During a financial call last Friday, video game giant Activision stated that it would "redouble" the marketing campaign behind the next installment in the Call of Duty series. CEO Bobby Kotick stated that the number of consoles in homes internationally, the broad audience, and the refinements in Black Ops justify the publisher's greater investment in the success of the series.
Accompanying the announcement of Activision's financial efforts, developer Treyarch released a teaser trailer of the multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops. The reception of the trailer is mixed, as half seem apprehensive about the developer's abilities (given the lack of success in Call of Duty: 3 and Call of Duty: World at War in comparison with Infinity Ward's titles), while the other half believes that the game studio is taking the appropriate course in consulting the community and actually finding out what they want. With this in mind, let's dive into the fine details of this incredibly information-packed video.
0:12 – In the first few seconds of film, it becomes obvious that Treyarch is going to take some things from the mega-hit Modern Warfare 2. First, the scoring system, which was changed after Treyarch's last launch, is going to remain the same as last year's title. The thought behind the change in the first place is making players feel rewarded for their roles in the game. Second, the perk "Bling" (MW2 – 2 attachments on one weapon) will also return, as one can see the red-dot sight and suppressor on this weapon.
0:16 – For an instant before the Treyarch splash, one can see that the user picks up what is called a "camera spike". This will allow the user to see thermal scans of whatever is in front of it, evidence being the seconds leading up to its reveal. This will most likely be in the "equipment" slot, as the player is awarded "First Blood" for the kill.
0:18 – Titles and emblems will also be adopted from Modern Warfare 2's system of making you feel good about yourself.
0:20 – A new killstreak reward, incentive in the Call of Duty series to play conservatively, is revealed and later shown at 0:57, look there for more.
0:23 – The care package makes its triumphant return in the next installment of the series, providing "n00bs" with the opportunity to keep up with the elite players.
0:30 – Similar to a Predator missile, the killstreak reward "Archangel", named after the type of missile that military aircraft flying over the USSR would use during the time period, will presumably allow one to shower flame and asphalt upon one's friends.
0:32 – Similar to the throwing knife, the Ballistic knife uses sharp objects as projectiles, while the user can also carry a secondary knife for close encounters. This will most likely be a sidearm, as it may cause balancing issues. 0:54 – Semtex, the popular plastic explosive from last year's explosive hit, will be returning in this year's installment.
0:57 – The 3 killstreak reward is shown here, as a remote vehicle which is set for detonation upon impact with immovable objects.
1:05 – Here is evidence that the user will be able to customize killstreak rewards, as one can faintly hear, "Airstrike inbound!" As we have already seen 3 killstreaks, it will most likely adopt the stacked system of MW2.
1:06 – Sleight of Hand is most likely returning to the game, as a player would not be able to bring the sniper scope up to their eye as quickly as shown in this picture without it.
1:18 – Like Halo 3, this game will feature a film mode, where one can review past games and upload their favorite clips to their friends. This could very well be Treyarch reaching out to the community's desires.
Many of these predictions are purely conjecture, though there is solid evidence that many aspects of Modern Warfare 2 will remain in the Call of Duty series. This is no surprise, as it was the biggest entertainment launch in history.
According to the end of the trailer, the "full" multiplayer reveal will be on September 1st. Until then, are you happy with the similarities between Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2? Was the trailer enough to make you preorder the game? Is Activision's investment in the title justified? Is Black Ops going to be Treyarch's most successful game of all time? Let us know in the comments!
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