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[PSN throws down some Ultimate Editions, slaps a sale on them]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/psn-throws-down-some-ultimate-editions-slaps-a-sale-on-them/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/psn-throws-down-some-ultimate-editions-slaps-a-sale-on-them/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/psn-throws-down-some-ultimate-editions-slaps-a-sale-on-them/#comments ImageThe PlayStation Network Ultimate Editions bundle games with all their existing DLC packs, and nine of these titles will be on sale today, May 29, through June 4. The Ultimate Editions are 30 percent off for normal PSN users, and 50 percent off for Plus members.

Titles on sale, bundled and ready to roll, include Red Dead Redemption for $28 ($20 for Plus members), L.A. Noire and BioShock 2 for the same price, Mortal Kombat for $35 ($25 for Plus members) and Black Ops for $66 ($48 for Plus members). Check out the Ultimate sale list on the PlayStation Blog.

JoystiqPSN throws down some Ultimate Editions, slaps a sale on them originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Call-of-Duty-Black-Opsplaystationplaystation-plusps-plusps3PSNsaleUltimate-EditionTue, 29 May 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Activision doesn't blacklist journalists,' working on resolution with Gameblog]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/19/activision-doesnt-blacklist-journalists-working-on-resolutio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/19/activision-doesnt-blacklist-journalists-working-on-resolutio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/19/activision-doesnt-blacklist-journalists-working-on-resolutio/#comments Earlier this week, France's Gameblog posted a screenshot of Amazon France's premature listing for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, a story that we and other gaming sites picked up immediately. We later found further support for the claim in a Treyarch employee's resume.

A new Call of Duty title -- or a second Black Ops -- wasn't particularly surprising, but apparently Activision wanted to keep the news quiet, and it called the site to take down the story, Gameblog wrote in a follow-up post. Gameblog said the reporter refused and that Activision took a strangely extreme route, "blacklisting" the site, uninviting it from events, declining to send it any more review titles and removing all advertisement.

Activision has now publicly responded to Gameblog's claim: "Activision doesn't blacklist journalists. We believe this was a misunderstanding and are working towards a resolution." That sounds like a more reasonable response than the all-out journalistic warfare Gameblog reported; then again, this is all about a Call of Duty title, so maybe "warfare" was the angle they were comfortable with at first.

Joystiq'Activision doesn't blacklist journalists,' working on resolution with Gameblog originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionblack-ops-2blacklistblacklistedblacklistingCall-of-Duty-Black-OpsCall-of-Duty-Black-Ops-2GameblogGameblog.frmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxSun, 19 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 3 holiday numbers indicate franchise sales decline in UK]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/modern-warfare-3-holiday-numbers-indicate-franchise-sales-declin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/modern-warfare-3-holiday-numbers-indicate-franchise-sales-declin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/modern-warfare-3-holiday-numbers-indicate-franchise-sales-declin/#comments While the Call of Duty franchise has enjoyed year-over-year growth in terms of worldwide sales, numbers released this week for the UK tell a different story for that particular region. According to the UK's Entertainment Retailers Association, Modern Warfare 3 moved 2,814,298 units between launch on November 8 and December 31, 2011, while Call of Duty's 2010 entry, Black Ops, sold 3,266,298 across the same holiday sales period in the previous year.

That's a decline of 452,000 units from Treyarch-developed Black Ops in 2010 to Infinity Ward/Sledgehammer Games-developed Modern Warfare 3 in 2011, though the latter was the fastest entertainment property in history to reach $1 billion in sales. As MCV points out, FIFA sales were also in decline in the UK, with nearly 200K fewer copies sold during 2011 than in 2010. All that said, let's not lose any sleep over the declines -- both CoD and FIFA's 2011 entries sold in the many millions in just the UK, let alone worldwide.

JoystiqModern Warfare 3 holiday numbers indicate franchise sales decline in UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-black-opscall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3fifafifa-11fifa-12infinity-wardmicrosoftmodern-warfare-3pcplaystationps3salessledgehammer-gamestreyarchukunited-kingdomxboxThu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Activision scoops up blackops2.com]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/report-activision-scoops-up-blackops2-com/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/report-activision-scoops-up-blackops2-com/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/report-activision-scoops-up-blackops2-com/#comments Activision, by proxy, has bought BlackOps2.com. Fusible did the detective work on this, which posits Activision bought up Black Ops domains last year -- up to Black Ops 6 -- through brand protection company MarkMonitor. Black Ops 2 domains were missing from the previous list, but it appears that's being rectified.

Now, none of this guarantees that Black Ops 2 is on the way as this year's Call of Duty, but it does mean that MarkMonitor is under orders to protect the brand for the future.

Call of Duty: Black Ops had a record-breaking debut of $650 million in sales during its first week at retail in 2010, which it held for one year until Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 crushed that with $775 million.

JoystiqReport: Activision scoops up blackops2.com originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-Duty-Black-OpsCall-of-Duty-Black-Ops-2microsoftnintendoplaystationps3TreyarchwiixboxMon, 09 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Ops most popular game on XBL in 2011, Pinball FX2 tops Arcade]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/black-ops-most-popular-game-on-xbl-in-2011-pinball-fx2-tops-arc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/black-ops-most-popular-game-on-xbl-in-2011-pinball-fx2-tops-arc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/black-ops-most-popular-game-on-xbl-in-2011-pinball-fx2-tops-arc/#comments You're not going to believe what the most popular games on Xbox Live were in 2011. OK, maybe you'll believe it. According to Microsoft's count of worldwide unique users for the year, Call of Duty: Black Ops topped the list of retail titles, followed by Modern Warfares 3 and 2, Halo Reach, and Battlefield 3.

On the Arcade side, the top seller was Pinball FX 2, followed by Full House Poker, Castle Crashers (which came out in 2008), Fruit Ninja Kinect, and From Dust. Beyond Good & Evil HD hit #20 on the list, which seems good, but too close for comfort, for those of us hoping it would be a strong indicator of interest in the sequel.

You can find full top twenty lists for retail, arcade, and XBLIG, along with Games for Windows Live and Windows Phone (Surprise! Angry Birds!) at Major Nelson's blog.

JoystiqBlack Ops most popular game on XBL in 2011, Pinball FX2 tops Arcade originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-black-opsmicrosoftpinball-fx2salesxblaxboxxbox-liveSat, 07 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gary Oldman spits out a few Reznov lines on Conan, in a bowtie]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/gary-oldman-spits-out-a-few-reznov-lines-on-conan-in-a-bowtie/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/gary-oldman-spits-out-a-few-reznov-lines-on-conan-in-a-bowtie/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/gary-oldman-spits-out-a-few-reznov-lines-on-conan-in-a-bowtie/#comments

Gary Oldman is a respected actor with decades of awards and critically acclaimed roles on his resume -- but we don't care about all that. Oldman was the voice of Viktor Reznov in Call of Duty: Black Ops, and he told Conan O'Brien all about that magical, extremely loud experience.

JoystiqGary Oldman spits out a few Reznov lines on Conan, in a bowtie originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Call-of-Duty-Black-Opsconan-o-briendsgary-oldmanmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3Viktor-ReznovwiixboxThu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Zeitgeist puts Battlefield 3 in top ten rising searches, Black Ops tops gaming chart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/17/google-zeitgeist-puts-battlefield-3-in-top-ten-rising-searches/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/17/google-zeitgeist-puts-battlefield-3-in-top-ten-rising-searches/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/17/google-zeitgeist-puts-battlefield-3-in-top-ten-rising-searches/#comments Google published its annual "Zeitgeist" report of the most popular searches and topics in 2011 this past week and for the first time ever, a game was included in the top ten fastest rising search terms of the year. Yes, as you've probably already guessed, it was "Gem Keeper." Wait, no, it was "Battlefield 3." EA's big shooter stirred up some interest, apparently, landing it right in between "Casey Anthony" and the "iPhone 5" in biggest gains in search popularity of the year.

When it comes to video games in North America, however, there's another title on top of the heap: "Black Ops" was the most searched-for term in the category, with "Call of Duty" coming soon after that. "Battlefield 3" didn't even make the list in the category numbers, so its overall search volume was actually lower than the Activision series. Don't count "Halo Reach" or "Super Mario" out either -- they show up at the third and fourth spots on the list in the gaming category.

And Google even shows us what 2011 searchers are most interested to play next year: "Diablo 3" and "Mass Effect 3" sit at the bottom of the list already for the most searched-for terms in gaming.

JoystiqGoogle Zeitgeist puts Battlefield 3 in top ten rising searches, Black Ops tops gaming chart originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbattlefield-3black-opscall-of-dutycall-of-duty-black-opseagooglegoogle-zeitgeistgoogle-zeitgeist-2011microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxSat, 17 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops dominate last week's Xbox Live activity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/modern-warfare-3-black-ops-dominate-last-weeks-xbox-live-activ/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/modern-warfare-3-black-ops-dominate-last-weeks-xbox-live-activ/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/modern-warfare-3-black-ops-dominate-last-weeks-xbox-live-activ/#comments We had a hunch -- okay, it was less a hunch and more an obvious thing to think, but here we are: Modern Warfare 3 has dominated Xbox Live activity on the week of November 21. When not chowing down on turkey and karate-chopping fools at Walmart over waffle makers, it seems most Xbox 360 players answered the call.

The second most-played game for the week was another Call of Duty game: Black Ops. It bested Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12, which took the remainder of the top five games played respectively. On the XBLA side, Pinball FX2, Super Meat Boy and Marvel vs Capcom 2 took top honors, thanks to Microsoft's "Fan Appreciation" sale.

JoystiqModern Warfare 3, Black Ops dominate last week's Xbox Live activity originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-black-opscall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3major-nelsonmicrosoftmodern-warfare-3xblaxblmxboxXbox-Livexbox-live-arcadeFri, 02 Dec 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops has moved 20 million map packs to date]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/call-of-duty-black-ops-has-moved-20-million-map-packs-to-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/call-of-duty-black-ops-has-moved-20-million-map-packs-to-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/call-of-duty-black-ops-has-moved-20-million-map-packs-to-date/#comments Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold 20 million map packs to date. Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg noted the latest figure during yesterday's conference call, where the publisher announced strong revenues for the quarter.

"For the first nine months of the year, Black Ops has remained the number one title in the U.S. and Europe, generating more revenue than any new major console release," Hirshberg stated. "The revenues generated from map packs alone would make it the third largest console title of the year."

Black Ops received four map packs after launch, which Hirshberg said, "Further demonstrates that there is continued consumer interest in the content even 11 months after the launch, making playing Call of Duty truly a year-round activity for millions of our fans."

Activision announced 18 million Black Ops map packs were sold back in September, before the final sales push of the Rezurrection pack completed.

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops has moved 20 million map packs to date originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-BlizzardCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3TreyarchxboxWed, 09 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft reveals 15M copies sold of Black Ops (that's right)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/ubisoft-reveals-15m-copies-sold-of-black-ops-thats-right/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/ubisoft-reveals-15m-copies-sold-of-black-ops-thats-right/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/ubisoft-reveals-15m-copies-sold-of-black-ops-thats-right/#comments On this Call of Duty day, we look back at the success of Black Ops, a game so outrageously popular that its sales figures show up in other companies' earnings reports. Really!

In an investor presentation today, Ubisoft posted the top ten games in the US from January of 2010 through September of 2011, according to NPD data. And that's how we learned that Call of Duty: Black Ops sold 14,983,459 units in the US through September.

Of course, the point Ubisoft was trying to make was that Just Dance 2 was the second-best selling game in the US (at 5,245,480 copies), but we found that the second-most interesting number on the list.

JoystiqUbisoft reveals 15M copies sold of Black Ops (that's right) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdsmicrosoftnintendonpdplaystationps3salesubisoftwiixboxTue, 08 Nov 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guy chokes a kid after being made fun of in Black Ops, we're ... upset]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/guy-chokes-a-kid-after-being-made-fun-of-in-black-ops-were/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/guy-chokes-a-kid-after-being-made-fun-of-in-black-ops-were/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/guy-chokes-a-kid-after-being-made-fun-of-in-black-ops-were/#comments We read in horror today the story of Mark Bradford, a 46-year-old, jobless father of three from Plymouth, Devon (UK). After being killed and then taunted by a 13-year-old opponent in Call of Duty: Black Ops, Bradford tracked down his teenage opponent (in real life) and proceeded to mercilessly choke him. The attack was luckily thwarted by the teen's mother and Bradford later admitted to one count of assault.

It's a grim story, and simply inexcusable. A grown man attacking a child like this turns our stomachs and should turn the stomach of any responsible, caring human. This is the end of our post on the matter, and it in no way continues after the break.

Continue reading Guy chokes a kid after being made fun of in Black Ops, we're ... upset

JoystiqGuy chokes a kid after being made fun of in Black Ops, we're ... upset originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Call-of-Duty-Black-Opsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxFri, 30 Sep 2011 11:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Ops: Rezurrection's Zombie Labs enter Phase 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/black-ops-rezurrections-zombie-labs-enter-phase-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/black-ops-rezurrections-zombie-labs-enter-phase-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/black-ops-rezurrections-zombie-labs-enter-phase-2/#comments First the scientists working in the Call of Duty: Black Ops: Rezurrection labs disgusted us with their blood lust. Now, they've gone so far with their undead re-deadening that they've actually turned us pro-zombie. Join us in our cause and avoid the DLC at all costs when it arrives on Sept. 22.

JoystiqBlack Ops: Rezurrection's Zombie Labs enter Phase 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3TreyarchxboxMon, 19 Sep 2011 23:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops' Rezurrection DLC hitting PC and PS3 next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/call-of-duty-black-ops-rezurrection-dlc-hitting-pc-and-ps3-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/call-of-duty-black-ops-rezurrection-dlc-hitting-pc-and-ps3-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/call-of-duty-black-ops-rezurrection-dlc-hitting-pc-and-ps3-nex/#comments PS3 and PC gamers have shamefully allowed the undead to bounce across the surface of our lunar satellite for far too long -- next Thursday, their extraterrestrial galavanting must come to an end. Activision has announced that the Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection DLC pack, which adds five Zombie maps to the game (including the entirely ridiculous Moon stage), will arrive on PC and PS3 Thursday, September 22.

You'll be able to grab the pack and its constituent Zombie-slaying grounds for $14.99. Activision's also distributing double experience during the immediately following weekend, September 23 - 25, on the off chance that you haven't Prestiged like, a billion times by now.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops' Rezurrection DLC hitting PC and PS3 next week

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops' Rezurrection DLC hitting PC and PS3 next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcpcplaystationps3release-datetreyarchMon, 12 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Treyarch reveals the behind-the-scenes story of Call of Duty: Black Ops]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/treyarch-reveals-the-behind-the-scenes-story-of-call-of-duty-bl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/treyarch-reveals-the-behind-the-scenes-story-of-call-of-duty-bl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/treyarch-reveals-the-behind-the-scenes-story-of-call-of-duty-bl/#comments Treyarch's Phil Tasker, Alex Conserva, Dan Bunting, and "Lvl 1 N00b" David Vonderhaar (in costume, with a cardboard nameplate above his head and a full-sized Trollface mask) took the stage at Call of Duty XP this weekend to do a behind-the-scenes talk on Call of Duty: Black Ops' multiplayer game, showing off some work-in-progress and unreleased maps, and answering players' questions about the game. Their well-scripted talk was interesting, though perhaps because most of the show is about the next game in the Call of Duty series, they didn't end up going too in-depth on production secrets.

They did, however, explain a little bit about the way multiplayer maps were created for the game. Initially, the developers just sit down with pen and paper to design the map and the flow, and then the map goes through a series of playtesting stages, starting out with temporary art and textures, and then moving on to more tweaks and details as time goes on. The "Summit" map was shown off throughout this process -- it started off as just two buildings on a rooftop, with an open path between them, but over time, the developers tried to open the map up a little more, and really show off to players that they were on a high mountaintop.

Continue reading Treyarch reveals the behind-the-scenes story of Call of Duty: Black Ops

JoystiqTreyarch reveals the behind-the-scenes story of Call of Duty: Black Ops originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionalex-contrerascall-of-dutyCall-of-Duty-Black-Opscall-of-duty-xpdan-buntingdavid-vonderhaardesignmicrosoftpcphil-taskerplaystationps3treyarchxboxSun, 04 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision digital revenue up to $1.7 billion]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/activision-digital-revenue-up-to-1-7-billion/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/activision-digital-revenue-up-to-1-7-billion/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/activision-digital-revenue-up-to-1-7-billion/#comments Just 15 years ago, if you could make a few bucks selling homemade charm bracelets through Prodigy, you were in the vanguard of digital revenue. These days, while the model's still the same, the scale is just a bit different. Take Activision for instance: The company announced during its Analyst Day presentation that it made $1.7 billion in digital revenue over the last 12 months. We're not sure what that works out to in charm bracelets, but it's a lot.

Though World of Warcraft has always done huge digital business, the company has gotten a big boost this year from Call of Duty: Black Ops and its hugely popular DLC. As you can see in the chart above, this year's earnings are a big jump from 2010 and 2009, which respectively brought in $1.4 and $1.2 billion digital dollars.

Note: When Diablo 3 launches, Blizzard will be taking undetermined fees off the top of player-to-player items sales. So look out for the 2012 Analyst Day when Activision will have to use at least some of the digi-revenue to buy a taller chart.

JoystiqActivision digital revenue up to $1.7 billion originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-Blizzardanalyst-dayblizzardCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdigital-distributiondigital-revenueearningsThu, 01 Sep 2011 13:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Ops sold over 23 million units, over 18 million map packs in first nine months]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/black-ops-sold-over-23-million-units-and-over-18-million-map-pac/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/black-ops-sold-over-23-million-units-and-over-18-million-map-pac/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/black-ops-sold-over-23-million-units-and-over-18-million-map-pac/#comments There are quite a few folks with either an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops. Just over 23 million, in fact, as of numbers tallied following the first nine months of sales by its publisher. Activision revealed as much during an analyst call this afternoon, showing continued sales growth for the Call of Duty franchise versus install base numbers for the two HD consoles combined.

If that weren't enough, it looks like a huge chunk of those who purchased BlOps were interested in adding to their multiplayer map variety. Activision's numbers show the latest CoD entry as having moved over 18 million map packs since launch (which, priced at $15 a pop, works out to 270 million dollars in gross earnings), 7 million more than MW2 and 9 million more than WaW.

Though the company isn't projecting any map sales yet for the next installment in the CoD franchise, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said on the call, "There's plenty of runway this year, with 20 percent-plus expected growth in the HD console install base alone," referring to the company's expected sales of Modern Warfare 3 this holiday and beyond.

JoystiqBlack Ops sold over 23 million units, over 18 million map packs in first nine months originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-black-opscall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3eric-hirshbergmicrosoftmodern-warfare-3playstationps3salesxboxThu, 01 Sep 2011 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch Major League Gaming's Raleigh Championship Sunday, live on Joystiq!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/watch-major-league-gamings-raleigh-championship-sunday-live-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/watch-major-league-gamings-raleigh-championship-sunday-live-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/watch-major-league-gamings-raleigh-championship-sunday-live-on/#comments
Smell that? That gentle, wafting scent in the breeze? That unique blend of concession-stand popcorn, USB and pwn? It's a specific, enticing fragrance that can only mean one thing: It's time for Major League Gaming finals, and you can watch it all live on Joystiq!

All day today, teams from around the globe will be competing for thousands of dollars in prizes across 4 games: Starcraft 2, Halo: Reach, Black Ops, and making its MLG debut, League of Legends. It's an exciting day for pro-gaming, so strap on your beer hat and big foam finger and head on through for the day's full schedule.

Continue reading Watch Major League Gaming's Raleigh Championship Sunday, live on Joystiq!

JoystiqWatch Major League Gaming's Raleigh Championship Sunday, live on Joystiq! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionblack-opsBlizzardBungiecall-of-duty-black-opshalo-reachleague-of-legendslivemajor-league-gamingmicrosoftMLGpcplaystationps3riot-gamesstarcraft-2Starcraft-2-Wings-of-LibertyxboxSun, 28 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection video takes you to the labs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/call-of-duty-black-ops-rezurrection-video-takes-you-to-the-labs/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/call-of-duty-black-ops-rezurrection-video-takes-you-to-the-labs/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/call-of-duty-black-ops-rezurrection-video-takes-you-to-the-labs/#comments We've accepted that killing zombies is a natural part of the human experience, typically falling somewhere between adulthood and our sunset years. If we don't kill the zombies, they overrun the breathers and humanity goes kaputski. We may not like it, but we get it.

That said, is it really necessarily for Call of Duty: Black Ops to, frankly, glorify zombicide? Just watch this new trailer for the upcoming Rezurrection DLC for a disturbing look at a developer that wants not only to kill zombies, but to have fun doing it.

First you make us misspell "resurrection" and now this? You guys really are sociopaths.

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection video takes you to the labs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-black-opsdlcmicrosoftpcplaystationps3rezurrectiontreyarchxboxzombiesThu, 18 Aug 2011 12:59:00 EST<![CDATA[COD Black Ops Rezurrection video goes straight to the Moon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/cod-black-ops-rezurrection-video-goes-straight-to-the-moon/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/cod-black-ops-rezurrection-video-goes-straight-to-the-moon/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/cod-black-ops-rezurrection-video-goes-straight-to-the-moon/#comments
Activision sent out new footage of the Call of Duty: Black Ops "Rezurrection" DLC, including your first look at the "Moon" level, which features space-suited soldiers blasting zombies in low gravity. A warning: it's only a few seconds until you see a zombie depressurize, puff up and explode. Grody.

Continue reading COD Black Ops Rezurrection video goes straight to the Moon

JoystiqCOD Black Ops Rezurrection video goes straight to the Moon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcmicrosoftpcplaystationps3rezurrectiontreyarchxboxzombiesThu, 11 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Norwegian shops pull Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and other games after tragedy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/norwegian-shops-pull-call-of-duty-world-of-warcraft-and-other/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/norwegian-shops-pull-call-of-duty-world-of-warcraft-and-other/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/norwegian-shops-pull-call-of-duty-world-of-warcraft-and-other/#comments Following the tragic attacks last month in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, several retailers have removed games cited by the attacker from their stores. "In light of Friday's horrific events, and out of respect for those affected, we have chosen to remove selected items from our range," a spokesperson for Coop Norway told Danish site Gamer's Globe. Local Norwegian paper Rogalands Avis reported that while the removals are "temporary," Coop Norway will "think twice" about restocking the games, adding, "Others are better qualified than us to point to the repercussions these games have." UK site Thinq also reports that Norwegian store Platekompaniet has removed "certain games" from sale.

The Coop-removed games include just about anything with the words "Call of Duty" in the title, including Black Ops, Modern Warfare 2, and World at War, along with other titles like Sniper: Ghost Warrior, Counter-Strike: Source, and World of Warcraft. This isn't a Coop-wide removal though; the chain in Denmark told Gamer's Globe that it hasn't removed any games and believed "that terrorism has been guided by motives other than computer game universes."

Brevik's 1500+ page manifesto references many of the above games, notably calling Modern Warfare 2 part of his "training-simulation."
[image credit: Flickr user potomo]

JoystiqNorwegian shops pull Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and other games after tragedy originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Anders-Behring-BreivikCall-of-Duty-Black-OpsmicrosoftNorwaypcplaystationps3xboxThu, 04 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold 25M, Modern Warfare 2 at 22M]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/call-of-duty-black-ops-has-sold-25m-modern-warfare-2-at-22m/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/call-of-duty-black-ops-has-sold-25m-modern-warfare-2-at-22m/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/call-of-duty-black-ops-has-sold-25m-modern-warfare-2-at-22m/#comments While gaming still looks for its Citizen Kane, it has already found its McDonalds: Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said on an earnings call today that the last two entries in the Call of Duty series, Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops, have sold 22 and 25 million units respectively.

The numbers may look impressive on the outside, but they don't answer the big question. Namely: What's the K/D spread?

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops has sold 25M, Modern Warfare 2 at 22M originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Dutycall-of-duty-black-opsinfinity-wardmicrosoftpcplaystationps3salesTreyarchxboxWed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Rezurrection' DLC on 360 August 23 [update: detailed]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/call-of-duty-black-ops-resurrection-dlc-coming-this-quarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/call-of-duty-black-ops-resurrection-dlc-coming-this-quarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/call-of-duty-black-ops-resurrection-dlc-coming-this-quarter/#comments First Strike, Escalation, Annihilation, and now Resurrection. The latest Activision earnings release names the new Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC, and provides a release window of sometime this fiscal quarter (which means July through September). It would be ironically poorly timed, but great for promotional purposes, if the DLC were to hit (on Xbox 360 first, as per exclusivity agreements) during the September 2-3 Call of Duty XP event.

Hey, the first initials of each of those spell out "FEAR"! Or "FSEAR," but ... no, we're going with "FEAR."

Update: Activision detailed the DLC in a press release. The bad news: it's actually called "Rezurrection." The good news: it's launching August 23 on Xbox Live, and includes three "re-mastered levels of Zombie lore: Nacht der Untoten, Verruckt, Shi No Numa and Der Riese, the Zombie factory that started it all," along with a brand new "Moon" level. It also includes an "enhanced Zombies Soundtrack" and a new Zombies Moon theme. Yes, by the way, this is really about fighting zombies on the moon.

The four "remastered" maps were previously included with the Hardened and Prestige releases -- if you already have one of those, the rest of this content will be free. Otherwise, it's the standard 1200 MS Points/$15. It'll be easy to acquire, too, according to One of Swords: " the short version is you'll be able to go into your Download History and re-download the classic pack you already own, and the fresh download will include the new Moon map. And you'll also get the soundtrack and theme, too."

Gallery: Call of Duty: Black Ops (Rezurrection)

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 'Rezurrection' DLC on 360 August 23 [update: detailed] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Call-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcmicrosoftpcplaystationps3resurrectionxboxWed, 03 Aug 2011 16:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live experiencing service outages, including Black Ops and Reach]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/xbox-live-experiencing-service-outages-including-black-ops-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/xbox-live-experiencing-service-outages-including-black-ops-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/xbox-live-experiencing-service-outages-including-black-ops-and/#comments If you've been having issues doing stuff on Xbox Live, you're not alone. Well, you are alone, because you can't connect to your online friends, but other people are having problems too.

Since last night, Xbox Live has been having various service outages, reported on its status page. Last night, it was Netflix; today, the site reports issues with creating, managing, and recovering accounts, and with creating, maintaining, or joining matches in Call of Duty: Black Ops and Halo Reach.

We're checking with Microsoft to determine the cause of these outages, and if possible the expected duration. Did the pizza guy trip over a cord, or was it something more serious? Like, maybe some pizza also got into one of the server's vents.

[Thanks, Vlad.]

JoystiqXbox Live experiencing service outages, including Black Ops and Reach originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-black-opshalo-reachmicrosoftoutagexboxxbox-liveWed, 03 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch Major League Gaming's Anaheim Championship Sunday live, right here on Joystiq]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/31/watch-major-league-gamings-anaheim-championship-sunday-live-ri/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/31/watch-major-league-gamings-anaheim-championship-sunday-live-ri/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/31/watch-major-league-gamings-anaheim-championship-sunday-live-ri/#comments
Strap on your beer-hats and huge foam fingers, e-sports fans, because Major League Gaming's Anaheim Championship Sunday is under way, and you can catch all the fragging, pylon-constructing action right here on Joystiq. Championship matches for Starcraft 2, Halo: Reach, and Call of Duty: Black Ops will take place all day long on 4 different streams, so make sure you've got enough overpriced concession-stand munchies to last you a while.

Head on through for the day's full schedule, and be sure to let us know how you feel about competitive gaming coverage on Joystiq, either in the comments or in the poll. This sort of post is a new jam for us, and if you like it, we'll do more!

Continue reading Watch Major League Gaming's Anaheim Championship Sunday live, right here on Joystiq

JoystiqWatch Major League Gaming's Anaheim Championship Sunday live, right here on Joystiq originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anaheimcall-of-dutycall-of-duty-black-opschampionship-sundaycompetitive-gaminghalohalo-reachlive-streamlive-streamingmajor-league-gamingmicrosoftMLGpcplaystationpro-gamingps3starcraft-2Starcraft-2-Wings-of-LibertyxboxSun, 31 Jul 2011 16:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Zumba Fitness spends fifth week atop UK charts, Harry Potter fizzles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/zumba-fitness-spends-fifth-week-atop-uk-charts-harry-potter-fiz/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/zumba-fitness-spends-fifth-week-atop-uk-charts-harry-potter-fiz/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/zumba-fitness-spends-fifth-week-atop-uk-charts-harry-potter-fiz/#comments
The unstoppable Zumba Fitness won't let go of the spotlight, holding the top spot on Chart-Track's UK all-formats chart for a fifth week in a row. Despite a 24 percent drop in sales, the dance-ercise title celebrates its eighth time holding the crown since the Wii version launched in March.

Stupefy simulator Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiered in seventh place. Chart-Track notes it's the lowest sales performance ever for a Harry Potter game.

Thanks to "significant" price promotion, EA Sport Active 2 sales shot up 338 percent, sweatin' its way back into the top ten in eighth place. Check out the full UK top ten after the break.

Continue reading Zumba Fitness spends fifth week atop UK charts, Harry Potter fizzles

JoystiqZumba Fitness spends fifth week atop UK charts, Harry Potter fizzles originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-black-opschart-trackchart-track-weeklyDirt-3lego-pirates-of-the-caribbeanlego-pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-video-gamemicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3transformers-dark-of-the-moonwiixboxzumba-fitnessMon, 18 Jul 2011 09:48:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Call of Duty Elite beta invites rolling out]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/psa-call-of-duty-elite-beta-invites-rolling-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/psa-call-of-duty-elite-beta-invites-rolling-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/psa-call-of-duty-elite-beta-invites-rolling-out/#comments Listen up, recruits! If you signed up for Operation Call of Duty Elite Beta, keep an eye out for a dispatch from Activision HQ. The top brass has informed us that beta invites are beginning to be sent now. "The beta will be activated in phases for feature testing, with limited invitations rolling out in the coming weeks," the classified document reads.

These Call of Duty Elite beta invites only extend to Xbox 360 users playing Call of Duty: Black Ops right now, but will support all future franchise titles, starting with the launch of Modern Warfare 3 on November 8. The PS3 release of this beta was held back by the PSN outage, according to the FAQ. According to Activision, over 2.8 million have signed up for the beta, so if you have yet to receive your beta invite, exercise patience.

For more information on Call of Duty Elite, be sure to check out our preview of the service and interview with Activision's VP of Digital, Jamie Berger.

JoystiqPSA: Call of Duty Elite beta invites rolling out originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbetaCall-of-Duty-Black-Opscall-of-duty-elitecall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3eliteinfinity-wardmicrosoftmodern-warfare-3sledgehammer-gamestreyarchxboxFri, 15 Jul 2011 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Ops 'Annihilation' DLC blows up PC and PS3 on July 28]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/black-ops-annihilation-dlc-blows-up-pc-and-ps3-on-july-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/black-ops-annihilation-dlc-blows-up-pc-and-ps3-on-july-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/black-ops-annihilation-dlc-blows-up-pc-and-ps3-on-july-28/#comments C'mon PC and PS3 gamers, you're starting to depress us. You press your noses against the window as you watch 360 gamers enjoy the new four new multiplayer maps in the Call of Duty: Black Ops "Annihilation" DLC. You drool like Dickensian orphans at a Golden Corral as they raze hordes of the undead in the new zombie scenario, Shangri-La. You wonder aloud what it must feel like to be them and, frankly, we've seen enough. It's time to reclaim your dignity.

Thirteen days. That's all you have to wait. Less than two weeks and you'll finally be back on even footing with those jerks.

... What's that, pumpkin? No, we're sure they haven't "used up all the fun." Oh, that's adorable. No, you'll see. On July 28, if you've got your $15 in hand, there will still be plenty of fun waiting for you. We promise.

Continue reading Black Ops 'Annihilation' DLC blows up PC and PS3 on July 28

JoystiqBlack Ops 'Annihilation' DLC blows up PC and PS3 on July 28 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionannihilationCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcpcplaystationps3psnrelease-dateFri, 15 Jul 2011 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty XP invites Australia to start qualifying rounds for $1 million tourney]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/08/call-of-duty-xp-invites-australia-to-start-qualifying-rounds-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/08/call-of-duty-xp-invites-australia-to-start-qualifying-rounds-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/08/call-of-duty-xp-invites-australia-to-start-qualifying-rounds-for/#comments The Call of Duty XP Event is set to be the gala of the year for fans worldwide, with an international Black Ops tournament worth $1 million and the chance to play Modern Warfare 3's multiplayer two months early -- and Australia has snagged the first invitation.

Australia's qualifying rounds for the million-dollar Black Ops tournament will be on July 13 at Monash University, with 32 teams of four players. The brackets will comprise four rounds of Search and Destroy on Summit and Havana, with winners advancing and losers weeping silently into their AK-47s. Killstreaks will be turned off, friendly fire will be turned on and custom classes will be made with a selection of pre-determined weapons, as listed on Level3.

The Call of Duty XP Event will run September 2-3 in Los Angeles, and more international qualifying rounds are expected to be announced soon.

JoystiqCall of Duty XP invites Australia to start qualifying rounds for $1 million tourney originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1-millionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opscall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3call-of-duty-xp-2011microsoftmodern-warfare-3pcplaystationps3xboxFri, 08 Jul 2011 20:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops sets UK sales record with 3.72 million copies sold]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/call-of-duty-black-ops-sets-uk-sales-record-with-3-72-million-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/call-of-duty-black-ops-sets-uk-sales-record-with-3-72-million-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/call-of-duty-black-ops-sets-uk-sales-record-with-3-72-million-c/#comments According to UK sales snoops Chart-Track, Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold more copies than any other game in the region. That's, like, in all of history. As of June 25, Black Ops managed to move 3,722,411 copies, besting the previous top place holder, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which set a record with 3,702,410 copies sold.

And if we were a betting blog, we'd say that 3.72 million figure will only increase. With today's release of Annihilation, the latest map pack for the game, we're going way out on a limb here and suggest there's still some blood left to be squeezed from that stone.

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops sets UK sales record with 3.72 million copies sold originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3sales-recordtreyarchukxboxTue, 28 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Ops 'Annihilation' trailer tours the latest zombie stomping grounds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/black-ops-annihilation-trailer-tours-the-latest-zombie-stompin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/black-ops-annihilation-trailer-tours-the-latest-zombie-stompin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/black-ops-annihilation-trailer-tours-the-latest-zombie-stompin/#comments No, Activision -- stop it! We're all for the new zombies map coming in the next Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack, Annihilation, but we never, ever want to associate the joytime feelings we get from "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" with the feelings of desperation and panic in Black Ops' co-op survival mode. It's just two things that we never want to mix together, kinda like baby sea otters and Hellraiser.

Gallery: Call of Duty: Black Ops - Annihilation (Zombies)

Continue reading Black Ops 'Annihilation' trailer tours the latest zombie stomping grounds

JoystiqBlack Ops 'Annihilation' trailer tours the latest zombie stomping grounds originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annihilationannihilation-map-packCall-of-Duty-Black-OpsDLCmicrosoftpcplaystationps3treyarchxboxMon, 27 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Annihilation' trailer hits those familiar notes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-trailer-hits-those-famili/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-trailer-hits-those-famili/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-trailer-hits-those-famili/#comments That one hamburger-stand guy? "Gimme Shelter?" Fifteen dollars floating out of your wallet in anticipation? Yes, it's that time again: Activision posted a new Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC trailer, this one for the "Annihilation" map pack.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Annihilation' trailer hits those familiar notes

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 'Annihilation' trailer hits those familiar notes originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionannihilationCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcmicrosoftpcplaystationps3treyarchxboxWed, 22 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Limited Edition with DLC' listed on GameStop [update: it's official!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/call-of-duty-black-ops-limited-edition-with-dlc-listed-on-gam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/call-of-duty-black-ops-limited-edition-with-dlc-listed-on-gam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/call-of-duty-black-ops-limited-edition-with-dlc-listed-on-gam/#comments Headed to the store to buy Call of Duty: Black Ops right this second? Hang on. A listing spotted on GameStop.com suggests that, next week, you'll be able to buy a version bundled with DLC.

The listing is light on specifics, but the name is "Call of Duty: Black Ops Limited Edition with DLC." According to GameStop, it's set to come out June 28 on Xbox 360 and PS3, for the same $59.99 price that the normal edition commands.

We're checking with Activision to determine exactly which DLC is included and if this package will be sold at other retailers. (Oh, and whether or not it's real.)

[Thanks, BrownWing!]

Update: Activision confirmed to Joystiq that the "Limited Edition" version of Black Ops will be available at "all retailers" in North America on June 28. For $59.99, it will include the game and a token for the "First Strike" DLC.

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 'Limited Edition with DLC' listed on GameStop [update: it's official!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsgamestopmicrosoftplaystationps3special-editiontreyarchxboxTue, 21 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GameStop is 'exclusive' place to pre-order Black Ops Annihilation DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/gamestop-is-exclusive-place-to-pre-order-black-ops-annihilatio/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/gamestop-is-exclusive-place-to-pre-order-black-ops-annihilatio/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/gamestop-is-exclusive-place-to-pre-order-black-ops-annihilatio/#comments GameStop has announced that it will be the "exclusive" pre-order destination for the upcoming "Annihilation" DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops. Typically, this is where we would make fun of the concept of pre-ordering DLC. Just to outline the process again:
  • Visit GameStop store and pre-order DLC
  • Wait until release day
  • Receive download voucher from GameStop
  • Enter code and enjoy
Now, contrast this with purchasing the DLC on release day via Xbox Live:
  • Sit on couch
  • Press "A" button
We should point out that, unlike GameStop's Halo: Reach DLC promotion, an Annihilation pre-order doesn't even come with any bonuses. That said, GameStop sold a quarter-million vouchers for the Black Ops "Escalation" DLC, so what do we know?

Continue reading GameStop is 'exclusive' place to pre-order Black Ops Annihilation DLC

JoystiqGameStop is 'exclusive' place to pre-order Black Ops Annihilation DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionannihilationCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcgamestopmicrosoftxblmxboxxbox-livexbox-live-marketplaceFri, 17 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops' 'Annihilation' maps revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-maps-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-maps-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-maps-revealed/#comments We didn't spot any celebrities in the Call of Duty: Black Ops "Annihilation" DLC footage included in this dev diary. However, we did see lots of shots of all the new maps, including the Area 51-inspired "Hangar 18," the "Hazard" map based on World at War's "Cliffside" (and then made into a golf course), and the ancient ruins/zombie stronghold "Shangri-la."

You can either watch the video after the break and get excited about your upcoming $15 purchase, or just buy it on June 28 when it comes to Xbox Live. But let's be honest: either way, you're going to end up buying this Call of Duty map pack. Everyone will.

Gallery: Call of Duty: Black Ops (Annihilation DLC)

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops' 'Annihilation' maps revealed

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops' 'Annihilation' maps revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annihilationCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcmicrosoftpcplaystationps3treyarchxboxThu, 16 Jun 2011 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Annihilation' DLC coming to 360 June 28]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-dlc-coming-to-360-june-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-dlc-coming-to-360-june-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/16/call-of-duty-black-ops-annihilation-dlc-coming-to-360-june-28/#comments Activision has officially announced the third Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack, to the surprise of everyone who wasn't online yesterday. The "Annihilation" pack, out June 28 on Xbox 360, and a contractually appropriate time later on PC and PS3, adds four new multiplayer maps: Hangar 18, Drive-In, Silo, and Hazard, along with the requisite Zombies map, "Shangri-La."

Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia called "Shangri-La" an exotic and mysterious map filled with deadly traps, dark secrets and innovative gameplay that will challenge even the most daring Zombie hunters." It goes without saying that it's also filled with zombies.

To celebrate the release of this map, Treyarch will offer a double XP weekend starting July 1. Now all you have to do is free yourself from all personal and professional responsibilities.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Annihilation' DLC coming to 360 June 28

JoystiqCall of Duty: Black Ops 'Annihilation' DLC coming to 360 June 28 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionannihilationCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcmicrosoftq2-2011release-datetreyarchxboxThu, 16 Jun 2011 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Third Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC leaked via flyer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/rumor-third-call-of-duty-black-ops-dlc-leaked-via-flyer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/rumor-third-call-of-duty-black-ops-dlc-leaked-via-flyer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/rumor-third-call-of-duty-black-ops-dlc-leaked-via-flyer/#comments
Just about one week before Call of Duty: Black Ops' Escalation DLC was announced, the add-on was leaked by a promo flier from European retailer GAME. If the image recently posted to Xbox360Achievements is legit, the game's third map pack has suffered a similar fate. A purported Gamestop flyer shows off five of the next bundle's maps, a list which includes Hangar 18, Silo, Hazard, Drive-In and an unnamed Zombie mode map.

The only familiar name in the lineup is Silo, which was mentioned in a bit of code discovered in the latest Black Ops patch, released last month. If the flyer is real, and in the hands of Gamestop clerks across the country, we're sure to hear more about the pack soon. Until then, won't you join us in getting pumped by listening to "Hangar 18" on repeat?

Update: We've received a number of tips from Gamestop employees and shoppers with more purported details on the map pack. This YouTube video shows off what appears to be a number of in-store ads for the expansion, operating under the title "Annihilation." The flyers also show off a release date of June 28, 2011 -- meaning if they're real, we should know about it very soon. If you work at Gamestop and have seen these promo materials, please send in a tip!

JoystiqRumor: Third Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC leaked via flyer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsdlcleakmicrosoftpcplaystationps3treyarchxboxWed, 15 Jun 2011 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Call of Duty Elite invitation-only beta begins July 14]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/call-of-duty-elite-invitation-only-beta-begins-july-14/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/call-of-duty-elite-invitation-only-beta-begins-july-14/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/call-of-duty-elite-invitation-only-beta-begins-july-14/#comments Activision's stat-tracking and community service, Call of Duty Elite, has yet to receive a firm launch date, but this morning we learned that Elite will enter "invitation-only" beta starting on July 14. Though Elite won't be fully functioning until Modern Warfare 3 drops in November, the beta will launch first on last year's Call of Duty: Black Ops.

After opening the registration site last week, Activision says "over 1 million" Call of Duty fanatics have signed up for entry into the beta thus far. The company has yet to fully detail the differences between the paid version of Elite and the free one, but the beta announcement ambiguously notes it'll "give users a taste of the experience." Sounds ... elite?

Continue reading Call of Duty Elite invitation-only beta begins July 14

JoystiqCall of Duty Elite invitation-only beta begins July 14 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbeachheadbeachhead-studiosbetaCall-of-Duty-Black-Opscall-of-duty-eliteelitemacmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3q3-2011release-datexboxMon, 06 Jun 2011 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[COD: Black Ops 'Escalation' DLC bringing Hollywood's zombies to PS3 on June 10]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/03/cod-black-ops-escalation-dlc-bringing-hollywoods-zombies-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/03/cod-black-ops-escalation-dlc-bringing-hollywoods-zombies-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/03/cod-black-ops-escalation-dlc-bringing-hollywoods-zombies-to/#comments Afte arriving exclusively on the Xbox 360 back in May (per previous agreements) and on PC yesterday, Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC "Escalation" is now getting the PS3 treatment on June 10. Beyond the four regular mutliplayer maps it adds, the much loved "Call of the Dead" level -- starring a quartet of movie stars -- is also included.

Like the PC launch before it, when the DLC arrives on PlayStation 3 next week, it'll spark a double XP outbreak all weekend on PlayStation Network. No official pricing was given in the release date announcement, but we don't imagine it'll be magically less expensive than the $15 asking price on Xbox 360 and Steam.

Update: An Activision rep confirmed to us that the PS3 release will be "consistent with previous Escalation pack pricing."

Continue reading COD: Black Ops 'Escalation' DLC bringing Hollywood's zombies to PS3 on June 10

JoystiqCOD: Black Ops 'Escalation' DLC bringing Hollywood's zombies to PS3 on June 10 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opscall-of-the-deaddlcdownloadable-contentmultiplayerplaystationplaystation-networkplaystation-storeps3psnq3-2011release-datetreyarchzombiesFri, 03 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Escalation drops on Black Ops PC today; double XP and free Steam multiplayer weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/escalation-drops-on-black-ops-pc-today-double-xp-and-free-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/escalation-drops-on-black-ops-pc-today-double-xp-and-free-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/escalation-drops-on-black-ops-pc-today-double-xp-and-free-steam/#comments While some of us will be frantically packing and chewing our finger nails down to the bone in preparation for E3, many out there may just be looking to kick it. If that's the case and you're looking for something to do on that PC of yours, Steam's got a whole lot of Black Ops stuff going on.

First of all, the latest DLC pack, Escalation, is now available for download on Steam at $14.99 -- four multiplayer maps and the celebrity-filled Call of the Dead are included. On top of that, Steam is offering a free multiplayer weekend, meaning anybody can download the game and sample its multiplayer side absolutely free, from right now until June 5 at 1pm PT. This weekend, all XP earned in multiplayer will also be doubled.

Finally, if you've found Black Ops to be to your liking, you can decide to pick it up at a reduced price this weekend: $40.19, 33% off its normal asking price.

JoystiqEscalation drops on Black Ops PC today; double XP and free Steam multiplayer weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opscall-of-the-deaddlcescalationpcsteamtreyarchvalveThu, 02 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam discounts Tales of Monkey Island, Red Faction and Black Ops]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/steam-discounts-tales-of-monkey-island-red-faction-and-black-op/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/steam-discounts-tales-of-monkey-island-red-faction-and-black-op/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/steam-discounts-tales-of-monkey-island-red-faction-and-black-op/#comments Steam has an eclectic, temporary assortment of discounts available over the next few days, including a markdown on the Tales of Monkey Island series to $12, 75 percent off the first three Red Faction games and a 33 percent markdown (and free weekend!) for Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Continue reading Steam discounts Tales of Monkey Island, Red Faction and Black Ops

JoystiqSteam discounts Tales of Monkey Island, Red Faction and Black Ops originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-black-opsmacpcRed-Faction-GuerrillasteamTales-of-Monkey-IslandTellTale-GamesThu, 02 Jun 2011 16:40:00 EST