Tue, May 31, 2011 | 06:03 BST

Report – Call of Duty Elite is both free and subs-based

The mysterious Call of Duty Elite is reported to be a premium platform for online services above and beyond the standard Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer package.

The Wall Street Journal reports Call of Duty Elite will not replace the game’s traditional multiplayer offering, but serve as an enhancement.

Activision community manager Dan Amrich has confirmed the basic Call of Duty Elite service will be free, Confusingly, some of the service’s offerings are said to be free, including Facebook-like social elements for arranging matches. It will also supply players with metrics and analysis tools in order to assess – and hopefully learn from – their performance in-game.

For those willing to pony up, the service, billed monthly, will offer exclusive premium content such as new multiplayer maps. No pricing details were given, but Activision is said to be targeting the sweet spot of “comparable” online services like Netflix, which runs to $7.99 per month.

Activision leader Bobby Kotick apparently said the service is an “enormous investment”, thanks to the associated running costs.

We’ve contacted Activision and are awaiting comment. The Wall Street Journal is rumoured to have broken embargo, so keep an eye out for official word over the next few hours.

Activision has commented multiple times that it has sought some way to “monetise” Call of Duty’s phenomenally popular multiplayer side, and outed an upcoming online initiative during an investor call earlier in the month.

The unannounced service was said to be in development at Beachhead Studios for two years.

Call of Duty: modern Warfare 3 is due on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 before the end of the year, with a major reveal at E3.

31 comment-trail-alt Posted in: Activision Blizzard, PC, PS3, Shooter, Trade, Xbox 360
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31 comments

#1

ultramega
31/05/11, 3:22 am

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhA. What a fucking joke.

#2

UuBuU
31/05/11, 3:26 am

I was somewhat interested in MW3, moreso than BF3… but this? This just puts me right off.

They should be doing something to win back fans, like making the game fully moddable… not looking for more ways to make money.

I’ve defended COD quite a lot against criticism in the past out of my love for MW1 and WaW, but i’m about ready to give up on the series completely.

Another developers needs to step up and show both Activision and DICE how to make a truely great FPS game.

#3

Brenna Hillier
31/05/11, 4:06 am

I’ve updated the article – looks like the WSJ has it’s wired crossed about the service being subscription based only.

#4

LOLshock94
31/05/11, 4:07 am

fuck off

#5

Dralen
31/05/11, 4:09 am

Looks like that Pachter guy was right after all.

Wow this really is just an awful, awful thing to do.

#6

muffinmn100
31/05/11, 4:44 am

Pay to see my stats? no thnx.

#7

xino
31/05/11, 5:20 am

so it’s basically Halo Waypoint but COD Waypoint, just as I guessed.

MW is a money maker man, not COD.

#8

NightCrawler1970
31/05/11, 6:40 am

$7.99, a month??? gosh, i bet when no one is interesting, they will come with map-packs…ACTI are just a bunch of pot-smokers!!!!

#9

polygem
31/05/11, 7:55 am

this is a crime. it just is. no need to argue about it. morals anyone? MORALS? nothing learned? no? thanks.

can´t someone steal (in this case this wouldn´t be a crime)…cod from acti and hand it out to someone with guts, a heart for their customers (who made them who they are) and common sense rather than just one with greedy hands. this will KILL a company in the long run. they will see. it´s huge profits short term but it wont work in the long run. they always forget they are not selling their games to zombies. sure there are new gamer generations growing up who might need to figure out whats going on themselfes and it might take a while. but you cannot piss on anyones leg forever not expecting to get a hard push back or even a punch in the face after some time. natural law you economic wonderplaners.

#10

Hybridpsycho
31/05/11, 8:04 am

@7 Saying Black ops didn’t sell well?

All the games sux, Black Ops is more fun than MW2 though :)

#11

sickpuppysoftware
31/05/11, 8:27 am

“comparable” online services like Netflix
Comparable?
“What film would you like to watch tonight dear?” “Can we watch the one where the screaming child pretends to dangle his gonads over our dead faces whilst a muffled, dull techno tune rumbles in the background?” “Yes we only watched it for 7 hours every night this week so far.”

#12

STEGUINO
31/05/11, 8:38 am

free map packs i’m in.

#13

Erthazus
31/05/11, 9:04 am

This has finally turned me off from buying COD? FINALLY?

they need to confirm it and i won’t buy it.

#14

Yoshi
31/05/11, 10:12 am

@12 Are you actually a retard? Can you count? They would have to bring out map packs (at least 3 maps each month) to make it fair… this isn’t fair as they (and I will bet anyone ONE MILLION £) that they won’t bring out map packs every month

#15

M. K.
31/05/11, 10:17 am

#12STEGUINO
31/05/11, 8:38 am
free map packs i’m in.

lol are you serious? If it’s going to be 7$ per month and you play it one year long until the next call of duty, you’ll pay 84$ just to get some maps? This is far more ridiculous than the actual DLC system, which is already a rip off in the most cases.

#16

noherczeg
31/05/11, 10:25 am

So they want people to pay for NEW maps instead of giving tools for fans to build them for potentially free???!!?!?

Now i’ll totally ignore all these bullcrap COD games.

Activision: i’m dissapoint.

#9
“They always forget they are not selling their games to zombies.”

FAIL.

#17

SplatteredHouse
31/05/11, 10:37 am

“enormous investment”, huh? I think it’s more of a stupid expense, looking at what it offers at which bracket, but hey, maybe that’s just me.

#18

Blerk
31/05/11, 10:39 am

Are we really surprised about this? Really?

#19

The_Red
31/05/11, 10:40 am

The sad part is the millions of casual gamers will rush and pay for this system no matter how many people complain here about this whole ripoff from Activision.

On the plus side, this could at least be more harmful to the overall COD image than annual similar releases and could bring the “Guitar Hero” end of the franchise much sooner.

#20

arkaitz
31/05/11, 12:10 pm

WTF??? Better buying battlefield 3

#21

AHA-Lambda
31/05/11, 12:18 pm

funny fake trailer for CoD Elite :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpUMZGM1N7o&feature=player_embedded

EDIT: no that’s actually official i thought it was a fan vid for christ sake O___o

#22

DSB
31/05/11, 12:19 pm

1. You haven’t seen the actual subscription or what it entails.
2. Even if you had, you’d still be free not to buy it, and play the game anyway
3. If the subscription isn’t value for money, people won’t pay for it, as the last 500 MMOs have proven.

#23

Erthazus
31/05/11, 12:26 pm

@21, it’s official.

And this trailer with dumb fratboy jokes show exactly for what audience they search.

1) Theater
2) Maps with statistical data (will probably be posted online for free instantly)
3) Clan Page (can be made on any website, but this is the official one)
4) Unannounced DLC “prizes”

Basically free shit, but for 7 bucks a month.

BOBBY is crazy. I think he is fucking his own PC (that is actually made of money)

#24

Erthazus
31/05/11, 12:29 pm

“Activision leader Bobby Kotick apparently said the service is an “enormous investment”, thanks to the associated running costs.”

Enormous investment?

Oh my god…

#25

M. K.
31/05/11, 12:45 pm

@#22: read #23 It doesn’t happen that often, but I think he’s right.

#26

DSB
31/05/11, 12:47 pm

@25 Right, but going straight into pussy panic mode, and supposing that you’ll actually be forced to buy this, is not very bright when Erthazus essentially outlines why you’d never have to.

If all you’re getting is a few superficial features with videocapture and stats, then why would you ever pay for it?

You’ll be fine without it! A few diehards get a marginalized service, and everybody wins!

I just strongly doubt it’s that simple, and we have no idea what will really sell it yet.

#27

Dralen
31/05/11, 1:17 pm

The funny thing is, this is basically bungie.net, except you have to pay for it. It’s all pretty stupid if you ask me.

#28

Erthazus
31/05/11, 1:19 pm

this badge btw is hillarious.

some 12 year old noobtube will buy it and will scream: I’m EL1TE BITCHEZZZZ!111

#29

Lewis247
31/05/11, 1:51 pm

HOLY SHIT. Everyone realities that this is just a way for them to make double the money from call of duty at the one fucking time?

This is how it sounds to me: Bobby Kotick “Remember how bungie brought about a great FREE service to keep track with all your halo needs and stat’s keeping? WELL, we have done one better by giving you a more limited version for you call of duty craving and guess what? YOU NEED TO PAY! Yeah that’s right, here at activision we don’t do FREE services for anything. By the looks of it, a lot of you little noobs will buy this shit right up making me EVEN RICHER! MONEY MONEY MONEY I FUCKING LOVE BEING SO RICH BEYOND BELEIF AND YOU POOR LITTLE PEASANTS WILL BE GIVING ME EVEN MORE AS YOU ROT AWAY INFRONT OF YOUR GAMING SYSTEMS PLAYING THE LATEST MAP PACK LOLOLOLOLOL”

#30

OrbitMonkey
31/05/11, 1:55 pm

This to me is Acti’s version of Psn plus & what retard pays for that? …Well ok I did, but you get a gold plus sign next to your name man! :D

#31

Fin
31/05/11, 2:03 pm

If you don’t like it, just vote with your wallets…

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