When nostalgic players of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered played the game, some were disappointed to see that the game’s revamped multiplayer was missing a few iconic maps. The all-important Crash was present, but where were Showdown, Pipeline, Bloc, Countdown, Strike, and Wet Works? Everyone just needed a little patience. All six missing maps are coming to the game, along with Winter Crash, a version of Crash festooned with Christmas decorations. The free update will also include the Gun Game and Hardpoint game modes. The December update will launch for everyone on the 13th.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is still only available in the Legacy Edition bundle with Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Activision continues to say that they have no plans to sell it separately.
There are two versions of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare on the PC platform. There is one on Steam and one exclusive to the Windows Store. You may be tempted to think they’d be able to play in the same lobbies. You’d be wrong. Players on the Windows Store version will only be in multiplayer lobbies with other Windows Store users, which could be a problem for players looking forward to a thriving community. According to the official FAQ, playing with friends on “another PC platform” is not possible.
No, you can only play these titles with other users of Windows 10 on Windows Store.
Consider this your public service announcement regarding the Windows Store build of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
In this time of election drama, Brexit, and news gone mad, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare offers a getaway. “Screw it, let’s go to space!” The one thing you can count on every year is that Activision will spend beaucoup bucks to make a ridiculous live-action commercial for Call of Duty. This year, Danny McBride and Michael Phelps, among others, enjoy the cathartic Michael Bay of it all. In this case, it’s Peter Berg with the directing honors. Berg knows explosions.
The family of Angolan rebel Jonas Savimbi has filed suit in France against Activation Blizzard for the warlord’s likeness being used in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Savimbi is the character in the opening level of the game exhorting rebel troops to kill the enemy while transporting the player character through a battlefield. The family’s suit alleges that the game defames Savimbi by portraying him as a “big halfwit who wants to kill everybody” instead of a dedicated rebel that fought oppression. Savimbi is a controversial figure who waged a decade-long guerilla war against Angola’s government before his death in 2002.
This marks the second time Black Ops II has come under fire from a political figure. Manuel Noriega tried to sue Activision in 2014 for his likeness being used in the game without his permission, but the suit was dismissed by the court.
At the end of every Call of Duty campaign, there’s that moment of victory that gives players their time in the sun. Jets flying overhead, medals won, fireworks, and a patriotic salute! Hoo-rah, soldier! You just served up a steaming cup of freedom to the enemy and made the world safe until the next globe-spanning threat. Achievement unlocked for slogging through five hours of grenade spam and quick-time event failures. Some people get little ego boost from that, but others just think it’s a chore. Like flipping to the end of a book, why can’t they just zoom to the end of the game and get a taste of the celebration?
Developer Treyarch agrees that in this age of YouTube surfing and streaming services, it just doesn’t make sense to restrict people to linear single player campaigns. According to Jason Blundell, the director of the campaign, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will have all single player levels unlocked from the start. If you want to spoil yourself and play the ending first, go for it.
“When Netflix release House of Cards and do all the episodes, does everyone just jump to the end and go and play the last episode? Sure you can. But it’s about the journey, though, right?”
“Sure, people will jump on and play the last level. Okay. Cool. That’s up to them.”
You’ll get your chance to skip the campaign for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 on November 6th when it releases on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. You could also play the game on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 where the campaign won’t be available at all.
The next time you complain about a Call of Duty trailer being a bombastic celebration of excess and pointless big-budget Hollywood star power, just remember that it could be like the video above. In Treyarch’s timeline video, the developer preps gamers for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 by catching everyone up on the convoluted story with about ten minutes of text. That’s right. You think you’re ready for prestige mode? Sit there and watch ten minutes of text and still photos. Now you’re ready for some NUK3TOWN!
There’s a new Nuketown map in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 because of course there is. You can get access to it by pre-ordering the game. This time, Activision and Treyarch say they’ve tuned the map to account for all the wall-running, and double-jump boosting that Black Ops 3 offers. If the thought of running back and forth and respawning umpteen times a session in that cul-de-sac for a third Call of Duty doesn’t turn you off, consider the name “NUK3TOWN” and everything that implies.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III will feature Seattle Seahawks’ running back Marshawn Lynch. ESPN has the story. Why is Marshawn Lynch in the shooter? Because it’s Call of Duty. That’s why. You don’t question the presence of John Malkovich, Kevin Spacey, Ice-T, or Freddy. Not even zombies get a raised eyebrow in this series. What’s a Skittles-eating football player compared to a hockey-mask wearing movie killer?
“Marshawn Lynch is the perfect match for Call of Duty,” says Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “I mean, he’s a guy who fills stadiums, crushes competitors and has a Beast Mode. What could be more COD than that?”
Going by the last Super Bowl result, perhaps Call of Duty should nab Tom Brady of The Patriots.
Yup. That’s the next Call of Duty game. It’s being handled by Treyarch, so it’s back to giant mechs, augmented-movement parkour, and robots. Wait a minute! Are we sure this is Call of Duty: Black Ops III and not Titanfall 2?
The U.S. government’s policymakers aren’t the only ones taking lessons from Call of Duty to market real military actions. The BBC reports that Islamic State supporters have used Call of Duty to reach their younger recruits.
IS fighters linked to the UK began referencing language and imagery from video war games such as Call of Duty, making simplistic claims about “respawning” in heaven – meaning starting the game again. Back home, their supporters saw these messages, shared them and made their own plans to get a flight to Turkey.
It’s not a multi-million dollar ad campaign starring Robert Downey Jr. or Jonah Hill, but as far as getting the message across, it seemed to do the trick.
If Lindsay Lohan can sue Rockstar for the alleged use of her likeness in Grand Theft Auto V, then why not let Manuel Noriega file suit against Activision for his likeness in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2? The 80-year-old former dictator of Panama has filed suit based on the character “False Profit” who helps the game’s antagonist Raul Menendez fake his own death. Noriega claims his likeness was used without his consent and that his character’s portrayal damages his reputation.
“Defendants’ use of plaintiff’s image and likeness caused damage to plaintiff. Plaintiff was portrayed as an antagonist and portrayed as the culprit of numerous fictional heinous crimes, creating the false impression that defendants are authorized to use plaintiff’s image and likeness. This caused plaintiffs to receive profits they would not have otherwise received.”
Manuel Noriega was deposed in 1989 when the United States invaded Panama. He is currently serving a 20-year term in El Renacer prison for human rights violations.
