Infinity Ward used Twitter to help develop Modern Warfare 2

Robert Bowling has explained to Develop that Twitter was a very important tool in creating Modern Warfare 2.

Not only was it used as a sounding board for ideas to be submitted to the community, but also used as a direct line to the customer and press alike.

"I try to be very transparent on Twitter with the game development and what’s going on with us. I communicate with our Twitter followers the same way I’d communicate with my office buddies," he told the site. "So if something happens I just throw it out there and opinions come in and we converse.

"Also during development, if we are sitting in a design meeting and we are arguing about something, no matter what it is I can just turn to what is now 60,000 [now 66,308] people and post the same question.

"‘Do we think will players like this?’ well why don’t we ask 60,000 of them and get a good representation of what we think they may like. Twitter has been fantastic throughout development, and I would recommend many, many more people adapted that into their design schedule.

"We listen to all of it. And then you have to filter out what fits within our design philosophy and what doesn’t. Some suggestions are really good but they’re just not good for our game. But some of that stuff can be inspirational. So maybe this exact feature they’re suggesting doesn’t work for Call of Duty, but maybe the end result they’re looking to get out of it, maybe that does. And some ideas go in directly, and some are used for inspiration.

"It is why I started the Twitter account in the first place. I have direct line to our audience and the press. Many editors will follow me, and they can direct message me and I can clarify things. There is no middleman. We are responsible for what we say and what we do, and we can be held accountable for our successes and failures."

Loads more through the link.