of Duty: World at War, has spread like wildfire, becoming the most-played game last week. We tried to flank it with our platoons of Halo 3 and Gears of War 2, but, alas, the enemy had reinforcements in Call of Duty 4. Hope has diminished, and one only needs walk by the injured tent to feel the full force of the enemy's cruelty.

Lorraine, I know not if I will return home. I have managed to live longer than most, but, I feel there's that one bullet out there with my name on it, relentlessly pursuing its new home. Please, take care of my Gamertag when I am gone (I think my Gold subscription ends next month, so look into that), and be sure to earn as many Achievements for me as you can. I suggest you start with Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Yours Truly,
Gus

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: World remains at war originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiecall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warepicgears-of-war-2halo-3treyarchxbox-livexbox-live-top-tenTue, 23 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision: Modern Warfare 2 set to eclipse previous Call of Duty games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/activision-modern-warfare-2-set-to-eclipse-previous-call-of-dut/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/activision-modern-warfare-2-set-to-eclipse-previous-call-of-dut/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/activision-modern-warfare-2-set-to-eclipse-previous-call-of-dut/#comments
According to the most recent data, Call of Duty 4 has sold nearly 3 hojillion units since its 2007 release, and Activision says that a fifth of Call of Duty: World at War players were new to the franchise. By its math, that means Modern Warfare 2 is poised to become the biggest-selling Call of Duty game ever.

We don't want to be jerks about this, and we know it's not really the point but at what point does this stop being a Call of Duty game? Like, is the absence of the words "call," "of," and "duty" from the title not enough to separate it from the franchise? At what point to restraining orders need to be involved?

JoystiqActivision: Modern Warfare 2 set to eclipse previous Call of Duty games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4infinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfare-2Xbox-360Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@E3: Infinity Ward accepts Call of Duty 4 Guinness record]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/seen-e3-infinity-ward-accepts-call-of-duty-4-guinness-record/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/seen-e3-infinity-ward-accepts-call-of-duty-4-guinness-record/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/seen-e3-infinity-ward-accepts-call-of-duty-4-guinness-record/#comments
Activision's booth yesterday played host to more than just sweaty gamers and DJ Hero videos: Call of Duty 4-developer Infinity Ward was rewarded with a Guinness World Record for "the most popular online console game" citing the fact that it's been played "been played by over 13 million gamers on Xbox Live since its launch in November 2007." So, you mean to tell us that CoD4 took that honor without even including the PlayStation Network community? Dayum! Pic of that certificate after the break. Congrats, IW!

Continue reading Seen@E3: Infinity Ward accepts Call of Duty 4 Guinness record

JoystiqSeen@E3: Infinity Ward accepts Call of Duty 4 Guinness record originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-Duty-4e3-2009Guinnessinfinity-wardThu, 04 Jun 2009 02:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty 4 reaches 13 million players on Xbox Live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/26/call-of-duty-4-reaches-13-million-players-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/26/call-of-duty-4-reaches-13-million-players-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/26/call-of-duty-4-reaches-13-million-players-on-xbox-live/#comments
With the release of the recent full-length trailer for Modern Warfare 2, the gaming populous' attention has been turned away from the original Modern Warfare (considering the game's getting a follow-up, we think its Modern-ness could be disputed by this point, but we digress). However, Infinity Ward community commissar Robert Bowling (a.k.a. fourzerotwo) recently stopped by Major Nelson's podcast to explain why CoD4 shouldn't be ignored quite yet -- it just hit the remarkable 13 million player mark on Xbox Live.

This number is impressive for two reasons: First, it's two million more players than the last Xbox Live total we heard for Modern Warfare back in March. The second reason has been mentioned by a few gaming blogs already -- it's surpassed the total number of World of Warcraft players. Impressive? Well, yes -- though nobody is forced to subscribe to Call of Duty 4. As far as pure, lucrative retention is concerned, we think WoW still takes the cake.

JoystiqCall of Duty 4 reaches 13 million players on Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 May 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4cod4fpsinfinity-wardMicrosoftmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2onlinerobert-bowlingwowXbox-360xbox-liveTue, 26 May 2009 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Top 10: Halo 3 maintains top spot, VOOT takes top honors on XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/xbox-live-top-10-halo-3-maintains-top-spot-voot-takes-top/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/xbox-live-top-10-halo-3-maintains-top-spot-voot-takes-top/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/xbox-live-top-10-halo-3-maintains-top-spot-voot-takes-top/#comments
It's good to be the king, and no other title would know that better than Halo 3, which still reigns supreme at the top of the Xbox Live activity charts. According to Major Nelson, the latest figures show Bungie's crouching-on-dead-enemy-faces-sim beating out other fan favorites, Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty 4.

On the XBLA side, the dual release of Virtual On and Banjo-Tooie proved to be quite the alluring mix, as both titles populated the top of the XBLA list. Now if only we could get a game that combines birds, backpacks, bears, and gigantic death machines ...

JoystiqXbox Live Top 10: Halo 3 maintains top spot, VOOT takes top honors on XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banjo-tooiebungiecall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warhalo-3infinity-wardraretreyarchvirtual-onxblaxbox-livexbox-live-top-tenTue, 05 May 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty 4 patch has cheaters in its sights, finger on the trigger]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/29/call-of-duty-4-patch-has-cheaters-in-its-sights-finger-on-the-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/29/call-of-duty-4-patch-has-cheaters-in-its-sights-finger-on-the-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/29/call-of-duty-4-patch-has-cheaters-in-its-sights-finger-on-the-t/#comments
According to @fourzerotwo, Infinity Ward is in the final stages of crafting a patch that will take aim at cheaters on the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty 4. The patch is in the certification process right now and should hit the battlefield soon, so if you've found yourself on the receiving end of a nasty cheat (with 15 million players, odds are you have), know that reinforcements are on the way.

JoystiqCall of Duty 4 patch has cheaters in its sights, finger on the trigger originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4cheaterscheatingfpsinfinity-wardpatchtwitterWed, 29 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty 4 reaches 15 million online players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/14/call-of-duty-4-reaches-15-million-online-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/14/call-of-duty-4-reaches-15-million-online-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/14/call-of-duty-4-reaches-15-million-online-players/#comments
For an almost two-year old game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare still possesses an uncanny amount of pluck. It's become a bellwether for judging modern first-person shooters, and still regularly places high in the Xbox Live activity charts. However, Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling recently revealed the most convincing testimony of the game's success while accepting CoD 4's three BAFTA Awards in London earlier this week -- according to Bowling, the game's online multiplayer component has played host to just over 15 million players.

Bowling clarified that 11 million of said players joined CoD 4's ranks via Xbox Live, while over four million entered the fray on PSN. He didn't even mention how many PC gamers had gotten their war on, though we're sure that when combined with the console players, CoD 4's total online population would rival that of many average-sized countries.

JoystiqCall of Duty 4 reaches 15 million online players originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbaftacall-of-duty-4cod4infinity-wardMicrosoftpsnrobert-bowlingXbox-360xbox-liveSat, 14 Mar 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 3 back on top of Live charts, Halo Wars debuts at #6]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/10/halo-3-back-on-top-of-live-charts-halo-wars-debuts-at-6/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/10/halo-3-back-on-top-of-live-charts-halo-wars-debuts-at-6/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/10/halo-3-back-on-top-of-live-charts-halo-wars-debuts-at-6/#comments
Our very personal bestest friend, Major Nelson, has posted Xbox Live activity for the week of March 2nd. Halo continues its never-ending battle with Call of Duty with Halo 3 nudging World at War from the top spot. Call of Duty 4, Gears of War 2 (somehow) and GTAIV round out the top five.

The Halo series receives some backup this week, with newcomer Halo Wars debuting at number six. On top of that, the Halo Wars demo inched up the top ten, moving from the ninth most played to the eighth. FIFA 09 moves up a notch to number 9, shoving Street Fighter IV to the tenth spot.

Considering the limited edition of Halo Wars including the Mythic Map Pack, it might have had something to do with Halo 3 reclaiming the top spot. The big question now is whether or not Halo Wars can maintain its momentum. As one of the few RTS games to make a big splash on consoles, you can bet Microsoft is watching it closely.

JoystiqHalo 3 back on top of Live charts, Halo Wars debuts at #6 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warfifa-09gtaivhalohalo-3halo-warslive-top-tensfivTue, 10 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CoD4: 50% off Variety Maps, new playlist and double XP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/18/cod4-50-off-variety-maps-new-playlist-and-double-xp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/18/cod4-50-off-variety-maps-new-playlist-and-double-xp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/18/cod4-50-off-variety-maps-new-playlist-and-double-xp/#commentsCall of Duty 4's own Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling just posted that, all next week, there will be a huge CoD4 celebration. One that's full of money savings, experience earning and new playlist playing.

Beginning Tuesday, February 24, the Variety Map Pack will be priced at 50% off the normal 800 / $10 admission fee. Then, on Friday, February 27, Infinity Ward will welcome gamers into the multiplayer mix by flipping the CoD4 double XP switch to the "ON" position. Finally, fourzerotwo himself will be pulling an all-nighter Friday night and adding a new Hardcore Headquarters playlist for the double XP killing shenanigans. It's a week-long Call of Duty 4 party, just without the booze, party streamers and all the post-party cleanup.

Gallery: Call of Duty 4: Variety Map Pack

JoystiqCoD4: 50% off Variety Maps, new playlist and double XP originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4cod4double-xp-weekendinfinity-wardvariety-map-packWed, 18 Feb 2009 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii sales propel Call of Duty: World at War past COD4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/wii-sales-propel-call-of-duty-world-at-war-past-cod4/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/wii-sales-propel-call-of-duty-world-at-war-past-cod4/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/wii-sales-propel-call-of-duty-world-at-war-past-cod4/#comments Chew on this: Call of Duty: World at War had greater combined US sales on current-gen consoles in its first three months of release than did Call of Duty 4. World at War achieved this milestone despite COD4 outselling it by nearly 400,000 Xbox 360 units during the comparable months. A rise in PS3 sales from COD4 to World at War -- just over 130,000 units -- helped to slightly offset this difference, but the introduction of a Wii version of World at War (COD4 had no such entry) tipped the scales in favor of the latest Call of Duty entry. In December alone, the Wii World at War (pictured) sold more than 366,000 units.

This trend spotting is a result of analyst Matt Matthews' work (published on Gamasutra) and seems to indicate that Wii is a profitable platform for third-party publishers; at least, for Activision, which had two multiplatform titles with Wii versions in the January NPD Top 10. As for our Xbox 360 and PS3 sales assumptions, uh, analysis? Gears of War 2 and Left 4 Dead definitely hindered World at War sales on Xbox 360 from November through January, while on PS3, there simply wasn't a strong resistance to choosing World at War as the holiday's go-to shooter. Will Modern Warfare 2 follow suit? We expect a surge in both PS3 and Xbox 360 enlisters -- but we're not sold on the concept of modern warfare on Wii ... and neither is Infinity Ward, we imagine.

JoystiqWii sales propel Call of Duty: World at War past COD4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warcod4infinity-wardnpdsalessales-datatreyarchTue, 17 Feb 2009 14:03:00 EST<![CDATA[BAFTA awards to settle the 'Super Mario Galaxy vs. COD4' debate]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/bafta-awards-to-settle-the-super-mario-galaxy-vs-cod4-debate/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/bafta-awards-to-settle-the-super-mario-galaxy-vs-cod4-debate/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/bafta-awards-to-settle-the-super-mario-galaxy-vs-cod4-debate/#comments
Also, sponsored by GAME

Alright, perhaps "debate" is a somewhat enthusiastic label for a question none of us have ever seriously considered. Which is more worthy of a prestigious award -- the cratered theater of war in Activision's Call of Duty 4, or the smiling planetoids of Super Mario Galaxy? We can't come up with a way to decide, which is precisely why we're grateful that the GAME British Academy Video Games Awards (for games that are sold by GAME) have decided to lump both into the "Best Game" category:
  • Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
  • Fable II
  • Fallout 3
  • Grand Theft Auto IV
  • Rock Band
  • Super Mario Galaxy
Before you object to the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' seemingly outdated choices, note that the period of valid entries spans October 26, 2007 to December 31, 2008 due to an earlier delay in ceremonies. The messy result, of course, is two Novembers duking it out. You'll see the rest of the quality-riddled categories after the break.

Continue reading BAFTA awards to settle the 'Super Mario Galaxy vs. COD4' debate

JoystiqBAFTA awards to settle the 'Super Mario Galaxy vs. COD4' debate originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AwardsBAFTAbest-of-2008Call-of-Duty-4COD4GAMESuper-Mario-GalaxyTue, 10 Feb 2009 16:54:00 EST<![CDATA[CoD4 logs 10 million 360 gamers since launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/cod4-logs-10-million-360-gamers-since-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/cod4-logs-10-million-360-gamers-since-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/cod4-logs-10-million-360-gamers-since-launch/#commentsFiled under:

Call of Duty 4 community manager fourzerotwo decided to post some statistical CoD4 fun. And after some quick number crunching, we learn that (on the Xbox 360 alone) over 10 million unique players have logged onto Xbox Live to game it up on CoD4 since launch. Not too shab. Taking into account the PS3's unique player numbers, CoD4 has logged over 14 million players total.

Look below for more statistical CoD4 number fun, including the number of gamers who have completed Airplane on Veteran difficulty. Mr. Xav de Matos wanted us to point out that he helped contribute to the 2.8% completion rate. He so l33t.
  • 71.1% have completed F.N.G.
  • 68.8% have completed Cargo Ship
  • 46.5% have beaten the game on any difficulty.
  • 2.8% have completed Airplane on Veteran difficulty.

JoystiqCoD4 logs 10 million 360 gamers since launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4cod4infinity-wardxbox-liveThu, 08 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CoD 4: Over 10 million served, 2.8% survive 'Airplane' on veteran]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/cod-4-over-10-million-served-2-8-survive-airplane-on-veteran/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/cod-4-over-10-million-served-2-8-survive-airplane-on-veteran/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/cod-4-over-10-million-served-2-8-survive-airplane-on-veteran/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Infinity Ward Community Manager Robert Bowling Fourzerotwo has released some player statisticalz from a little game called Call of Duty 4. The data, pulled on Jan. 3, reveals that 10 million unique users have played CoD 4 on Xbox 360 and connected to Live "at least once" after playing.

Going deeper down the fox hole (yes, it's called a mixed metaphor), Infinity Ward checked specific data on certain levels:
  • 71.1%, or 7,111,508 people have completed F.N.G.
  • 68.8%, or 6,886,509 people have completed Cargo Ship.
  • 46.5%, or 5,654,643 people have beaten the game on any difficulty.
  • 2.8%, or 283,632 people have completed Airplane on Veteran difficulty.

Comparatively, pulling the multiplayer numbers from PSN revealed 4,381,276 unique users. Now we just want to know how many tries it took that 2.8% to complete Airplane on Veteran.

JoystiqCoD 4: Over 10 million served, 2.8% survive 'Airplane' on veteran originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4call-of-duty-4-modern-warfarecod-4fourzerotwoPCPS3Xbox-360xbox-liveThu, 08 Jan 2009 11:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears 2 stagnant on Xbox Live activity chart despite DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/gears-2-stagnant-on-xbox-live-activity-chart-despite-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/gears-2-stagnant-on-xbox-live-activity-chart-despite-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/gears-2-stagnant-on-xbox-live-activity-chart-despite-dlc/#commentsFiled under:

That Combustible map pack didn't seem to ignite much passion into Gears of War 2, as the shoe-in for Best Shooter Involving a Chain Saw-infused Rifle Award remains numero quartro on the Xbox Live activity chart for last week. The game was also 4th place the week prior, and 3rd place for two consecutive weeks before that. Far from being a bad position, but it's certainly not dominating the service like its predecessor.

Staying strong at top is Halo 3, followed by the Call of Duty: World at War and CoD4, respectively. The promotional Dash of Destruction managed to take 6th place, and somehow bumped Fallout 3 from 8th to oblivion. Full list after the break.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Continue reading Gears 2 stagnant on Xbox Live activity chart despite DLC

JoystiqGears 2 stagnant on Xbox Live activity chart despite DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 23:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutycall-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warcod4codwawgears-of-war-2halo-3xboxXbox-360xbox-livexbox-live-activityWed, 24 Dec 2008 23:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears 2 slides further down Xbox Live activity chart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/gears-2-slides-further-down-xbox-live-activity-chart/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/gears-2-slides-further-down-xbox-live-activity-chart/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/gears-2-slides-further-down-xbox-live-activity-chart/#commentsFiled under: ,


Gears of War 2 continues slipping down Xbox Live's activity chart, according to Major Nelson's latest report. For the week of Dec. 8, Marcus and company are at the #4 spot, behind top dawgs Halo 3, CoD: World at War and Call of Duty 4.

Feel free to let the theories fly as to why the mega-hit title, which holds most of its value in the multiplayer, has slid so fast. Perhaps the new maps and matchmaking server tweaks will bring players back in the coming weeks?

JoystiqGears 2 slides further down Xbox Live activity chart originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4call-of-duty-world-at-warcod-world-at-wargears-of-war-2halo-3Xbox-360Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[COD4 seemingly complete, Infinity Ward focused on future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/cod4-seemingly-complete-infinity-ward-focused-on-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/cod4-seemingly-complete-infinity-ward-focused-on-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/cod4-seemingly-complete-infinity-ward-focused-on-future/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Still holding out for new Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare maps and playlists? We're sorry to be the ones to tell you this, but there aren't anymore maps or playlists. None. Go home, kid. Over at the official Xbox forums, Infinity Ward community manager Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling rather strongly suggested that the development team has moved on from COD4 and is gearing up for its next project, whatever that may be.

Bowling also discussed the issue of balance, perception and DLC. In his words, "If you include [the maps] out of box (shipped with game for no extra cost) then it's just ignored and people demand more. If you instead, decide to get the game out and then worry about beefing up the map selection via DLC, people say ... 'this should have been included in the shipped game.'"

We hear ya buddy, now how about six more COD4 map packs?

[Via Gamer Limit]

JoystiqCOD4 seemingly complete, Infinity Ward focused on future originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-4call-of-duty-6cod4cod4-dlccod6dlcinfinity-wardmodern-warfarePCPS3Xbox-360Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New COD4 playlists axed, no more DLC likely]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/new-cod4-playlists-axed-no-more-dlc-likely/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/new-cod4-playlists-axed-no-more-dlc-likely/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/new-cod4-playlists-axed-no-more-dlc-likely/#commentsFiled under:


We hope you like Call of Duty 4 just the way it is -- or have moved on to COD: World at War -- because it sounds like it's going to stay that way. Popping into the Xbox.com forums, Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling (known to gamers as fourzerotwo) responded to comments regarding new playlists for COD4 as well as any upcoming DLC. Unfortunately, Bowling announced that the much talked about playlists "never came to fruition." We're not sure when they were shelved, though they had been mentioned by Bowling as recently as September.

On the discussion of DLC, Bowling stated that it was Infinity Ward's goal to ship as many maps on the Call of Duty 4 disc as possible. Bowling stated that the challenge developers face is balancing the number of maps included with a game and the steady release of DLC later. Said Bowling, "If you include [maps] out of box (shipped with game for no extra cost) then it's just ignored and people demand more. If you instead, decide to get the game out and then worry about beefing up the map selection via DLC, people say 'don't nickle and dime me' or 'this should have been included in the shipped game.'"

Bowling then said that Infinity Ward is focusing on expanding its development team to better handle post-launch support for its games while still maintaining enough staff to work on future projects. The upshot of all this: don't expect any more DLC for Call of Duty 4, but expect better post-launch support on Infinity Ward's next project. Whatever that is.

[Via Gamer Limit]

JoystiqNew COD4 playlists axed, no more DLC likely originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-4infinity-wardFri, 12 Dec 2008 15:15:00 EST