[05.02.16] Activision reveals ‘Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare,‘ 'Modern Warfare Remasted'

Houston, we have a problem – it is still t-minus six months until the launch of the newly announced “Call of Duty” title, one that finally brings what fans have been screaming for. No, it is not the fact that it will take the franchise into space for the first time. It also isn’t that the game claims to “return to its roots” with a classic war story worthy of the original titles. What really has the fans hyped is the announcement that the “Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition” will include a fully remastered version of “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.”

It comes as no surprise that a new “Call of Duty” title was announced for this year, as it has long-since been established as an annual title. Considering the ups and downs the series has faced in recent years, it probably also wasn’t too shocking that the franchise is making the move to space – you know, the place where movie sequels supposedly go to die? If we are going to be completely honest with ourselves, it also seemed fairly obvious that the announcement for “Modern Warfare Remastered” was coming.

The first tip came in the rotation of studios which finds the “Call of Duty” franchise landing, one again, in the hands of Infinity Ward for this year’s title. Combine that with the onslaught of remastered titles, like the “Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection” or “Gears of War: Ultimate Edition,” and the outcry of fans who miss the nearly 9-year-old title. Then there is also the fact that rumors have been swirly about for weeks. Put it all together and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered” seemed… written in the stars?

Hold your horses, though, because you are going to have to shell out $80 to get your hands on it. The Legacy Edition of “Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare” will include the full campaign and ten multiplayer maps from the original “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” re-released in brilliant high definition. Given “Call of Duty’s” track record, it also seems highly likely that this bundle will score you some additional digital goodies to go with you remastered title.

While Infinity Ward focuses on their new title, they have put the “Modern Warfare Remastered” in the hands of Raven, a studio who has shown time and time again that they know how to make a game pretty. Raven will bring the visuals up to current generation standards, with improved texture resolutions, high-dynamic range lighting effects, lit and shadowing VFX particles, overhauled animations, and remastered audio.

“The original Modern Warfare raised the bar on video games and forever will be remembered as one of the best. It is an honour to be developing the remaster and we are committed to faithfully remastering this classic for Call of Duty fans,” stated Brian Raffel, studio head of Raven Software.

As for “Infinite Warfare” itself? Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, has promised to “[honor] the heritage of ‘Call of Duty’ while taking players to incredible new heights.” Infinity Ward Studio Head Dave Stohl echoed his sentiments about the new campaign:

“On one hand, this game is the kind of gritty, boots on the ground, visceral war story that ‘Call of Duty’ is known for. On the other, its future setting takes players on a journey of epic scale and proportions, providing incredible gameplay innovations and new experiences for our fans. This is a grand scale, old-school, all-out war in an epic new-school setting. And it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun.”

“Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare” will featuring a rich, immersive narrative that will allow players to take on all kinds of roles through the course of the campaign. From boots-on-the-ground combat to piloting high-speed space-fighters, the near seamless experience will challenge and entertain even the most experienced soldiers.

The upcoming title will launch in four separate editions. First is the regular $60 copy that will just get you “Infinite Warfare.” For an extra $20, you can get the Legacy Edition (and Digital Legacy Edition) that will include “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.” The next tier is the “Digital Deluxe Edition” which includes “Infinite Warfare,” “Modern Warfare Remastered,” and the season pass. For the most dedicated fans, and an unspecified amount will get you the “Legacy Pro Edition” which includes everything from the “Digital Deluxe Edition” as well as a collectible Steelbook, official game soundtrack, and unannounced additional digital items.

“Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare” will release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on November 4, 2016.

[04.22.11] 'Running out of appetite' for 'Guitar Hero'

Activision

For many gamers, February 9th, 2011 is a day that will live in infamy. That was the day on which the highly criticized Activision killed one of the most popular party games of all time, Guitar Hero. For those of you whom haven’t heard yet, on that day Activision announced that they would no longer be developing the Guitar Hero title that was set to be released this year. Activision COO Thomas Tippl wrote, “Because of significant declines in the music genre for the second year in a row, we have made the decision to close the stand-alone Guitar Hero Business Unit and discontinue development on the previously announced 2011 game.” Tippl also stated that, "Despite our very high-quality releases last year, including the 90+ [Metacritic] rated DJ Hero 2, the innovative Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, as well as a 90+ rated release from our competitor [Harmonix's Rock Band 3], demand for peripheral-based music games has continued to decline at a dramatic pace. Given the considerable licensing and manufacturing costs, we simply cannot continue to profitably make these games based on current consumer demand." Many people thought that the series would be going away for good; however, a press release a few days later indicated that Guitar Hero was just ‘resting’.

Today an internal memo from Activision to its employees was leaked explaining why Activision was ‘walking away from Guitar Hero’ and what their future plans were. Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said that, "The most compelling reason for this decision is the fact that so many high-quality games have suffered the same fate in the marketplace. DJ Hero 2 received a remarkable 92 rating, Guitar Hero, Warriors of Rock was a great game with several innovations for the category. Our key competitor, Rock Band 3, also achieved a 90+ rating and yet none of these games succeeded in finding an audience. This is not a matter of lack of quality or poor execution. This is simply a matter of the market running out of appetite for this genre." Although many diehard fans of the series are upset to see it go, even they know that sales have been gradually declining. All hope is not lost though, as Hirshberg indicates that a future title is definitely possible, “Perhaps after a cooling period we will revisit the franchise with fresh innovation. But innovation will take time and a deep reconsideration.”

Most fans and critics would argue that the biggest problem was simply oversaturation of the Guitar Hero brand. Since its original release in 2005, there have been 11 new titles released for consoles. That averages out to more than two games a year! Although not having the latest songs to jam out to with your friends seems like a bummer, it actually does seem like Activision is taking the right steps here to save the brand. If you really need something else from the music genre to sink your teeth into, EA currently seems to have no plans to discontinue their support for Rock Band 3, and there are quite a few other titles out there that are worth a try. If pretend plastic instruments aren’t your thing, you could try a little karaoke with the Xbox exclusive title Lips or the Playstation exclusive SingStar; both of those are sure to get your party going, assuming your friends aren’t afraid to step up to the mic.

Original Article: Giant Bomb via Google Docs