COD Going Free-to-play?

[GullyFoyle]

infogama.org - Activision set to launch free-to-play blitz

JANUARY 27, 2013
Activision set to launch free-to-play blitz

SAMBIT

Publisher Activision wants to “break the mould” in the free-to-play space – and could eventually release a free to play Call Of Duty title worldwide.

The publishing giant’s head of mobile Greg Canessa told us that Activision intends to take free to play gaming beyond simple city-building and casino games. Activision is already trialling a free-to-play Call Of Duty game in China; if the title is deemed a success, the free to play Call Of Duty Online could eventually be rolled out globally.

“We spend alot of time talking about [free to play],” he told us. “It’s the state of the industry as it is today. It’s clear from looking at the top of the iTunes top grossing apps, they fall into two buckets – they’re either a city building game or a casino game. Having said that, there are titles pushing the envelope a bit. Clash Of Clans is an example. That title is not your straight city building game and they’ve broken through to do something very different and that title is doing very well.”

“There are titles trying to break the mould, and in some cases it will be us trying to break the mould. There may be opportunities where we try and push free to play into other game genres. Clash Of Clans has done it, CSR Racing has done with racing, so I think it’s in our interests as an industry, and certainly in our interests as Activision, to broaden the canvas for free to play beyond the city building genre. And that’s something we’d love to be the thought leaders on and that we have some ideas around.”

Activision has made great strides in the mobile space in the last year, establishing a new mobile studio in the UK and launching its social mobile platform Activate. Its move into free to play will likely take place on iOS devices first, with PC and console to follow. You can read more about Canessa’s efforts spearheading Activision’s mobile business.

 

[spaceman]

wont even play it for free
they need to work out something where they pay me to play it

 

[spaceman]

free to play is inaccurate
as it assumes our time is worthless
my time can be bought its called work
u wanna pay me, ill fucking play
otherwise there hasnt been a one single free to play that was even worth installation imo..ok ok stair dismount,pool a couple weird ones
but cmon its just all so shit
and call of duty is in my estimation king shit

 

[Josh123]

Meh, there are a lot better "Free 2 Play" games out there that I'd rather play.

Tribes
League of Legends
Blacklight Retribution
Minesweeper
Calculator

 

[lupi]

Already a battlefield f2p multiplayer game. As I play these 75% for the SP campaign, don't really care about this.

 

[frozentundra123456]

infogama.org - Activision set to launch free-to-play blitz

So its not bad enough that they "consolize" PC gaming, now they are going to "itune-ize" them?

Just take me out and shoot me now and get it over with.

Edit: seriously though, as much as some cant understand it, I only play the COD games for single player as another poster has mentioned. I just dont have the skills or time to play on-line and compete with teenagers with perfect eyesight, unlimited time, and quick reflexes, much less the hackers. Plus multiplayer gets old to me without some kind of story to keep it going.

If this happens, I wonder what would happen to the multiplayer component of the COD franchise. Most people buy COD games for multiplayer, so why would you buy the games anymore when you can "play for free".

 

[power_hour]

I wonder if the guy calling the shots at Activision has his Mom pack his lunch. iTunes, really?

 

[NinjaCat]

I can see Activision trying to maximize profits by not even trying to make a new game every year, but just having 1 game with little content and just having paid DLC for everything.

 

[Josh123]

I can see Activision trying to maximize profits by not even trying to make a new game every year, but just having 1 game with little content and just having paid DLC for everything.

They've been doing this since Modern Warfare.

 

[jimrawr]

Love how free to play is more like "really expensive to play" in reality

 

[PowerYoga]

I wonder if the guy calling the shots at Activision has his Mom pack his lunch. iTunes, really?

http://www.h3xed.com/pc-gaming/all-your-favorite-bobby-kotick-quotes-in-one-place

My favorite:

"We have a real culture of thrift. The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

If CoD went F2P it would sure be a lot better than releasing the same game over and over again yearly since CoD 4. The single player is max like 7 hours anyway so they really are not losing anything in that department. Nobody in their right mind pays $60 every year for a 7 hour campaign, those games are simply multiplayer expansion packs.