According to Wedbush Securities video game industry analyst Michael Pachter, you will be paying to play Call of Duty games in the future.
Yesterday, along with the dismantling on the Guitar Hero franchise, Activision announced the establishment of Project Beachhead, a studio focused on "on the delivery, digitally, of new, innovative Call of Duty content and services" that will "enable tens of millions of players around the world to continue to enjoy the experience that Call of Duty offers." While Activision didn't go into practical detail about what that will mean for gamers, Pachter says it all adds up to pay-for-play CoD.
"Project Beachhead absolutely is charging for multiplayer," Pachter said. "I'm certain to my core."
"Activision said they are working on 'value added, premium content that is exclusive,'" Pachter said. "How do you exclude people unless you do it on the basis of whether they pay or not? What are you going to have a bouncer in front of the club where you play the content? The only way it's exclusive is if it excludes non-paying members," Pachter added.
When asked how a pay-for-it Call of Duty game would work, Pachter offered this:
"The exclusive content could be pay as you go, or monthly. Let's say Project Beachhead comes up with 'Call of Duty Universe,' and it launches with Modern Warfare 3 and they say 'if you join here's all the exclusive content and exclusive weapons and we'll charge you a dollar a piece.' Or If they say, 'for $5 a month you get unlimited weapons and all the map packs we bring out for Modern Warfare in perpetuity,' a lot of people will say, 'I'm going to buy three map packs for 15 dollars anyway, so for $60 a year, I'm getting all the unlimited weapons and achievements,' so they could do that. I don't know if that's what they're going to choose to do. I'd say $5 a month is reasonable, though."
Pachter is watching for people to switch consoles if one "side" starts charging and the other remains free. "What will be interesting is to see if it spurs PS3 sales when people switch over," Pachter said.
So what do you guys think? Would you be willing to pay extra for Call of Duty content? Or would you feel more like you're being nickled and dimed to death if you have to pay for both Xbox Live and for Call of Duty?
Comments are Closed
Comments
Displaying 81–100 of 213
4123456789106
Map_Maker1
So what ever happened to never paying for multiplayer?
http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/ 11/24/activision-will-never-ev er-charge-for-call-of-duty-mul tiplayer/
jaredthebear
I will not pay for CoD multiplayer. There are far more games out there, now and in the future, that I'd rather put my hard-earned dollar toward instead of just one aspect of a game.
Guess I'll be playing more Battlefield.
MizunoX3
why would I pay for people to curse at me in a stale multiplayer game FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU activision.
TheWarhamster
i don't even pay for weapons/costume dlc anyway. Why pay extra for cosmetics in a game when content is what you're after? That being said, unless they make it a COD:MMO then whats the point? Who the hell is gonna pay for online deathmatch/capture the flag/protect the base/barbeque the pig mutliplayer anyway when they can get the EXACT same experience (yeah i said all FPS mutliplayer is the same) for free on another game...ahh well, with EA's online pass/gun club model...maybe free fps mutliplayer is dying out anyway. Thank the gods i got sick of that genre (FPS multi) last year.
bipolarbear94
NOOOOOOO now all the COD players are going to switch over to Battlefield! Great a million noobs who dont know how to shoot or arm a MCOM station to save their life. There are going to be wookies everywhere!
tonsofdeadkitnz
Just a shame. Call of duty is probably the best game out, now their gunna turn a good game bad. Activision stopped creating all guitar hero, got rid of infinity ward, stopped the new true crime hong kong game and now this. This is most certainly the fall of this company
pair2wear
On another site that was reporting the statements that Activision released regarding their financial earnings and the opening and closing of certain parts of Activision, Activision talked about their new studio, Beachhead. They stated they were going to test a free, but microtransaction-based shooter, like Battlefield Heroes, in the Asian market, and if it did well, Beachhead would work on bringing a version of it stateside. They made no mention of charging for the other COD games.
Spartan593
I would never pay to play. I honestly think Activision is making horrible calls today. They might as well say "Activision is broke!" I'm okay with the end of GH. They should have not blown these games up. They're fun at parties, or when your wasted with some friends but its not that great anymore. GH should just have skipped a year 2 years ago. Let the industry cool off. Music games could take off again. As for Tony Hawk, im glad they stopped. Burned out after Underground 1. Sorry Tony, a divorce and the end of a video game era. Pro Skater 3 and 4 will always have my heart. FInally, making us pay to play CoD? Thats lame. If you make some weapons cost money, then the game becomes unfair and people won't play. A level 10 could buy his way into an awesome class. I don't care if that gun is a dollar, i won't pay when i pay my money to xbox live already. People will leave. Crysis 2, Bulletstorm, Battlefield 3, Gears 3. All of those shooters have potential to defeat CoD.
troopershades
Considering this is the same idiot that said that there isnt a PC available that can out perform the PS3....Ill continue not taking this goober seriously.
darthfritz
the only reason most of us play online will fall. this is not something i'm not willing to pay anymore than i already do to tea bag some noobs. if this comes to pass i will be one of the first to trade in all my cod titles. this could be the begining of a dark time for those of us who love this game.
balto85
But, the sad part is, a lot of the people who are saying they'll boycott the game are the ones who will be first in line to hand over their money. Activision will probably do it, gamers will be furious until the game comes out, then Activision will make even more money.
balto85
They'd have to perfect a lot about their online game before I'd even consider it. And looking at their previous COD games, I don't see them making any of the changes that I'd like to see. They don't care about the people playing their games. Why would I want to pay extra to play a game that's inherently broken? Not only would I not pay extra, I'm really over COD anyway. Keep your game. Keep your online. You're not the only game out there.
CJStark93
dumbest idea i have ever heard. COD im done with u.
Notafanboythatiknow
I see lots of cry babies, like the ones when LFD2 came out. You are going to continue playing COD and paying a subscription fee. You want to know why, because you are suckers for an increasingly crappy iteration since the First Modern Warfare.
You are addicts and apparently love to use obscenities offensive to women. Last year Blops sold what? 15-20 millions. The new subscription game will sell the same or even more. Stop complaining and get you wallets ready for this fall or ask to your moms.
Zzanzabar
LOL. I can just see the exec's at Activision salivating at WOW and wondering 'how can WE get some of that easy money'? I know, COD is very popular right? It has millions of players around the world, right just like WOW, so we will CHARGE them to play the game. Man we will clean up!
First we will give it a cool new name and claim to give them exclusive content or some bullcrp like that, next we charge just a nominal fee, you know, something like $15 a year or something just to get their feet wet. TONS of gamers will say 'its only about $1.40 or so a month to play a quality game. Who cant afford that?' Later after they are hooked we raise the prices gradually, then hire a bunch of people to post how 'reasonable' that is, man we will clean up with little outward investment. After all they are just a bunch of teenage gamers anyway!
littleb242
Pretty much what everyone else is saying, no way jose
Dani0101
Call of duty is going to crash and activision won't make any money off this. Ps3 gamers should be charged not xbox gamers.
Mr8Ball420
If it is true they better think long and hard about this.There are alot of shooters out there just waiting to bring in gamers anyway they can,its not like C.O.D. is the only shooter on the market.Activision can do it if they want to but they wont be getting anymore of my money.
slimmer
They will make us pay for the content individually (for every map/add on) and then get a $60 membership ...... GREAT how about $79.99 .... do I hear $99.99 ? and if you cant afford it O'well, this is funnnnnnot.
ProudFilipino
Thats messed up! oh well I play Battlefield way more than COD. Battlefield 3 FTW! :p
Displaying 81–100 of 213
4123456789106