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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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