modern-warfare-2 posts

We are not the first folks to complain about the high price of the two downloadable map packs for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Let's face it; $15 for a new new maps each is pretty steep. However, publisher Activision has decided to give PC gamers a price break for the next week on the two map packs.

From now until October 11, owners of the PC port of the mega-popular first person shooter will be able to purchase and download the two map packs via Steam for just $7.49 each, a 50 percent price drive. The Stimulus Pack and the Resurgance Pack each contain five maps which are a mix of all new levels and revamped ones from the first Modern Warfare game.

It's been a few months since the co-founders of Infinity Ward were basically kicked out by Activision. While the two parties are now fighting it out in court, the co-founders and a number of other Infinity Ward team members have gone ahead and formed Respawn Entertainment.

While the team has yet to reveal what kind of game will be made, we at least know that whatever it is the game will be heading to PC hard drives. A jobs listing for the company on Gamasutra confirms, "Respawn intends to develop a multi-platform product that works on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC." With many other PC developers abandoning the plaftorm it's at least good to know that the Call of Duty creators are going to stick with the delivery system that helped to make them be a huge success.

Direct2Drive's end of summer sales event keeps on keeping on with its daily price cuts. Today, the PC game download site puts two more titles on the price chopping block. These sales will end at 3 pm Eastern time on Sunday.

One is the recently released puzzle-RPG sequel from developer Infinite Interactive, Puzzle Quest 2. It's price has been cut by $5 to $14.95. The other game on sale is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. You can get the 2009 first person shooter from developer Infinity Ward for "just" $49.95, a $10 discount from its normal price.

A 50 percent weekend sale was the likely reason why Avalanche Software's open world action game sequel Just Cause 2 found itself on top of this week's top 10 list on the Steam PC game download service. The game sent the Resurgence Map pack for Modern Warfare 2 off the top of the list (as rated by revenue) where it had been in place for the past few weeks.

Team17's turn-based strategy game Worms Reloaded charged up to the number two spot on its first week on the Steam list as gamers pre-ordered the title ahead of its August 26 release date. The full top 10 list is below

1. Just Cause 2 - Avalanche Software/Square Enix
2. Worms Reloaded - Team17
3. Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Map Pack - Infinity Ward/Activision
4. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Digital Illusions/EA
5. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - Infinity Ward/Activision
6. Left 4 Dead 2 - Valve
7. Counter-Strike Source - Valve
8. APB (All Points Bulletin) - Realtime Worlds/EA
9. Team Fortress 2 - Valve
10. Sim City 4 Deluxe - Electronic Arts

For the past few days, a number of players on the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 have been on a rampage on various message boards, complaining that Valve has banned them from playing online even though they didn't do anything. For a little while it looked like Valve wasn't going to do anything about it but tonight it seems Valve has found a fault in its VAC anti-cheat system.

Valve's head man Gabe Newell has issued an email to those who were affected including one who posted his email on Steam's forums. Newell states, "This was our mistake, and I apologize for any frustration or angst it may have caused you." He then gave a rather technical explanation on why the inncorrect bans were made and then added, "We have reversed the ban, restoring your access to the game. In addition, we have given you a free copy of Left 4 Dead 2 to give as a gift on Steam, plus a free copy for yourself if you didn't already own the game." So apparently everything is cool.

For the third straight week, the Resurgence Map Pack for Modern Warfare 2 is on top of the top 10 sales list for Steam's PC game download service (according to revenue). New on the list this week is Mafia II which had its Digital Deluxe version put in at the the number three spot after being made available for pre-orders this week. The full list is below:

1. Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Map Pack - Infinity Ward/Activision
2. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Digital Illusions/EA
3. Mafia II Digital Deluxe Edition - 2K Czeck/2K Games
4. APB (All Points Bulletin) - Realtime Worlds/EA
5. Mafia II - 2K Czeck/2K Games
6. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - Infinity Ward/Activision
7. Left 4 Dead 2 - Valve
8. Counter-Strike Source - Valve
9. Team Fortress 2 - Valve
10. Mount And Blade Warband - Taleworlds/Paradox Interactive

A five level map pack costing $15 retained its position as the number one best selling PC "game" on Steam's weekly top 10 best selling games list (according to revenue). The Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Map Pack from developer Infinity Ward found itself on top of the chart for the second week in a row.

Despite mixed reviews, Realtime Worlds' shooter MMO All Points Bulletin (APB) is at the number two slot on the Steam top 10 list this week. The full list is below.

1. Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Map Pack - Infinity Ward/Activision
2. APB (All Points Bulletin) - Realtime Worlds/EA
3. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Digital Illusions/EA
4. Disciples III : Renaissance Steam Special Edition - Akella/Kalypso Media
5. Blacklight Tango Down - Zombie/Ignition Entertainment
6. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - Infinity Ward/Activision
7. Transformers War For Cybertron - High Moon Studios/Activision
8. Left 4 Dead 2 - Valve
9. Team Fortress 2 - Valve
10. Sniper: Ghost Warrior - City Interactive

Yesterday we reported that IGN's Direct2Drive web site had started selling the PC port of Modern Warfare 2 on its site, reversing an earlier decision not to provide Infinity Ward's best selling shooter game on Direct2Drive because of its use of Valve's Steam client as a requirement to play and update the game. We contacted IGN to find out why it decided to change its mind. Today we got back a response from Julie Uhrman, the general manager of IGN's Digital Distribution division.

In short, Uhrman said it was due to Direct2Drive's users that caused them to reverse its decision, saying, "We asked our customer base and they told us they weren't concerned whether a game came with a third-party client or not. And we listen to our customers." That would seem to leave things open for other Steam exclusive games showing up on Direct2Drive as well. When asked if that was going to happen Uhrman responded with, "Future titles will be decided on a publisher by publisher basis."

You may remember that last fall IGN's Direct2Drive PC game download site said it would not sell Infinity Ward's shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. At the time the site provided its reasons, saying, "we believe strongly that when you buy a game from us, you shouldn't be forced to install and run a 3rd party software client to be able to play the game you purchased." That was in reference to the fact that the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 required the use of Valve's Steam client and Steamworks tools to play and update the game.

Now Direct2Drive has had a change of heart. Starting earlier this month the download site has begun selling both Modern Warfare 2 as well as its two map packs. Indeed the site is offering a bundle sale at the moment that allows people to get Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for free with the purchase of Modern Warfare 2 and the two maps packs. The site does mention that the game does require Steam to play and that a third party download is also required.

Big Download has both called and emailed IGN's PR rep to ask about the reasons for this about face in policy but so far the company has not responded to our inquires. Other PC game download sites like Impulse and GamersGate sites who said they would also not sell Modern Warfare 2 because of its use of Steam have still not made the game available to purchase on their sites.

Activision's decision to charge for the PC versions of the Modern Warfare 2 map packs may have made fans of the shooter game upset but that hasn't stopped them from purchasing the packs. The latest top 10 sales list from the Steam service shows that the $15 Resurgance Map Pack was the number one best selling game on Steam in the last week (based on revenue).

The rest of the list is a mix of recent games and titles that are still feeling the effects of Steam's recent summer sales event. The full list is below

1. Modern Warfare 2 Resurgace Map Pack - Infinity Ward/Activision
2. Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Digital Illusions/EA
3. APB (All Points Bulletin) - Realtime Worlds/EA
4. Monkey Island 2 Special Edition - LucasArts
5. THQ Complete Pack - THQ
6. Civilization IV Complete Edition - Firaxis/2K Games
7. Bioshock 2 - 2K Marin/2K Games
8. Just Cause 2 - Avalanche Studios/Square Enix
9. Mass Effect 2 - BioWare/EA
10. Killing Floor - Tripwire Interactive