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7 CommentsCall of Duty: Black Ops 2 multiplayer free on Steam, double XP everywhere this weekend
By Dave Tach on May 09, 2013 05.09.13
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's multiplayer component will be free on Steam this weekend and players on all platforms can earn double experience points during the same period. The first-person shooter's free multiplayer weekend on Steam will run through 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 4. Black Ops 2 is also on sale through Valve's digital distribution service for $40.19, a 33 percent discount, until Monday, May 13. According to a tweet from developer Treyarch Studios, Black Ops 2's double XP weekend begins Friday, May 10, at 1 p.m. ET and runs through Monday, May 13, at 1 p.m. ET and will be available to players on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC and Wii U.
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0 CommentsActivision posts 'better-than-expected' Q1 2013 earnings, but is cautious about rest of year
By Samit Sarkar on May 08, 2013 05.08.13
Activision reported "better-than-expected" financial results for the first quarter of 2013 today, but according to CEO Bobby Kotick, the company expects to encounter a more challenging back half of the year. The publisher brought in net revenues of $1.32 billion during the quarter that ended March 31, a 13 percent improvement over the same period in 2012 and 14.1 percent ahead of the company's projections. Activision also showed a marked year-over-year jump in net income from $384 million to $456 million, a 13.75 percent increase. Activision's earnings were buoyed by the impressive sales performance of StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, which was the top-selling Windows PC game in North America and Europe even though it launched with three weeks left in the quarter. In addition, Diablo...
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3 CommentsCall of Duty: Black Ops 2 update adds limited time Arms Race Team Deathmatch mode
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Apr 30, 2013 04.30.13
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 received a new update for its PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions that adds "limited time" game mode Arms Race Team Deathmatch, according to patch notes. The mode, which is available as part of the Bonus Playlist, grants players 150 score per kill, allowing them to rack up more Scorestreaks to unleash on their foes. The patch also adds a post-match connection quality survey as a way to assess the connection quality of online matches. Several multiplayer and gameplay aspects of the game have also been tweaked as part of of today's update. Players will no longer receive infinite ammo for the Death Machine and War Machine, and problems with respawn delays and user interface have been addressed. For the full list, check out the lengthy update for PlayStation 3 or...
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0 CommentsBlack Ops 2 Uprising DLC launching May 16 on PS3, PC
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 25, 2013 04.25.13
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's Uprising map pack, the game's second piece of downloadable content, will be released May 16 on PlayStation 3 and Windows PC, publisher Activision announced today. It will be exactly one month after the Xbox 360 release date — the DLC was released April 16 on Xbox Live. Uprising brings three new maps to Black Ops 2's multiplayer component — Magma, Encore and Vertigo — and a fourth, Studio, that is a re-imagining of the Firing Range map from Call of Duty: Black Ops. The DLC also adds a new game type to the Zombies mode, "Mob of the Dead," which is set in Alcatraz and features the voice talents of Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen, Chazz Palminteri and Joe Pantoliano as mobsters. The Uprising DLC will cost $14.99 for Black Ops 2 players who have not purchased...
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0 CommentsMLG Spring Championship tickets for Black Ops 2 tournament now on sale
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 23, 2013 04.23.13
Both competitor and spectator passes for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 tournament in Major League Gaming's Spring Championship are now on sale, MLG announced today. The tournament's finals are scheduled to take place from June 28-30 in Anaheim, Calif., at the Anaheim Convention Center. It will include a 128-team open bracket and a 24-team championship bracket. Early-bird discounts are in effect. It costs $400 to purchase a competitor pass for a team that wants to play in the tournament, but the earlier a team enters, the less it pays. From April 22 to May 17, the price is $280 (30 percent off); from May 18 to June 16, it's $320 (20 percent off); from June 17-24, it's $360 (10 percent off). Fans who want to watch the finals in person can pick up a spectator pass for $50 at the door,...
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3 CommentsBlack Ops 2 'Mob of the Dead' soundtrack now available
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 23, 2013 04.23.13
"Mob of the Dead" is the newest addition to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's Zombies mode, and its soundtrack is now available for purchase, publisher Activision announced today. The album, which is called Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Zombies - "Mob of the Dead" Soundtrack, boasts 26 tracks, almost all of which are original songs from developer Treyarch. Two of the pieces are previously unreleased bonus tracks from existing Zombies maps Tranzit and Die Rise. The soundtrack also features Judith de los Santos Romero and Clark S. Nova. The "Mob of the Dead" soundtrack, which is published by BFM Digital, sells for $8.99 on Amazon MP3 and $9.99 on iTunes. It is also available on Google Play and Spotify, among other services. "Mob of the Dead" is part of the Uprising DLC pack for Black Ops 2,...
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11 CommentsXbox Live Gold free weekend hits US, Canada, Latin America and Japan on Apr. 19
By Michael McWhertor on Apr 18, 2013 04.18.13
Xbox 360 owners in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Japan will be able to enjoy the online services Xbox Live Gold membership offers for free this weekend, according to an Xbox.com announcement. Beginning Friday, April 19 at 7 a.m. PT, Xbox Live will be unlocked, granting Silver-level members access to online multiplayer and services like Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu Plus and more. The free weekend comes to a close on Monday, April 22 at 10 a.m. PT. In addition to the free Gold weekend, a handful of games will be holding double XP promotions: Far Cry 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Assassin's Creed 3. A Shift key for Borderlands 2 will also offer three Golden Keys that will provide "rare and powerful loot" as part of the promotion. Microsoft held similar free weekends for E...
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2 CommentsBlack Ops 2 updated on PS3 and 360, double XP weekend running now through April 16 (update)
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 12, 2013 04.12.13
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 developer Treyarch released a title update for the game on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this week, shortly before the double XP session that's running all weekend long. Double XP begins right now, 1 p.m. ET, and runs through 1 p.m. ET on Monday, April 15, on all platforms — Xbox 360, PS3, Windows PC and Wii U, Treyarch announced on Twitter yesterday. The latest patch was released April 10 for the Xbox 360 version of Black Ops 2, and April 11 on PS3. It adds a few small features, makes some tweaks to gameplay balance and addresses numerous minor issues in the multiplayer and zombies modes. Check out the full patch notes below. Black Ops 2's second piece of downloadable content, Uprising, launches April 16 on Xbox 360. Update: Treyarch has extended the double...
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2 CommentsCall of Duty: Black Ops 2 Uprising DLC listed on Best Buy for April 16 release
By Emily Gera on Apr 04, 2013 04.04.13
The previously rumored Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 DLC Uprising is now listed on retailer website Best Buy for Xbox Live for 1200 MS Points, to be released April 16. New images of promotional material for the downloadable content offer a glimpse of what can be expected, in addition to content description allegedly found on the Xbox Live Marketplace Upload Registry by Charlie Intel. "Call of Duty: Black Ops II Uprising includes four incredibly diverse Multiplayer Maps: 'Magma,' 'Encore,' 'Vertigo, and 'Studio': a reimagined adaptation of the fan-favorite Black Ops multiplayer map 'Firing Range.' Uprising also introduces Mob of the Dead, Treyarch's most terrifying Zombies experience to date. Top Hollywood talent rounds out a cast of four Prohibition-era gangsters that are forced to fend...
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0 CommentsMLG's spring season to feature four qualifying events for Black Ops 2
By Dave Tach on Apr 03, 2013 04.03.13
The spring season of Major League Gaming's Pro Circuit will feature four Spring Championship Online Bracket Qualifiers for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, according to a press release from MLG. Competitive Black Ops 2 players can participate with the Xbox 360 version April 13 to May 1, May 4 to May 15, May 18 to May 29 and June 1 to June 12. Four winning teams from the single elimination, best of five matches will compete in MLG's Spring Championship, which will take place June 28-30 in Anaheim. Those interested in participating in the events, which will be broadcast online, can register now at Major League Gaming's website.
