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[Lawsuit outs West and Zampella's salaries, bonuses at Infinity Ward: Projected $13M bonus in 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/lawsuit-outs-west-and-zampellas-salaries-bonuses-at-infinity-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/lawsuit-outs-west-and-zampellas-salaries-bonuses-at-infinity-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/lawsuit-outs-west-and-zampellas-salaries-bonuses-at-infinity-w/#comments ImageFormer Infinity Ward studio heads Jason West and Vince Zampella had projected salaries of $420,000 in 2009, with projected bonuses of more than $3 million each, emails between Activision bosses in 2009 show.

The spreadsheet lists the expected salaries of the top 20 Infinity Ward employees in 2009 and 2010. The 18 remaining employees -- the bulk including software engineers and game designers -- had projected salaries between $71,500 and $173,000. The seven employees under West and Zampella each expected a bonus of $603,000, while staffers seeing the lowest percentage of the bonus pool (1.5 percent) had a projected $278,000.

In 2010, the year Activision fired West and Zampella, they were each expected to earn $437,000, with projected bonuses of $13 million each. The rest of the top 20's projected salaries and bonuses rose accordingly, with salaries between $74,000 and $180,000, and bonuses ranging from $1.4 million to $2.5 million.

"If you recently worked on a hit FPS, read this and see how incredibly underpaid you are," ngmoco general manager Benjamin Cousins tweeted about the documents.

The emails were released into public record in the lawsuit between the Infinity Ward Employee Group and Activision; West and Zampella sued Activision in 2010 claiming they were owed $36 million in royalties associated with Modern Warfare 2, after Activision fired them earlier that year. West and Zampella now claim $1 billion in damages and the case is set for trial May 29.

JoystiqLawsuit outs West and Zampella's salaries, bonuses at Infinity Ward: Projected $13M bonus in 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 May 2012 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionbonusInfinity-Wardinfinity-ward-employee-grouplawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3salariessalaryxboxTue, 22 May 2012 19:55:00 EST<![CDATA[EA and Activision settle in Call of Duty lawsuit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/ea-and-activision-settle-in-call-of-duty-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/ea-and-activision-settle-in-call-of-duty-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/ea-and-activision-settle-in-call-of-duty-lawsuit/#comments ImageEA and Activision have reached a settlement in a lawsuit that began two years ago, pertaining to the departure of Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella. EA had been accused of secretly recruiting the pair while they were still at Activision.

No details about the settlement are currently available, but both companies said today that they will file a settlement agreement in Los Angeles' California state court.

Former Infinity Ward developers Jason West and Vince Zampella sued Activision in 2010 after being fired, claiming damages of $36 million from unpaid royalties associated with Modern Warfare 2, which launched in 2009. After leaving Activision, the pair began their own studio, Respawn Entertainment, and inked a publishing deal with EA. Since then, West and Zampella's claim rose to $1 billion and Activision countersued with EA as a defendant.

Activision recently paid out $42 million to the Infinity Ward Employee Group, though not as a settlement; IWEG said it would pursue litigation and is still scheduled for trial May 29.

The settlement news comes the same day as a report on Activision's "dirt"-digging tactics has surfaced, stating that Activision launched an information-gathering IT spree on West and Zampella just before the launch of Modern Warfare 2, intended to see them both fired. Activision called it "Project Icebreaker."

No joke.

In Project Icebreaker, Activision's George Rose asked the IT department to access West and Zampella's email, voicemail and computer without anyone's knowledge, a court filing given to Giantbomb by West and Zampella's attorneys shows. The orders reportedly came from Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. Activision attempted to use third-party security specialists and threw around the idea of staging a fake fumagation to get into West and Zampella's offices, the report says.

But now the case is settled -- any verdict on the level of sanity of gaming companies is, however, still out.

JoystiqEA and Activision settle in Call of Duty lawsuit originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionEAElectronic-ArtsInfinity-WardlawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3xboxWed, 16 May 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision pays $42 million to Infinity Ward Employee Group]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/activision-pays-42-million-to-infinity-ward-employee-group/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/activision-pays-42-million-to-infinity-ward-employee-group/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/activision-pays-42-million-to-infinity-ward-employee-group/#comments Activision has paid out $42 million to the "Infinity Ward Employee Group," which sued Activision in 2010 seeking profits from Modern Warfare 2. A source speaking to Polygon said that the payment was not a settlement; rather, Activision's discovery phase (for its own lawsuit against former Infinity Ward leads Jason West and Vince Zampella) found no evidence that the Employee Group members were complicit in the breach-of-contract issues for which Activision is suing, and so Bobby Kotick and Activision agreed to pay them.

That group sought $75 million to $125 million, plus punitive damages. IWEG attorney Bruce Isaacs told Polygon that "although it is a meaningful payment it is only a small portion of what we are seeking in litigation." And it is still going forward with said litigation. Isaacs said the payment was a "cynical attempt to look good before the jury trial."

JoystiqActivision pays $42 million to Infinity Ward Employee Group originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsinfinity-wardinfinity-ward-employee-grouplawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2nintendopcplaystationps3wiixboxTue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Witcher 2, Double Fine games, more in Steam Holiday Sale today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/20/witcher-2-double-fine-games-more-in-steam-holiday-sale-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/20/witcher-2-double-fine-games-more-in-steam-holiday-sale-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/20/witcher-2-double-fine-games-more-in-steam-holiday-sale-today/#comments Pace yourself! Steam's Holiday Sale is only in day two, and you can already get Costume Quest for $3.74 (or with Psychonauts for just $2 more!), Lego Batman for $5, The Witcher 2 for $24, The Witcher 1 for $2.49, and Modern Warfare 2 for $15.

You're definitely going to be broke after this year's sale but, on the upside, you'll be able to play a lot of games until your electricity is shut off and you're evicted.

JoystiqWitcher 2, Double Fine games, more in Steam Holiday Sale today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>costume-questdealmodern-warfare-2pcpsychonautssteamsteam-holiday-salesteam-holiday-sale-2011the-witcherthe-witcher-2valveTue, 20 Dec 2011 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward's day in court: May 7, 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/infinity-wards-day-in-court-may-7-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/infinity-wards-day-in-court-may-7-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/infinity-wards-day-in-court-may-7-2012/#comments Former Infinity Ward bossmen Jason West and Vincent Zampella have an official court date of May 7, 2012 to settle their dispute with Activision. West and Zampella seek $125 million in unpaid royalties from Modern Warfare 2 sales and wish to reclaim their contractual rights to the Modern Warfare brand. Activision fired both developers in March 2010 for illegally consorting with EA, and has counter-sued West, Zampella and EA for $400 million, claiming EA hijacked its employees.

Since The Firings, West and Zampella founded Respawn Entertainment and now have 40 former Infinity Ward employees working at the studio, which is creating an unannounced, blurry IP. Activision's suit is clear to proceed, but doesn't yet have a date -- considering how long this first case could drag on, we guess it'll go to court around January 2068.

JoystiqInfinity Ward's day in court: May 7, 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisiondsEAElectronic-ArtsJason-WestlawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2nintendopcplaystationps3Respawn-EntertainmenttrialVince-ZampellaxboxFri, 09 Sep 2011 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Filmmakers share the story behind Find Makarov and Operation Kingfish]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/03/filmmakers-share-the-story-behind-find-makarov-and-operation-kin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/03/filmmakers-share-the-story-behind-find-makarov-and-operation-kin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/03/filmmakers-share-the-story-behind-find-makarov-and-operation-kin/#comments
Among the festivities this weekend at Call of Duty XP in Los Angeles was the premiere of the second "Find Makarov" short film, subtitled "Operation Kingfish." In case you missed it on the live stream, you can watch the short above -- it's a segment set in between Call of Duty 4 and Modern Warfare 2, featuring part of the origin story for soldiers Soap and Price.

The filmmakers from digital agency We Can Pretend and visual effects company The Junction sat down with me here at the convention to chat about how Find Makarov originally came about, how Activision contributed to this Operation Kingfish followup, and what's next for these creatives and the Call of Duty brand on film.

Continue reading Filmmakers share the story behind Find Makarov and Operation Kingfish

JoystiqFilmmakers share the story behind Find Makarov and Operation Kingfish originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutycall-of-duty-xpcall-of-duty-xp-2011filmmakersfind-makarovModern-Warfare-2operation-kingfishthe-junctionvfxwe-can-pretendSat, 03 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward on MW2's convoluted story, and how plot is addressed in MW3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/infinity-wards-bowling-on-mw2s-convoluted-story-and-how-plot/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/infinity-wards-bowling-on-mw2s-convoluted-story-and-how-plot/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/infinity-wards-bowling-on-mw2s-convoluted-story-and-how-plot/#comments At a Modern Warfare 3 preview event this morning 50 floors above Central Park, Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling spoke with me about a variety of IW-related topics. Ranging from MW2's controversial "No Russian" level, to the importance of the Modern Warfare series' running plot threads in the eyes of both IW devs and gamers alike, Bowling took a proud and optimistic stance on the franchise's less-than-clear "Task Force 141" storyline.

"For the single-player campaign, especially for Modern Warfare 3 more than ever -- this is the payoff for the investment that people have put in since Call of Duty 4," Bowling began. Though he explained that IW has been "learning new ways to tell stories and learning new ways to deliver experiences" across the development of all three games, it's his belief that MW3 "is the payoff to all those lessons learned."

Speaking briefly to the flawed, often convoluted plot of Modern Warfare 2, Bowling admitted, "Every game we put out, we sit back and we look at 'What can we do better? What areas can we focus on to bump the experience up?' And story was one of those coming out of MW2." To him, as MW3 is the focal point for the series thus far -- especially in terms of plot -- the goal is to tell "one hell of a story." Specifically, "we want it to build up on the key themes that we started in MW2, but really polish that storytelling ability."

For me, that aim played out immediately in the single-player hands-off demo I was given. Less than five minutes in, two separate keys were required to launch missiles from a hijacked Russian submarine -- and two separate individuals turned those keys, more or less directly mocking the massively unbelievable nuke launch moment with Captain Price from Modern Warfare 2.

Continue reading Infinity Ward on MW2's convoluted story, and how plot is addressed in MW3

JoystiqInfinity Ward on MW2's convoluted story, and how plot is addressed in MW3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3infinity-wardmicrosoftmodern-warfare-2modern-warfare-3no-russianpcplaystationps3robert-bowlingxboxFri, 15 Jul 2011 17:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward suit against Activision going to trial]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/infinity-ward-suit-against-activision-going-to-trial/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/infinity-ward-suit-against-activision-going-to-trial/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/infinity-ward-suit-against-activision-going-to-trial/#comments After languishing in the legal system for over a year, the lawsuit filed against Activision by Infinity Ward founders Vincent Zampella and Jason West appears to be moving forward, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The publication reports that a Los Angeles judge has ruled that Zampella and West's claims against Activision have merit -- complaints of unpaid royalties among others -- meaning the suit should finally be going to court.

The news comes months after a judge allowed Activision's countersuit to move forward as well. Both sides of the suit are seeking significant damages. Appropriately enough, with both sides cleared to proceed, it looks like it's finally time for Activision and the former Call of Duty developers to go to war.

JoystiqInfinity Ward suit against Activision going to trial originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiondsinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2nintendopcplaystationps3vince-zampellawiixboxFri, 17 Jun 2011 17:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft treats kid hacker with kid gloves in wake of PSN debacle]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/microsoft-treats-kid-hacker-with-kid-gloves-in-wake-of-psn-debac/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/microsoft-treats-kid-hacker-with-kid-gloves-in-wake-of-psn-debac/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/microsoft-treats-kid-hacker-with-kid-gloves-in-wake-of-psn-debac/#comments Soon after Sony's aggressive pursuit of hacker George Hotz -- and potentially in an act of retaliation -- other hackers shut the whole PlayStation Network down and made off with millions of users' data.

Microsoft seems to have learned a valuable lesson from that ("don't incite hackers"). During a keynote presentation at the Bank of Ireland Business Week, MS's Ireland General Manager Paul Rellis revealed that the company is dealing with a 14-year-old who hacked Modern Warfare 2 not by suing him, but by working with him. According to the Herald, Rellis said that Microsoft was helping the youngster "use his skills for legitimate purposes."

It's a happy ending in this case, but we doubt this will work every time. If you get all up in big companies' systems, you're still a lot more likely to end up with police confiscating your computer than with a cool internship.

JoystiqMicrosoft treats kid hacker with kid gloves in wake of PSN debacle originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionhackerhackinginfinity-wardirelandmicrosoftmicrosoft-irelandModern-Warfare-2xboxSun, 29 May 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern War Gear Solid is totally coconuts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/modern-war-gear-solid-is-totally-coconuts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/modern-war-gear-solid-is-totally-coconuts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/modern-war-gear-solid-is-totally-coconuts/#comments The latest episode in long-running series Modern War Gear Solid has just been uploaded. It's kind of hard to describe the series: it's part homage, part irreverent mish-mash of gaming's most beloved franchises. Find all five episodes past the break.

Continue reading Modern War Gear Solid is totally coconuts

JoystiqModern War Gear Solid is totally coconuts originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 May 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>metal-gear-solidmicrosoftmodern-war-gear-solidModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3spoofxboxThu, 12 May 2011 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live status warns of phishing in Modern Warfare 2 messages]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/xbox-live-status-warns-of-phishing-in-modern-warfare-2-messages/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/xbox-live-status-warns-of-phishing-in-modern-warfare-2-messages/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/xbox-live-status-warns-of-phishing-in-modern-warfare-2-messages/#comments Don't look so smug, Xbox Live users. You may be able to play games online and download things, but the latest Xbox Live status serves as a reminder that no online service is totally safe from malefactors.

"Users may receive potential phishing attempts via title specific messaging while playing Modern Warfare 2," Microsoft warns. This should be more annoying than harmful, considering that every Modern Warfare 2 player has already had to learn to ignore messages from strangers out of self-preservation. Just be extra vigilant about ignoring people right now, because they might be trying to finagle your password or other personal info.

Microsoft says it's "working to resolve the issue."

JoystiqXbox Live status warns of phishing in Modern Warfare 2 messages originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionhackinginfinity-wardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2phishingxboxxbox-liveWed, 27 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pachter: West, Zampella have no chance of getting Modern Warfare rights]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/pachter-west-zampella-have-no-chance-of-getting-modern-warfare/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/pachter-west-zampella-have-no-chance-of-getting-modern-warfare/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/pachter-west-zampella-have-no-chance-of-getting-modern-warfare/#comments In addition to being the official economic soothsayer of the gaming industry, Michael Pachter knows a thing or two about legal affairs. Actually, he has a pair of law degrees, so odds are good that he knows more than two things. Regardless, he recently sounded off to IndustryGamers about former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella's chances of gaining ownership of the Modern Warfare brand form Activision through legal action. His opinion? They've got "no prayer."

Pachter suggested that any claim the two may have had on the brand was lost when their employment was terminated, saying, "They have never claimed that they 'own' the brand; instead, they claim that they were granted creative control over the brand under their employment agreement." Pachter added that a theoretical solution for West and Zampella would be to seek reemployment (yeah right) under a wrongful termination claim, though he noted, "That is simply not what West and Zampella are seeking here."

JoystiqPachter: West, Zampella have no chance of getting Modern Warfare rights originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyinfinity-wardjason-westlawsuitMichael-Pachtermodern-warfareModern-Warfare-2Vince-ZampellaTue, 05 Apr 2011 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Former Infinity Ward heads seek to void original contract with Activision]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/former-infinity-ward-heads-seek-to-void-original-contract-claim/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/former-infinity-ward-heads-seek-to-void-original-contract-claim/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/former-infinity-ward-heads-seek-to-void-original-contract-claim/#comments The complex and claim-ridden story of Activision and Infinity Ward won't get any legal clarification for some time still, but that doesn't stop former IW heads Jason West and Vince Zampella from trying to annul their original contract with Activision. According to a GameSpot report, an amended complaint filed by the duo late last week alleges that Activision began development of "Modern Warfare and Call of Duty games and related products" without the express consent of the two men, and seeks to void the original contract they signed with Activision -- a move that would put at least partial control over the Modern Warfare brand back in the hands of West and Zampella.

"Activision did not inform West or Zampella of such plans or seek their input or approval for them. Indeed, while breaching the creative authority provisions of the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding], Activision continued to pay lip-service to them, in an attempt to mask its secret development efforts," the updated complaint reads. Furthermore, the aforementioned MOU was allegedly signed by West and Zampella with pressure from Vivendi's merger with Activision weighing on it, which West and Zampella say helped them land an agreement (detailed by the MOU) that kept them in control of the Modern Warfare brand.

The MOU, however, contained one passage that the ex-IW heads "remained skeptical" of, where the agreement would only continue as long as the two remained employed at the company. It's claimed that Activision CEO Bobby Kotick responded to this concern by saying, "Don't worry about it. It's impossible for you guys to get fired."

JoystiqFormer Infinity Ward heads seek to void original contract with Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbobby-kotickinfinity-wardjason-westmemorandum-of-understandingModern-Warfare-2vince-zampellaMon, 04 Apr 2011 10:50:00 EST<![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[Modern Warfare 2 patch arrives March 8, 'to address hacking']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/modern-warfare-2-patch-arrives-march-8-to-address-hacking/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/modern-warfare-2-patch-arrives-march-8-to-address-hacking/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/modern-warfare-2-patch-arrives-march-8-to-address-hacking/#comments It appears that whatever Sony did to mitigate security issues in its most recent PlayStation 3 patch has enabled Infinity Ward to address its "unplayable" version of Modern Warfare 2. Creative strategist Robert Bowling announced on Twitter that a patch "will release on PlayStation 3 worldwide on March 8," with an Xbox 360 and PC release following at some point. The patch, Bowling said, is specifically intended "to address hacking."

Bowling detailed the process on the Infinty Ward forums, having updated his original post about the PS3 situation as new information was available from IW while staying intentionally light on details, "as we don't want to give out any information that could potentially hinder the security any further." He additionally noted that the patch "will also address a small geo exploit on the map Fuel, which players exploited in order to get inside a rock on the outskirts of the map." Apparently some players were ... rocking that exploit real hard.

[Thanks Tom M.]

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 patch arrives March 8, 'to address hacking' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackinginfinity-wardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2multiplayerpatchpcplaystationps3robert-bowlingsecuritysecurity-updatexboxMon, 07 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[FindMakarov.com teasing Toronto group's 'Call of Duty-inspired' project [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/findmakarov-com-teasing-toronto-groups-call-of-duty-inspired/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/findmakarov-com-teasing-toronto-groups-call-of-duty-inspired/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/findmakarov-com-teasing-toronto-groups-call-of-duty-inspired/#comments Some times, some crimes go slipping through the cracks, and when that happens there's one gumshoe we can count on to pick up the slack: Dean (Hon.) Geoff Keighley. The Spike TV personality says he's unearthed the source of the FindMakarov.com teaser site and it couldn't be further from a Modern Warfare 3 announcement as we and many others assumed.

Keighley says the countdown was created by We Can Pretend, a Toronto-based group that's supposedly working on a Call of Duty-inspired project of some sort. Keighley added "production sources who worked on the self-funded project call it visually spectacular."

We Can Pretend appears to be closely tied to VVO Media, the group that mailed out the mysterious dog tags that got this whole train rolling. On VVO's now-defunct portfolio page, it takes credit for marketing two We Can Pretend-created videos, "Doritos Tablet" and "Wateraid."

As Activision stated previously, the megapublisher doesn't appear to be involived, though we'll hopefully have all the details when the countdown ends on March 2.

Update: The creators of the project sent us a teaser image of the finished product, which we've posted after the jump. If we were the guessing type, we'd say it's a still from a short film. Or an advertisement for super, super untrustworthy riot shields.

Update 2: The project has been revealed.

[Thanks, Morey]

Continue reading FindMakarov.com teasing Toronto group's 'Call of Duty-inspired' project [update]

JoystiqFindMakarov.com teasing Toronto group's 'Call of Duty-inspired' project [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-dutyfind-makarovfindmakarov.commicrosoftmodern-warfare-2pcplaystationps3we-can-pretendxboxSun, 27 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AvP, Modern Warfare 2 on XBL Games on Demand, Bayonetta next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/15/avp-modern-warfare-2-on-xbl-games-on-demand-bayonetta-next-wee/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/15/avp-modern-warfare-2-on-xbl-games-on-demand-bayonetta-next-wee/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/15/avp-modern-warfare-2-on-xbl-games-on-demand-bayonetta-next-wee/#comments Let's just start this post by advising readers not to purchase Modern Warfare 2 via Xbox Live Games on Demand. The game was just added to the service and currently commands a price of $60. Please, if you must purchase Modern Warfare 2, buy it elsewhere -- like, literally anywhere else. You'll save some money.

Now, with that out of the way, two other games are now available on demand, namely Aliens vs. Predator and Rapala Tournament Fishing. The former will set you back $30 while the latter can be reeled in for $20. Finally, Sega has also announced that Bayonetta will strut her way onto XBL Games on Demand next week for an undetermined price. We're going to guess it's lower than $60.

JoystiqAvP, Modern Warfare 2 on XBL Games on Demand, Bayonetta next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-vs-Predatorbayonettagames-on-demandmicrosoftmodern-warfare-2rapala-tournament-fishingxboxxbox-liveTue, 15 Feb 2011 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Infinity Ward co-developing Modern Warfare 3 with Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/report-infinity-ward-co-developing-modern-warfare-3-with-sledge/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/report-infinity-ward-co-developing-modern-warfare-3-with-sledge/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/report-infinity-ward-co-developing-modern-warfare-3-with-sledge/#comments Call of Duty: Modern Warfare publisher Activision has repeatedly stated that Infinity Ward is doing fine since heads Vince Zampella and Jason West were ousted from the company early last year. A report on the LA Times' Company Town blog, however, tells a different story -- according to the piece, both Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software have been tasked with helping develop the next, still unannounced Modern Warfare title, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

"People familiar with the situation" claim that Sledgehammer is working with the remaining staff at Infinity Ward on developing the game's single-player campaign, while Singularity developer Raven Software is in charge of bringing up the multiplayer side of things. The sources also contend that, like past Call of Duty titles, MW3 is expected to ship this November. Additionally, Sledgehammer is said to have halted production on its own spinoff Call of Duty title in order to help IW out.

Update: Activision issued a comment in response to the LAT piece, stating, "There's been much specultion recently. We look forward to releasing details for the next Call of Duty in the near future."

JoystiqReport: Infinity Ward co-developing Modern Warfare 3 with Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3infinity-wardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3raven-softwaresledgehammer-gamesxboxThu, 20 Jan 2011 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Mandatory Xbox 360 update sneakily halts Call of Duty pirates]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/mandatory-xbox-360-update-sneakily-halts-call-of-duty-pirates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/mandatory-xbox-360-update-sneakily-halts-call-of-duty-pirates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/mandatory-xbox-360-update-sneakily-halts-call-of-duty-pirates/#comments Apparently, Microsoft sneaked a super secret feature into its recent, Boot-to-Disc-restoring mandatory Xbox 360 firmware update: the ability to stop Call of Duty: Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2 pirates and hackers dead in their tracks. Posters on the Xbox-Scene forums are claiming that consoles with backed-up versions of the two games took an awfully long time to download the relatively small update -- and once it arrived, it stopped backup versions of the two games from working altogether.

Was this a coincidence, or was Microsoft targeting illicit players of two of Xbox Live's most active multiplayer titles? We've contacted Microsoft to try and find out.

JoystiqMandatory Xbox 360 update sneakily halts Call of Duty pirates originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionCall-of-Duty-Black-Opsfirmware-updateinfinity-wardmicrosoftmodern-warfare-2piracytreyarchxboxThu, 20 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 hackers make Modern Warfare 2 'unplayable,' Infinity Ward cannot patch a fix]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/ps3-hackers-make-modern-warfare-2-unplayable-infinity-ward-ca/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/ps3-hackers-make-modern-warfare-2-unplayable-infinity-ward-ca/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/ps3-hackers-make-modern-warfare-2-unplayable-infinity-ward-ca/#comments "It's in total shambles and unplayable." That's how one Joystiq reader describes Modern Warfare 2 on PSN. With PS3 system security in disarray, hackers and cheaters have run rampant on Infinity Ward's Call of Duty games. Players unwittingly placed into a hacked server can meet the unfortunate consequence of losing all their stats and, unfortunately, it doesn't appear a fix is in sight.

"Games rely on the security of the encryption on the platforms they're played on," Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling explained on the game's official forums. "Unless the security exploit itself is resolved on the platform ... updates to the game through patches will not resolve this problem," he admits, adding, "at this time, we do not have the ability to restore or adjust individual stats."

Although Bowling adds that "we are looking at every option available to us to help any user affected," it appears the situation is quite dire, especially when one considers the workarounds Bowling suggests. You can submit a PSN grief report, play exclusively with friends via private matches, or play Black Ops, which does "not rely solely on platform security" -- something Infinity Ward promises to learn from in future games.

[Thanks, Jordan!]

JoystiqPS3 hackers make Modern Warfare 2 'unplayable,' Infinity Ward cannot patch a fix originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-DutyCall-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-2hackinfinity-wardjailbreakModern-Warfare-2playstationps3psnrobert-bowlingMon, 17 Jan 2011 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision claims EA and former IW execs schemed to 'inflict serious harm on the company']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/activision-claims-ea-and-former-iw-execs-schemed-to-inflict-ser/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/activision-claims-ea-and-former-iw-execs-schemed-to-inflict-ser/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/activision-claims-ea-and-former-iw-execs-schemed-to-inflict-ser/#comments Following last March's lawsuit filed by ousted Infinity Ward execs Jason West and Vince Zampella against former employer Activision, and Activision's countersuit filed the following month, Activision has filed a motion to amend its countersuit based on new evidence born of the discovery phase. What kind of evidence? Namely that "Electronic Arts conspired with two former senior Activision executives, West and Zampella (the "executives") to derail Activision's Call of Duty franchise, disrupt its Infinity Ward development studio, and inflict serious harm on the company."

As a result, the lawsuit now includes Electronic Arts as a cross-defendant and is asking for $400 million in "actual and punitive damages from EA and the former executives, including profits Activision would have made but for EA's interference, costs incurred in rebuilding the affected studio, and damages suffered as a result of delays and disruptions." Activision is also asking the court to allow it to "recapture compensation previously awarded to its faithless executives" and, even more notable, "to prevent Electronic Arts and the former executives from benefiting from their illegal conduct."

The 39-page document details the history of Infinity Ward, the Call of Duty franchise and the public termination of its two founders, West and Zampella. It seeks to prove that West and Zampella colluded with Electronic Arts, despite having more than two years on their employment contract. The suit reveals that, following a private meeting in August 2009 at EA CEO John Riccitiello's house in San Francisco -- coordinated by CAA agent and former Xbox face Seamus Blackley -- CAA enlisted the help of lawyer Harold Brown to evaluate their employment contracts. Brown was ostensibly chosen because he is a "former Activision board member and former legal counsel to Activision."

Continue reading Activision claims EA and former IW execs schemed to 'inflict serious harm on the company'

JoystiqActivision claims EA and former IW execs schemed to 'inflict serious harm on the company' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionCall-of-DutyEAElectronic-ArtsInfinity-WardJason-WestJohn-RiccitielloModern-Warfare-2Respawn-EntertainmentVince-ZampellaTue, 21 Dec 2010 21:07:00 EST<![CDATA['Splosion Man 'splodes to top of XBLA sales chart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/splosion-man-splodes-to-top-of-xbla-sales-chart/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/splosion-man-splodes-to-top-of-xbla-sales-chart/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/splosion-man-splodes-to-top-of-xbla-sales-chart/#comments 'Spolsion Man, one or our absolute favorites of 2009, enjoyed a surprise sales surge last week, rocketing to the top of the Xbox Live Arcade bestseller list. That's the power of Black Friday and a one-day, 75-percent discount.

In fact, thirteen of the top twenty bestsellers for the week of November 22 were on sale for at least part of the period, and the only discounted XBLA title not to chart was poor Voodoo Dice. Amidst the apparently too-good-to-refuse deals, Crazy Taxi made a strong debut in the number six position in its first week of release, and Pac-Man CE DX ate up a top-ten spot in its second week of availability.

As for Xbox Live activity, Black Ops recruits and Modern Warfare 2 veterans (who aren't about to surrender that easily) continue to hog the most bandwidth, followed by the Reach faithful and -- watch out for that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood sneaking up the activity chart! Speaking of no surrender, how about World at War and Call of Duty 4 (remember that one?) hanging around the top twenty most-played Xbox Live games? No wonder Activision wants to better tap its gold mine next year.

Both Top Twenty charts are posted in full after the break.

Continue reading 'Splosion Man 'splodes to top of XBLA sales chart

Joystiq'Splosion Man 'splodes to top of XBLA sales chart originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-brotherhoodcall-of-duty-black-opscrazy-taxihalo-reachmicrosoftmodern-warfare-2pacman-championship-edition-dxsalessplosion-manxblaxboxxbox-liveWed, 01 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bobby Kotick on the business of Call of Duty: DLC, Treyarch, Infinity Ward]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/bobby-kotick-on-the-business-of-call-of-duty-dlc-treyarch-inf/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/bobby-kotick-on-the-business-of-call-of-duty-dlc-treyarch-inf/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/bobby-kotick-on-the-business-of-call-of-duty-dlc-treyarch-inf/#commentsBobby Kotick This is the second part of Joystiq's in-depth discussion with Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, in which we've covered his side of the Brutal Legend situation, Activision's Bungie partnership, and why Kotick's been cast in the role of video game industry villain. Up second: The Call of Duty business, from Xbox Live to DLC to a rotating stable of development teams.

"You know, Call of Duty games probably represent more than 50% of the total Xbox Live traffic," Bobby Kotick told me when I asked him about Microsoft's recent $10 Xbox Live price hike. You see, Activision is tasked with monetizing an immensely popular online game through a traditional - and inflexible - system: a retail disc played in a video game console controlled by another company. And despite a constant refrain of Call of Duty subscription rumors, the only subscription you may pay to play it online isn't to Activision at all; it's to Microsoft.

"I think the thing that sometimes even I don't fully appreciate - and I think I have a greater appreciation for it today, having spent a lot of time up with Microsoft recently - but they invest billions of dollars in the Live platform. Billing, credit collection, things like foreign currency conversion, being able to manage point systems. All of that is extremely expensive to manage and maintain." Of course, this is all to say that it deserves something, but how do Activision and its customers factor into Microsoft's agenda?

"Because of our Blizzard experience we have an incredible understanding of how important the provision of appropriate customer service is," Kotick said, citing 2,500 World of Warcraft customer service employees for the US and Europe alone. "What we'd like to ideally see is that the investment in the subscription fees going towards the provision of a higher level of customer service [...] to see some portion of the subscription fees go towards game enhancement." Activision does enjoy a "very modest amount of the subscription fees," Kotick told us, but he's more interested in seeing any cost increase in the service go towards "directly benefitting the Call of Duty players."

Continue reading Bobby Kotick on the business of Call of Duty: DLC, Treyarch, Infinity Ward

JoystiqBobby Kotick on the business of Call of Duty: DLC, Treyarch, Infinity Ward originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-BlizzardBobby-KotickCall-of-Duty-Black-OpsInfinity-WardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3TreyarchWorld-of-WarcraftxboxXbox-LiveFri, 12 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Lightning Deals marking down Call of Duty games all day]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/amazon-lightning-deals-marking-down-call-of-duty-games-all-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/amazon-lightning-deals-marking-down-call-of-duty-games-all-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/amazon-lightning-deals-marking-down-call-of-duty-games-all-day/#comments If there are a few installments in the ever-lucrative Call of Duty franchise that you, unlike every other human being alive on planet Earth, failed to purchase at launch, today's a good day to play catch up. Amazon's Lightning Deals are currently marking down prices on a bunch of installments on the shooter series, while the Deal of the Day is a discount on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, currently available for $36.99 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Click past the jump for all the hints for the remaining Lightning Deals, which your considerable brainpower (and prior knowledge that it's a Call of Duty game) should make quick work of.

Continue reading Amazon Lightning Deals marking down Call of Duty games all day

JoystiqAmazon Lightning Deals marking down Call of Duty games all day originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioninfinity-wardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3treyarchxboxWed, 13 Oct 2010 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 DLC half off on Steam this week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/modern-warfare-2-dlc-half-off-on-steam-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/modern-warfare-2-dlc-half-off-on-steam-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/modern-warfare-2-dlc-half-off-on-steam-this-week/#comments First Xbox Live Marketplace, then PSN -- now Steam is offering a fire sale on all Modern Warfare 2 DLC "inventory." Hmm ... that must mean there's a new Call of Duty coming out soon ...

Continue reading Modern Warfare 2 DLC half off on Steam this week

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 DLC half off on Steam this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCModern-Warfare-2pcresurgence-packSteamstimulus-packageTue, 05 Oct 2010 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 map packs discounted this week on XBLM]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/modern-warfare-2-map-packs-discounted-this-week-on-xblm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/modern-warfare-2-map-packs-discounted-this-week-on-xblm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/modern-warfare-2-map-packs-discounted-this-week-on-xblm/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Are there still a few multiplayer maps in Modern Warfare 2 which you've yet to decorate with your own bullet-splattered blood? You might want to look into this week's Xbox Live Marketplace deal: The Stimulus Pack and the Resurgence Pack are half-price this week, available at 600 Microsoft Points.

Continue reading Modern Warfare 2 map packs discounted this week on XBLM

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 map packs discounted this week on XBLM originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiondeal-of-the-weekInfinity-WardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2xblmxboxMon, 04 Oct 2010 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling to be noob tubed for charity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/infinity-wards-robert-bowling-to-be-noob-tubed-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/infinity-wards-robert-bowling-to-be-noob-tubed-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/infinity-wards-robert-bowling-to-be-noob-tubed-for-charity/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Is there anything worse than succumbing to the grenade launcher -- AKA the dreaded noob tube -- in Modern Warfare 2? Several scientific studies (not really) have shown that there is not. And yet, Infinity Ward's Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling has agreed to do just that. As part of an Extra Life charity gaming marathon supporting Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Bowling has agreed to a match of Modern Warfare 2 with Pixel Enemy's BrassMonkeigh. Furthermore, Bowling will actually allow himself to be noob tubed during said match.

Bowling is hoping to raise $5,000 with his marathon, with users contributing $1 for each of the 24 hours he will be playing various games. With a degrading noob tubing on the table, we can only hope he reaches his goal. If you're interested in setting up your own charity marathon (with or without celebrity pwning), head over to the Extra Life charity website.

JoystiqInfinity Ward's Robert Bowling to be noob tubed for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charityextra-lifemicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3robert-bowlingxboxMon, 20 Sep 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: What if Call of Duty was a Pokemon game?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/video-what-if-call-of-duty-was-a-pokemon-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/video-what-if-call-of-duty-was-a-pokemon-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/video-what-if-call-of-duty-was-a-pokemon-game/#comments The problem with Pokemon is that it's pretty embarrassing to tell people you play it, especially if you're over the age of 13 -- just ask Griffin. They're great games, don't get us wrong. It's just that we're adults, with actual utility bills and Netflix memberships, and alive and breathing significant others. We can't risk losing all of that.

That's why we want to draw your attention to this Call of Duty and Pokemon mash-up clip, available just past the break. By incorporating the two, we can maintain our adult facade, while enjoying the deep and robust RPG experience Nintendo's line of games offers without all the kiddie stuff. It's the best of both worlds!

Continue reading Video: What if Call of Duty was a Pokemon game?

JoystiqVideo: What if Call of Duty was a Pokemon game? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutydsfunmash-upmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2nintendopcplaystationpokemonps3spoofxboxThu, 26 Aug 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 glitch unlocks five SNK XBLA games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/10/modern-warfare-2-glitch-unlocks-five-snk-xbla-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/10/modern-warfare-2-glitch-unlocks-five-snk-xbla-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/10/modern-warfare-2-glitch-unlocks-five-snk-xbla-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In a stroke of exceptionally bad luck for SNK, a glitch has been discovered that unlocks free access to the full versions of five of the publisher's XBLA games for users who already have the demos on their hard drives. To make it worse, the glitch occurs within Modern Warfare 2 (a game that bajillons of Xbox 360 owners already have) -- or its recent demo (which is freely available).

Somehow, running Modern Warfare 2 coincidentally fools the system into thinking it's authorized to temporarily unlock full versions of Garou: Mark of the Wolves, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug XX, and Samurai Shodown II. Joystiq tested the exploit with Garou and KOF '98, and can verify that it works. For now, at least.

We're certain this issue will be patched by one of the three affected parties -- SNK Playmore, Activision, or Microsoft -- in the near future, now that it's known. In the meantime, just because you can get these games for free doesn't mean you aren't a major jerk for doing so.

[Note: This doesn't permanently unlock the games; only if you launch them directly from inside MW2. If you launch from the Dashboard, they'll behave just like plain ol' trial games.]

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 glitch unlocks five SNK XBLA games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>garou-mark-of-the-wolvesglitchking-of-fighters-98-ultimate-matchmetal-slug-3metal-slug-xxmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2samurai-shodown-2SNKXBLAxboxTue, 10 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Toy Story 3 regains UK's top spot from StarCraft 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/toy-story-3-regains-uks-top-spot-from-starcraft-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/toy-story-3-regains-uks-top-spot-from-starcraft-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/toy-story-3-regains-uks-top-spot-from-starcraft-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

StarCraft 2 took a slide down the charts this week to fourth, as Toy Story 3 regained the top spot on the UK All Formats chart. There also appears to have been some promotion (the demo, perhaps?) in the region last week for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 because it surged up the charts from eighth to second. According to Chart-Track, Activision-Blizzard's Modern Warfare sequel could potentially overtake Dr Kawashima (aka Brain Age) as the UK's "biggest unit seller" next week.

Dance on Broadway, Ubisoft's pseudo-sequel to Just Dance (holding just fine at #6), knows that life is a cabaret and moves up another spot to third. The other chart-topping stalwart, Red Dead Redemption, drops to fifth -- its lowest position since launch. Check out the UK top ten after the break.

Gallery: Toy Story 3: The Video Game (Pre-E3 2010)

Continue reading Toy Story 3 regains UK's top spot from StarCraft 2

JoystiqToy Story 3 regains UK's top spot from StarCraft 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Britaincall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2Chart-TrackDance-on-Broadwaymacmicrosoftmodern-warfare-2nintendopcplaystationps3starcraft-2Toy-Story-3UKwiixboxMon, 09 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision Q2 revenues down, earnings up]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/activision-q2-revenues-down-earnings-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/activision-q2-revenues-down-earnings-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/activision-q2-revenues-down-earnings-up/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Activision has released its financial results for the second quarter of 2010, reporting revenues of $967 million. That's down from $1,038 million reported during the same period last year. Net income is up, however, with the company reporting earnings of $219 million, a 12 percent increase over last year's $195 million. Before you get too confused, know that costs were down dramatically, dropping from $820 million in Q2 2009 to $667 million this year, which led to the increased income.

The driver behind Activision's results, according to CEO Bobby Kotick, was "strong consumer response" to the company's workhorse brands, World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. The report also mentions that Activision's digital sales "exceeded retail sales for the first time," having grown more than 20 percent year over year. Somehow, we're not terribly surprised.

Looking forward, Kotick pointed to StarCraft 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops and the World of Warcraft expansion Cataclysm as potential bright spots for the rest of the year. Specifically, Kotick noted that Black Ops pre-orders are already outpacing the number of Modern Warfare 2 pre-orders at this time last year.

JoystiqActivision Q2 revenues down, earnings up originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBlizzardCall-of-Dutyfinancialfy-2010Modern-Warfare-2q2-2010StarCraft-2Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 demo finally hits Xbox Live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/modern-warfare-2-demo-finally-hits-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/modern-warfare-2-demo-finally-hits-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/modern-warfare-2-demo-finally-hits-xbox-live/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dear Mr. Murray Shalowitz,

As you are the sole Xbox 360 owner who has yet to play Modern Warfare 2, we would like to inform you that a demo is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace.

Cheers,


P.S. A reminder for little Rosie Erickson: A PS3 demo is available as well.


Xbox.com: Add Modern Warfare 2 Cliffhanger Demo to your Xbox 360 download queue

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 demo finally hits Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisiondemoInfinity-WardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2XBLMxboxWed, 04 Aug 2010 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve apologizes for banning over 12,000 legit Modern Warfare 2 players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/valve-apologizes-for-banning-over-12-000-legit-modern-warfare-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/valve-apologizes-for-banning-over-12-000-legit-modern-warfare-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/valve-apologizes-for-banning-over-12-000-legit-modern-warfare-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The anti-cheating software embedded in Valve's Steamworks platform recently took on a mind of its own, banning over 12,000 non-cheating Modern Warfare 2 players over the past two weeks. The cause for its insatiable ban lust? Valve president Gabe Newell explained in an email to those affected, "the problem was that Steam would fail a signature check between the disk version of a DLL and a latent memory version." See, we were just thinking that that had something to do with it.

Newell begged pardon for the erroneous bans, adding "this was our mistake, and I apologize for any frustration or angst it may have caused you." An apology and a swift reversal of the ban aren't all that these users will receive -- Newell promised a giftable copy of Left 4 Dead 2 to all those affected, as well as one copy for themselves, provided they don't already have it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

JoystiqValve apologizes for banning over 12,000 legit Modern Warfare 2 players originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bancheatinggabe-newellinfinity-wardModern-Warfare-2pcsteamvalveTue, 27 Jul 2010 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 subscription message dismissed as 'just a glitch']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/20/modern-warfare-2-subscription-message-dismissed-as-just-a-glitc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/20/modern-warfare-2-subscription-message-dismissed-as-just-a-glitc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/20/modern-warfare-2-subscription-message-dismissed-as-just-a-glitc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The oft-surfacing rumor of Activision's intent to incorporate a pay-to-play plan for the multiplayer portions of its Call of Duty franchise sprung up once again yesterday, when a player reportedly captured video of a hidden Marketplace item titled "Modern Warfare 2 Membership." The buzz was quickly quieted by a Tweet from Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling, who stated, "nobody has to pay to play COD or MW2 multiplayer, nor will they."

A more thorough report on the subject of Modern Warfare subscriptions came from Activision's Dan Amrich, who explained, "This video shows just a glitch," further explaining, "since you can access a Live subscription renewal from within the MW2 game interface, it appears some data got jammed between two parts of Live." See, we always said some poor menu would fall into those cracks on the surface of Xbox Live Marketplace. Now we've gotta get it out. Denny! Denny, fire up the backhoe.

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 subscription message dismissed as 'just a glitch' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutycall-of-duty-black-opsinfinity-wardmicrosoftModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3treyarchxboxTue, 20 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Infinity Ward suit updated, claims Activision created 'police state']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/report-infinity-ward-suit-updated-claims-activision-created-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/report-infinity-ward-suit-updated-claims-activision-created-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/report-infinity-ward-suit-updated-claims-activision-created-p/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

According to Kotaku, an amended version of the lawsuit filed by 38 former and current Infinity Ward developers against Activision was recently submitted to a California court. The suit uses a bit stronger language when describing the policies of the monolithic publisher, claiming its agents created a "police state" atmosphere while IW worked on Modern Warfare 2, and would regularly conduct "interrogations" of the studio's members. Despite the increased intensity of these claims, the group has reduced the amount of punitive damages and unpaid bonuses sought from half a billion dollars to $216 million.

A trial date for the Infinity Ward Employee Group's case against Activision (and possibly West and Zampella's case, should the judge decide to consolidate the suits) is currently set for May 23, 2011.

JoystiqReport: Infinity Ward suit updated, claims Activision created 'police state' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioninfinity-wardJason-WestlawsuitModern-Warfare-2Vince-ZampellaSat, 10 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Buy Modern Warfare 2 bundle from Direct2Drive, get Modern Warfare free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/buy-modern-warfare-2-bundle-from-direct2drive-get-modern-warfar/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/buy-modern-warfare-2-bundle-from-direct2drive-get-modern-warfar/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/buy-modern-warfare-2-bundle-from-direct2drive-get-modern-warfar/#comments Digital distributor Direct2Drive is offering a puzzling offer until August 6: purchase the Modern Warfare 2 bundle (which includes the game and both map packs) for $89.99, and get the original Modern Warfare for free.

Continue reading Buy Modern Warfare 2 bundle from Direct2Drive, get Modern Warfare free

JoystiqBuy Modern Warfare 2 bundle from Direct2Drive, get Modern Warfare free originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-4-modern-warfareinfinity-wardModern-Warfare-2pcresurgence-packstimulus-packageSat, 10 Jul 2010 00:15:00 EST<![CDATA[European PSN releases for July 7]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/european-psn-releases-for-july-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/european-psn-releases-for-july-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/european-psn-releases-for-july-7/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A handful of big ol' games became even bigger this week with a few high-profile DLC releases, such as Modern Warfare 2's "Resurgence Pack," and Dragon Age: Origins' "Leiliana's Song." Also, LittleBigPlanet gets a booster shot in the form of a Marvel Level and Costume Kit, and the new and improved version of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge hits the storefront. Click past the jump for the full release list!

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Continue reading European PSN releases for July 7

JoystiqEuropean PSN releases for July 7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutyDragon-Age-Originslittlebigplanetmodern-warfare-2monkey-island-2-special-edition-lechucks-revengeplaystationps3psn-wednesdaypsn-weeklypspWed, 07 Jul 2010 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision studios head brings development strategy into focus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/activision-studios-head-brings-development-strategy-into-focus/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/activision-studios-head-brings-development-strategy-into-focus/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/activision-studios-head-brings-development-strategy-into-focus/#comments "It doesn't make sense anymore," Activision executive VP of worldwide studios Dave Stohl declared to us in a small office, hidden away from the noisy E3 show floor. "You've really got to focus." The executive, who oversees every development studio that Activision owns, was reflecting on the old business model that encouraged studios to take on multiple projects at once. Today, the industry's leading third-party publisher has a new mantra: one game per studio.

"People want the freedom to put all their resources against the big opportunity, and that's what we're trying to do," Stohl explained during our conversation at last month's show. We wondered if the shift in strategy was less ingenuity and more a sign of the times. Last year's holiday season was headlined by two major events: the slowdown of music game sales and the ridiculous success of Modern Warfare 2.

Continue reading Activision studios head brings development strategy into focus

JoystiqActivision studios head brings development strategy into focus originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-studiosActivisionbizarre-creationsbusiness-strategycall-of-dutyDave-Stohle3-2010modern-warfare-2sledgehammer-gamesspider-man-web-of-shadowsWed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 'Resurgence Package' DLC strikes PS3/PC on July 6]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/11/modern-warfare-2-resurgence-package-dlc-strikes-ps3-pc-on-july/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/11/modern-warfare-2-resurgence-package-dlc-strikes-ps3-pc-on-july/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/11/modern-warfare-2-resurgence-package-dlc-strikes-ps3-pc-on-july/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Modern Warfare 2's second map pack, the "Resurgence Package," will be ending its brief stint of Xbox Live exclusivity next month. On July 6th, the map collection will be available for PC and the North American PlayStation Network. (European PS3 owners will have to wait until July 7th.) The DLC will likely carry the same price tag as its predecessor: a lofty $15. Included in the package are five maps, including two environments from Call of Duty 4:
  • Vacant -- the wide open Russian office complex from CoD4
  • Strike -- the urban town surrounded by hotels from CoD4
  • Carnival -- an abandoned carnival area with a Ferris wheel, fun house and other attractions
  • Trailer Park -- full of "super tight corridors" and featuring a pool
  • Fuel -- a "sniper haven" based in and around an oil refinery
It's too bad Infinity Ward couldn't get the new map pack out in time for the Fourth of July weekend. We're pretty certain we know exactly what CoD fans are planning to do then.

Gallery: Modern Warfare 2 (Resurgence Pack)

StrikeFuelTrailer ParkVacantCarnival

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 'Resurgence Package' DLC strikes PS3/PC on July 6 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionDLCFPSInfinity-WardModern-Warfare-2pcplaystationps3Release-DateResurgence-PackFri, 11 Jun 2010 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Earn double XP in Modern Warfare 2 this Memorial Day weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/earn-double-xp-in-modern-warfare-2-this-memorial-day-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/earn-double-xp-in-modern-warfare-2-this-memorial-day-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/earn-double-xp-in-modern-warfare-2-this-memorial-day-weekend/#comments Wait, you're telling us that you still haven't hit 10th Prestige? Is this some sort of joke? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been out for like, a hundred years. Whatever the reason for your pathetic, amateurish ranking, you can give yourself a boost by playing during this three-day Memorial Day weekend, when Infinity Ward will be offering double experience across all of the game's cornucopia of platforms.

There, now you have no excuse. Unless you're having, like, a cookout or pool party during the extended weekend. Or if you're going to a baseball game. Or if you're going to the beach ... Those are all pretty great excuses, we suppose.

JoystiqEarn double XP in Modern Warfare 2 this Memorial Day weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2double-xp-weekendinfinity-wardmemorial-daymodern-warfare-2psnxbox-liveTue, 25 May 2010 17:30:00 EST