Infinity Ward Shares Rundown Of Content For Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II Season 1 & Warzone 2.0

In just over a week, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has consumed the video game industry. And while this is nothing new with every year bringing a new release each fall season, this game is different with a completely revamped Warzone ‘2.0’ on the horizon. Next week, Warzone returns with a new flavor as it introduces elements from Modern Warfare II and more. Howbeit, your progress was confirmed to not be compatible from the first game. As for the reception for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, the game has already generated more than $1 billion. Within its first ten days, the milestone was reached making it the fastest-selling title in history for the property. Even more, the game over on PC faced double the number of users in the short timeframe which trumps previous installments as well. Additionally, Activision & Infinity Ward showcased the first season for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II alongside its plans for Warzone 2.0. You can read the full roadmap in the image below: “Starting on November 16, Season 01 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare® II and Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0 will deliver action on all fronts: the next iteration of the massive free-to-play Battle Royale experience featuring the much-anticipated DMZ mode, reimagined maps in Multiplayer, and an additional Special Ops mission prior to the first Raid Episode. There will be plenty of content across both games through all-new Battle Pass, football-themed event, and more.” Content is not short for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is not short within the next year according to Bloomberg either. In that, Sledgehammer Games is said to helm a new ‘premium’ expansion for this year’s installment as Treyarch plans to ship its next major title later on in 2024. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited for Season 1 for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Infinity Ward

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II Launch Faced Double PC User Count Compared To Last Few Releases

This year marks yet another release for the Call of Duty train with ‘Modern Warfare II’ on store shelves from Infinity Ward. As the title implies, it is a sequel, yet a second installment on the 2019 reboot Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. However, while it does reflect on the 2009 release Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, many of its core elements are based off of 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Part of the game’s post-launch includes the soon release of Warzone 2.0 this November. The standalone, free release is a separate client as Activision/Infinity Ward went on to confirm cross-buy is not compatible with the first Warzone title. As for the reception for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, it already grossed more than $1 billion in sales just short of its first week. But, it does not end there. In the same press release from Activision, it is revealed that PC sales has doubled in comparison to the release of prior installments in recent years. Since its October 28 launch, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has set new records for our largest franchise, becoming the fastest premium Call of Duty release to cross $1 billion in sell-through. Sales have been robust across all platforms, including on PC, where unit sell-through to date is approximately twice the level of recent strong titles in the series. Modern Warfare II has set new franchise engagement records for a premium Call of Duty release, with hours played in the first 10 days more than 40% above the prior franchise record. Noted, there is more to go into play for this year’s installment. In that, nostalgia with the return of more fan-favorite characters is one attribute. Atop of that, the property continues to grow in popularity with Warzone 2.0 and generally for the title of this year’s release. Moreover, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II happens to be the first title in nearly a decade to return to Steam for PC. As for the future of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, it is reported that 2023 is forecasted to feature a ‘premium’ expansion for the game, Bloomberg reports. Furthermore cementing that next year will in fact skip the yearly release and break the annual pattern held for more than a decade. Sledgehammer Games is said to helm the upcoming add-on. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you surprised by the continued success for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Activision

Battlefield 2042 Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass Ultimate/EA Play

When it came to EA Access, the service was in a good state offering its subscribers a catalog of published titles from Electronic Arts alongside a ten-hour trial for new releases – it was doing something else other services weren’t offering. Then came along with Xbox Game Pass as it iterated into Ultimate. But shortly after EA rebranded the service to EA Play, the two decided to band together. Ahead of the Xbox Series X|S release, Microsoft & Electronic Arts announced that both services with be bundled under Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This went on to feature the highly-successful Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Later on, the service perk branched over to PC and further established this with its users paying each month. This week, developer DICE & Electronic Arts shared after a 12-month period, Battlefield 2042 is to enter the EA Play List come Season 3 for the game. “We’re proud of the work that we’ve done over the past 12 months and so if you haven’t jumped in yet, starting in Season 3 we’ll be introducing Battlefield 2042 into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and making the game available for subscribers with EA Access.” The blog post continues, “While in December, we’ll also have free access periods across all platforms*. Experience the evolution and improvements we’ve brought to the game for yourself, and we look forward to welcoming you onto the Battlefield.” In the past, it was claimed the game would be a launch release for Xbox Game Pass, however, we all know that didn’t happen. Regardless, this is good news for the game as it remains to suffer more than many would like to see. At one point, it was reported the title fell short thanks to the early success of Halo Infinite. Alleged internal calls at Electronic Arts used the 343 Industries’ title as a scapegoat for the failure for the newest Battlefield. Since then, the game has slowly pieced itself together for the better. Additionally, insider chatters also noted that DICE & Electronic Arts did consider the game going free-to-play. It is structured similar to other successes under the publisher – i.e. Apex Legends – and likely will be more profitable under that guise. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you happy Battlefield 2042 is coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate/EA Play? Battlefield 2042 is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: DICE

Take-Two Interactive Head Expresses Xbox Game Pass “Makes No Sense” As A Business Model For The Industry

Engaging in the conversation around Xbox Game Pass, it is surprising how polarizing the service can be to many. While the subscription comes off to be a good deal for many that pay each month, it is question how profitable it truly is. According to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, Xbox Game Pass has turned a profit despite criticisms. Even more, the service is recorded to have generated nearly $3 billion in revenue from console users alone from 2021. A report from TweakTown reveals that $2.9 billion was gathered in gross revenue that year. Additionally, Ampere Analysis also shares Xbox Game Pass is the most popular subscription in the industry compared to PlayStation Plus, Apple Arcade, and more in North America. In a new statement from Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive CEO, he expresses that the service truly does not make much sense in the grand scheme of things for the video game industry, GameSpot transcribes from the firm’s latest earnings call The interactive entertainment business is very different than the linear entertainment business. People consume far fewer hours of interactive entertainment in a given month than they do of linear entertainment. And within that consumption, there are far fewer titles consumed in interactive entertainment than there are with linear entertainment. So I, at least, pose the question as to whether subscription makes as much sense for interactive entertainment as it does for linear entertainment and registered some skepticism, which I still hold. I don’t think that ever made sense. I still don’t think it makes sense. And I believe that it’s now becoming obvious that it doesn’t make sense. It’s just a lost opportunity for the publisher. There probably is a subscription business. It’s a catalog business. It’s probably best aimed at very avid consumers because those are the consumers who are interested in playing catalog titles, and playing a whole bunch of different titles in a given month. He adds, “But I don’t think it’s a mass market service that supplants the interactive entertainment business as we know it at all. And I don’t think there’s any evidence to the contrary so far.” While showing success so far with more than 25 million users recorded, Zelnick concludes that the service is not a widespread answer for long-term success. However, Zelnick is not completely opposed to Microsoft when it comes to video games. In fact, he is in favor of the current acquisition plans underway from the Xbox firm to purchase the Activision for $70 billion. He acknowledges that PlayStation is truly the only force against the purchase being processed . You can read the full report by heading here. Are you for or against Zelnick’s statement?

Take-Two Interactive CEO Shares Microsoft Activision Deal To Benefit Competition In The Industry, Interview Reveals

For the ongoing race to acquire Activision Blizzard, Microsoft surely has faced criticisms which deemed the buyout to be unjust considering the scale of the purchase and number of owned talent already under the Xbox firm so far. In one statement from CEO Satya Nadella, the deal is not waived as a monopoly under the due process that Xbox following the deal will not outpace competitors in the market. Additionally, continued stress from the U.K.’s CMA is ongoing with its continued investigation on the matter. One of the largest complaints is how Call of Duty will be handled. Ultimately, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer expressed that the series will remain on PlayStation as long as the platform is running. He even acknowledges bringing the franchise to Nintendo Switch as well. Amid what is being thrown towards Microsoft, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick shares to be in favor of the deal. He expressed in an interview with Yahoo Business that the acquisition would further fuel competition in the market. Ultimately the consumer votes, and if we create great hits, which is our business, then consumers will show up, and no one can take that away from us. The entertainment business is the antithesis of a fungible commoditized business. Every title stands alone. So it sort of doesn’t compete with anything else and yet, it’s highly competitive in a way. In other words, we compete with everything and we compete with nothing. You can’t replace one of our titles with another title. Elsewhere in a recent statement from Zelnick when speaking to CNBC News, he further reiterated on not being affected by the deal under Microsoft, Seeking Alpha transcribed. “Generally speaking I don’t think people are particularly concerned because it remains a fragmented business. […] Well there’s one big company that is, but apart from that no.” He continues, “We don’t really think the competitive landscape is meaningfully affected in the event that that merger goes through.”  “It’s hard to say what will happen at this point. If you asked me when it was first announced I would have said I thought it was about 90% chance it would be approved. It appears as though it’s less than that.” Considering how many view Zelnick is another story. Many do criticize his views on the industry since pioneering the price increase for titles come the 9th generation of systems. On the matter of PlayStation’s stance on the acquisition, the firm had three expectations to meet if the deal was to go through. The list includes no marketing deals, hardware-exclusive advantages, and Xbox Game Pass perks from the acquisition. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you surprised by Zelnick’s stance on the Activision deal? Source: Yahoo Business

Report: Apple Arcade User Numbers Said To Be In “Nine-Figure” Range, Statement Claims

Concerning tech giants entering the video game business, it is no secret that the thriving market is one gold mine many are scheming to get involved in. Already, Google made the jump with Stadia – despite the shortcoming of the platform. Not only that, the Google Play Pass is also established alongside Google Play Games for PC which is also live for beta users currently. Additionally, Apple is also part of this same demographic inching into the market. The firm established Apple Arcade which brings a subscription-based service with a library of titles to choose from. Since its founding, there has been a few unique releases as well. Most recently in collaboration with Konami including Amazing Bomberman & Castlevania: Grimoire Of Souls for iOS. According to a report by imore, it is claimed Apple Arcade users is recorded to be in the “nine-figure” range, at least that is what Football Manager studio director Miles Jacobson said to the outlet. “I’m told nine-figure subscribers, I have no idea if those numbers are right or not,” Jacobson shared during a press event to the publication. As for how accurate that metric is left for conjecture. While the service is younger than Xbox Game Pass which appears to be leading the market, Apple Arcade has truly capitalized on the tangible and widespread mobile platform. Not to mention the prevalent promotions and bundles that Apple has continued to push with the service included could increase that number. However, at least for North America, Xbox Game Pass is the dominant service in downloaded games and cloud gaming. Ampere Analysis made this clear with a report conducted back in March. But, Apple Arcade much like Xbox Game Pass is popular in the region as we understand due to both being founded in the territory. Microsoft’s service led with 60 percent whilst Apple Arcade was recorded at only 9 percent. You can read the full report by heading here. What are your thoughts on the potential nine-figure success of Apple Arcade? Source: imore

The Division 2, Chorus, The Gardens Between, Rainbow Six Siege, And More Confirmed For PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium November 2022 Additions 

So far for PlayStation Plus this month, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues the momentum as 2022 begins to wind down. For November, the firm revealed another trio of titles for free to all subscribers. Those being Nioh 2, Lego Harry Potter Collection, And Heavenly Bodies. And beyond that, Insomniac Games has you covered for Premium tiered members. As part of the 20th anniversary celebration for Ratchet & Clank, there will be five new titles coming to PlayStation Plus. All games are originally PlayStation 3 releases which explains for being unique to Premium subscribers of the service. These games are Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Ratchet & Clank: Deadlocked, and Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Now looking at other PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium tier additions, Sony Interactive Entertainment has more on the menu. Starting November 15th, more than a handful of games are set to arrive. You can read the full list below: PlayStation 4 Chorus Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain Earth Defense Force: World Brothers Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue Kingdom Hearts III Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory Oddworld: Soulstorm – Enhanced Edition Onee Chanbara Origin The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition The Gardens Between Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 What Remains of Edith Finch PlayStation 5 Chorus Oddworld: Soulstorm – Enhanced Edition The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege PlayStation Plus tiers introduces quite an extensive list this month and does not deviate in quantity compared to prior updates. In that, October featured titles such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition, Yakuza 3 – 5 Remastered, Assassin’s Creed III Remastered, The Medium, Ultra Street Fighter IV, and Limbo just to name a few. Exploring the outcome of these new tiers reveals that services has been at a decline for PlayStation. In the financial report recently, it is pointed out that despite the decrease in users, revenue has pivoted upward which is a glowing sign for the PlayStation company. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited for any of the new additions coming next week? Source: PlayStation Blog

Review: Police Simulator Patrol Officers

Police Simulator: Patrol Officers was released originally last year on PC and has now come to consoles. Aesir Interactive brings the first in-depth police simulator allowing players to step into the role of an officer on foot or mobile patrol. This game portrayed a special intrigue to me as, full disclosure, I am currently a full-time police officer in the state of New Jersey for the last 20 years. Having chosen patrol as my career path within my department, I was curious to see just how accurate the game could be to the actual police experience. Now, of course no game can justifiably portray the dynamic and constantly changing day to day career of a police officer. As a result, it wouldn’t be fair to judge the title on that aspect alone. Instead, I chose to focus on both the variety of options included therein as well as how said options are implemented. Police Simulator takes place in a fictional city as a member of the Brighton Police Department. We begin our careers on foot patrol within a certain area of the city. As we progress, additional areas are unlocked along with car patrols and various types of police calls for service. This is not simply a pull someone over, give them a ticket and let them go type of game. Police Simulator and its developers were clearly vested in making a true to life and accurate representation of the police career. The shifts are 8 hours in length, and can range in the amount of real-life time it takes to complete lasting for 15, 20, 25, 30, 35,45, 60 or 90 minutes.  Beginning with parking tickets on your first patrol, there are plenty of options to choose from. Summonses can be issued for parking against the flow of traffic, on a curb, expired meter, expired plates as well as a variety of no parking zones such as handicapped, bus stops, etc. Fortunately, the game’s easy to use radial menu makes navigation quick and easy. There are plenty to find all over the city. Tow trucks can also be instantly deployed in order to remove vehicles that are improperly parked or belong to an individual subject to an arrest. As you level up, you gain access to a radar gun to also allow you to stop and capture speeders from a strategic position. The city of Brighton apparently has the worst drivers around as motor vehicle crashes seemingly occur every couple of minutes. Calls come out over your police radio informing you of the crash. As players, we have the choice to either respond to the call or allow another officer to handle it. Choosing to respond also institutes a timer and failing to arrive on time sees the call disappear along with any possible points you may have earned. In addition to being a police officer, I am also a member of my county’s Fatal Accident Investigation Unit (F.A.I.U.) as a certified motor vehicle crash reconstructionist for the last five years. As a part of this unit, we investigate all fatal and serious bodily injury crashes using mathematical formulas in order to determine what occurred and reconstruct the crash from its inception. Police Simulator does a surprisingly good job with the depiction of its crashes from a vehicle placement point of view. The vehicles themselves react in a manner that is consistent with how they would react in real life. I was surprised, as crashes actually depicted vehicles colliding to a point of maximum engagement before separating from each other. Once at the scene of the crash, as in any call in the game, there is a sliding scale showing how much of the investigation you have completed. As an officer, you will need to attend to any injuries and seek medical attention for those who need it by calling an ambulance to the scene. You will then need to request the proper documentation from each driver along with interviewing them to ascertain their recollection of the crash. A provided evidence camera allows you to photograph the scene and document the damage on the involved vehicles. Interviewing the involved parties is where Police Simulator really thrives as there are a multitude of options presented to us as players. A computer check can reveal expired insurance, registration, driver’s license, open warrants, fake id’s as well as stolen Id’s. Drivers may also present evidence of driving while intoxicated, allowing us to provide a chemical breath test to determine the content of alcohol in their blood. Tests for DWI cannabis and amphetamine are also available. Once you believe your investigation is complete, you can issue any summonses or arrest any individuals involved for the appropriate reason. Drivers are then provided copies of the report and sent on their way, albeit none of them are arrested. Motor vehicle stops are another important aspect of Police Simulator. During your patrol, you’ll encounter a plethora of options and violators ranging from blowing a red light or not using a turn signal to speeding or stolen vehicles. Once behind a violator, you’ll need to activate your emergency lights and police siren in order to make the driver pull over. Zooming in on the license plate runs the registration through your in-game computer, allowing you to see all of the necessary information. We are told if the registration and insurance is valid, if the vehicle is stolen, if the registered owner possesses a valid driver’s license as well as if the owner maintains a gun permit. Upon approaching the vehicle, you will inform the driver of their violation and request their proper documentation. Once you receive the documents, the manner in which you proceed is entirely up to you. Players have the opportunity to issues violations or verbal warnings, investigate for further crimes, impound the vehicle, etc. Police Simulator operates on a point scale called Conduct Points (CP). You begin each shift with 100 points and lose points for various actions. This can be for informing