Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3 is an action role-playing gae developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Officially announced on December 11, 2010, the game was released March 6, 2012 and marks the final chapter in the Mass Effect trilogy of video games, completing the story of Commander Shepard.

Gameplay in Mass Effect 3 is influenced by decisions made in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, for players who have completed those games. Combat has been changed and refined; in particular, the cover system has been improved, there are more options for moving around the battlefield, instant melee kills and more conventional grenades are introduced as well as improved artificial intelligence. A four player multiplayer co-op mode is also available

Gameplay

Players with saved files from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 are given the option of importing them into Mass Effect 3. If a saved file is imported, over 1,000 variables are pulled that will help shape how the final chapter is experienced. If there are no saved files available, there are no origin-story comics for new players to help them make quick decisions like there were in Mass Effect 2. Imported characters' appearance and class are changeable, with more features and hair-styles included in the character creator than in Mass Effect 2. Commander Shepard will always start the game with some powers. Upon finishing the game, there is a New Game+ option that allows players to continue playing after the main story ends or start again with their finished Shepard and collect items they missed the first time around. The game has 82 minutes of cut-scenes

Mass Effect 3 has three pre-set campaign modes: Action Mode, Story Mode, and RPG Mode. In Action Mode, conversations will have automatic replies and a normal combat difficulty. In Story Mode, conversations will have manual replies and a minimal combat difficulty. In RPG Mode, conversations will have manual replies and a normal combat difficulty. This last mode is reflective of the typical Mass Effect series experience. Overall, the RPG elements in the game have been improved over those in Mass Effect 2, with a more detailed leveling up system and increased weapon customization. To level up characters, players will have skills that start along a single path and then eventually splinter into two branches where they can select only one upgrade or the other along a sequence of possibilities. Players will also be able to customize their weapons with different scopes, mods, barrels and ammo types. There are 25 weapon mods total — five per weapon type — and each of them will have multiple power levels to collect. To select dialog options, players can use Kinect to speak their choices instead of selecting them with a controller.

As of August 23, 2011, BioWare has confirmed the return of previous characters Liara T'Soni, Kaidan Alenko or Ashley Williams, Miranda Lawson, the Illusive Man, Garrus Vakarian, Legion, Samara, Morinth, Tali'Zorah, Urdnot Wrex, Jack, Mordin Solus, David Anderson, Zaeed Massani, Kasumi Goto, Kelly Chambers, Thane Krios, Jacob Taylor and Ambassador Donnell Udina from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Some characters will not return if they were killed at any point during the previous games. The number of characters available as permanent squad mates are smaller than in Mass Effect 2 for the purposes of deeper relationships and more interesting interplay, including same-sex relationship options for both male and female Shepards. If players achieved a love interest in both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, then both previous love interests vie for Shepard's attention in Mass Effect 3. This "love triangle" is resolved by the end of the game. BioWare has also confirmed new characters names James Vega  (voiced by Freddy Prinze Jr.) and Diana Allers (voiced by Jessica Chobot, a staff writer from IGN).

The search and analysis mini-game has been changed from Mass Effect 2. Rather than scan individual planets, a setup described as tedious and boring  the Normandy scans a region of space for salvage or War Assets. If these are detected on a planet, the scanner system is still used to locate, but planets are no longer scanned individually. If an area being scanned has been invaded by the Reapers, the Reapers will eventually detect the Normandy's scans and move to intercept it.

The ongoing war against the Reapers is controlled by War Assets and Military Readiness. War Assets are collected throughout the game or are provided from previous game accomplishments. Military Readiness is predominantly affected by the multiplayer aspects of the game. As the player's Readiness increases, War Assets become more valuable. The number of Assets and the player's Military Readiness determine the player's success in the final battle against the Reapers.

Combat

Combat in Mass Effect 3 has been changed and refined from Mass Effect 2, and further emphasis has been put on third-person perspective aspects to make the game more commercially viable. In a preview for IGN, editor Arthur Gies went so far as to say the game "plays like a shooter" and that "combat-wise, Mass Effect 3 is in an entirely different space" from the first two games. In an article for bitgamer, Joe Martin gave a conflicting impression, noting that with regard to combat, "not a lot has changed".

The series' cover system has been improved so players no longer need to slide into cover and then hop over objects. Players will have more options for moving around the battlefield, including a refined sprint capability, combat rolling, and the use of climbable ladders. Players can also blindfire their weapons from covered positions, and have opportunities to shoot selected armor pieces and limbs off enemies. Verbal orders can be issued to move squad mates and use their powers with the use of Kinect. Moving and shooting, a "suicidal maneuver" in Mass Effect 2, will be a viable option because of a revised melee system. Players are able to execute formidable punches and attacks, and instant melee kills are introduced specific to each class; for example, by holding down the melee button, a soldier Shepard will deliver a killing blow with a tech-blade in his/her wrist armor. Actual, round, conventional grenades will also be available.

Mass Effect 3 plans to be the most difficult in the series, with increased artificial intelligence to challenge players and increase the sense of reward. Enemies no longer act as individuals as they did in the previous games, instead fighting and supporting each other in units. Enemies include 15-foot (4.6 m) tall Cerberus mechs, assault troopers, and ninja-style shock troops, as well as Reaperized husks of all races and Reaper ships ranging from 500 to 2,000 metres (1,600 to 6,600 ft) long. Some changes are made to already-existing class types; for example, Engineers are able to build turrets.

Multiplayer

Mass Effect 3 will offer a multiplayer co-op mode called "Galaxy at War".In the mode, players are able to play alongside up to three other players in unique missions that can impact the outcome of the single player campaign. Each mission was designed specifically for multiplayer, and will involve taking over enemy strongholds. By completing these missions, players will give themselves a better chance of attaining a perfect ending in the single player campaign; although, they are not necessary to do so. The mode has been compared to Gears of War's horde mode.

No characters from the single player campaign are featured in the multiplayer mode. Players will create brand new characters for themselves and be able to play as members of non-human species, including asari, drell, krogans, salarians, and turians. Every race will have unique powers – such as a "Krogan Charge" for krogans and different movement options out of cover between drell and humans. All classes are playable. The maximum level that created characters are able to reach is 20, and just like in the single player mode, leveling up will include skill branches.

The majority of missions are wave attacks in various locations against different enemy factions. The selections during configuring the game can affect experience gained and the overall difficulty of the mission. During the missions, random tasks will be assigned, allowing for the collection of credits to purchase equipment between missions. After a certain number of waves, the players retreat to an extraction point which they must hold until extracted.

Equipment and characters are acquired by the purchase of kits which contain random weapons, characters, and mods. The kits are purchased with multiplayer in-game credits or Microsoft Points.

Gameplay in the multiplayer mode will only allow for players to carry two guns at a time in their inventory, and there is no ring menu to change weapons; instead, weapons are changed by holding down a button. Only three powers per class are also available as opposed to those available during the single player game.

Downloadable content

As with the previous games, downloadable content (DLC) allows players quests that may or may not be tied to the main story. The first DLC mission is called From Ashes, which was leaked onto Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade. This gives players a Prothean squad mate, one weapon, an alternate costume for Shepard's squad, and lets them revisit Eden Prime, a world from the original Mass Effect. It is available as a free incentive to those that pre-order the N7 Collector's Edition. It was available the same day as the game.

The second DLC pack is called the Resurgence Pack, released on 10 April 2012, for free. It includes 2 new multiplayer maps, new weapons, and new character classes and races to be unlocked in multiplayer--the Asari Justicar Adept, Krogan Battlemaster Vanguard, Batarian Soldier, Batarian Sentinel, Geth Engineer, and Geth Infiltrator.^[

Synopsis

See also: Plot of Mass Effect, Plot of Mass Effect 2, and Setting of Mass Effect

The Mass Effect series of videogames details the adventures of Systems Alliance Commander Shepard as he/she tries to defeat a race of machines called the Reapers. In the Mass Effect 2 DLC Arrival, Shepard is contacted by Admiral Steven Hackett, who requests Shepard go into batarian space to rescue a deep cover agent named Dr. Amanda Kenson. After rescuing Kenson, Shepard learns that the Reapers are close to returning and delays them by destroying a mass relay. Consequently, 300,000 batarian colonists are killed and Shepard is ordered to appear on Earth for a trial regarding his/her decision.

Setting

Locations in Mass Effect 3 will include the salarian homeworld Sur'Kesh, the asari homeworld Thessia, the turian homeworld Palaven, the quarian homeworld Rannoch, a human mining base in a Martian crater, and a giant city on Earth representing the combination of Vancouver and Seattle. Players will also return to Tuchanka — the krogan homeworld — and the Citadel.

Plot

See also: Characters of the Mass Effect universe

Mass Effect 3 begins on Earth, with Commander Shepard relieved of duty for the consequences of his/her actions in the Mass Effect 2 DLC pack Arrival, as the forces of Earth are overwhelmed by an oncoming Reaper onslaught. Admiral Anderson tasks Shepard with uniting the forces of the galaxy while he coordinates human resistance forces on Earth. Before leaving the system, Shepard stops at a research facility on Mars and saves former squadmate Liara T'Soni from Cerberus troopers. T'Soni has discovered blueprints in the Prothean ruins to a weapon that may have the power to destroy the Reapers. The blueprints are forwarded to Hackett, who dubs the weapon "The Crucible" and begins preparations for its construction.

The Citadel Council is reluctant to provide aid to Earth with Reapers attacking their own systems. To foster goodwill, Shepard is sent on various missions throughout the galaxy, gathering allies for the ongoing war and resources for the Crucible. In addition to opposition from the Reapers, Shepard must also fight the pro-human organization Cerberus, as the organization's leader, the Illusive Man, believes controlling the Reapers is better for humanity than destroying them.

Key missions include:

Delivering a cure to the krogan genophage, to unite krogan and turian forces. Shepard must decide whether or not to actually cure the krogans or trick them to gain support from the salarians, who first devised the genophage to stop krogan expansion.

Repelling a Cerberus attempt to take over the Citadel. If Shepard can't convince former squadmate Kaidan Alenko or Ashley Williams (one is guaranteed to have died during Mass Effect 1) that Councilor Udina organized the attack, Shepard must kill him/her. Udina dies in the process and Shepard encounters to Cerberus operative Kai Leng for the first time. Shepard may also be able to win salarian support by saving their Councilor from death at Leng's hands.

Dealing with the quarians' attempt to retake their homeworld Rannoch from the geth. Shepard can side with one group in annihilating the other, or unite them.

Defending the asari homeworld, Thessia, from the Reapers, whilst simultaneously attempting to gather information critical to the Crucible's construction. Shepard is directed to visit a specific asari temple, which contains a secret Prothean VI, Vendetta. Just as it is about to reveal information on the Catalyst, a crucial component of the Crucible, Kai Leng ambushes Shepard's team and steals it.

Attacking Cerberus headquarters, as the first step towards repulsing the Reapers. The Illusive Man escapes, though Shepard kills Kai Leng and recovers Vendetta. It reveals that the Citadel itself is the Catalyst. Because the Illusive Man has been indoctrinated, he has shared this information with the Reapers, who have moved the Citadel to a defensive posture in Earth's orbit; as such, the series' final battle takes place there.

Admiral Hackett assembles the galaxy's forces and delivers an attack on the Reapers designed to retake the Citadel and combine it with the now-completed Crucible. Shepard is part of the assault on London, identified as the focal connection point from Earth to the Citadel. Due to heavy opposition, Shepard and Admiral Anderson are the only ones able to actually make it aboard the Citadel. They meet an obviously indoctrinated Illusive Man and manage to stop him, but not before Anderson is mortally wounded. Shepard opens the Citadel and the Crucible docks with it.

Shepard is then transported to the pinnacle of the Citadel, where the Crucible is docked and an artificial intelligence (resembling a child Shepard saw die on Earth) appears, identifying itself as the Catalyst and the Reapers' creator. It reveals that the Reaper cycle is an attempt to prevent organic life from wiping itself out by creating synthetic life; creators, the Catalyst argues, are always doomed to be destroyed by the created. The Catalyst characterizes the harvest as an ascendance, wherein advanced organic races are preserved in Reaper form and space is left for more primitive species to rise, evolve, and advance.

Since no other cycle had ever assembled the Crucible, the Catalyst has lost faith in the Reaper Cycle's ability to achieve its goal. Depending on the player's Effective Military Strength, the Catalyst gives Shepard up to three choices: destroy the Reapers and all synthetic life (including Shepard, who is partly synthetic), take control of the Reapers directly, or convert all galactic life into a new form that is a synthesis between organic and synthetic life. Regardless of Shepard's choice, all three endings result in Shepard's apparent death and the destruction of the entire mass relay network. London, and by extension the rest of Earth, can suffer varying degrees of additional damage, dependent on the number and strength of the allies Shepard gathered. The Normandy, fleeing Earth via a mass-relay jump, crashes and becomes stranded on an alien planet.

If the player's Effective Military Strength is high enough and the "destroy" ending is chosen, Shepard is briefly seen lying in ruins, potentially still alive. Finally, a post-credits sequence depicts an old man (voiced by Buzz Aldrin) and a child on an alien planet. looking at the stars. The child asks the old man to tell him another story about "the Shepard", implying that Shepard's legacy lives on.

Development

Origins

From the start, BioWare envisioned the Mass Effect series as a trilogy, with the first two games being a preamble to the third.  For this reason, BioWare was able to begin production on Mass Effect 3 before Mass Effect 2 was even released. The game was directed by Casey Hudson, who previously led the production of the first two Mass Effect games and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. To design the game, BioWare made sure to use fan feedback, similar to what they did for Mass Effect 2. In particular, the game's development team paid close attention to past mistakes in the series as well as the critical failings of other BioWare titles such as Dragon Age II. The team was able to devote most of their time to gameplay and storytelling because, according to BioWare Edmonton General Manager Aaron Flynn, they didn't have to worry about technology as it was "pretty maxed out". Initially, the game was predicted to be released at the end of 2011 or early 2012.

The lead writer of Mass Effect 3 is Mac Walters, who previously wrote on other games in the Mass Effect series as well as Jade Empire.  One of the goals set by the writing staff at the beginning of production was to treat the game like a movie and make sure that players playing it for the first time would "just be able to jump in". Emphasis was put on making the story user friendly for players inexperienced with the franchise because BioWare felt they "didn't do a really good job of new player orientation" in Mass Effect 2. To begin the writing process, Hudson and Walters sat down and created a story document no longer than three or four pages that contained all the major plot points. Once the document was complete, Walters took the document to the writing staff and began filling out minor details including minor plot points and missions. Once these details were complete and the "backbone of the story" was established, each writer was put in charge of specific levels and missions. Work done by each writer was reviewed in-depth by the rest of the writing staff and others.

Reveal

On December 10, 2010, Electronic Arts posted the official synopsis for Mass Effect 3 on their website, although the listing was later removed pending an official announcement at the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards. The following day, the game was confirmed for a "Holiday 2011" release and accompanied by a teaser trailer. On March 21, 2011, Tricia Helfer announced via Twitter that she would reprise her role from Mass Effect 2 as EDI, and had already started voice-recording sessions.  Seth Green soon followed, announcing that he would reprise his role fromMass Effect 2 and the first Mass Effect as Joker.

The first detailed information regarding development of Mass Effect 3 started being released in April 2011. On April 20, Belgian website 4gamers.be reported that BioWare were collaborating with Battlefield developer DICE in weapon development for the game.^[  The same day, Game Informer released the first-ever screenshots of Mass Effect 3 to help promote their May 10 cover story. On May 3, 2011, IGN announced that Mass Effect 3 would be presented and demoed by Electronic Arts at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo. The next day, BioWare announced that the game's release date had been pushed back to early 2012,^[  in part so it could be tweaked to appeal to as wide a market as possible.^[  On June 1, EA Games' online store uploaded artwork by mistake which revealed the game will have Kinect support.  The artwork was later removed. At the 2011 E3 Convention, BioWare finally confirmed Kinect support in a gameplay video. The game's collector's edition, cover art, a new teaser trailer and official release date of March 6, 2012 were also revealed. For the first time, fans were shown actual gameplay videos, including a 15 minute demo supervised by Casey Hudson. At Comic-Con 2011, fans were given an opportunity to play a demo version of the game. Hudson and lead writer Mac Walters were both in attendance, with Hudson sitting on the Legendary Pictures panel to talk about the upcoming Mass Effect film and Walters sitting on the Dark Horse Comics panel. At Gamescon 2011, a new trailer was released demonstrating 50 seconds of combat gameplay.  The game was also demoed at PAX Prime 2011. 

Max Payne 3

Max Payne 3 is an upcoming video game and the third title in the Max Payne franchise set to be published by Rockstar Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Development is led by Rockstar Vancouver in collaboration with the New England, London and Toronto studios. This is the first game in the series not to be developed by Finnish game developer Remedy Entertainment and not being written by series creator Sam Lake. The lead writer of Max Payne 3 is Dan Houser, who was also the writer of most games in the Grand Theft Auto series, and of Red Dead Redemption. ameplay Max Payne 3 is a third-person shooter in which the player assumes the role of its titular character, Max Payne. Max Payne 3 will feature the over-the-shoulder zoom aiming and cover mechanics. However, these will just serve as garnish to the game's classic run-and-gun shooting. Max Payne 3 will also make return of bullet-time in action sequences, which the franchise is notable for. In bullet time it will be possible to see every bullet make a hole in your foes. There will be a "Last Man Standing" mechanic, which gives Max a reprieve from death for a small period if he has one painkiller on him. If the player is able to kill the enemy that delivered the wounding shot with bullets he'll recover enough energy to soldier on. Max Payne 3 retains the shoot-dodge mechanic from the previous games. Max will also be able to stay grounded after a dive, which enables him to shoot 360 degrees around. Rockstar has blended physics and animation, so that when Max dives around, he does so appropriately according to his surroundings. Through advanced utilization of the Euphoria physics engine, shooting and killing enemies in Max Payne 3 will look noticeably more realistic than in any preceding Rockstar games as well. New to the series are cinematic action movements, interactive cut-scenes which will transition seamlessly into continuing gameplay. Moreover there will be no loading screens across gameplay and cutscenes. Multiplayer The game's online multiplayer features maps and modes that dynamically change within a match, as well as reward, ranking and clan systems. Max Payne 3 will let players form private crews with friends, or join public crews. Players can be a member of up to five at the same time, and completing tasks as a crew will gain XP points for the player. Among the crew features promised are persistent Feuds, that see the player scrapping with opposing gangs who've killed someone on the team. Social Club integration connect play across multiple titles, starting with Max Payne 3 and Grand Theft Auto V. By playing both games multiplayer "crews" that the player set up in one will be carried over to the other. Synopsis Plot According to Rockstar's Sam Houser, it is their intention on starting a new chapter of Max Payne's life with the game. "This is Max as we've never seen him before, a few years older, more world-weary and cynical than ever." Since the last game, the press release states Max has left New York City behind and has "drifted from bad to worse." The press release then goes on to say Max has been double-crossed in this new city and he is searching for the truth and a way out. The game will be set in São Paulo, Brazil, where Payne is working in the private security sector for a wealthy local family, set eight years after the events of the second game. Max Payne now works in executive protection for the wealthy Rodrigo Branco in the hopes of escaping the memories of his troubled past. When a street gang kidnaps Rodrigo's wife, Max is pulled into a conspiracy of shadowy, warring factions threading every aspect of São Paulo society in a deadly web that threatens to engulf everyone and everything around him. Characters Rockstar initially claimed that series staple James McCaffrey would not return to the role of Max Payne, instead opting for an older actor. However, in Edge it was confirmed that James McCaffrey will not only return to voice Max Payne, but will also return in a full acting role through motion capture. Development "We've been blessed with being able to actually see the game and give some feedback. We've been meeting with Rockstar and looking at Max 3 – it looks absolutely phenomenal – the nice thing is we've been giving our feeling on the game but at the end of the day we don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting, which is nice. Rockstar don't make bad games, so you already know it's going to be good. Just like we hope the Remedy brand is a seal of quality, you know that Rockstar's brand is a seal of quality. It's been nice to be part of the process, but we don't want to take any of the limelight. From what we've seen it's going to be absolutely fantastic." —Oskari Hakkinen, Remedy Entertainment franchise development head. The game was originally scheduled for release in late 2009. However, it was pushed back to 2010 alongside several other Take-Two Interactive franchises in order to "benefit from having more development time." In June 2010, the game was again pushed back to 2011. On December 21, it was not present on the 2011-2012 calendar year, and was pushed back again. The game was still in development and not canceled or indefinitely halted when Rockstar released two new screenshots for the game. On September 8, 2011 Rockstar announced a March 2012 release date for the game, with a debut trailer released on September 14 In January 2012, Take-Two delayed the game by two months from its original March release date to May 2012. The publisher said the decision's been made to "ensure that Max Payne 3 delivers the highest quality." The debut trailer was released on September 14, 2011. Responding to criticism regarding the decision to abandon the film noir theme of the previous games in the series, the writer for the series, Sam Lake, responded by commenting that the game would "maintain its dark and gritty origins" and that fans of the series would be "in for a surprise." Remedy boss Oskari Hakkinen praised Rockstar's take on the series, and said Max Payne 3 looks "brilliant" Rockstar conducted research to ensure that the vibe, culture, police, weapons and every element of São Paulo, Brazil is as authentic as possible. The research team visited São Paulo several times and went to lengths researching the local gangs, police and special forces, including each group's choice of equipment and firearms. In a November 2011 interview, Dan Houser of Rockstar Games said that despite what the general public might think, Rockstar likes to "spend a bit of time" at the end of projects before deciding what to do next. "Basically we have been meaning to start [Max Payne 3] for a while, but we have limited bandwidth and limited studios, and more games to make than we've started. So suddenly it was a good slot," Houser said, explaining why it took eight years to follow up Max Payne 2. "Also, contrary to a lot of people, we like to take a little bit of time at the end of a game before starting a sequel, so we can wait for the excitement or disappointment and everything else of the experience to shake down and really see what we should do in the next game." In March 2012, it was confirmed that the PC version of the game will feature DirectX 11 and stereoscopic 3D rendering. The Xbox 360 version of Max Payne 3 will be shipped on two discs due to the disc size limit; however, the PS3 version ships on one Blu-ray Disc. Marketing and release Mural ad for the game at the Figueroa Hotel in Los Angeles, March 2012. Max Payne 3 will be Rockstar's "biggest and boldest marketing effort thus far". Highlights of the campaign will include prominent TV spots during the Champions' League finals and other mainstream programming, as well as outdoor campaigns. Rockstar Games ran a competition where its Twitter followers who tweet using the #MaxPayne3 hashtag through January 13 2012, could see their likeness featured in the title's multiplayer. Rockstar also ran another competition to win a trip from New York to São Paulo to attend at Sonar São Paulo, get a customized Max Payne 3 Xbox 360 console, and play the game a week before its official release. Rockstar collaborated with several retail outlets on pre-order bonuses available through several store chains throughout the world. The Cemetery Multiplayer Map is a map pack, where pre-order customers get early access to the map. The Silent Killer Multiplayer Loadout Pack includes the "devastatingly destructive" Light Anti-Tank Weapon, the slippery character burst to quickly escape a deadly firefight, and the listening device item that amplifies hearing, allowing the player to hear approaching enemies from a greater distance. Those who pre-orders the game from specified retailers receive a code that allows to get the game's first paid Multiplayer DLC Pack for free. A "Special Edition" of Max Payne 3 is available for pre-order. The "Special Edition" includes a 10" tall collectible Max Payne statue, series of game-inspired original still life art prints, bullet keychain (copper and brass-plated iron bullet-shaped) and Max Payne 3 official soundtrack. Exclusive multiplayer content consists of Classic Multiplayer Character Pack and Disorderly Conduct Multiplayer Weapons Pack. A three-part Max Payne comic book series will be released just in time for the launch in the third game. Published in partnership with Marvel Custom Solutions it'll explore the events of the original Max Payne game and its sequel, as well as delving a little further back in the protagonist's troubled past. Rockstar boss Dan Houser and Sam Lake of original developer Remedy are authoring the books. The series will be released as a digital graphic novel and in limited print editions. Both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions features rewards respectively for PlayStation Home and Avatars. Rockstar re-released the first Max Payne, subtitled Mobile, for iOS devices on April 12, 2012, with the Android version launching later. Max Payne Mobile has been optimized for both iOS and Android devices and features HD graphics, high-resolution textures, Social Club connectivity and user-customizable controls. The Rockstar Games Social Club is a website that displays the gameplay statistics of registered users and feature competitions and awards based on player activity within the game, which will support both Max Payne Mobile and Max Payne 3.

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, with Raven Software having assisted in development.^[7] It is the third installment in the Modern Warfare series, a direct sequel to 2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and the eighth Call of Duty installment.

The game was released on November 8, 2011 in North America on Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3,^[8] and Wii,^[6] with a separate version for Nintendo DS developed by n-Space. In Australia, the Wii version was released on November 23, 2011.^[9] In Japan, Square Enix handled the installment with a separate subtitled and dubbed version, as they did for Call of Duty: Black Ops, released November 17, 2011 and December 22, 2011 respectively. Within 24 hours of going on sale, the game sold 6.5 million copies in the U.S. and UK alone and grossed $400 million, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time.^[10][11][12]

Gameplay

Like its predecessors, Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game. Activision confirmed at Gamescom 2011, that Modern Warfare 3 on the PC has dedicated servers support.^[13]

Campaign

The player assumes the role of various characters during the single-player campaign, changing perspectives throughout the progression of the story, which, like its predecessors, is divided into three sets of missions called "Acts". Each mission in an act features a series of objectives that are displayed on the heads up display, which marks the direction and distance towards and from such objectives. Damage to the player is shown by the percentage of blood splatter shown on the screen. The player's health regenerates over time. Mission objectives vary in their requirements, ranging from having the player arrive at a particular checkpoint, to eliminating enemies in a specified location, to standing their ground against enemy squadrons, manning mini-guns and other weapons, and planting explosive charges on an enemy installation. Some of these objectives can be failed, and may or may not hinder progression of the story. The player is also accompanied by fellow soldiers who cannot be issued orders.

Cooperative

Modern Warfare 3 features a new mode, called Survival Mode. This game mode features one or two players fighting endless waves of enemies, with each wave becoming increasingly difficult. Despite being much compared to the World at War Nazi Zombies mode, enemies do not spawn at fixed locations like the zombies do; instead, they appear at tactical positions based on the current location of the player. The mode is available on all multiplayer maps in the game. Players earn cash for items such as weapons, upgrades, ammo, air/ground support and equipment.^[14][15] Special Ops also returns from Modern Warfare 2. These challenge missions feature up to 48 stars, unlike its previous installment, which featured 69. Some weapons in Spec Ops are exclusive to that game mode, and are not available for play in Multiplayer mode.^[16]

The entire Killstreak reward system has been revamped. Killstreaks are now known as Pointstreaks, and kills are no longer the only way to increase the player's pointstreak. Completing objectives such as planting the bomb in Search and Destroy or capturing a flag in Capture The Flag awards points towards the player's Pointstreak. Pointstreak rewards are organized into three different "strike packages" called Assault, Support, and Specialist.

The Assault strike package works the same as the Killstreak reward system in Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops: the player must earn more and more points without dying. Once the player is killed, his or her points are reset to zero. Likewise, the Specialist strike package rewards players with perks after every second consecutive kill. Upon death, however, the player loses all the perks and the points are reset to zero. In contrast, the Support strike package are awarded based on the total points that the player has earned over the entire match, regardless of how often the player dies.^[17] Players are allowed to choose which Pointstreak rewards they want to use when they gain it during the match, rather than choosing them between rounds.

Along with revamping the entire Killstreak reward system, Modern Warfare 3 also has a completely modified Ranking and Unlocks system, which does not use a currency system for unlocks.^[18] The player's primary weapon levels up alongside the player, and unlocks a number of "Proficiency" perks such as Attachments, (allows two attachments and is a successor to the "Bling" and "Warlord" perks), Kick (reduced recoil while aiming down the player's sight) and Focus (reduced flinching while under fire). Only one Proficiency can be put on a primary weapon.^[19] Another new addition is the ability to equip "Hybrid Scopes" on a weapon, such as a Reflex Sight a magnifier similar to an ACOG on the same weapon, and the player can switch between the scopes.^[19] Modern Warfare 3 introduces a new "Prestige Shop" which will unlock only after the player has selected the option to prestige for the first time. The "Prestige Shop" allows Prestige players to use tokens they gain from using the Prestige option to buy exclusive features such as double XP and an extra custom weapon class.^[20]

Several controversial perks in Modern Warfare 2, accused of being overpowered, have been removed in Modern Warfare 3. Diving from standing to prone, known as "dolphin diving", has been removed due to balancing issues.^[21] Modern Warfare 3 will utilize Treyarch's hot fix system to fix bugs and glitches.^[22] Modern Warfare 3 features a local and online split-screen option.^[23]

Several new game modes have also been added:

• "Kill Confirmed" requires players to collect floating dog tags from the corpse of a downed enemy before the kill can be registered. However, the opposing team can pick up the dog tag as well to deny the other team of a kill.
• "Team Defender" requires both teams to try to capture a flag dropped by the first person who gets killed when the match starts, and hold it to gain double points per kill while the team without the flag only gets the default amount per kill.

Private matches also now include pre-made game modes including: "Infected" (where the infected kills enemies to recruit them to their team), "Drop Zone" (where the player must hold a drop zone for points and care packages), "Team Juggernaut" (each team plays alongside an AI Juggernaut character), "Gun Game" (be the first to get one kill with every gun in the game), "One in the Chamber" (in which players are only allowed one pistol with one bullet and three lives where they can only get more bullets by killing other players), and "Juggernaut" (free for all against a juggernaut, kill the juggernaut to become it). Along with this, players are allowed to create their own game modes with customized settings such as number of players and time limit.^[17]

Special Ops

The Special Ops game mode from Modern Warfare 2 is present in Modern Warfare 3, and includes new features which make it more repayable and similar to other game modes, such as Nazi Zombies from previous Call of Duty games, and Hordes from Gears of War. One of the changes makes it easier to unlock new Special Ops levels, which is good for casual players, but undesirable for those looking for a challenge. The two main Special Ops modes include one that is generally the same from the last Modern Warfare game, and a new wave based game where the player is inserted into a multiplayer map alone or with a single partner and defends an area against waves of enemies. Between waves, the players can buy support options with XP earned during each round.

Call of Duty: Elite

Main article: Call of Duty: Elite

Call of Duty: Elite is a new free/subscription-based service developed by Beachhead Studios for the multiplayer portion of Modern Warfare 3 (as well as the previous installment in the series, Black Ops). It was first showcased at E3 2011 and was released on November 8, 2011 to coincide with the release of Modern Warfare 3. The free version includes features such as lifetime statistics and social-networking integration. The subscription version is priced at $49.99 per year and includes monthly downloadable content, daily competitions with virtual and real life prizes, the ability to level up your clan, pro analysis and strategies, and more.^[24]

Downloadable content

Main article: Downloadable Content in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

This section has been split to Downloadable Content in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. This section may need to be cleaned up or summarized

Initially at the release of Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty's Elite service, premium members of the service were promised 20 pieces of downloadable content (DLC) over a 9 month period with content releases for each platform every month. This number was later increased to 22 in Call of Duty's official Elite Content Calendar.^[25]

The DLC season began for Xbox 360 users on January 24, 2012 with the release of the first two Elite content releases, called Drops. The DLC season for the PlayStation 3 began a month later when the first two content drops were released on February 28, 2012. Drop 1 is a multiplayer map called "Piazza". Drop 2 is a multiplayer map called "Liberation".

Drop 3 is a multiplayer map which is similar to the "Highrise" map from Modern Warfare 2 called "Overwatch". Drop 3 was released on the Xbox 360 February 21 and on the PlayStation March 29.

Drops 4, 5 and 6 consisted of a multiplayer map and, two extra Spec Ops missions. Drop 4 is a multiplayer map called "Black Box" which takes place around a downed Air Force One. "Black Ice" is the first Spec Ops mission which adds the Snowmobiles back into the game. Drop 6 is another Spec Ops mission which consists of lots of "Breach and Clear" events throughout the mission which takes place in India. It was made available for Xbox 360 Elite users on March 13 and for PlayStation 3 on April 12.

The first full map pack, Content Collection 1, consisting of Drop 1 through 6, became available for non-Elite on March 20 for Xbox 360. It will become available for PlayStation 3 and PC sometime in April.

Drops 7 and 8, both multiplayer maps, were released for Xbox 360 Elite users on April 10. Drop 7 is called "Sanctuary", taking place in a Greek monastery, Drop 8 is called "Foundation", taking place in a concrete factory.

Synopsis

Characters

Main article: List of characters in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

The game sees the return of former Task Force 141 Cpt. John "Soap" MacTavish (voiced by Kevin McKidd), former S.A.S. Cpt. John Price (Billy Murray) and Russian informant "Nikolai", who are on the run after killing the rogue U.S. Army Lt. General Shepherd, the main antagonist of the previous game. However, for most of the game, the player will control Yuri (Brian Bloom), an ex-Spetsnaz who joins Price on his hunt for Russian Ultranationalist leader Vladimir Makarov (Roman Varshavsky). Makarov returns as the game's primary antagonist,^[26] and has a new contact named "Volk", a Russian bombmaker in Paris, France. Several new playable characters have been added, including: Delta Force operative Sgt. Derek "Frost" Westbrook; S.A.S. Sgt. Marcus Burns; and Andrei Harkov, a Russian federal security agent tasked with protecting the Russian President. Just like President Al-Fulani in the first game, Soap is only "playable" during the game's opening sequence; while Price becomes the player character in the game's final mission, Dust to Dust. The player also takes brief control of a civilian tourist in London, seconds before he and his family are killed by a chemical agent; as well as an AC-130 TV Operator during Team Metal's escape from Paris in the mission Iron Lady.

New non-player characters (NPCs) include: Delta Force operatives "Sandman" (William Fichtner),^[27] "Truck" (Idris Elba), and "Grinch" (Timothy Olyphant), who serve as Frost's squadmates. Captain MacMillan returns from Call of Duty 4 to provide the 141 with critical intelligence. Craig Fairbrass, who originally voiced the characters Gaz and Ghost, returns to voice SAS operative Sergeant Wallcroft, who originally had a minor role in the first Modern Warfare.^[28]

Plot

On August 17, 2016, hours after killing General Shepherd, Captain Price and Nikolai evacuate a dying John "Soap" MacTavish from Site Hotel Bravo, Afghanistan. Soap receives medical attention in a safehouse run by Nikolai's Loyalist allies in Himachal Pradesh, India, but Vladamir Makarov's forces arrive in an attempt to kill the trio. After the doctor is shot down, Yuri, Nikolai's best soldier with a grudge against Makarov, gives Soap an adrenaline shot to keep his heart going, and helps to secures a safe route out of the country. Together, the four are all that remain of the now-disavowed Task Force 141. On the same day, World War III continues. The actions of Delta Force Team Metal—made up of Sgt. Derek "Frost" Westbrook, "Grinch", "Truck", and their C.O. "Sandman" (with whom Soap, Price, and Ghost previously worked together with on Operation Kingfish three years ago to kill/capture Makarov)—facilitates the Russian army's withdrawal from the invasion of Lower Manhattan, New York. They destroy a jamming tower on top of the New York Stock Exchange, then hijack a Russian Oscar II submarine in the East River, in order to use its ordinance against its own fleet.

On October 4, 2016, Russian President Boris Vorshevsky announces plans to make peace with the United States at a summit in Hamburg, Germany. However, Makarov's men hijack Vorshevsky's plane and force it into a crash landing at the Hamburg tarmac. F.S.O. Agent Andrei Harkov attempts to secure Vorshevsky's safety, but is killed when Makarov appears inside what the F.S.O. mistake as the evac chopper. Makarov kidnaps the President, and plans to capture and torture his daughter Alena, to force the President to give Makarov access to the Russian nuclear arsenal.

Soap recovers from his wounds, and, with help from Yuri; and with intel from Price's former mentor and C.O., MacMillan; the 141 follow Makarov's trail to an arms transport in Sierra Leone, but are unable to intercept the cargo, which is distributed to Paris, Berlin, and London. A British S.A.S. unit, including Sgt. Marcus Burns and Sgt. Wallcroft, is sent in to deal with the cargo, but discover one of the transports to be a decoy. A piece of the real cargo, revealed to be a biochemical weapon from Fregata Industries, is detonated on a London street nearby, killing a young American family as it releases its toxic payload near Big Ben. The attacks pave the way for the Russian Army to invade Europe, and Team Metal is deployed to Hamburg to rescue the U.S. Vice President from a hostage situation. Acting on intelligence supplied by Price, who had extracted it from a warlord in Somalia named Waraabe, they capture Volk, Russian bomb-maker and CEO of Fregata, in Paris. They then fight to an extraction point with the help of an AC-130 gunship, but the Eiffel Tower collapses into the river after a bombing run eliminates all Russian forces at the escape point.

Team Metal learns from Volk of Makarov's hiding at the Hotel Lustig in Prague, where he is about to call a meeting with his top advisors. Price's team infiltrates the locked-down city, meeting up with Loyalist Kamarov, now an organizer of the Czech Resistance, to try to assassinate Makarov. Yuri and Soap take up sniping postitons from a church tower across from the hotel, but Kamarov himself is taken hostage and rigged with explosives. Price, who sneaks into the building, escapes the hotel just as Kamarov is blown up. Makarov reveals that he knows Yuri personally, by acknowledging him as his former "friend". Makarov then detonates rigged explosives in Yuri and Soap's overwatch spot. Soap and Yuri are not killed by the explosion, but the former is wounded from the height he'd fallen, causing his knife wound to reopen. Yuri helps him and escapes with Price to a resistance safehouse. As Yuri tries to help, Soap tells Price that Makarov and Yuri know each other before dying. After leaving his Colt M1911 pistol with Soap's body and taking Soap's journal and dog tag, an enraged Price punches Yuri down a staircase and holds him at gunpoint, demanding him to explain his connection with Makarov.

Yuri explains that he was a former Ultranationalist who befriended Makarov, both escorts of Zakhaev. They evacuated Zakhaev from the arms deal at Price's 1996 assassination mission; and witnessed Makarov's detonation of the nuclear bomb in the Middle East, killing 30,000 of Shepherd's Marines. Yuri, changed by the latter event, attempted to stop the massacre at the Zakhaev International Airport in Moscow 5 years later, but was found out, restrained and shot in the stomach by Makarov beforehand. Yuri's guilt convinces Price that they are fighting for the same thing, and the two keep their alliance.

After infiltrating Makarov's castle near Prague and learning of Vorshevsky's captivity, Price alerts Team Metal of an Ultranationalist plan to abduct Alena from a safehouse in Berlin. Team Metal is unable to prevent the kidnapping, but trace Makarov's Ultranationalists to a Siberian diamond mine. Together with Task Force 141 (minus Frost), they ensure the safety of President Vorshevsky and Alena, end the conflict between the United States and Russia, and clear the name of the Task Force 141. During extraction, Sandman, Grinch, and Truck stay behind to buy the evacuation chopper some time, but are killed when the mine collapses on them.

On January 21, 2017, three months after World War III, Price, Yuri, and Nikolai track Makarov to Hotel Oasis in the Arabian Peninsula. Price and Yuri assault the hotel with E.O.D. armor, which is later destroyed by the impact of a crashing helicopter. Makarov attempts to escape by another helicopter on the roof, but Price kills the two pilots and crashes the helicopter back down. Makarov prepares to murder a weary Price, but is distracted in time by Yuri, whom he kills instead. Enraged, Price tackles Makarov and wraps a steel cable around his throat, then forces and crashes his body through the glass roof, resulting in Makarov's death by hanging and the end of the Ultranationalist movement. Price lands on the atrium floor, and smokes a cigar in front of Makarov's hanging corpse as the police arrive. A picture of Soap, Price, Ghost and Sandman as part of "Operation Kingfish" is shown after the credits.

Development

]System Requirements

Requirements Microsoft Windows[29] Operating system Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Phenom X3 8750 processor or better Memory 2 GB RAM Graphics hardware 256 MB Pixel Shader 3.0 or better (NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT/ATI Radeon X1950 or better) Sound hardware DirectX 9.0c or later

A 2010 Q3 earnings call from Activision confirmed that the eighth installment of the franchise was currently in development by Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software and due for release "during the back half of 2011". This was revealed to be Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, with the latter developers co-developing multiplayer.^[30] Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was known to be in development after a legal dispute between Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella and Activision resulted in the pair being fired from the company. Several dozen Infinity Ward employees followed West and Zampella as a result of the ongoing dispute, causing Activision to enlist the services of Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software to assist development of the title.^[31] The game was said to have been in development since only two weeks after the release of their previous game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.^[7] Also reported was that Sledgehammer is aiming for a "bug free" first outing in the Call of Duty franchise, which also sets a goal for Metacritic review scores above 95 percent.^[32] Modern Warfare 3 utilizes the MW3 Engine, unofficially the IW 5.0 Engine. Improvements include better streaming and audio.^[3] Sledgehammer Games announced the game to be the first entry in the Modern Warfare series to have built-in support for color-blind gamers.^[33]

The Official UK PlayStation Magazine lent credence to speculation that Modern Warfare 3 would be a prequel starring fan favourite character Ghost. The magazine's sources strengthened a rumor which first reared its head online early in January 2011. On the Rumor Machine page in its issue (055), OPM points to "insider whispers" which suggest: "Infinity Ward's next Modern Warfare title will be a prequel, with Ghost in the lead role."^[34] According to PSM3, the first snippet of Modern Warfare 3 gameplay would be revealed in mid-April. According to the publication's May 2011 issue, insider rumors say "the next in Activision's megaton FPS series will be announced in mid-April".^[35]

On May 13, 2011, video game website Kotaku revealed the existence of Modern Warfare 3 following a massive leak. According to Kotaku, this leak came from multiple sources who may or may not work at Activision and Infinity Ward. The leak contained thorough information about the game, confirming that it would be a direct sequel to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as well details regarding weapons, levels and modes found in the game.^[36] In response to the leaks, Robert Bowling tweeted "A lot of hype & a lot of leaked info on MW3, some still accurate, some not. To avoid spoiling the experience, I'd wait for the real reveal." Just hours after the leaked assets appeared on Kotaku, four teaser trailers were released on the official Call of Duty YouTube page, separately titled "America", "England", "France" and "Germany", indicating the various locales of the game.^[37]

Marketing

On May 23, 2011, Activision released the first gameplay trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on YouTube ahead of its official premiere during the NBA Western Conference Finals.^[38] On May 31, 2011, Activision announced Call of Duty: Elite, a new social service for the Call of Duty community to track and compare statistics, create videos and access premium content. The service is fully integrated into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and launched on November 8, 2011 to coincide with the game's release.^[39] On June 6, 2011, at 11:00 AM (PDT), the first live gameplay demo of Modern Warfare 3 was presented by Robert Bowling and Glen Schofield at E3 2011. On June 14, 2011, 12:35 PM (EST), the first live gameplay demo of the new Survival Mode was played by Jimmy Fallon and Simon Pegg on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.^[40] On August 9, 2011, the trailer for the new Survival Mode was released on YouTube.^[41] On September 2, 2011, the multiplayer world premiere trailer was released on YouTube.^[42] On September 3, 2011, another multiplayer trailer was released on YouTube showing off the heads-up display along with various weapons, perks, and killstreaks.^[43] On October 6, 2011, a second full-length cinematic trailer was released.^[44] On October 22, 2011, the launch trailer was released.^[45]

On July 19, 2011, UK distributor Lygo's unveiled a range of Turtle Beach Ear Force Modern Warfare 3 gaming headsets that launched in November 2011. The headsets are distinguished by custom audio presets designed by the audio teams at developers Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games "in order to provide the ultimate immersion into the cinematic world of Modern Warfare 3".^[46] On August 24, 2011, Activision revealed the official Modern Warfare 3 sunglasses. These Call of Duty-branded glasses come from technology eyewear manufacturer GUNNAR – in a licensed partnership with Activision – and join its "Advanced Gaming Eyewear" line. They come with a limited edition Modern Warfare 3 carrying case and cleaning cloth. The product is sold exclusively in North America at Best Buy retail locations and at select European retailers.^[47] Microsoft released two limited-edition Modern Warfare 3-themed accessories on October 11, 2011, a wireless controller and a wireless headset.^[48] On September 29, 2011, Munitio announced a partnership with Activision in order to make a special edition Modern Warfare 3 9 mm "billet" earphone featuring the Modern Warfare 3 logo, among other things. The earphones were available for pre-order and were released on October 23, 2011.^[49] On October 18, 2011, Logitech announced a partnership with Activision in order to make a special edition Modern Warfare 3 mouse and keyboard which feature many things, including the Modern Warfare 3 logo.^[50]

On September 2, 2011, Jeep announced a partnership with Activision for the second year in a row, to make a special edition Modern Warfare 3 Jeep based on the Wrangler Rubicon model. The Jeep comes with various features including the interior and exterior being designed with a Modern Warfare 3 theme. Jeep dealers started selling this model in November 2011.^[51]

On August 24, 2011, the PepsiCo-owned brand Mountain Dew officially announced on their Facebook page that they would be promoting the game with their "Game Fuel" soda variants, which would be cherry-citrus-flavored (the original Game Fuel that promoted Halo 3 in 2007 and brought back in 2009 to promote World of Warcraft) and Tropical-flavored (a new flavor that was tested by 500 Dew Labs members). The drinks feature codes to give the player double experience points in-game for a limited time depending on the size of the drink.^[52] Another PepsiCo-owned brand, Doritos, are promoting the game with their "Cool Ranch" and "Nacho Cheese" flavors and also follow the same rules as the Mountain Dew promotion. Both promotions started on October 10, 2011 and ended on December 31, 2011.^[53] In Australia, 500 ml cans of V Energy Drink have been branded with the Modern Warfare 3 logo, along with a branded code which can be used for downloads and previews.^[54]

To promote the game, Activision held a two-day event called Call of Duty: Experience 2011 (Call of Duty: XP for short) which took place in Los Angeles from September 2–3, 2011. It featured many things including the reveal of the new multiplayer which attendees were able to play for the first time. In addition, all attendees received the Hardened Edition for free as a gift for attending.^[55] At a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 VIP party in Amsterdam, Dutch porn star and avid fan of the series Kim Holland was originally invited to attend the event until she was suddenly uninvited when Activision discovered her profession. In her blog, she shared her opinion and feelings towards Activision's sudden decision: "People murdering people is neat, [...] but love-makers are dirty?" she wrote. Activision did not respond to any comments about the subject.^[56]

Activision had planned to set up an official website to promote the game, however the domain name "ModernWarfare3.com" had already been taken and was used for an anti-Call of Duty website and redirecting users to Electronic Arts's game Battlefield 3. Activision filed a lawsuit against the site with the National Arbitration Forum costing US$2,600.^[57] On September 8, 2011, Activision won the lawsuit and acquired the rights to the domain name.^[58] In November 2011, actors Jonah Hill and Sam Worthington (who voiced the main character Alex Mason in Black Ops), and NBA athlete Dwight Howard starred in commercials advertising the game.^[59]

Release

Two weeks before the release of the game, it was reported that half of the PC version had been uploaded online after being stolen from a warehouse in Fresno, California. Investigators working on behalf of Activision have been searching torrent websites for traces of the game as well as visiting people who had downloaded a copy across the United States and requesting that they remove it or they will face a fine of US$5000.^[60]

As early as late October, reports were already surfacing about copies being sold early to people with gameplay videos uploaded online.^[61] On November 3, 2011, it was reported that copies of the game were already being sold early in the United States. K-Mart had already started selling copies of the game before its scheduled release date with copies already appearing on eBay and Craigslist. This was due to an error made by one the shipping companies that told K-mart to sell copies of the game immediately after receiving the shipments. However, Activision contacted K-mart about this and had the issue resolved.^[62]

French site TF1 News reported that a truck suffered a collision with a car on November 6, 2011 in Créteil, south Paris, before two masked individuals emerged from the car. The criminals reportedly used tear gas to neutralise the truck drivers before hopping in and making off with the video game shipment said to be worth 400,000 Euros. A separate report said the truck contained a delivery of 6000 copies of Modern Warfare 3.^[63]

Shortly after the game's release, a man from Aurora, Colorado who did not receive a copy of the game at his local Best Buy, despite pre-ordering it, claimed to be so angry that he "could blow this place up". He was also reported as having threatened to shoot employees once they left the store. Lomon Sar, age 31, was issued a citation and court summons by police responding to the disturbance.^[64]

Retail versions

Modern Warfare 3 was released in two different retail versions across the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms: Standard and Hardened. The standard version consists of the game and an instructional manual, and is the only version available for the Microsoft Windows platform. Contents within the Hardened Edition include the game disc with "unique art", one year membership to Call of Duty: Elite, "special founder status" on Call of Duty: Elite which includes an exclusive in-game emblem, playercard, weapon camouflage, clan XP boost, and more exclusive benefits, premium collectible Steelbook case, exclusive animated timeline theme for PS3 only, exclusive Spec Ops Juggernaut Xbox Live avatar outfit for Xbox 360 only, and a limited edition, collectible field journal, which chronicles "the entire saga with 100+ pages of authentic military sketches, diagrams, and written entries."^[65]

Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward confirmed that there will be no Prestige Edition of Modern Warfare 3. In the past, the Prestige editions of previous Call of Duty games have included physical items such as a remote-controlled car for Black Ops, and a pair of night vision goggles and a life-sized plastic head to put them on for Modern Warfare 2.^[66]

On August 19, 2011, UK retailer Game announced an Intel Pack of Modern Warfare 3. It comes with a British special forces avatar for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, as well as a Brady strategy guide.^[67] On September 3, 2011, Activision and Microsoft jointly announced a special, limited Modern Warfare 3 version of the Xbox 360 with a 320GB hard disk. The unit is designed by the Call of Duty team and includes two custom wireless controllers, a copy of Modern Warfare 3 and features custom sounds when the console is turned on/off or when the disc tray is ejected. A one month subscription to Xbox Live Gold is also included, as well as exclusive avatar items.^[68]

Sales and revenue

Activision has said that it believes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 day-one shipments were the largest for any game ever. "The record number of pre-orders from Modern Warfare 3 drove the largest day-one shipments in our history, and in the industry's history," said Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg during an earnings call on November 8, 2011. Hirshberg said more than 1.5 million people queued at 13,000 shops at midnight on Monday to buy Modern Warfare 3, "making it the largest retail release in Activision's history and in the industry's history".^[69]

Activision reported sales figures for Modern Warfare 3 in the U.S. and UK being more than 6.5 million copies sold on launch day and grossed $400 million in the US and UK alone in its first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time.^[70] It is the third year in a row that the Call Of Duty series has broken the same record. 2010's Black Ops grossed $360 million on day one; in 2009, Modern Warfare 2 brought in $310 million.^[71] Activision Blizzard president and CEO Robert Kotick stated that "the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we [Activision] achieved this record with sales from only two territories."^[10]

The title grossed more than $775 million globally in its first five days of availability, exceeding the $650 million record set by 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops and the $550 million one achieved by 2009's Modern Warfare 2.^[72] To be exact, it has beaten theatrical box office, book, and video game sales records for five-day worldwide sell-through in dollars.^[73]

Modern Warfare 3 went on to gross $1 billion throughout the world in 16 days of availability, beating Avatar's record of 17 days, according to Activision.^[74]

According to NPD Group, Modern Warfare 3 was November's biggest selling game of the month in the U.S. Modern Warfare 3 sales surpassed first-month sales of 2010′s Black Ops by 7 percent, and sales for November sit at around the 9 million unit mark.^[75][76]

Modern Warfare 3 topped the UK video game sales chart in its first week, becoming the biggest video game launch in history by revenue. By November 21, 2011, the game remained the bestselling title in the United Kingdom, despite sales dropping by 87%.^[78] Modern Warfare 3 held the top spot on the UK charts for a third week and fourth week running. It was replaced by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in its fifth week on the market.

The PS3 version of Modern Warfare 3 also topped the Japanese chart in its first week on sale. The PS3 version shifted 180,372 copies, while the Xbox 360 version sold around 30,000.

[Official Trailer: httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coiTJbr9m04&feature=fvst
source: www.youtube.com ]