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Activision Plans More Frequent DLC Updates For Modern Warfare 3

Activision's blockbuster Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is already an incredible sales success. Now, the company revealed that it plans to keep its audience engaged year-round with frequent downloadable content -- including the possibility of new missions and spec-ops modes.

In an interview with Wired, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said that the company now sees Modern Warfare as a "persistent" franchise, played and updated constantly throughout the year.

Hirshberg said, “The idea of giving people constant incremental playable content and making it so you’re never more than a few weeks away from the next new experience within the Call of Duty universe is part of what we’re experimenting with….This franchise doesn’t really behave like most franchises. It’s become something of a year-round activity for a large percentage of our player population.”

This new strategy could take several forms. For one, Hirshberg said that they've received feedback from fans that might prompt them to break up DLC into smaller portions so that it can be delivered on a more regular basis. Also, he's looking beyond the usual multiplayer map packs towards content that could incorporate both mission and spec-ops modes.

He said that the company is relying heavily on fan feedback from messageboards, Twitter, and social networks to understand what players want. Activision hopes that more frequent DLC updates will also drive membership to its Call of Duty Elite service. All Elite members who subscribe for the $50 annual fee receive all of the game's DLC content for free.

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Comments
  • NO.

    Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3, I don't care, I'm sick and tired of FPS. Give me something innovative please. Every year, it's the same game.
  • God,why it's necessary to make 3 DLCs with 4 maps and charge $15 for each DLC when you can make only ONE with 12 maps. Oh wait,it's Activision.
  • Well I suppose that's ok, but it's still going to be a rip off.

  • 1 map every 3 weeks. Each map will cost $20.
  • This would be cool if they decided to make the game every other year with optional DLC every month between releases.
  • At least untill the next call of duty milking game comes out.

  • Its like DLC nailed on to a larger DLC. Warfareception!
  • I really hope they don't force bundles of Spec Ops missions and maps sort of like Black Ops did. For those of us completely uninterested in the cooperative multiplayer, adding in content we aren't going to use with the maps we want and charging more for it is one of the reasons I never bought DLC for Black Ops. Hopefully we'll see something like 3 or 4 multiplayer maps for ten bucks this time around and Spec Ops missions as a separate release.
  • Wait...they are going to make call of duty content MORE often than they already are? Is that possible?
  • Spec Ops is the only thing I still enjoy in MW3, to be honest.
  • That is retarded! So stupid!
  • I hear so many people complain about the cost of DLC for these games. But you know what? Those of us who play them usually get HUNDREDS of hours out of them. I've got over a month's worth of playtime on Modern Warfare 1. Even after all the map packs, that's still an incredible value for the money. Will you all complain about Skyrim's prices too? Just because you don't care doesn't mean others don't. If you don't think it's worth it, don't buy it. That's the beauty of commerce.
  • Just curious how many copies has mw3 sold to date?
  • They're going to cut down on the amount of content in each DLC and still charge the same amount probably.

  • *raises hand* I'd like to break up the regularly scheduled take-shots-at-the-easy-target-because-it's-so-popular party... and just remind everyone that the vast majority of the 33,000,000+ fans of the franchise are the targets for this DLC.

    Wait, whaaaat? That's right, the game itself and all post-release support are made for... the fans. If you're not a fan... that's fine. Why waste your precious energy on debating the validity of something with mass appeal? Berating others about their taste in entertainment activities... I don't get it.
  • $6 every month is the $50 that sums up the Elite membership. A fair price and all, but I would like a shooter without a fee. It's a nice dream to never wake up from, kind of like Kingdom Hearts.
  • COOL! I just bought MW3, CoD Elite Premium Membership, an xbox 360 and xbox live! I can't wait to buy all the DLC which I can play for the next 2 months until the next CoD comes out! It'll be so cool!
  • So the idea  is releasing one map per month instead of three map packs in a year? I think that´s a good thing.

  • Curious as to why those who hate/despise/don't play Call of Duty even care enough to waste their time and comment. This DLC is meant for those who play MW3. If I want to go out and buy something others might consider a waste of money, and people have a problem with it, then they obviously don't have enough of a life to mind their own checkbook
  • charging for dlc makes it a fail already
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