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Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies Now Live On Android

by Fahed Jaradat

August 3, 2012 1:47 pm in News

As earlier rumors suggested, Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies is now available to purchase on Android for $6.99.

“Adapted from the best-selling console hit and built specifically for tablets and smartphones, Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies delivers fan-favorite, heart-pounding maps: Kino Der Toten, Ascension, and Call of the Dead: Director’s Cut, as well as ‘Dead-Ops Arcade,’ a 50-level zombie gauntlet that provides the ultimate undead challenge for fans of Call of Duty’s signature zombie warfare,” reads the description on the marketplace.

It’s also mentioned that “Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies is available exclusively for 30 days on Sony’s Xperia smart phones as well as Sony’s Xperia Play Optimized devices including the Xperia Play, with its dedicated gaming keypad, and the critically acclaimed Xperia S and Xperia Ion.”

Solo play as well as 4-player co-op is available via Wi-Fi, as are all the weapons and perks that you’ve come to know and love from the original Black Ops Zombies experience.

The app is rate M, requires Android 2.3.3 and up and is 43MB in size.

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Activision Comments on Bringing An Online Free-To-Play Call of Duty To The Western Audience

by David Veselka

10:41 am in News

Eric Hirshberg, Chief Executive Officer of Publishing Unit, comments on the thought of bringing a micro-transaction-based Call of Duty title to Western audiences.

You may remember the recent announcement of Call of Duty Online, a Call of Duty title aimed at the Chinese audience which features a micro-transaction model. Hirshberg was asked during a recent Activision earnings call if anything of the sort would ever make its way to Western audiences in the future.

“I think we look at the Call of Duty Online game in China on its own merit as a great opportunity,” he responded. “That’s not to say that we won’t gain learnings about how it works in the micro-transaction-based format for the game. And there are a few other regions where that would be very relevant. So — but we certainly are not ready to announce any plans in that regard.”

Hirshberg also recently commented on the success of Call of Duty Elite.

Would you welcome a mini-transaction-based/free-to-play Call of Duty with open arms?

Tags: PC Activision Featured Call of Duty: Online Xbox 360 PS3

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Call of Duty Elite Achieves “Historic Successes,” 12 Million Registered, 2.3 Million Premium Members

by David Veselka

August 2, 2012 9:45 pm in News

Activision reveals impressive Call of Duty Elite numbers.

“Call of Duty is one of the biggest entertainment franchises of all time, and player engagement with the brand continues to set new records,” says Eric Hirshberg, Chief Executive Officer of Publishing Unit, during a recent Activision Blizzard earnings call.

“With Call of Duty Elite, we’ve had historic successes combined with some important learnings,” he continues. Moving on to Elite numbers, Hirshberg states that “at least 2.3 million premium members and over 12 million registered users are remarkable achievements. When taken in combination with the record engagement of the Call of Duty franchise overall, there is strong evidence of tremendous continued engagement with the franchise. That said, we still feel we have a long way to go.”

What about Activision’s projections for Treyarch’s upcoming go at another annual round of Call of Duty with Black Ops II?

Hirshberg explains, “in preparation for the launch of this year’s game, our team in Treyarch has been working tirelessly to bring our highly engaged community, Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The game had several meaningful innovations and firsts for the franchise. It strikes a great balance between taking the franchise to new places while retaining the core appeal of all Call of Duty games. The game has already generated tremendous buzz, and Treyarch has continued to track ahead of Modern Warfare 3. We’re working incredibly hard with all of our partners around the world to make Black Ops II the biggest entertainment launch of all time for the fourth consecutive year. Call of Duty Elite will also be supporting the multiplayer experience in Black Ops II.”

What are your thoughts on the Call of Duty Elite service so far? Let us know in the comments below.

Heard about the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 DLC? Find out when you can get your hands on Collections 3 and 4!

Tags: Elite Xbox 360 PS3 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Featured Call of Duty: ELITE Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield 3: Armored Kill New Gameplay Footage, Tank Superiority Mode Detailed

by David Veselka

5:17 pm in News

Along with a number of epic new maps and vehicles included in the upcoming Battlefield 3: Armored Kill DLC, out this September, players will also be getting their hands on the brand new, vehicle-based game mode Tank Superiority.

No longer are details kept in the shadows as DICE’s own Niklas Fegraeus took the stage during EA’s recent Summer Showcase event to give us our first look at Tank Superiority on the brand new map, Armored Shield.

Fegraeus goes on to explain what the new mode is all about: Essentially, two tank platoons will be tasked with dominating a single flag as they try to bleed the opposing force’s tickets down to zero. Think of it as one-flag Conqeust, but in tanks.

Check out Fegraeus’ presentation below, including some quick peeks at other upcoming DLC like Aftermath and End Game.

[youtube id=”wOsP4Nfk9KM” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Thanks to IGN for live streaming the event.

Update:

The latest episode of Inside DICE describes the new Tank Superiority mode as follows:

Tank Superiority is a highly tailored game mode for Armored Kill where platoons featuring Main Battle Tanks and Tank Destroyers fight for control over a single flag – often placed in extremely open and hard-defended terrain. The new game mode resembles a “King of the Hill” struggle and is available on all four maps in Armored Kill, each map featuring a mix of up to 16 tanks.

As there is only one flag with a tight capture radius per map, heavy tank battles tend to flow back and forth as teams seek to bleed tickets from their opponent. For tank drivers, success usually comes by staying together in packs of 2-3 tanks working together. Going solo to the capture point typically means you get overwhelmed by a large group of enemy tanks.

To make sure there is plenty of opportunity for epic tank battles, respawn times for the vehicles are almost instantaneous. If you spawn at your home base and don’t see a tank, there is usually no reason to start legging it towards the front. A few seconds later, a new tank will appear for you and your team mates.

Tank Destroyers and infantry will also play a role in the mayhem, according to DICE. Though Tank Destroyers are more lightly armored and carry the same punch as a regular tank, they are much more nimble and should provide new gameplay opportunities when it comes to planning ways to attack a flag. Will you sacrifice armor for speed? Additionally, though infantry won’t be carrying the brunt of the assault, they will help keep friendly tanks repaired and provide additional firepower through the combined use of SOFLAMs and Javelins.

DICE gameplay designer Gustav Halling leaves us with a few tips to keep in mind before we get our hands on the new mode which he exclaims was inspired by Battlefield: 1943’s Air Superiority:

As a general rule, great tank commanders will make sure to travel in “wolf packs”, as lone tanks are easily picked off by well-positioned enemy tank squads. It’s important to use the new Tank Destroyer class to its advantage by constantly being on the move to become a harder target to hit. The number of lock-ons that you get from enemy guided weapons in Tank Superiority also means you probably want to equip your tank with IR smoke.

Once you have captured the control point on a map, it is normally a good idea to get the hell out of there, as you will be a sitting duck if you cluster up at the flag while the enemy outmaneuver you from higher terrain or from another advantageous position. Capture, then move back to defend is generally the way to play Tank Superiority and survive.

We leave you with three brand new Battlefield 3: Armored Kill images.

Tags: Armored Kill Tank Superiority Battlefield 3 DICE Xbox 360 PS3 PC EA Featured

David Veselka

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Assassin’s Creed III Multiplayer Intro Leaked, Ubisoft Justifies No Public Beta and Talks MP Improvements

by James Lara

1:14 pm in Videos

Brand new details on Assassin’s Creed III Multiplayer have been revealed in the latest intro video by Abstergo Industries.

The video below originated from Gametrailers, but has since been taken down due to accidental release.

Assassin s Creed III by Jerry_Connelly

The footage seems to confirm the following game modes:

Wolf Pack
Wanted
Assassinate
Manhunt
Domination
Artifact Assault
Team Deathmatch
Capture the Flag
Steal the Artifact
Drive the Car
Open the Can
Meet Ted

Speaking with UK Xboxgamezone, Ubisoft’s very own Damien Kieken discussed many of the new changes and improvements made from the last multiplayer iteration of Assassin’s Creed.

Damien confirmed that the team has been working on Assassin’s Creed III’s Multiplayer since the end of Revelations. Now, those of you who were familiar with the multiplayer in Revelation will know that many AC fans weren’t as fond of it compared to AC: Brotherhood. Since then, the team has taken this feedback and made some changes that should hopefully please fans of Brotherhood.

We’ve merged the assassination and stun action on to the same button thus getting rid of the stun prompt. The change leans towards not revealing a stealthy assassin anymore and favors player reactivity.
The addition of the Ambush bonus for those players who preferred intercepting targets like in Brotherhood, as opposed to building up an approach in line of sight like in Revelations.
We’ve revamped the matchmaking system to make it easier to play with friends in groups.
We’ve also improved the map voting system to allow more map choices in rotation, rather than looping on a different variant of the same map at the next rematch.
And we’ve built a player focused UI, which helps identify more easily the types of players you will face during a match, as well as progression, results and statistics.

As for why there is no public beta for AC3, Kieken mentions that “doing a beta takes a lot of time; we’d need to polish a version, submit it to the platform holders and support it when it’s out. And all the time put into the beta doesn’t go into the final game. Because we wanted to push so many things into the game, we took the hard decision to favor the final game content instead of doing a beta and we believe it will be favorable in the end.”

Are you excited for Assassin’s Creed III’s multiplayer?

Tags: Wii U Xbox 360 PS3 PC Ubisoft Featured Assassin's Creed 3

James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Public Beta Arriving This Fall, Leaks Acknowledged

by James Lara

1:06 pm in News

As many of you may know, Sony is currently running a closed Beta for it’s mash-up brawler title, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. Some have been lucky enough to receive a random invite, while others have purchased a PS+ subscription from Hong Kong. For those who are not in the beta, but are hoping to get a chance to test the title, then you’ll be excited to hear that Sony has just announced a Public Beta.

Starting this Fall (before October), Playstation 3 gamers will be able to enjoy a public beta for PS All-Star. Those who have a PS+ subscription will be granted early access. Additionally, the team will be sending out more codes in the coming week for the closed beta, so keep an eye out for it in your email.

Since the game has been in closed beta testing for a while now, it seems that some people managed to take a peak into the files to find some “hidden” characters, items, stages, and modes that aren’t available in the current beta build. Superbot has finally commented on this through the PS Blog, stating:

“In addition, there was an unexpected and unintended leak in our beta that allowed fans to be able to see some additional content. We’ve enjoyed reading all of the fan reaction and are thrilled that so many of you are excited to learn more our character roster and level mash-ups, however we are still in development and the leaked content does not fully represent the final product nor the incredible efforts that were made to make these elements truly spectacular. This will be evident in the coming weeks as this content is officially revealed, beginning with our next character announcement at Gamescom in a couple of weeks.”

The Leaks

If you don’t want anything spoiled then I suggest you don’t read/view this part of the article. Otherwise, read at you’re own risk.

List of files found in the beta:

Characters:

Dante (DMC)
Evil Cole (InFamous)
Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
Raiden (Metal Gear Solid)
Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet)
Ratchet & Clank (Ratchet & Clank)
Sir Daniel Fortesque (MediEvil)
Spike (Ape Escape)

Items:

Atomizer (Resistance 3)
Baumusu Axe (The Mark of Kri)
Boots of Hermes (God of War III)
Freeze Missile (Twisted Metal)
Golf Club (Hot Shots Golf)
Gravity Shield (Wipeout)
Hedgehog Grenade (Resistance)
Dohvat Laser Designator (Killzone 3)
Leech Beem (Wipeout)
Murder of Crows (BioShock Infinite)
Railgun (Metal Gear Solid 4)
Razor Claws (Ratchet and Clank)
RPG (Uncharted)
Scythe (Fat Princess)
Spear (God of War)
Sonic Rift (ModNation Racers)
Sackbot (Little Big Planet)

Minions:

Captain Qwark (Ratchet & Clank)
Kai (Heavenly Sword)
Kat (Devil May Cry)
Kiya (MediEvil)
Monkey (Ape Escape)
Nix (InFamous 2)
Pierre (Doko Demo Issho)
Sackbot (LittleBigPlanet)
Sam (Metal Gear Rising)

Stages:

Alden’s Tower (InFamous)
Black Rock Stadium (Twisted Metal)
Columbia (BioShock Infinite)
Franzea (LocoRoco)
Invasion (Killzone)
Paris (Sly Cooper)
San Francisco (Resistance)
Stowaways (Uncharted)
Time Station (Ape Escape)

Tags: PS3 Featured Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale

James Lara

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Modern Warfare 3 Collection 3: Chaos Pack, Collection 4: Final Assault and August Elite Content Drops Dated

by David Veselka

11:26 am in News

More Call of Duty content incoming as Activision has announced the two final collection packs making their way to Modern Warfare 3 in the next couple of months. Collection 3: Chaos Pack will be hitting the Xbox 360 first on August 9 while Collection 4: Final Assault will be dropping on September 6.

Activision recently issued a press release describing what each collection packs in:

Call of Duty: MW3 Collection 3: Chaos Pack

“Offers extensive solo and co-op gameplay for the Special Ops enthusiast, featuring four brand new Special Ops Missions — Vertigo, Arctic Recon, Light ‘Em Up and Special Delivery — and FACE OFF maps — Vortex, U-Turn and Intersection. Introducing a new way to play Call of Duty®, Special Ops Chaos Mode delivers a frenetic form of combat that demands players to outlast waves of enemies, while chaining kills on maps littered in power-ups to achieve the highest possible score on fan-favorite multiplayer maps Resistance, Village, Underground and Dome.”

Call of Duty: MW3 Collection 4: Final Assault

“Tailored toward hardcore multiplayer fans, and features five all-new multiplayer maps. ‘Gulch’ sends combatants into a forgotten mining town with mine shafts and equipment sheds for cover. In ‘Boardwalk,’ fun in the sun on the Jersey Shore means facing enemies on the beach. ‘Offshore’ and ‘Decommission’ will test players’ sea legs on deadly oceanic oilrigs and among a maze of rotting ocean liners respectively. Rounding out the collection is a trip to the French Quarter in a war-torn New Orleans, where ‘Parish’ pits players against one another amidst the city’s rubble.”

Each collection will be released first on the Xbox Live Marketplace for 1,200 Microsoft Points, or $14.99. Naturally, the content in each collection will be made available to Xbox 360 Premium Elite members earlier with this months content drops, including the Special Ops missions Light ‘Em Up and Special Delivery along with the new Special Ops Chaos Mode, set to be released August 7, according to the official website.

Update: The final Premium Elite content drops, including multiplayer maps Gulch, Boardwalk and Parish, are now scheduled to hit the Xbox 360 on September 5.

Check out these brand new images and descriptions of the new game mode Special Ops Chaos as well as Modern Warfare 3’s Collection 4: Final Assault below (click for larger size).

Special Ops Chaos Mode

“A whole new way to play Call of Duty®, Special Ops Chaos mode delivers the ultimate in arcade mayhem. Experience truly heart-pounding and adrenaline-fueled action while competing for high scores in Resistance, Village, Underground and Dome. Chain kills together against a never-ending onslaught of enemies to increase your combo multiplier and earn performance-enhancing perks. Choose your route through each map to optimize weapon pickups, attack, and escape options. Play solo, split screen or online with a friend to take out as many enemies as possible before they take you down or the clock hits zero.”

Decommission

“A nautical graveyard gives birth to a sprawling shantytown in ‘Decommission,’ a mid-sized multiplayer map populated with chokepoints and fortifications.”

Off Shore

“An off shore oil rig spreads combat across three platforms in ‘Off Shore,’ leading to skirmishes at every turn. Multiple interconnecting bridges, cramped indoor locations and frequent stairwells constantly challenge navigation throughout.”

Gulch

“Decades after fires charred this forgotten mining town, the red rock canyon gains new shades of red in ‘Gulch,’ where the surrounding mountains, mine shafts and equipment sheds craft a perfect setting for high-tension combat.”

Board Walk

“Head to the Jersey Coast for a sunny afternoon in ‘Boardwalk,’ where you’ll face your enemies on the beach and fight for dominance at the arcade while still finding time to cut the line at the rollercoaster.”

Parish

“Wishful thinking won’t keep you safe in New Orleans’ war-torn French Quarter in ‘Parish,’ where a local bombed-out church plays host to close-quarters combat amidst the city’s rubble.”

Are you excited to try out the new Special Ops Chaos Mode? Or, perhaps, the upcoming multiplayer maps have you more excited? What are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget about the recent Modern Warfare 3 weapon balance tweaks that just went live.

Tags: Final Assault Xbox 360 PS3 PC Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Featured Collection 3 Collection 4 Special Ops Chaos Mode Chaos Pack

David Veselka

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PSN to Undergo Routine Two Hour Maintenance Tonight

by Fahed Jaradat

August 1, 2012 6:30 pm in News

The PlayStation Network is scheduled to undergo routine maintenance this evening, starting at 12:00am PDT (1:00am MDT / 2:00am CDT /3:00 am EDT), Sony has announced on the US PS Blog.

The maintenance will last for only two hours, and is intended “to ensure that we can keep offering you the best online games experience,” explains Sony’s Matthew Harper.

Please note that “during this maintenance period you WILL be able to sign in to the Network if you have signed in at some point over the past few days. So please be sure to sign in now if you wish to access PSN during this maintenance window.”

Application, such as Netflix and Hulu, and online play will not be affected during the two hour down, given you followed the aforementioned instructions. Only the PSN store and account management functionality will not be accessible during the maintenance.

Tags: Maintenance PS3 PSN Featured

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Modern Warfare 3 Weapon Tweaks Hot Fix Notes, PS3 Terminal Update

by MP1st

4:43 pm in News

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has received a few weapon tweaks earlier today through a hot fix, presumably on all three platforms.

A few of the Assault Rifles and SMG’s have receive some extra love, according to the official Call of Duty forums. Check out the update notes below:

Assault Rifles Buffed

FAD – increased damage and range
M16A4 – increased damage and fire rate
AK47 – reduced kick

SMG’s Buffed

UMP45 – increased damage
MP5 – increased fire rate
PM9 – reduced kick

On a side note, Infinity Ward is working on a smoother launch for Terminal on PS3, as developer ‘Ghandi’ noted that the team is “currently working with Sony to attempt to make sure that by the time Terminal launches on PS3 the fix is in place.” PS3 Elite members will receive Terminal on the 16th of August.

Tags: MW3 Xbox 360 PS3 PC Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Featured

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DICE’s “Only In Battlefield 3” Video Contest Returns

by David Veselka

2:52 pm in News

Last December, Swedish-based developers DICE put together a nifty little video contest that required players to submit footage of their most amazing in-game moments, moments that can only happen in the epic, large-scale warfare FPS Battlefield 3.

Much to our entertainment and pleasure, this competition dubbed “Only in Battlefield 3” returns once again, as recently announced by DICE.

Before moving on to the details, lets take a moment to remember the amazing moments brought to us by the winners of last December’s contest, the top prized being a trip to DICE and “a place in Battlefield history.” Check out their videos, including the now famous, gravity-defying “Rendezook,” right here.

This time around, DICE is allowing entries into three different categories:

Battlefield 3 Close Quarters
Battlefield 3 Back to Karkand
Battlefield 3 Overall

The three top winners will each receive the following Prize Package, weighing in at an approximate retail value of $10,000:

One (1) Personal Computer comprised of ASUS Sabertooth 990FX motherboard, AMD FX 8150 CPU, 8GB Kingston DDR3 RAM, Dual Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 in CrossFire, Silverstone Strider 1000W Modular Power Supply, 128GB Crucial M4 SSD, 1TB Western Digital HDD
One (1) Battlefield 3™ Razer Imperator
One (1) Battlefield 3™ Razer Scarab
One (1) Battlefield 3™ Razer BlackShark
One (1) Battlefield 3™ Razer BlackWidow Ultimate
One (1) Battlefield 3™ Razer Messenger Bag

For specific instructions on how to enter the contest, make sure to visit the official page.

We can’t wait to see what the Battlefield 3 community has in store for us this time!

Tags: Featured Only In Battlefield Battlefield 3 DICE

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Medal of Honor: Warfighter – “We’ve Tried Some Very Innovative Things This Time Around With Multiplayer,” Says EA

by David Veselka

12:55 pm in News

President of the EA Labels Frank Gibeau reflects on the success of 2010’s reboot of the Medal of Honor franchise and reveals what’s in store moving forward. He also touches on how things will be different this time around with the release of Medal of Honor: Warfighter this fall.

The term ‘authenticity’ seems to have been on the mind of many at EA and Danger Close studios going into the development of Medal of Honor: Warfighter. Check out the latest trailer to see for yourself. In fact, judging by Gibeau’s comments during a recent Electronic Arts earnings call, it could be considered one of the staple features that would hopefully earn this franchise’s reboot a rightful spot in today’s shooter market: “…with regards to Medal of Honor, we brought the brand back a couple of years ago in 2010 with the goal of building a sustainable long-term franchise that was positioned around the authentic experience of being in combat. And we were very proud of the first product.”

Though their first attempt was a success to some degree, even Gibeau admits that there was room for improvement: “It definitely delivered on a lot of fronts. In a couple of fronts, it didn’t. We weren’t as pleased with the quality as we had hoped to be. And our goal with this version was to change things up a bit. We changed the tech base from the Unreal Engine to the Frostbite engine. We added some resources from our DICE Studio in Stockholm. And we’ve tried some very innovative things this time around with multiplayer and some other things.”

So far, the multiplayer is shaping up quite nicely, as demonstrated through some recent gameplay footage and through the latest multiplayer trailer.

As we look forward to Warfighter this October 23 on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, Gibeau ensures that we can expect more Medal of Honor in the future: “So we’re tracking to grow the franchise from the prior version, the 2010 version. And our goal is to continue to have Medal of Honor as part of our portfolio going forward.”

Do you think the Medal of Honor franchise can earn its place among the big boys like Battlefield and Call of Duty? Has it already? Let us know in the comments below!

Tags: Xbox 360 PS3 PC EA Featured Danger Close Warfighter

David Veselka

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Things Get Personal in the New Medal of Honor: Warfighter Trailer

by David Veselka

8:59 am in Videos

Though not usually the sort of thing we post on MP1st, Danger Close’s latest single player trailer for their upcoming FPS blockbuster Medal of Honor: Warfighter is not one to miss.

Watch Preacher, Voodoo and the boys get back into action as events take on a more personal tone.

[youtube id=”j6o3EvvFdak” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Update: You can aslo catch the explicit version that recently went live.

[youtube id=”HyT5g0hrGD0″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

Leading up to the release of the trailer, Danger Close and EA posted a series of screenshots on the official Medal of Honor: Warfighter Facebook page which you can check out below (click for a larger size).

Let us know in the comments what you thought of the new trailer!

Tags: Danger Close Warfighter Xbox 360 PS3 PC Frostbite 2 Featured

David Veselka

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Battlefield 4 To Release By March 2014, Confirms EA

by David Veselka

July 31, 2012 6:54 pm in News

EA is looking to launch the fourth numbered title in the Battlefield franchise between April 2013 and March 2014.

This announcement comes out of a recent Electronic Arts Q1 FY13 earnings call in which Battlefield 3 sales and subscription numbers were revealed.

According to VideoGamer, EA also touched on their future plans regarding the Battlefield franchise, stating that they are “aiming” for a window of April 2013 to March 2014 to release Battlefield 4.

Keep in mind that access to the Battlefield 4 beta is being handed out through each pre-order of Danger Close’s upcoming shooter, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, set for release this October 23. EA has confirmed that access to the beta will be be granted in fall 2013, meaning a release of Battlefield 4 between April 2013 to August 2013 would be highly unlikely.

We can safely speculate that EA will follow its current trend of releasing AAA shooters in the fall, or more specifically, in October 2013 (shortly after the Battlefield 4 beta, as was the case with Battlefield 3).

Base featured image credit: WCTS

Tags: PC Release date EA Featured Battlefield 4 DICE Xbox 360 PS3

David Veselka

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Star Wars: The Old Republic Goes Free-To-Play This November

by David Veselka

5:41 pm in News

Starting this November, there will be two ways you can play Star Wars: The Old Republic.

As stated in a recent Electronic Arts earnings call, Star Wars: The Old Republic “will move to a more accessible two-tiered pricing model in November.”

What does this mean? Players will have the option to choose between a monthly, subscription-based fee of $14.99 or a brand new free-to-play model. Though the latter option will come with a few restrictions on content and advanced features, players will have the ability to purchase upgrades with in-game currency.

This may seem a rather hasty move for EA’s flagship MMO which launched not even a year ago out of Edmonton studio BioWare, but it seems that EA is hoping to boost its already dwindling number of subscriptions fast.

If you’ve yet to try Star Wars: The Old Republic, would you give it a shot if it became free-to-play? Let us know in the comments below.

Tags: PC Bioware Featured Free to Play The Old Republic

David Veselka

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Battlefield 3 Premium Earns $37 Million in Sales with Over 1.3 Million Subscriptions To Date

by David Veselka

4:37 pm in News

In a recent Electronic Arts earnings call, we learn just how well EA’s/DICE’s brand new subscription based service, Battlefield 3 Premium is in the first quarter of its fiscal year 2013.

EA reports a “solid quarterly performance from FIFA 12 and Battlefield 3” as the “catalog continues to outperform expectations with Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12 together selling through over 2 million units in the first quarter.”

In the table below, you can see EA’s digital revenue forecast for both the FIFA and Battlefield franchises. While FIFA 12 is expected to earn another $17 million in digital revenue for the remainder of FY13, Battlefield 3 is expected to earn another $109 million, achieving a total of $188 million through to FY13.

But, what about the newly introduced Battlefield 3 Premium service, a service meant to enhance the Battlefield 3 experience by offering subscribers further in-game content, special events and early access to upcoming DLC like Armored Kill and Aftermath for the one-time fee of $49.99?

According EA’s reports, Battlefield 3 Premium generated $37 million in sales, though these numbers will be deferred and set to be recognized in fiscal Q4. In terms of actual subscriptions, DICE and EA can chalk off a total of over 1.3 million subscriptions to date.

Are you a Battlefield 3 Premium subscriber? How are you enjoying the service so far? Let us know in the comments below!

Tags: Featured Premium Q4 Battlefield 3 DICE Xbox 360 PS3 PC EA

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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New Modern Warfare 3 DLC Hits PS3 Elite on August 16th

by Fahed Jaradat

2:28 pm in News

As expected, Infinity Ward has revealed that two multiplayer maps, Decommission and Offshore, and Spec Ops mission Vertigo will release on Thursday August 16th on PlayStation 3.

Terminal will also release on August 16th for Call of Duty Elite subscribers on the platform. The Modern Warfare 2 fan-favorite map will launch the next day August 17th for all non-Elite players to enjoy free of charge.

PS3 users can expect two more Spec Ops missions, Special Delivery and Light ‘Em Up, and a classified drop, which is rumored to be a new game mode for Spec Ops, to hit Elite in September.

In October, however, three new multiplayer maps, reportedly Gulch, Parish, and Boardwalk, will be available for PS3 Elite users.

Here are the screens released and the map(s)/mission synopses, as reported earlier this month:

: Multiplayer Map – Decommission

A graveyard of rotting [or add decommissioned here] ocean liners has not only given birth to a shantytown of locals, but a mid-sized Multiplayer Map populated in chokepoints; providing the perfect setting for shoreline-based combat.

: Multiplayer Map – Offshore

Trapped on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean, you have nowhere to go but directly at your enemies in this new Multiplayer map boasting helipads, cranes, and countless perches for snipers eager to pick off the competition. Did we mention to look down or else you may fall off?

drop_18_920x518 — Spec Ops Mission – Vertigo

The luxurious “Oasis” hotel in Dubai hosts the latest Special Ops mission, in which players must use laser-guided RPG’s to dispatch waves of helicopters. Utilize rooftop advantage to defend from waves of enemies, before parachuting to a ground-level exfil point.

Tags: PS3 Featured Decommision Off Shore Vertigo Modern Warfare 3 MW3

Fahed Jaradat

Senior Editor and Co-Founder. Multiplayer runs in my blood. Don't believe me? Ask for a sample! Subscriber

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Battelfield 3 Dev Answers Your Questions: How To Earn the M1911 S-TAC, DICE’s Patching Process and Much More

by David Veselka

1:42 pm in News

DICE Senior Gameplay Designer answers your burning Battlefield 3 questions.

In the latest episode of Inside DICE, a developer blog who’s purpose is to give Battlefield 3 fans and inside look at the development of such projects like Battlefield 3 and all its DLC, Kertz looks to Twitter to answer a few of your burning questions.

Last time, Kertz provided insight to aspects of gunplay in Battlefield 3, like the relationship of the suppressor and foregrip combo, various weapon sight effects and much more. You can check it out right here if you missed it.

Below is a new new batch of questions and answers as seen on Inside DICE, including info on DICE’s patching process, how to earn that elusive M1911 S-TAC and definitions of different engagement ranges.

1. Why are there no US acquired RPG or RU Acquired SMAW unlocks?
(Asked by @Deffik_E05)
Unlike the primary weapons, there’s no real difference between the RPG and the SMAW in terms of gameplay. We felt like it was better to keep these weapons faction specific, like the IGLA and the FIM-92.

2. Could you explain why some gameplay changes can be made server side while others like the patch must be done with client update?
(Asked by @Sirdiealot53)
A great question, with a bit of a tricky answer. Generally, there are some things that are controlled entirely on the server side, and what we call “replicated” (that is, copied over the network) to the client. Generally this means things like vehicle weapons and armor and guided weapons like missiles.

For other things, we require that the client and server agree, this applies to vehicle and soldier physics and soldier weapon behavior. If weapons or physics are not in sync between the server and the client players will experience lag when the server “corrects” the client, or worse the client maybe unable to connect or be kicked from the server when data differs (a part of our anticheat protection). Going forward into the long term future, we’d like to see the ability for the server to deliver updated balance data to the client, though is unlikely to happen in the short term.

3. Will the M1911 S-TAC be released to the public? It says in official guide that is for veterans, not DICE only?
(Asked by @GAMINGDRAG0N)
Right now the M1911 S-TAC is only available to DICE Devs. There’s a misprint in the guide for this specific issue that was missed before it went to press. We know lots of players are eager to get their hands on our S-TAC, though right now the only way to do that is by clicking here and being awesome: http://dice.se/jobs

4. The FAMAS nerf for RPM & smaller mag is good & more accurate for the F1 model — but the recoil is way overboard dude, c’mon…
(Asked by @LethalPenguin)
This was a tough balance to make, due to the FAMAS having significantly different stats on the 3 platforms, as well as being extremely varied in player popularity on the different platforms. The FAMAS should get a bit of vertical recoil reduction to offset its now smaller mag and to make it generally a bit more controllable. It’s a rather frustrating weapon to use now, which is not the intention.

5. Hey. What is your definition of close, medium and long range? 30, 60, 100+?
(Asked by @psn_steve10120)
Close range in the game is about 8m. Inside 8m is considered “point blank” and all weapons do their maximum damage here. For longer range guns, 12-15m is short range (like a sniper rifle) and they get damage bonuses at longer ranges since their fire rates are much lower. Medium range is anything under 25-30m. The vast majority of combat and kills in BF3 actually comes between 25-30m even on large maps like Operation Firestorm. It’s likely that our even bigger maps will move this out to 40m, however infantry tend to close on their targets and distance kills are much harder to achieve. Outside of 50m is considered long range. Here most weapons have hit their minimum damage levels and some guns are no longer accurate enough to hit reliably. For distances of 50m or more a bipod and a heavy barrel is needed to be really effective. 100m and up is almost exclusively for sniper rifles. Kills at this distance are rare and actually only account for about 12% of all kills in Battlefield 3.

Thanks, Kertz, for answering our questions!

Make sure to check out the latest Battlefield 3: Aftermath DLC details.

Tags: Battlefield 3 DICE Xbox 360 Alan Kertz PS3 PC Featured

David Veselka

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Modern Warfare 3 August Content Drops “Light ‘Em Up” and “Special Delivery” Officially Detailed

by David Veselka

12:15 pm in News

After many leaks and rumors regarding the upcoming Content Drops for Modern Warfare 3, official details finally surface and we find out what Call of Duty fans can look forward to this August.

In the next few weeks, Xbox 360 Elite members will be able to download two brand new Spec Ops missions: Light ‘Em Up and Special Delivery.

Light ‘Em Up

“Light ‘Em Up is set after Modern Warfare 3’s single-player campaign and sees two SAS operatives storming an Eastern European stronghold to rescue a teammate,” according to VideoGamer who’ve received exclusive details on these upcoming goodies.

Additionally, players will be able to pilot a fully-controllable Little Bird helicopter – a first for the Modern Warfare series. Micheal Condrey, Sledgehammer Games’ VP and COO explains, “the guy in the air is a really exciting position to be in because you have to control the helicopter, use the spotlight and provide overwatch cover for the guy on the ground” who’s task is to recover intel on the whereabouts of the hostage.

Also rather exciting is that “it’s a night mission, so you come in under the cover of night,” he adds. Though the mission carries a stealthy nature, air support will be able to bombard the enemies below with grenade launchers and assault rifle fire.

Special Delivery

While Light ‘Em Up puts one player in the shoes of a fully capable helicopter pilot, Special Deliver has you saving one. “Special Deliverytakes players to a hydroelectric dam at the base of a Chinese river to rescue a helicopter pilot,” details Condrey.

He adds, “what we’ve tried to do is bring really great mechanics together that people love to play,” referring to the teamwork involved in this particular mission as one player provides cover with an Osprey Gunner while at the same time dropping Care Packages with various assets for the player on the ground to utilize.

Explaining further, Condrey states, “the guy in the air runs the Osprey Gunner and can drop .50 cal shells from the air, and call in explosive rounds. But the cool thing is that I can drop three different types of Care Packages to my buddy on the ground trying to get to the downed pilot.

“It’s really awesome. You can drop in an XM25, you can drop a Care Package of a turret or a self-revive… The opportunity to use Care Packages and the Osprey Gunner killstreak from multiplayer is so much fun.”

Condrey believes that upcoming content should “continue to excite people” and that “it’s a really exciting time.”

That about covers Modern Warfare 3’s latest additions to the Spec Ops family dropping on the Xbox 360 first and followed by the PS3 and PC. Make sure to follow MP1st on Twitter and Facebook to be the first to find out when you can get your hands on this brand new content!

As for September’s Modern Warfare 3 Content Drops, take a look at the hints and clues we’ve received so far.

Are you excited for two brand new Spec Ops missions: Light ‘Em Up and Special Delivery?

Tags: Featured Light 'Em Up Content Drops August Special Delivery Elite Xbox 360 PS3 PC Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

David Veselka

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Planetside 2 Beta Delayed For Further Polishing and Testing

by James Lara

July 30, 2012 8:43 pm in News

It seems that the “unforeseen circumstances” that Planetside 2 developers warned about earlier have occurred. Originally planned to launch today (Monday, July 30) or tomorrow (Tuesday, July 31) the Planetside 2 Beta has been slightly delayed, but for good reasons.

According to John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment, the team had to delay the beta launch for further polishing and testing before they let in a mass number of players. This is to ensure that everything is “awesome”.

In his words, the Beta was “planned for today or tomorrow but we have some stuff we need to make sure is awesome.”

The new beta date is scheduled to start either this Friday, August 3, or the following Monday.

Tags: PC Beta Featured PlanetSide 2

James Lara

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Sony’s Yoshida on the SOCOM Franchise, “It’s Not Done.”

by James Lara

3:49 pm in News

Last March, Sony Computer Entertainments closed the doors of studio Zipper Interactive, developers behind SOCOM and MAG. Since then, many fans of the SOCOM series have been curious whether or not the franchise will continue. SCE boss, Shuhei Yoshida took the time to comment on this matter.

“It’s not done. We never definitely retire any franchise. It’s sometimes great to have a fresh look at the classics that we have,” he told the Official Playstation Magazine in its latest issue, as posted on the PlayStation Forums.

Though, yes, this is a confirmation that the series is indeed not dead, this does not however confirm in anyway that we will be seeing another SOCOM title anytime soon. This can be shown further in his discussion with OPM about the upcoming Sly Cooper title.

“We are launching a new Sly Cooper game this year after so many years. Never say never. I feel sorry for people who are longtime SOCOM fans, and there are many people who still play SOCOM 1 and SOCOM 2, especially those seem to be their favorites.”

I for one would love to see the series continue, though SOCOM 4 wasn’t exactly up to par with past SOCOM titles. Would you guys like to see Sony re-create SOCOM 1 through 3 in an HD Collection?

Tags: Zipper Interactive MAG PS3 Featured SOCOM