14 DAY TRIAL // After a brief glimpse at the Call of Duty Elite online service, Activision has now officially detailed the new subscription program that will tie into the multiplayer modes of all regular Call of Duty games, starting with the recent Black Ops and continuing with the upcoming Modern Warfare 3.
Activision has been thinking recently of new ways to squeeze money out of its Call of Duty franchise, not just through yearly, $60 games, or through different multiple downloadable map packs, which cost $15.
Now, the new Call of Duty Elite service has been officially detailed, arriving as a beta stage, this summer, and will be released as a full pledged product on November 8, alongside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
"Call of Duty Elite has been tailored for Call of Duty's diverse base of players - hardcore gamers, casual weekend warriors and even beginners," added Hirshberg. "Over 7 million gamers play Call of Duty online each day logging hundreds of hours of multiplayer per player per year. Of course, the out of the box Call of Duty multiplayer experience that gamers have come to love and expect will continue as is. However, for those players looking for more, Call of Duty Elite will supercharge their experience."
Call of Duty Elite is the product of Activision's new Beachhead studio, and, according to the two companies, will provide a unique experience that helps players track their online performance, connect with others that share their passion for Call of Duty and many other things, enter different competitions as well as share videos or details about their performances inside the game.
The service, basically a glorified web portal, tracks the performance of the player no matter their platform of choice for the Call of Duty games, PC or consoles, and can be accessed from a variety of devices, ranging from regular computers to mobile phones or tablets.
Three unique aspects of Call of Duty Elite are going to attract players, according to Activision:
- Connect: Call of Duty Elite gives players unprecedented control over their multiplayer experience, transforming it into a true social network. Players can compete against friends, players of similar skill levels and players with similar interests, join groups, join clans, and play in organised tournaments. They can also track the performance, progress and activity of their entire network, both in the game itself, as well as through mobile and web interfaces. Elite will be an "always on" way for players to connect with the Call of Duty community.
- Compete: Call of Duty Elite establishes the most exciting, competitive environment in a multiplayer game. Players will have available a constant stream of events and competitions, tiered to group them with those with similar abilities. Both in-game and real-world prizes will be rewarded to all skill levels.
- Improve: Call of Duty Elite is like having a personal online coach. It provides players with a dynamic strategy guide that tracks their statistics and performances down to the most minute details. It can show gamers how they stack up against their friends or others in the community. Tools and information are provided so players can learn and up their game. Call of Duty Elite has two tiers, one free and one that charges users a monthly fee that has yet to be priced exactly.
The company emphasizes that the launch of Elite won't affect the multiplayer modes in future Call of Duty games, which will remain completely free.
Activision says that "many key features" will be available free of charge, but those who opt to pay a monthly subscription will be able to get "a wide range of state-of-the-art services, exclusive entertainment programming and all-inclusive game content for less than the cost of any comparable online entertainment service currently in the market."
Basically, if you pay a monthly subscription, you'll get the completely upgraded Call of Duty online experience, as well as exclusive deals to the variety of downloadable map packs that will be released for the regular Call of Duty titles
Call of Duty Elite is set to enter a beta stage this summer, when it integrates with Call of Duty: Black Ops, while the official launch happens on November 8, when Modern Warfare 3 is released for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
For a look on how Call of Duty Elite actually works, check out the rather hilarious video below released by Activision on the Call of Duty YouTube channel.
