Call of Duty XP Recap

Call of Duty XP has got to be the best experience for the biggest Call of Duty Fan. From a life size replica of the map Scrap Yard from Modern Warfare 2 to a zip line that launches fans through the air; Call of Duty XP was the experience of a lifetime.  Each and every aspect of the event was completely related to this popular franchise. The attractions were amazing but the best part was the hands on preview to Modern Warfare 3.
The Day started out with the world premier of Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer. Multiplayer has proved to be one of the fan favorite modes in previous Call of Duty games so the crowd didn’t hesitate to life from their chairs to give the multiplayer a standing obviation; I’m sure the same went for the viewers watching from home! Some of the more exciting multiplayer announcements were housed in the form of Call of Duty Elite. I was always one of the skeptical people on paying to play a game online, so in my mind buying an Elite subscription was out of the question. After sitting through the briefing I was more than sold on this wonderful addition to the game. Call of Duty Elite functions similar to a games season pass (when a game charges a set fee for all DLC when released, instead of paying for each DLC one by one; a season pass makes DLC a lot cheaper in the long run). In Call of Duty Elite players will not only receive great exclusive means of communicating but they will also be provided with all the great DLC, in the form of a map a month! So for the small $49.99 fee players will be paying for the Elite service they will get all DLC and more when buying each DLC separate will end up costing them $60. I don’t know about you but I would rather pay less and great much, much more than holding off on the Elite service!

The World premier of Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer isn’t the only thing that caught my attention at the XP event; Running through the Pit, playing a round or two of paintball, on a live replica of Scrap Yard, and a fast fly through the sky on a Zip line proved to be an experience of their own. However none of these quite put me inside the game like the Jeep experience. The jeep experience at Call of Duty XP was more like being inside a real level of the game. Explosions rocked the Jeep back and forth as if you were plowing through water and other challenges in your path. The experience takes it a step even farther when you and your squad hope out of the vehicle to retrieve special enemy intelligence. Fans were able to feel like they were an actual in one of the Modern Warfare games.

Next I headed inside to take a look at Modern Warfare 3 with my own eyes. The game speaks for itself; expect even great than what you have seen on the franchise before.  New weapons, perks, customization, maps and even better graphics sets it apart from its competitors but the new game types stole the show.   Modern Warfare 3’s Spec Ops seems more like a retail title than a mode on a game. Spec Ops is completely revamped with new levels and a wave system that sends waves of enemies your way. Each enemy has a specific way of taking them out so you will have to change up tactics before completing each wave. You are now able to progressively rank up in Spec Ops and matchmaking will show that you never have to fight alone if you don’t want to.

After all was said and done I stopped for a bit to eat at Burger Town. To my surprise the burgers didn’t keep their same $5.96 price tag from Modern Warfare 2; but these delicious burgers held the price tag of $12 a piece. I guess when you’re tired from battle $12 isn’t so bad… well it is… but your stomach will tell you otherwise!   Call of Duty XP was a one of a kind event that was an honor to attend. I felt like I was part of the game, I felt included and loved meeting other gamers who enjoyed the game as much as I do. Let’s just hope the success of this event will persuade other developers to do the same!

The Zip Line
The Zip Line at Call of Duty XP was probably the biggest attraction there other than Modern Warfare 3 itself! Just to make it though the line was a challenge in itself. Traveling up the 4 story structure might have seemed like a breeze after waiting to get up there so long… probably more of feeling the breeze than an actual walk in the park! The height was a bit scary but after you were going down the experience was just plane exhilarating.

Juggernaut Sumo
Call of Duty XP had something for everyone! If heights and shooting aren’t your thing, than try out a little Juggernaut Sumo. The line wrapped around the sumo stadium for this one. Friends wanted to fight friends, couples wanted to settle a long lasting argument with some good old fashion sumo fun, or you were just there to learn want it would feel like to wrestle someone down while covered in funny pillow like costumes. The only thing that would have caught my eye more on this event would have been if the costumes looked a little more like Juggernauts. But really if that’s the only complaint I could think of you should know this event was awesome!

Armory
Taking a trip to the Armory at Call of Duty XP was a must. The armory experience allowed fans to take a walk through time and witness the history of the Call of Duty franchise. There were life size replicas of the guns used in each game and screens playing excerpts from each of the different Call of Duty games. Not only did seeing the guns and videos make you recap on all the great times you’ve had on the game but seeing your favorite characters walk straight in front of you was an experience all on its own! Characters as big as Soap Mactavish and Ghosts posed for pictures as Victor Reznov worked in a gift shop. It’s always a pleasant feeling to meet face to face with your idols… even if they are just charactersfrom a video game.

Sarah, Heather and Robert Bowling (Creative Strategist for Infinity Ward)

Written by Heather Spears

Check out this GamingBolt.com exclusive of Sarah Spears running The Pit at the Call of Duty XP Event in LA September 2nd-3rd.  As you can see it is set up just like the Call of Duty games training pit… just bullets replaced with paint balls.  More footage from the event will be published soon, where Kanye West and The Dropkick Murphy’s had musical performances, so keep it here for the latest!

Here is it, the Call of Duty XP Event has begun and here is a live stream of the opening briefing.  We will have plenty of more coverage of the event later on.

At the Call of Duty XP Event this September 2nd-3rd not only will you get to play paintball on a replica of a Call of Duty Multiplayer Map.  Check out the history of the zip-lines and the Call of Duty Franchise!  This public event will be huge, Kanye West, Dropkick Murphy musical performances, expect coverage of the event right here at GamingBolt.com.  Check out more info here.

The Celtic rock group, Dropkick Murphys will be preforming live on opening night at the Call of Duty XP Event at 8:00PM Friday, September 2nd.  This in addition to Kanye West closing the event on day 2 at 8PM on Saturday, September 3rd.  As you are aware of, this is a public event with tickets selling fast at $150, with every attendee getting a free copy of the Hardened Edition of Modern Warfare 3 upon its release November 8th.  Check out all the info for the event right here being held in LA, California for a two day event from September 2nd to 3rd.  Hurry and get you tickets as this will be a huge event.  View the official Press Release for the Dropkick Murphy and Kanye West announcement below.

Official Link to the Call of Duty XP Event Site

Dropkick Murphy Press Release

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) has tapped “green-collar” punk revelers Dropkick Murphys to perform opening night at 8pm, Sept. 2nd, at the first ever Call of Duty® XP, the destination for Call of Duty® gamers worldwide. The critically-acclaimed Dropkick Murphys–known for their complex distillation of classic punk rock, Celtic folk and American rock ‘n’ roll–will deliver a knockout live performance. The two-day Call of Duty fan event features the global premiere of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 multiplayer, a $1 Million Tournament presented by Xbox 360® and other landmark experiences including these live musical performances. Call of Duty XP will take place September 2nd and 3rd, 2011, in Los Angeles, Calif.

“With an unbeatable lineup of real-world and in-game experiences, Call of Duty XP was already poised to be an historic event for fans of the franchise,” said Eric Hirshberg, Chief Executive Officer of Activision Publishing. “The addition of Dropkick Murphys just makes XP that much more memorable. Few bands fit the bill better—we’re thrilled to have them performing on opening day.”

Now in their 16th year, Dropkick Murphys have slingshot from their Irish punk roots in Quincy, Mass., to become one of the world’s best known rock acts, routinely packing houses for their phenomenal live shows. The band’s countless EPs, singles, compilations and seven studio albums—including 1997’s Do or Die, 1999’s The Gang’s All Here, 2001’s Sing Loud Sing Proud, 2003’s Blackout, 2005’s The Warrior’s Code, 2007’s The Meanest Of Times and the 2011 release Going Out In Style—have earned the septet mainstream success and the adoration of fans around the globe.

For more information about Call of Duty XP, please visit www.callofduty.com/xp.

About Activision Publishing

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

About Dropkick Murphys

Known for their complex distillation of classic punk rock, Celtic folk and American rock ‘n roll, critically-acclaimed Dropkick Murphys have released 7 full-length studio albums and sold over 4 million copies worldwide since hitting the scene in 1996. Their 2011 Going Out In Style CD, released via the group’s own Born & Bred Records, debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200–the group’s highest chart debut to date. Going Out In Style has received overwhelming praise, with USA Today declaring it “funny, moving, inspiring and, above all, entertaining.” The video for “Going Out In Style” was featured at #1 on Rolling Stone‘s “Hot List,” while the CD landed the #1 spot on the magazine’s Local Favorite’s chart in the March 31, 2011 issue. 2007’s The Meanest Of Times has sold over 300,000 copies sold worldwide. The Meanest Of Times was #40 on Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Albums Of The Year and “The State Of Massachusetts” came in at #83 on their Top 100 Singles of the year. The group’s single “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”–from 2005’s The Warrior’s Code CD–has sold over 1.25 million copies. “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” a song with lyrics penned by Woody Guthrie, gained mainstream notoriety after being prominently featured in Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award-winning film The Departed. It can be commonly heard at sporting events and on television as a theme song for many sports teams (even outside of Boston). The Boston Garden plays it at pivotal moments throughout Bruins and Celtics games and Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon uses it as his entrance music when he comes out of the bullpen. The band has sold out shows worldwide and cultivated one of the most fervent fan bases in rock music. They’re an integral part of Boston’s cultural identity and even penned the theme song to the first Red Sox World Series win in 86 years. www.dropkickmurphys.com

Call of Duty, Modern Warfare and Activision are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

Xbox 360 and XBOX LIVE are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Kanye West Press Release

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — In his first public performance since the release of his fifth #1 album, the global smash “Watch the Throne,” Kanye West is set to close Call of Duty® XP, the only full-immersion fan experience for Call of Duty® gamers. West will take the stage at 8PM on Saturday, September 3rd, capping an impressive roster of firsts for casual and hardcore Call of Duty fans alike, including the world premiere of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 multiplayer, the first public hands-on with the title, the finals of the Call of Duty® $1 Million tournament sponsored by Xbox 360®, Call of Duty-inspired live action-experiences and much more. Call of Duty XP takes place September 2nd and 3rd, 2011, in Los Angeles, California.

“We’re pulling out all the stops,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “We promised our attendees and fans around the world a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the first Call of Duty XP, so we’re thrilled to have Kanye on board. Everything about XP will be as epic as the games themselves.  Whether you’re competing for one of the open slots in the $1 million tournament, playing Modern Warfare 3 for the first time, dodging paintballs in a spectacular life-size recreation of Modern Warfare 2’s Scrapyard level or just mingling with developers and fellow gamers, Call of Duty XP is a celebration of one of the greatest games in the world.  So what better way to top it off with one of the greatest artists in the world?”

Call of Duty XP will take place at the Call of Duty compound in Playa Vista, located at 5600 Campus Center Dr., Los Angeles, Calif., 90094.  Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) will donate 100% of the sales to The Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit, public benefit corporation that seeks to help returning soldiers transition back to civilian life, find work and establish careers. For more information about Call of Duty XP, please visit www.callofduty.com/xp.

About Activision Publishing

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Call of Duty, Modern Warfare and Activision are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

There will be a Call of Duty XP Event on September 2nd and 3rd in LA, California.  The event will let gamers play Modern Warfare for the first time and will be playing live paintball on an exact duplicate Call of Duty Map, Scrapyard.  There will be a $1,000,000 Million Dollar Reward Tournament in cash and prizes, in a 32-team, single-elimination.  All attendees will receive the Modern Warfare Hardened Edition for free as shown above.  Here is the Official Call of Duty XP Event Site where you buy tickets there as well.