Tag Archives: Activision

Bungie announces 10-year “exclusive partnership” with Activision

News, Technology, , , , ,

Today Halo developer Bungie announced a partnership with Call of Duty publisher Activision.  To be more specific, it’s a “10-year exclusive [worldwide] partnership to bring Bungie’s next big action game universe to market.”  This means that for the foreseeable future, Activision will retain exclusive rights to publish all the games related to whatever Bungie has in store for us (a new Halo trilogy, perhaps?).  Also noteworthy, the announcement states that Activision also has the rights to distribute these games “on multiple platforms and devices”, meaning Bungie might finally cut its exclusive ties with Microsoft.  The partnership keeps Bungie an independent company and Bungie devs will continue to own their intellectual property.  Over at Bungie.net the devs share their excitement: “We are still Bungie, still independent, and now we are free to bring our stories to an ever bigger audience.”  With powerhouse titles under their belts, hopefully this unexpected partnership will result in some exciting new games for all major platforms.  Call of Halo?  Halo Duty?  Guitar Halo?  Sorry, I had to do it.

Look after the break for the official PR statement and a word from Bungie.

[Via Joystiq; Bungie] Continue reading Bungie announces 10-year “exclusive partnership” with Activision →

First CoD: MW2 map pack gets detailed, outrageously priced

News, Technology, , , , , , , , ,

The first Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 downloadable content will come in the form of a map pack.  The “Stimulus Package” will consist of five maps, two of them being old maps, “fan-favorites” from the original Modern Warfare game.  A description of the map pack was posted on the Xbox Live Marketplace (and has since been taken down for unknown reasons):

The best-selling Xbox 360 game of all-time just got bigger, with more epic multiplayer content, first on Xbox LIVE! The Stimulus Package delivers 5 additional action-packed multiplayer maps featuring a variety of locations: “Bailout,” a multi-level apartment complex; “Storm,” an open industrial park littered with heavy machinery; “Salvage,” a snowy junkyard fortified by stacked debris and crushed cars. Two legendary fan-favorites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare return, including “Crash,” [pictured above] a war-torn urban environment; and “Overgrown,” which features a massive dry creek bed.

“Stimulus Package” will land on Xbox Live as a 328MB download on March 30 for a whopping 1,200 Microsoft points (that’s $15!).  It will be made available on the PlayStation Network and PC at an undisclosed date.  Still feeling down about the hefty price tag for three new maps and two old ones, and remembering that popular map packs for World At War only cost $10 when they released?  Share your greif with other gamers by signing this petition.  Hopefully Activision will get wind of it and make things right before the 30th.

[Via Gamespot; Kotaku]

Call of Duty franchise has made $3 billion+ in worldwide sales

News, Technology, , ,

Activision announced that its Call of Duty franchise has officially generated over three billion dollars in worldwide retail sales, making it one of the biggest and most successful video game franchises in history.

Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard: Call Of Duty has become one of the greatest entertainment franchises of all time.  If you consider the number of hours our audiences are engaged in playing Call of Duty games, it is likely to be one of the most viewed of all entertainment experiences in modern history.”

Well I think we all know what led to this historic claim–cough, Modern Warfare 2, cough.

[Via IGN]

CoD: Modern Warfare 2 launch was a HUGE success

News, Technology, , , , , , ,

And that’s an understatement.  In fact, IGN calls it “the biggest launch in the history of all forms of entertainment.”  And we’re talking about the video games industry here.  Good stuff!

On November 10 games publisher Activision released the latest installment in the coveted Call of Duty franchise, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  After very positive initial reviews and a garnered hype spread by word of mouth and Twitter (MW2 quickly became (and still is) a trending topic).  In its first 24 hours on sale the game sold approximately 4.7 million copies in North America and the UK and made $310 million in sales.  DAY-UM!

Mike Griffith, CEO of Activision: “The Call of Duty franchise has become a cultural phenomenon showing the power of video games as an entertainment medium.”  “The shattering of these entertainment records is a testament to the compelling, cinematic and uniquely engaging experience that the Call of Duty brand delivers. Modern Warfare 2 has taken interactive experience to unprecedented heights setting a new standard for entertainment.”

Jump in on the action and get yourself a copy of MW2 today.

[Via IGN]

DJ Hero is out now; everyone’s a DJ

Music, Technology, Video, , , ,

DJ Hero is available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii at $119.99.  The standard bundle comes with the game and the turntable.  Don’t forget about the Renegade Edition.  For $199.99 you get the game, a sleeker premium turntable, a carrying case and stand, and a 2-CD pack containing Jay-Z and Eminem tracks.  Look after the break for a video featuring Eminem talking about the product.

Still on the fence about this pricey purchase?  Head on over to IGN and read their rave review.  They awarded DJ Hero a 9.0/10 and say “In an overcrowded genre of music games, DJ Hero resides at the very top with the best of ’em. The original mixes are stunning and scratching the turntable is just as fun as it seems.”  “…DJ Hero is already the most exciting music game around and is guaranteed to get the party started.”

And if that’s not enough for you, IGN has recently reported that downloadable tracks will be making their way to DJ Hero starting tomorrow.  Joining the original 93 songs are “All Of Me” by 50 Cent featuring Mary J. Blige vs. “Radio Ga Ga” by Queen and “DARE” by Gorillaz vs. “Can’t Truss It” by Public Enemy.  A David Guetta Mix Pack is also on its way, coming November 24.

[Via Engadget; IGN]

Continue reading DJ Hero is out now; everyone’s a DJ →

DJ Hero Renegade Edition additional tracks revealed

Music, News, Technology, , , , ,

dj-hero-renegade-edition---box-art

We already knew that the special edition of DJ Hero will include a custom turntable, a DJ stand, a carrying case, and tracks from Jay-Z and Eminem.  This week the included tracks were fnally revealed to the public.  Each rapper will be bringing 12 songs to the mix and will be loaded on two separate CDs.  Some of Jay-Z’s songs include “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” “Show Me What You Got,” “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is…),” “Brooklyn Go Hard (Featuring Santigold),” and “D.O.A. (Death of Auto Tune).”  Some of Eminem’s (hand-picked) songs include “Public Enemy No. 1,” “Say What You Say (featuring Dr. Dre),” “Lose Yourself,” “Say Goodbye to Hollywood,” and “Soldier.”  Keep in mind, though, that these songs are not playable in-game; they are audio CDs soley for listening to.  Bummer, I know!

DJ Hero ($119.99) releases alongside its special edition counterpart ($199.99) on October 27.

[Via IGN]

DJ Hero, ‘Awesome’ Edition [Updated]

Images, News, Technology, , ,

Today Activision announced a special version of its new DJ Hero video game.  Dubbed DJ Hero Renegade Edition, the bundle will include a deluxe turntable peripheral with premium metal controls and finish, a hardshell carrying case that transforms into a stand, and 2 CDs that contain some unreleased Eminem and Jay-Z tracks.  With the standard edition of DJ Hero priced at $120, expect to pay a premium on this upgraded version of the turntable and included extras.  Check out the gallery of images below.  DJ Hero is due out in late October.

Update: DJ Hero Renegade Edition will cost $199.99.  This is an $80 premuium over the standard edtion.  Make your choice when it ships on October 27.

[Via Engadget; Joystiq]

Kid Cudi featured in DJ Hero

Music, News, Technology, Video, , , ,

You may have noticed the DJ Hero turntable peripheral in the Kid Cudi “Make Her Say” music video.  This promotional tie-in was no coincidence.  It has been made official that a remix of Kid Cudi’s “Day n’ Nite” will be featured in the upcoming video game this October.  His single will be mixed with the Black Eyed Peas hit “Boom Boom Pow.”  Check out the video above for a sneak peak.

[Via DatNewCudi]

Guitar Hero 5 Tracklist (so far)

Music, News, Technology, , , , ,

Guitar Hero 5 is just around the corner, and the final tracklist is slowly but surely leaking out into existence.  IGN has compiled the tracks that have been announced.  The tracks listed below  were just announced today.  The game will have 85 tracks by 83 artists.  Peek after the break for the complete tracklist (so far).  Guitar Hero 5 is expected to release on September 1st.  Take a look!

New Additions
Attack! Attack! UK – “You And Me”
Bon Jovi – “You Give Love A Bad Name”
Darker My Love – “Blue Day”
The Duke Spirit – “Send A Little Love Token”
Elton John – “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)”
Face To Face – “Disconnected”
Garbage – “Only Happy When It Rains”
Kaiser Chiefs – “Never Miss A Beat”
Kiss – “Shout It Out Loud”
Love and Rockets – “Mirror People”
My Morning Jacket – “One Big Holiday”
Nirvana – “Lithium (Live)”
The Police – “So Lonely”
Rammstein – “Du Hast”
The Rolling Stones – “Sympathy For The Devil”
Sonic Youth – “Incinerate”
Screaming Trees – “Nearly Lost You”
Sublime – “What I Got”
The Sword – “Maiden, Mother & Crone”
Thin Lizzy – “Jailbreak”
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “American Girl”
The White Stripes – “Blue Orchid” Continue reading Guitar Hero 5 Tracklist (so far) →

DJ Hero, from the maker's of Guitar Hero

Music, Technology, , ,

DJ Hero Picture

Video game publisher Activision let loose the official website for DJ Hero, their latest effort in bringing musical instruments into the living room for mass audiences.  On the website you will find the official E3 trailer for the game, plus new stills and videos of in-game action.  The game will ship this fall for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Playstation 2 for $119.99.  The bundle will include the game and the turnable/cross fader peripheral.  GameStop has started taking preorders.  Also of importance is the announcement of Jay-Z and Eminem’s contribution to the game.  A special edition of the game will come with “the rappers’ new greatest-hits CDs, possibly including previously unreleased tracks, plus an advanced version of the controller, a DJ stand, and metal traveling case.”  Check out IGN’s article on DJ Hero and their exclusive video interview with an Activision rep; he shows off the accessory and how it is going to work.

[Image via IGN; quote via USA Today]