Earlier this year, Activision Blizzard revealed a new partnership with Beachhead Studios, which is tasked with overseeing the launch of a social media-oriented online initiative for the publisher’s wildly popular Call of Duty first-person shooter series. We’ll probably be hearing the first solid details at E3 next month, but company bosses Bobby Kotick and Eric Hirshberg let a few hints slip out last night during an investors call, revealing that said features will be integrated into a new Call of Duty game releasing this fall.
“This platform will include a suite of services and content plan that will unite and ignite the community like never before. The platform will support in-game integration and bring online experiences and console play together for the first time,” Hirshberg said, according to gamesindustry.biz. “It’s been in development for almost two years and we’re very excited about the increased value and excitement we can bring to our community through this platform.”
Both executives restated what has previously been said, that free Call of Duty content will remain free. They then added that Beachhead’s efforts will be monetized, at least in part. Whether this means exclusive or early access to content, enhanced social features and the like in exchange for a subscription or a one-time payment remains to be seen, but clearly there’s a desire to capitalize on the enduring popularity of the series and the repeat business year after year from hardcore fans.
Reports have been circulating about the upcoming Call of Duty game, with the most recent (via Eurogamer) noting a planned November 8 release for something called Call of Duty: Project Colossus.
