Modern Warfare 2's first map pack coming March 30

Infinity Ward Community Manager Robert Bowling has revealed (via his twitter) a new viral marketing campaign for Modern Warfare 2. The website says that a cure for "mapathy" will be arriving on March 30--at least if you are playing on Xbox 360. Basically, that means we will be getting our first MW2 map pack at the end of this month, although no details were given. Stay tuned over the next few weeks and we'll update you when we learn the details on the maps themselves and whether or not we'll be getting some new Spec Ops missions.

Update: 1up Community Manager Tina Sanchez has hinted (also through twitter) that Call of Duty 4 favorite Crash will be part of the first map pack. No confirmation from Infinity Ward just yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Update 3/13: An early Xbox Live Marketplace listing has revealed that the upcoming map pack will be titled "Stimulus Package" and, in a record for the Call of Duty series, will contain FIVE (5) maps. Three of these maps--Bailout, Storm, and Salvage--are brand new, while the other two are remakes/returns of Call of Duty 4's Crash and Overgrown. Judging by what has pretty much become the standard, expect "Stimulus Package" to cost 800 MSP ($10), although that is as of yet unconfirmed.

Update 3/14: Xbox360Achievements.org has reported that the Stimulus Package map pack will actually cost 1200MSP ($15). So much for getting a good value by getting 5 maps! Classic Activision milking its customers.

Infinity Ward shakeup; Call of Duty brand shuffled

BACKGROUND

Infinity Ward was originally founded after the core team behind the Medal of Honor series left EA because the publisher wanted to milk the franchise. The Los Angeles-based studio has created some of the best first person shooters of the past decade, including Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Modern Warfare 2. As parent company and publisher Activision has begun capitalizing on the Call of Duty franchise by using multiple studios to develop the games (the other being Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War developer Treyarch) tensions have risen between them and Infinity Ward. Last year, IW reportedly even refused to let Activision check up on Modern Warfare 2 milestones; the game itself has since become the most succesful entertainment property of all time. In addition, Infinity Ward had negotiated a contract with Activision to retain creative control over post-Vietnam era Call of Duty games as well as secure a go-ahead to develop a new IP.

WHAT'S GOING ON NOW

Reportedly, Activision had suspected Infinity Ward President Jason West and CEO Vince Zampella of engaging in secret talks with a rival publisher (EA has been named in court documents) to leave the Activision-controlled studio and start a new indie house. Earlier this week, West and Zampella had been called into a morning meeting with Activision brass and had been missing for the rest of the day. By nightfall, it had been revealed through Facebook and LinkedIN that West and Zampella had been let go of. Meanwhile, the same day Activision had quietly filed an SEC Report saying that two employees had been found "in breach of contract" and fire for "insubordination" by the publisher.

The following day, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick met first with the remaining Infinity Ward leads, followed by a second meeting with the entire studio. After the meetings, the company released a statement confirming the departure of West and Zampella and revealing the future of the Call of Duty franchise. Per everyone's expectations, this fall will see the release of a new Call of Duty game from Treyarch (rumored to be set in either Vietnam or the greater Cold War). In addition, newly founded Sledgehammer Games (established by former Dead Space boss Glen Schofield) is preparing an "action-adventure" Call of Duty game for 2011. An internal memo also claimed that Infinity Ward was still "central to the franchise" and hints were that the Sledgehammer project was separate from the "main" 2011 Call of Duty (or Modern Warfare) game.

THE FALLOUT

Activision likely wanted to keep cashing in on Infinity Ward and was pushing the studio to either do Modern Warfare 3 or the subscription-based Call of Duty that has been rumored for months already. IW likely pushed back, wanting to move in a new direction, such as developing their promised new IP. Past examples of (proverbially) bloody departures by studio heads usually lead to the departure of several key staff as well, so don't be surprised if people start leaving Infinity Ward once West and Zampella announce what they will do next.

In the mean time, Zampella and West have followed a lawsuit against Activision that has tremendous implications for the Call of Duty and Modern Warfare brands. Firstly, they demand in excess of $36 million of Modern Warfare 2 royalties be paid to them; Activision would have paid these this month if their employment had not been terminated. The pair accuses Activision of themselves "breaching contract" among a few other allegations (read the entire court filing here). They also are seeking to regain control of the Modern Warfare brand, defined as any Call of Duty in the post-Vietnam era. Activision in turn has said they are "disappointed" by the lawsuit, calling it "meritless". It'll likely take some time for the legal process settles this one, but we'll be keeping an eye on the situation and keep you updated on what happens.

Review-- Modern Warfare 2

Let's get down to the facts: Modern Warfare 2 is the most-anticipated game of all time. This is not hyperbole, but an empirical fact, exemplified by the fact that it became the most pre-ordered game in GameStop's history as well as shattering just about every video game sales record there is. The game is so big that it has transcended the Call of Duty brand that birthed it (used purely as a marketing tool for the uneducated) to become its own monster. At the end of the day, Infinity Ward's money-printing blockbuster lives up to the hype, besting its predecessors in just about every facet of the game.

Right when you turn it on, you notice that Modern Warfare 2 has gotten a much cleaner tweak to its presentation, and the main menu appropriately splits into three distinct choices that reflect the three separate pillars of the game: Campaign, Special Ops, and Multiplayer. In accordance with this approach, my review will similarly be broken into those same three sections.

CAMPAIGN

Though ignored by many addicted to the genre-defining multiplayer, it is actually the campaign mode that made Call of Duty famous in the pre-Modern Warfare days. Infinity Ward created their first fictitious, non-historically-based campaign in Call of Duty 4 and the result was one of the best single player experiences in gaming. Likewise, i-dub had huge expectations for the follow-up (and their first direct narrative sequel), but the final product is without a doubt the weakest of the three pillars.

That is not to say that it is bad, because the campaign mode is anything but. It starts off a little bit slow but quickly evolves into a very fast and frenzied experience. Pacing is good and the difficulty and length of the levels is just right, including the signature Veteran difficulty mode. Each level offers its own unique twist to the overall game design and individually, each level is loads of fun and an incredible thrill ride from start to finish. Where the campaign suffers is in its incohisiveness. While the levels themselves are fun to play, from a narrative standpoint they make absolutely no sense.

The story is mostly conveyed through detached conversations on loading screens, but unless you read the Wikipedia plot summary you still won't be able to understand what the hell is going on. After you do figure it out (again, only thanks to Wikipedia), you realize that the muddled story is acceptable at best as it gets lost in its own plot twists and fails to ever develop any real sense of tension or urgency. It just all feels so fake and doesn't carry the realistic, this-could-actually-happen weight that Call of Duty 4's story had, not to mention the fact that it lacks a proper conclusion. All in all, the campaign is assuredly fun, but a poor example of video game narrative.

SPECIAL OPS

Special Operations (or Spec Ops) is the newbie in this trifecta of cool, but is a very welcome new addition to the formula. In essence, Spec Ops is a sort of challenge mode that blends the Campaign and Multiplayer sections. Spec Ops truly shines when played with another player in two player co-op, either online or on the couch, with some levels even splitting to two players into completely different, complimentary roles, such as having one player gun their way to an extraction point while the second lays down support fire from an AC-130 gunship. These levels all stand alone as mini-missions with no storyline to tie them together and just give you one goal that you need to accomplish in about 5 minutes, sans checkpoints.

Each mission has a certain amount of stars you can earn, based either on the difficulty you play on (Regular, Hardened, or Veteran) or, in some cases, meeting certain criteria (such as getting faster times on a snowmobile time trial). Missions are then grouped into packages of 5 missions, with only the "Alpha" group being available from the outset and the rest unlocking as you earn more and more stars. There are also many Achievements tied to this progression, and the short-but-sweet nature of the missions keeps you coming back to get those extra stars on the harder difficulties. Thanks to being a pure gameplay assortment, the missions all offer their own objectives and the variety is astounding, despite reusing many locales from the campaign. Flying solo on Spec Ops is okay, but played co-op, it becomes fantastic.

MULTIPLAYER

And here is perhaps the most important of the three pillars, at least in how it relates to the proportion of time spent playing this game. The still-industry-leading multiplayer from Call of Duty 4 is back, but improved in almost every conceivable way. The graphics have been given an upgrade and the beautiful levels are a sublime assortment, with only a couple duds and many that truly shine. This is by far the best assortment of levels in any of the Call of Duty games.

Loadouts have also been given a boost with the expansion of the gun roster and available attachments, as well as the explosion of the secondary weapon category to include many, many more options. A bunch of new perks have been added, as well as a whole slew of "equipment" in place of frag grenades, which are merely one option in that category. In addition, there is now a whole assortment of Killstreak Rewards to unlock with various streak requirements, letting you select any 3 to go into battle with. Deathstreaks have now also been added to give struggling players a boost when a match frustratingly doesn't go their way. As a little bonus, Infinity Ward has also created a system of "emblems" and "titles" to affix to your gamertag, rewarded based on the way you like to play the game.

The revolutionary experience system is also back, this time going all the way up to level 70, plus once again ten levels of "prestige". It has been tweaked somewhat, however, as most experience points have been multiplied by a factor of ten. There is also noticeably more experience required to actually level up, but this is balanced by a whole slew of new challenges, including many challenges that go far beyond just 3 tiers and into the 6 or 7 tier range. A host migration system has also been added to prevent matches from just ending when the host drops out or when they are really laggy.

Perhaps the only knock against the multiplayer is Infinity Ward's complete ignorance of the beneficial little tweaks Treyarch introduced in World at War. For example, you can't break down leaderboards by playlist to see how you rank against your friends in a particular mode. There are also no vehicles (though many would argue that's a good thing) and destroying enemy Killstreak Rewards doesn't give a boost to your team (although it does net you a little extra XP). These are extremely minor quibbles, however, and the multiplayer package in Modern Warfare 2 is leaps and bounds beyond anything in the market, including Halo and Call of Duty 4. This game is peerless in the multiplayer department, and that fact will show as numbers start coming out about the number of its players on Xbox LIVE as well as the sure-to-break-records map packs that will come in 2010.

CONCLUSION

Modern Warfare 2 is exactly what you'd expect it to be. It's Call of Duty 4, but improved in just about every aspect. The multiplayer alone is a tremendous value, the campaign is fun and does its job, and Spec Ops is an unexpected though very welcome new addition to the family. It is by no means flawless, but it is still everything you (and Activision) want it to be: the biggest blockbuster in the history of video games. Period.

Overall Grade: A+

Modern Warfare 2 box art revealed, 'Call of Duty' returns

Developer Infinity Ward and publisher Activision (now Activision-Blizzard) struck gold in 2007 when they released Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. After the franchise's brief return to its World War II roots in Treyarch's Call of Duty: World at War, Infinity Ward revealed its follow-up earlier this year in Modern Warfare 2, which had notably lacked any mention of the words 'Call', 'of', or 'Duty' in any of the marketing, interviews, and trailers for the game. Well, IW's community manager Robert Bowling has posted the first pictures of the game's box art on his Twitter, and lo and behold the 'Call of Duty' brand is being slapped on the game after all. I guess Activision came to their business senses after a report that suggested awareness for the game was only half of what it should be without the series moniker, so it would only help them to re-include it on the box and likely in future marketing. The original point of dropping the brand was likely an Infinity Ward initiative to distant themselves from what has become a yearly milking title for Activision between IW and Treyarch, but the game as always been promoted as a true sequel to CoD 4. Check out the snapshot of the box below. It's actually somewhat humorous how they've actually shrunk the name so its just barely a Call of Duty game.

E3 2009: Microsoft Press Conference Bombshells!

Microsoft's E3 Press Conference kicked off the annual trade show this morning and they managed to pack the briefing with a lot of news, both expected and surprising. Below is a list of all the big news. Read them all, especially if you are a 360 gamer, and check back later today for more trailers of the games discussed below. Sony and Nintendo's Conferences are tomorrow, so check back for news about those as well!

The Beatles: Rock Band demoed

The conference kicked off with Harmonix coming out and demoing their new music title coming later this year, including surprise guests Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The big news about the game is that it supports up to 3 mics, allowing up to 6 people to get in on the action. Additionally, the game will feature both downloadable singles and albums post-release, starting with "All You Need Is Love", whose proceeds will go to a charity, and Abby Road. It's unlcear whether these downloads will work on the main Rock Band titles.

Modern Warfare 2 exclusive map packs

Microsoft broke the news that they are making a conscious attempt to recognize the enormous success of the Call of Duty franchise on Xbox LIVE, particularly Infinity Ward's projects. In order to keep them as "de-facto Xbox exclusives", Modern Warfare 2 will get two map packs that will both release "first" on Xbox 360.

Final Fantasy XIII shown running on Xbox 360

A somewhat more minor development, Square Enix showed their flagship title running on Xbox 360 hardware for the first time (all other demos were on PS3). Also, an American release window was announced as Spring 2010 (it's pegged to hit Japan this fall).

Shadow Complex: the next big thing on XBLA

Developer Chair, most well-known for Xbox LIVE Arcade hit Undertow, is making a new action-adventure game for the Arcade. It features beautiful 3D graphics on a 2D gameplay plane, and is described as being very reminiscent on Metroid.

Crackdown 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 announced

It's been rumored for a little while, but today Microsoft confirmed that Crackdown 2 is under development at Ruffian Games, which if I'm not mistaken is a studio established by guys from original Crackdown (and now All Points Bulletin) developer Real Time Worlds, which in turn was founded by the original creator of Grand Theft Auto. 

In a surprise move, Valve revealed that Left 4 Dead 2 will be released on November 17 for PC and Xbox 360. The game will feature 5 campaigns, new weapons, new zombies, new characters, and a new game mode in addition to the current 3. Apparently, Valve employees were pushing for this one in order to get in more ideas scrapped for the original. Unfortunately, this probably means that Half-Life 2: Episode Three is probably not going to come out until 2010. Keep an eye on this blog for the trailer coming soon.

Reworked Splinter Cell: Conviction shown off

As the rumors suggested, Splinter Cell: Conviction has been completely reworked from the version shown a couple years ago. The New and Improved Sam Fisher looks much more bad ass, with way better graphics, more complicated moves, and an overall more action-oriented feel. That's not to say the series is ditching its signature stealth emphasis, but it is adding a welcomed bit of spice to the mix. The game also looks much darker and gorier. Look for the trailer to be posted soon. Oh, and its still an Xbox 360 exclusive.

Oft-rumored Forza 3 finally confirmed, flips cars

In one of the more expected moves at the conference, Microsoft finally revealed Forza Motorsport 3 by rolling a real-life Audi onto the  stage. The game's physics engine has added roll-overs, a feature notably lacking in Gran Turismo. The Forza Motorsport 3 vs. Gran Turismo 5 battle should be interesting this fall...assuming GT5 will be hear to combat Forza.

Halo 3: ODST only one of TWO Halo games shown

That's right, in addition to demoing the ODST expansion, Bungie and Microsoft also revealed a new game, Halo: Reach. Expect the trailer to be posted soon so you can see for yourself, but the game seems to be a prequel to the original, taking place during the infamous Fall of Reach. It seems like this might be a full-fledged Halo game, unlike the ODST expansion, and taking the place of a "Halo 4" since 3 was technically the end. A multiplayer beta key will be included the ODST package.

As for Halo 3: ODST itself, Bungie demoed it for attendees. The game will feature numerous new silenced weapons as well as the return of Halo 1's famous scoped pistol. You'll play as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers "The Rookie" and "Dutch", and a new low-light visor will be available. The expansion will also feature a new co-op mode called Firefight, which wasn't shown, and will launch September 22 (with the Reach beta!).

Remedy's Alan Wake finally comes out of hiding

Microsoft also demoed Max Payne developer Remedy's long-in-gestation survival-horror title Alan Wake. There was no trailer thusfar, but expect one to be released this week. Either a trailer or the demo video will be posted soon. The game itself is coming Spring 2010.

New Media options on Xbox Dashboard

First of all, Netflix users will now be able to add movies to their NetflixQ straight from the dashboard. In addition, Microsoft announced a partnership with both Facebook and Twitter relating to Xbox LIVE, though no details were really given (you can "access" them). A new music player called Last.fm will debut with its own channel on the dashboard. Video Marketplace content will now be able to stream in 1080p (depending on bandwith)

Metal Gear Solid: Rising coming to Xbox 360

Hideo Kojima's new project does in fact turn out to be Metal Gear-related, but not what people were expecting. Though not the long-hoped-for MGS4 360 port, instead Kojima has created an entirely new game that will apparently be starring Raiden. The tag "Lighting Bolt Action" replaces the usual "Stealh Espionage Action", suggesting that the game may be more action-based and fast-paced than the Snake-centric titles. Though announced here, no mention of exclusitivity was made, hinting that this may also be coming to PlayStation 3. The teaser will be posted soon.

Microsoft reveals full-body motion control in "Project Natal"

Microsoft has finally gone after the Wii's success with a new device that isn't exactly a controller, per se. Instead, its a device that sits under your TV and can detect the movements of your entire body. The device was demoed with using arm swipes to flip through the dashboard and a painting minigame. It seems like this may just be a show-off moment and this device may or may not come this year, but certainly is interesting and something to definitely keep an eye on. If I can find a demo video, I'll post it.

After the conference: Games on Demand revealed

It's curious that this didn't make the actual conference itself, but at a luncheon that followed the company announced that it is prepping a new service for digital distribution of full-size retail Xbox 360 games. Games on Demand will launch in August with about 30 games (so far only Assassin's Creed, BioShock, and Mass Effect were confirmed) and allow for direct charges to credit cards (i.e. you don't have to buy these with Microsoft Points).

E3 is Right Around the Corner

In case you've never heard of it, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, is the biggest video game trade show of the year. What that means is that publishers showcase most of their big titles that will be carrying them through the upcoming holiday season, and usually even titles that are still a year or two off. The "Big Three" console makers--Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo--all hold extravagant pre-show press conferences that have gained a reputation for big announcements regarding their respective platforms. Many games are shown in playable builds for the first time and still some games are featured in trailers or behind-closed-doors demonstrations. 

This year the show will be held in the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 2-4, but the ramp up is already starting. In an effort to gain their titles a little bit more attention than they may normally get in the tumultous circus of the actual show, publishers in recent years have actually begun showing titles and trailers in the weeks leading up to the big event. Below you'll find the big trailers that have already been revealed, but come June 2 expect a total flood of information on new titles. Enjoy!

MASS EFFECT 2- is Shepard dead?

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Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | E3 09: Exclusive Teaser HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM- "Poison Ivy" trailer

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Video Games | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Poison Ivy Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM- playable Joker levels (PS3 version only)

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Video Games | Batman: Arkham Asylum | E3 09: Exclusive Joker Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

BRINK- the new game from Fallout/Elder Scrolls maker Bethesda

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Video Games | Brink | E3 09: Exclusive Teaser

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

ALPHA PROTOCOL- "Decisions" trailer

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Video Games | Alpha Protocol | E3 09: Exclusive Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Honorable Mention.... MODERN WARFARE 2- reveal trailer

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Video Games | Modern Warfare 2 | Reveal Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Wanna see more on any of these games next week? Let me know in the comments or on Facebook. Expect a lot of big game-related posts in the next week, especially--but not limited to--the following games:

• Final Fantasy XIII
• Kojima Production's Next Project
• Halo 3: ODST
• Assassin's Creed II
• Splinter Cell: Conviction
• God of War III
• BioShock 2
• Brutal Legend
• Borderlands
• Red Steel 2
• Anything and everything that's unannounced right now but will be revealed next week!

New Modern Warfare 2 Trailer!

Infinity Ward has been teasing for a couple weeks that they were going to debut the full-length trailer for Modern Warfare 2 during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 24 (last night). The trailer was a sweet treat during the commercial break of a phenomenal Game 3 that saw the Magic going up on the Cavaliers 2 games to 1. More on the NBA Playoffs later... here is the trailer: