- Activision pressured Call of Duty studio Infinity Ward to make a game about Iran invading Israel, claims former developer - 5 March 2026
Chance Glasco, an ex-lead animator on the Call of Duty series, has claimed that Activision once pressured Infinity Ward to make an entry in which Iran attacked Israel. He did so in response to a video montage posted on the official White House Xitter account, which combines the USA's real life military strikes against Iran with killstreak animations and Call of Duty interface elements . Read more
- Legendary game creator Vince Zampella has passed away - 23 December 2025
Vince Zampella, known for co-creating the Call of Duty series, among many other roles, has died. Zampella, 55, died in a car crash in Los Angeles on Sunday. The fatal crash killed him, along with the occupant of his car. Read more
- Modern Warfare's creators were "very divided" over its most influential feature - unlocking guns - 25 October 2023
It's hard to imagine blockblustery first-person shooting today without Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 's online progression systems, which - inasmuch as you can assign this much clout to a single game or developer - transformed the genre back in 2007 by reinventing multiplayer as a kind of RPG . Shooters without COD-style gear levelling ladders do exist, not least Counter-Strike 2 , but most of the juggernauts depend on such fixtures, especially now that free-to-play service models have become the norm. So it's jarring to hear from Mackey McCandlish, one of Modern Warfare's original developers, that the old Infinity Ward team were split over the act of using XP to unlock guns, with some worrying it would be "unfair". Read more
- Call of Duty comes back to life as Xbox-360-era games get surprise update - 17 July 2023
Large numbers of players are swarming back to older Call of Duty games on Xbox 360 thanks to a recent update. As spotted last week by Twitter user ZekcoFS , an update arrived for a number of older Call of Duty titles that fixed matchmaking. This included classics such Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, and Black Ops 2. Now, it seems that quite a large number of players are returning to the games. As reported by CharlieIntel , Black Ops 2 managed to hit more than 10,000 players over the weekend on Xbox 360, and Modern Warfare 3 had over 7000 players, significant numbers for some now quite old games. Prior to this apparent fix, anyone that tried to play a match of one of the older Call of Duty titles on Xbox 360 wouldn't be able to due to a supposed lack of players. This didn't make much sense, though, as certain game modes only needed as few as eight play…
- Five of the Best: Achievements or Trophies - 15 May 2020
Five of the Best is a weekly series about the small details we rush past when we're playing but which shape a game in our memory for years to come. Details like the way a character jumps or the title screen you load into, or the potions you use and maps you refer back to. We've talked about so many in our Five of the Best series so far . But there are always more. Five of the Best works like this. Various Eurogamer writers will share their memories in the article and then you - probably outraged we didn't include the thing you're thinking of - can share the thing you're thinking of in the comments below. Your collective memory has never failed to amaze us - don't let that stop now! Today's Five of the Best is... Read more
- This year's Call of Duty is called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - 24 May 2019
This year's Call of Duty game is called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, according to reports and Eurogamer's own sources. It's not to be confused with the first Modern Warfare, aka Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, released in 2007. Or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, released in 2016. Despite the name, it's very much a new game. Twitter user LongSensation spilled the beans on the Modern Warfare moniker this afternoon. I've heard this name previously. Kotaku's Jason Schreier has also tweeted to say this is legit. Read more
- The 50 best FPS on PC - 21 May 2018
The best shooters endure. While the state of the art moves on in other genres and leaves old designs in the dust, it’s as fun to fire a well-made shotgun from an early 90s FPS as from one released today. For that reason, this list runs the gamut from genre classics to those released in the last year. There’s bound to be something for you inside. (more…)
- Humvee manufacturer suing Activision over Call of Duty warcars - 9 November 2017
The manufacturers of Humvees are suing Activision over Call of Duty games featuring vehicles which, they say, look an awful lot like their own warcars. AM General claim that these Humvee-lookin’ vehicles violate their trademark and Activision don’t have permission, so they want CoD to knock it off and pay them damages. Their case pivots on several Call of Duty games, including Modern Warfare and Ghosts, featuring warcars which allegedly look close enough to Humvees to fall under their ‘trade dress’ — a type of intellectual property covering what a product looks like — and are sometimes called Humvees by name. (more…)
- Here s Six Minutes Of CoD: Infinite Warfare s Campaign - 15 June 2016
Although Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is sadly not the procedurally-generated Escherian Nightmare we might’ve hoped for, Activision’s latest war-torn FPS is set in space and you’ll be pleased to know its single-player campaign looks to be shaping up nicely. Don’t take my word for it, though – cast your eyes over six new minutes of gameplay highlights below. …
- Call Of Duty 4 Remaster Only Sold With Infinite Warfare - 3 May 2016
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered , the prettied-up version of Infinity Ward’s seminal shooter Call of Duty 4, will indeed only be available as a bundle-in with some of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare ‘s many premium editions. That’s what Activision say, at least. I am astonished. That can’t mean that, can they? They must have been so excited about Infinite Warfare’s spaceships and power armour that they forgot to add a little footnote with an asterisk saying “*exclusive for a limited time”. No? Sheesh. Weird! …
- The 50 Best FPS Ever Made - 13 May 2015
Gathering together the best shooters is no easy task, but if you’re looking for a new PC FPS to play, look no further. Your favourite game is at number 51. …
- These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things (In PC Games) - 19 November 2014
Some moments in some games stay with you. The right event, the right surprise or the right hats at the right time, and it’s imprinted on your memory forever. I’ve been playing PC games for almost 25 years: I’ve got a million of these, and so have you. I’ll show you just a few of mine if you show me yours. …
- Activision Publisher Weekend - Day 3 - 3 May 2014
The Activision Publisher Weekend continues today with great deals on Activision titles! From now through Monday* pick up titles up to 75% off! Additionally, play the Call of Duty: Ghosts Multiplayer for Free throughout the weekend! Today's Daily Deal features the Call of Duty franchise** at 50% off! *All discounts end Monday, March 17th at 10AM Pacific Time. **Does not include Call of Duty: Ghosts
- Reinstall: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - 12 March 2014
Reinstall invites you to join us in revisiting classics of PC gaming days gone by. This week, editor Sam Roberts returns to the fury of Call of Duty 4's singleplayer campaign. With Titanfall jettisoning the idea of a traditional single-player mode and Battlefield 4 s campaign inducing widespread sighs, this has become a disposable bolt on to most of today s big shooters. Titanfall is able to create much of the drama of a single-player game in the midst of its impressive systems, but it s worth remembering that the old Infinity Ward were really good at making campaigns, too. But it might be that Titanfall s lack of a true single-player mode is a sign of the times: COD s rigid campaign formula has been exhausted. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was its peak. The single-player is, in levels without a significant story beat, a slog to get through today. Perhaps this is because its ideas have…
- Respawn Entertainment will be at E3 with “no intention of showing up empty handed” - 26 February 2013
On March 1st, 2010, Activision fired Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West. Things were said, lawsuits were filed, Zampella and West formed Respawn Entertainment, half of the Call of Duty studio's staff walked out, EA jumped in and got sued too, then Yakety Sax played until everyone got tuckered out. Amid all that, Respawn seems to have developed a very blurry game, which may come into focus at E3 according to a pair of tweets from Zampella. I've gotten a 'few' questions about @e3expo plans this year. Yes, we will finally be at E3!— Vince Zampella (@VinceZampella) February 25, 2013 I have no intention of showing up empty handed! I can't say anything else right now.— Vince Zampella (@VinceZampella) February 25, 2013 The news is notable because Zampella and West are notable, and not just for their role in creating Call of Duty. Before forming Infinity Ward, they we…
- Activision’s Bobby Kotick shares thoughts on Infinity Ward founder firings - 17 December 2012
Outspoken Activision CEO Bobby Kotick was recently the subject of an extensive profile by The New York Times which charted his rise as the head of one of the most prolific publishers in the industry. As part of the interview, Kotick said the decision to fire Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella after they were planning to switch publishers in breach of contract was an easy one. "You find out two executives are planning to break their contracts, keep the money you gave them and steal 40 employees," Kotick said. "What do you do? You fire them." West and Zampella, now in charge of Respawn Entertainment, initially filed a suit for $36 million against Activision in 2010 for unpaid royalties from the Call of Duty franchise after Activision fired them. The claim ballooned to an astounding $1 billion earlier this year before EA, Infinity Ward, and Activision settled their cas…
- Editorial: Warfighter vs. Allied Assault – how Medal of Honor went astray - 1 November 2012
Tyler Wilde, Associate EditorThe first player-controlled action in Medal of Honor: Warfighter is to shoot a guard in the back of the head with a suppressed pistol. I can’t move the pistol away from his head. An icon indicates that I should press the left-mouse button to fire. I don't want to. After a few missions, I don't want to keep playing Warfighter's campaign at all. It isn't fun. It isn't lonely, either: along with Battlefield 3 and the last couple Call of Dutys, I don't think I like military FPS campaigns anymore. They've changed, but my taste hasn't changed with them. So I went back to a classic. Ten years ago I loved Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (MOHAA) so much that I saved both discs and the CD key for my future self to play. Thanks, past me! I still love it (no rose-tinted glasses), and comparing MOHAA's opening mission to Warfighter's opening vignettes convinces me that I'…
- Black Ops 2 multiplayer leak video shows ‘finger guns’ - 10 September 2012
Some cheeky blighters have obtained what Activision are calling a “development demo build” of Black Ops 2, and uploaded a vid to prove it. It’s an extremely short snippet of action, and overlayed with a superfluous dev interview and some dreadful music, but it does show off the capabilities of the engine. Spotted on Kotaku, the video sees the player activate a no-clip mode, allowing the camera to zip off, around and above a rather pretty hillside township - which the player then proceeds to fill the the bodies of his foes. A crossbow makes a brief cameo and the video ends with the player running about making 'finger guns' at the enemy - a returning weapon from previous CoDs accessible via the 'giveall' cheat. The original video has been removed, as you’d expect, but it came from the channel of Call of Duty modder iHc James. Kotaku still have a working version at the time of writing, if…
- The origin of Call of Duty’s most-heard sound - 14 August 2012
When you shoot someone in Call of Duty, there’s a noise. It's positive feedback—a fwip-fwip-fwip to let you know that your bullet, knife, claymore, or phoned-in helicopter is hurting someone. While visiting Treyarch I asked the Black Ops 2 sound team about the creation of the simple-but-essential effect. PCG: Why does it sound the way it does when I shoot someone in Call of Duty? Brian Tuey, Audio Director: So... The sound has impact and it has meaning and it's useful and all that, but it's not a particularly pleasant sound, especially in isolation. There was a time recently where I was like, "You know? I'm gonna redo this with something else." So I kinda went a different direction, and it felt like this was going to be good. I checked it in, and within three hours, my email box was full of, like, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY SOUND?" I'm like, "But it's so much better!" Chris Cowell, Audio…
- Activision settles Call of Duty suit - 31 May 2012
After a recessed hearing yesterday that allowed the parties to try to resolve their differences, a settlement has been reached in the case involving Activision, Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vincent Zampella, and 40 ex-Call of Duty developers from Infinity Ward. The settlement details are confidential, an attorney for West and Zampella told The Verge today. While West and Zampella wouldn't offer comment, The Verge's Michael McWhertor told Twitter that there was a "beaming smile" on West's face. A statement released by Activision tried to allay any financial analysts' concerns, saying the one-time charges related to the settlement shouldn't impact the company's earnings outlook for the current quarter or the calendar year, citing "stronger-than-expected operating performance in the current quarter." The deal brings a close to the contentious case, which started almost two year…
