NETMARBLE RELEASES THIRD
QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR 2019 FISCAL YEAR
SOUTH KOREA – NOV. 18, 2019 – Netmarble Corp., a global mobile game company
focusing on creating entertaining gaming experiences for players of all ages,
released their financial results for the third quarter of 2019. The company
earned $533.5 million [₩ 619.9 billion] in
sales, $72.6 million in operating profit [₩84.4 billion], and a net profit of $72.9 million [₩84.7 billion] from July-September in 2019.
At the closing of the third quarter, Netmarble company sales saw a 17.8%
increase from quarter-to-quarter and a 17.9% increase from the same
period of last year. Operating profit also saw growth, with a 154.2%
increase from Netmarble’s second quarter and a 25.4% growth
year-to-year. Net profit yielded a quarter-to-quarter growth of 122.9%,
as well as year-to-year increases of 53.7%
“Netmarble had significant increases in both sales and
operating profit in Q3, reflecting both domestic and overseas performances of
new games launched in Q2”, said Young-sig Kwon, CEO of Netmarble. He added, “At
G-Star 2019, we unveiled the highly anticipated new game titles ‘Seven Knights
Revolution’ and ‘Ni no Kuni: CROSS WORLDS’ for the first time and introduced
‘A3: STILL ALIVE’ and ‘Magic: ManaStrike”
Leading revenue generators from
Netmarble’s company library in the third quarter include MARVEL Contest of
Champions (14% of revenue generated), Lineage 2 Revolution (14%
of revenue generated), and Seven Deadly Sins: GRAND CROSS (11%
of revenue generated), with each title accounting for more than 10% of
total sales. Newly launched titles, including BTS WORLD (4% of
revenue generated)and THE KING OF FIGHTERS ALLSTAR (3% of
revenue generated) also performed well in the company’s third quarter.
Netmarble’s overseas revenue totaled $364.4 million [₩423.4
billion]. Due to the continued success of the new game titlesin
overseas markets, this equals 68% (a 4% increase from quarter-to-quarter) of
Netmarble’s total revenue. Q3 revenue saw diversification from Korea (32%
of revenue generated), North America (28% of revenue generated), Japan (15%
of revenue generated), Europe (8% of revenue generated), Southeast Asia
(7% of revenue generated), and other territories (10% of revenue
generated).
In the fourth quarter of 2019, Netmarble showcased four new titles at this
year’s G-Star – Magic: ManaStrike, A3: STILL ALIVE, Seven Knights Revolution,
and Ni no Kuni: CROSS WORLDS. Following the global launch of THE KING
OF FIGHTERS ALLSTAR and the Japanese launch of Blade & Soul
Revolution, the company is currently working towards the releases of Magic:
ManaStrike, and A3: STILL ALIVE – both of which are expected to
launch in late 2019 and early 2020 in their respective territories.
# # #
About
Netmarble Corporation
Netmarble Corporation strives to
entertain audiences of all ages around the world by providing great mobile
gaming experiences. Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble is one of the
fastest-growing mobile game companies and consistently ranks as a top mobile developer
and publisher worldwide. With more than 6,000 employees, Netmarble has been
producing and servicing some of the most successful mobile games including
Lineage 2: Revolution, Blade & Soul Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, BTS
WORLD, Everybody’s Marble, and Seven Knights. As a parent company to Kabam, a
top mobile game developer in massively multiplayer free-to-play games, and the
largest shareholder to Jam City, a leading casual social game developer,
Netmarble has a strategic partnership with CJ ENM Corporation, Asia’s largest
entertainment company, Tencent Holdings, Asia’s largest internet company, and
NCsoft, a prominent MMORPG company. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com
inXile
Reveals Wasteland™3 Release Date, Pre-order Details and New Trailer at XO19
LARKSPUR,
CA, November 14, 2019 –Deep Silver and inXile entertainment, the studio led by Interplay founder and Wasteland
co-creator Brian Fargo, revealed today at XO19 that Wasteland 3 will be
releasing on May 19, 2020 both digitally and in retail stores.
Brian took to the stage at this year’s XO19 event to reveal the latest trailer for inXile’s hotly anticipated RPG, Wasteland 3. It was also revealed that pre-orders are now open along with the pre-order bonus items.
Pre-orders
will include bonus items which will give players a head start in the wasteland.
Check your favorite retailer or visit Wasteland3.com for
retailer information. Bonus items include:
Ranger
General Hat and Glasses
Polished Ranger Badge
Snow
Camo Weapons
Wasteland
3 is set to release
on Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation®4, Windows, Mac, and Linux on May 19,
2020. The legendary series which pioneered the post-apocalypse genre continues
the story of the Desert Rangers in their effort to rebuild civilization out of
the ashes of a post-nuclear world. Wasteland 3 trades the dry, dusty
heat of the American Southwest for the perpetually frozen landscape of
Colorado. Wasteland 3 features new locations, a customizable vehicle,
streamlined combat, and introduces two player co-op, a first for the series.
Pre-orders
information is available now at Wasteland3.com.
# # #
About
inXile Entertainment inXile
entertainment is an Xbox Game Studio developing console and PC titles, with
locations in Southern California and New Orleans. Established and headed by
Brian Fargo since 2002, inXile has continually delivered innovative and
high-quality experiences to our passionate and dedicated fan base. We bring our
love for RPGs, deep and engaging stories, and tactical thinking to each of our
titles. Our history of successful crowdfunded releases include Wasteland 2,
Torment: Tides of Numenera, and The Bard’s Tale IV. We’re currently working on
Wasteland 3 and other unannounced projects.
About
Deep Silver Deep Silver
develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver
label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay
in exciting game worlds. Deep Silver works with its partners to achieve a
maximum of success while maintaining the highest possible quality, always
focusing on what the customer desires.
Deep Silver
has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the
open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island,
and the grim post-apocalyptic future of the Metro series. Upcoming highlights
from Deep Silver include Dead Island 2 and Saints Row V. Deep Silver also owns
the development studios Deep Silver Dambuster Studios in Nottingham, UK; Deep Silver
Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany, Deep Silver Volition based in Champaign, IL, USA,
and Warhorse Studios based in Prague, Czech Republic. For more information
please visit www.deepsilver.com
Koch Media
is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products
(software, games and films). The company’s own publishing activities, marketing
and distribution extend throughout Europe, North America and Australia. The
Koch Media group has more than 20 years of experience in the digital media
business and has risen to become the number one publishing partner in Europe.
It has also formed strategic alliances with numerous games and software
publishers: Bethesda, Capcom, Codemasters, Kaspersky Labs, Konami, Koei Tecmo,
Milestone, Sega, Square Enix, etc. in various European countries. With
Headquarter in Höfen, Austria Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England,
France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordic regions, Benelux,
Australia, Czech Republic and the United States.
All product
titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are
trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyright material of the respective
owners. All rights reserved.
Brutal Multiplayer Survival Action Game Rust Coming to PlayStation 4
and Xbox One in 2020
Facepunch has teamed up with Double Eleven to recreate the harsh
post-apocalyptic multiplayer title on console
Teesside, Middlesborough –
November 14, 2019 – Rust, one of the most
successful, brutal and competitive multiplayer survival games ever created, is
making its way to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Announced today at Microsoft’s
X019 in London, fans will get a chance to test their survival capabilities when
Rust releases on console next year. When Facepunch and Double Eleven unleash
servers in 2020, players looking for the ultimate competitive survival
experience on console will be able to play online with up to 100 others.
Waking up on a mysterious post-apocalyptic
island littered with dilapidated industrial monuments and probing scientists,
it’s up to you to figure out how to keep yourself alive in a world where
everything wants you dead.
In Rust, there is one goal above
everything else: survive. Conquer thirst and hunger, battle the elements,
create clothing and stay safe against hostile forces including other players,
scientists, bears, wolves or even succumb to fire, drowning or radiation
poisoning. A game without rules, Rust doesn’t tell its inhabitants what to do.
Players are free to be deceptive and aggressive with intense player vs. player
combat, raiding and looting, but there is potentially even more to be earned
with a team of friendly players by your side. In the struggle for survival and
supremacy, players can build tiny cabins in the woods to huge scrap metal
fortresses in an attempt to stay safe, as well as craft a variety of weapons,
bombs and traps.
Since Rust’s initial launch into Steam
Early Access in 2013, almost eight million fans have populated its world and
taken part in the ultimate social experiment, making it one of the most played
games on Steam. The title has evolved from its earliest days as a primal-survival
game to one that stands out among its competitors – featuring shockingly
detailed worlds to explore and build in, filled with a variety of gameplay
styles, weapons, crafts and above all else: combat.
Rust is not for the faint of heart: the
game boasts a steep learning curve and a huge, killer community of players.
Befriend them, kill them – the choice is yours. Players will start out alone
with nothing but a rock and a torch, finding and learning blueprints to make
new and higher-tier weapons, armour and defenses, building a growing arsenal to
give you and your friends chances of survival. Rust will throw a barrage of
challenges at you but players can fight back with craftable weapons starting
with a rock in your hands, to a spear or bow, through to heavier artillery like
assault rifles and rocket launchers.
About Facepunch Studios Facepunch is an
independent game developer with a base in Walsall, UK, and a team working
remotely from all over the world. The studio ignores convention to free up its
developers to create their own way to make, mod and play. They are best known
for global chart successes, which include Garry’s Mod (16m units) approaching
its 15th year, and Rust (8m units), which have both consistently featured in
Steam’s top 10 current games over the last 4 years. The team are over 34
strong, and continue to prototype ideas, with the aim of consistently
challenging the world of games, with new formats that push the boundaries of
what players expect.
About Double Eleven
Double Eleven Limited are a full-service publisher and developer, based in
Teesside England. Since becoming an independent publisher, they have focused on
bringing great games to new platforms and audiences including titles from the PixelJunk
series, Prison Architect, and Goat Simulator. Double Eleven have
also developed a strong reputation for technical skill, working on games such
as the Lego Harry Potter series (PS4/XB1/Switch), Limbo (Vita)
and most recently Crackdown 3 (Windows 10) and Minecraft Dungeons.
Charming Adventure Inspired by Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI & Valkyrie Profile Arrives in 2020
Walnut Creek, Calif. – Nov. 14, 2019 – Indie publishing label Modus Games today announced that Cris Tales, the upcoming indie love letter to classic JRPGs will simultaneously release with Game Pass when it launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC in 2020.
Following its debut as the “sleeper hit”
of E3 2019, Cris Tales sees players teaming with fiery protagonist
Crisbell, a heroine who can influence events and turn-based battles across
simultaneous visions of the past and future. Whether solving a quest or warping
foes to another period for a tactical advantage, Crisbell’s incredible time
magic is vital to her party’s success, as well as their fate across the game’s
multiple possible endings.
Cris Tales’ mesmerizing world of Crystallis draws inspiration
from Colombian architecture and scenery, with lush, hand-drawn vistas bursting
with color and fantastical architecture reminiscent of the country’s intricate
treasures. This gorgeous land’s fate rests solely in Crisbell’s hands, as a
cunning Empress seems bent on destroying Crystallis for her own gain.
Modus Games is one of the fastest-growing
video game publishers in the world. The label prides itself on providing AAA
publishing services to talented independent developers across the globe. Modus
Studios Brazil is a full-service development studio supporting creators of
inspired interactive entertainment. For more information, visit www.modusgames.com.
About SYCK
With gameplay, art or mechanics, a team of
artists, geeks and pirates are creating delightfully enjoyable experiences to
bring a smile to the child inside all of us.
About DREAMS
UNCORPORATED
Dreams Uncorporated is a game studio
focused on using innovative gameplay and art style to tell stories that reach
the world. Inspired by the art that raised us, we’re bringing our dreams into
reality and sharing them through experiences never seen before. Talk to us: www.uncorporated.co.
CD PROJEKT RED, creators of The
Witcher series of games, announce The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will soon
be joining the line-up of games available in Xbox Game Pass programme.
The game is scheduled to become available for Xbox One via the Xbox Game Pass this December. Console and Ultimate plan subscribers will be able to download and play the title at no additional cost. This offer includes over 100 hours of adventures featured in Wild Hunt, as well as the 16 free DLC.
Winner of over 800 awards, including more than 250 Game of the Year awards, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a story-driven, open world RPG set in a dark fantasy universe. The game follows the story of professional monster slayer Geralt of Rivia, tasked with tracking down the child of prophecy — a living weapon that can alter the shape of the world. As the witcher, gamers will explore a massive, war-ravaged continent, battle foes both human and monster alike, as well as face meaningful choices and their consequences.
The Xbox One version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will join the Xbox Game Pass library of games on December 19th, 2019. The title is also available for purchase right now in both retail and digital formats for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. For more information regarding the game, visit thewitcher.com.
About The Witcher franchise Created by CD PROJEKT RED, The
Witcher is a series of fantasy role-playing games following the adventures
professional monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. To date, the series has sold over
33 million copies worldwide and garnered over 1000 awards. The Witcher 3: Wild
Hunt, which released in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, won a total of
250 Game of the Year awards. The Witcher games are based on the prose of
Andrzej Sapkowski.
About CD PROJEKT RED
CD PROJEKT RED is a game development
studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for personal
computers and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include The
Witcher series of games, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, GWENT: The Witcher
Card Game and the upcoming futuristic AAA role-playing game — Cyberpunk 2077.
Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac,
CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Capital Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is
listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).
BTS CELEBRATE FALL IN BTS WORLD’S NEW AUTUMN UPDATE
New Update Includes a New Event Stage with the Band and a New Set of Cards Themed Around Autumn
Seoul, Korea (Nov. 14, 2019) – Netmarble
today announced an autumn update to BTS WORLD, which offers
the fantastic experience of becoming BTS’ manager. The newest update portrays
BTS enjoying all that the fall season has to offer, including autumn-themed
currency, events and more.
In BTS WORLD’s new update, the members of the band are cozying up to the
fall season. This includes an all-new event stage for the game titled “Autumn,
No Big Deal” along with the addition of seven autumn-themed 5-star cards and
new in-game “Acorn” currency.
The autumn updates to the game include:
“Autumn, No Big Deal” Event Stage – New event stage and new cards from 11/14 – 28
Autumn Day Check-In Event – The event provides various rewards available for access from 11/14 – 28
Autumn Item Draw – Autumn Item Draw will be available every four hours from 11/15 – 18 and 11/22 – 25, including new in-game ‘Acorn’ currency
Autumn Bonus Time Event – Part one will take place from 11/16-18 and offer 50% more level-up items; part two will take place from 11/23-25 and offer 50% more affinity items
Today’s Condition – A new system where players can earn bonus points depending on the result of Today’s Condition
Improved Benefit of VIP Membership – Benefits include x1.5 faster wing recharge, maximum wing possession to 150%, and rewards for daily access x2
BTS WORLD includes 10,000 brand new photos and 100 video clips exclusive
to the game, and players are able to interact virtually with BTS as their
manager through various 1:1 interactive content. The game also features an
original soundtrack with exclusive music from BTS and guest appearances from
Charli XCX, Zara Larsson and Juice WRLD.
Netmarble Corporation strives to entertain audiences
of all ages around the world by providing great mobile gaming experiences.
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble is one of the fastest-growing mobile
game companies and consistently ranks as a top mobile developer and publisher
worldwide. With more than 6,000 employees, Netmarble has been producing and
servicing some of the most successful mobile games including Lineage 2:
Revolution, Blade & Soul Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, BTS WORLD,
Everybody’s Marble, and Seven Knights. As a parent company to Kabam, a top
mobile game developer in massively multiplayer free-to-play games, and the
largest shareholder to Jam City, a leading casual social game developer,
Netmarble has a strategic partnership with CJ ENM Corporation, Asia’s largest
entertainment company, Tencent Holdings, Asia’s largest internet company, and
NCsoft, a prominent MMORPG company. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com
About Big Hit Entertainment
Founded in February 2005 in
South Korea by CEO and Producer Bang Si-Hyuk, Big Hit Entertainment’s core
business focuses on music production, artist management and publishing. Big
Hit’s business ventures incorporate and develop a range of content produced from
top-notch artists’ IP, including global superstars BTS and its newest addition
TOMORROW X TOGETHER. With its mission of ‘Music & Artist for Healing’, Big
Hit strives to impart a positive influence through content while providing
comfort and inspiration to music fans worldwide.
About Takeone Company
Takeone Company Corp. is an innovative content company
that utilizes pop-culture within a gaming environment. Established in 2016,
Takeone is leading the new genre of mobile games called ‘Cinematic Games’ that
combines interactive game elements within a story concept based on both
pop-culture and original IP’s. The games include full motion videos and
various visual contents that push the boundaries of next-generation
storytelling. Years of experience and knowledge in both storytelling and
game development have led to the creation of cinematic games such as Take
Urban, BTS WORLD. Takeone is currently developing a series of future
cinematic games for their next up and coming titles. For more information,
please refer to www.takeonecompany.com.
Read Only Memories Comic First Issue Hits the
Stands 18 Dec.
SAN FRANCISCO – 15 Nov.
2019 –Read Only Memories’ cyberpunk world, popularized by the narrative
adventure 2064: Read Only
Memories which has been
downloaded by more than 1 million gamers, expands to print next month. MidBoss, together with IDW Publishing, will bring issue #1 of a monthly four-issue
comic series to stores on 18 Dec., 2019.
Taking place in the
years after 2064: Read Only Memories, the comic series focuses on
franchise mainstay Lexi Rivers. Featured as a detective at the Neo-San
Francisco Police Department in 2064, she will appear again in the
upcoming Read Only
Memories: NEURODIVER, which takes place after the comics.
Now a private
investigator, Lexi tracks down a robot’s missing lover in a case taking her
through the dangerous beaches of Santa Cruz, California. Worlds apart from the
familiar streets of Neo-San Francisco, Read Only Memories issue #1
tackles new themes and questions in a hopeful cyberpunk future populated by
sapient AI and genetically modified humans living under the giant thumbs of
megacorporations embroiled in a fight for supremacy.
The series features art
from Stefano Simeone, who has collaborated with iconic comic
publishers including Disney, Dark Horse and Boom! Studios. Together with writer
Sina Grace, a veteran whose works include Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men and Iceman,
they form a dynamic team to expand the vibrant setting of Read Only Memories to
a whole new format.
IDW Publishing adds Read
Only Memories to its roster of licensed property adaptations including Sonic
the Hedgehog, Transformers, Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles, and Star Wars.
“IDW, Sina, and Stefano
have put their hearts and souls into this limited-series, and the result is an
amazing extension of the Read Only Memories universe,” said Cade Peterson, CEO
of MidBoss. “The depth of character expression offered by comics is the perfect
way for fans of 2064 to learn more about Lexi, while providing a
compelling introduction to the cyberpunk universe for newcomers.”
Read Only Memories Issue #1 will be available for purchase at local comic stores, and digital copies can be found online at Comixology. The second of the four issues will be
available in January 2020. The trade paperback collecting all four issues in one volume is
available for pre-order from online bookstores.
For more information and
updates follow MidBoss onTwitter and the studio’s blog. IDW Publishing can be found on Twitter with additional details about Read Only
Memories on its official website.
About MidBoss
Based out of San
Francisco (although not the Neo kind), MidBoss aims to make the world better,
safer and more inclusive for marginalized people, especially those across the
gender and sexuality spectrum, by creating cool experiences through games and
other forms of media which diversify representation, as well as becoming a
platform for queer content around the world.
IDW Publishing stands proudly at the forefront of printed
visual entertainment, cultivating a formidable library of world-renowned
licensed brands and creator-owned original IP. Its diverse array of comic
books, graphic novels, and art books deliver reading enjoyment to fans of all
ages. Its award-winning imprints The Library of American Comics, Yoe! Books,
and Artist Editions preserve the valuable cultural history of the sequential
art medium, while titles under the critically acclaimed Top Shelf and Black
Crown banners celebrate fiercely independent voices. IDW Publishing is a
division of IDW Media Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: IDWM), a fully integrated media
company with robust offerings in publishing, tabletop gaming, multimedia
entertainment, and art exhibition via the San Diego Comic Art Gallery.
German indie developers Korion have released the Steam Early Access build of their naval combat title Of Ships & Scoundrels. The game is regularly priced at $14.99 USD/$21.49 AUD on Steam, but a 15% launch discount is running until 21 November.
The game is a mix of turn-based strategy and action. Set in the Caribbean in the age of piracy, players will sail around the procedurally generated islands, setting up their harbors and expanding their fleet. Not only will players have to deal with rough weather and other fleets, the monstrous creatures which roam the seas are more than happy to turn a player’s mighty fleet into toothpicks.
The initial Steam Early Access build is shipping with four single-player missions, turn based online multiplayer, and local hot-seat multiplayer. Endless mode and a complete story campaign is currently in development and will be ready for the game’s full launch in early 2020.
Red Dead Redemption 2’sPC launch has had its share of issues coupled with some problems with the Rockstar Games Launcher. The developers have pushed out a small number of fixes to both pieces of software in the past few days.
A major patch is out today that tackles some minor issues and is the first step in addressing the stuttering issues some Nvidia GPU owners have been having with the game. The problem hasn’t affected all Team Green owners, only a specific group that has certain combinations of Nvidia GPUs, Nvidia graphic drivers, and CPUs. This patch will not completely solve the problem as Nvidia and Rockstar are still working on a final fix that should sort out the stuttering once and for all.
As an apology to PC gamers who have been struggling with the stuttering, Rockstar will be rewarding anyone who logs onto Red Dead Redemption 2on PC this week with a Red Dead Online care package with a Prieto Poncho, provisions, and ammunition. No word on when the care package will be issued or if it requires players to log specifically onto Red Dead Online or story mode.
What is old is new as Activision and Infinity Ward is going back to one of the most beloved titles in the Call of Duty franchise and giving it a reboot. Call of Duty: Modern Warfareis a gritty new take on special operations in a world caught up in terrorism and proxy wars. Players will traverse morally vague areas through the single player campaign before continuing the story in the cooperative Special Operations mode. The multiplayer component of the game is also getting an overhaul with the new 64 player Ground War mode and a revamped perk system.
Story
It has been 12 years since the release of Call of Duty 4:
Modern Warfare. Back then, the United States was two years deep into the War
on Terror in Afghanistan and the Iraq War was in its early days. Since then, the
world has changed a lot. Terrorism in Europe and North America is a more common
occurrence. Proxy wars are back on the menu as superpowers jostle for control. The
writers have opted to completely revamp the Modern Warfare lore to
reflect our modern-day world while slotting in familiar faces into new roles.
The writers promised a grittier, more mature story compared
to previous titles in the series. While the story will not join the ranks of works
that will be debated academically for years to come, Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare still manages to add a some plot points that will encourage gamers
to think about war and their actions, such as civilian casualties and the line
between freedom fighter and terrorist. On the other hand, the game still has plenty
of shallow action-movie moments. Creating the more mature and thoughtful
approach to conflict was a good start, but I would have liked to see the
writers go all the way with the approach.
It’s worth noting the inherent contradiction in Call of
Duty: Modern Warfare. On one hand, the writers deliver a hard-hitting
message about the horrors of chemical weapons in their single player campaign.
On the other hand, white phosphorus is treated casually as a kill streak
reward. Incendiary devices are banned under international law when civilians
could be hit. Some military organizations like the US Army Command and General
Staff School explicitly ban the use on humans, military and civilian. Sure, the
use of white phosphorous is just another entry in the long list of immoral and
unethical behaviour in the Call of Duty franchise lore. Yes, the
developers are absolutely correct when they argue multiplayer isn’t realistic so
the use of white phosphorous shouldn’t be taken seriously. The real problem is the
consistency in the message. The writers want the player to be horrified at the
use of chemical weapons in single player and then expect players to promptly ignore
that message when another chemical weapon is flung around as a kill streak
reward for ten kills. Infinity Ward can’t have it both ways. The developers are
much better off committing to one message or the other.
Gameplay
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare goes back to the
traditional layout of a single player campaign, multiplayer, and some sort of
cooperative mode. The return of the single player campaign is a nice feeling
after Black Ops 4 unceremoniously dropped the mode last year. Modern
Warfare’s campaign goes back to basics with a straightforward campaign without
many of the frills the series has experimented with over the years. It is not a
long campaign, but the developers maintain a good pace that keeps the action going.
The campaign is mostly the intense infantry combat the franchise is known for,
but the action is occasionally broken up with some decent stealth and vehicle sections.
My only complaint is the length of the campaign. It’s short enough to tackle in
one marathon session. This is not a game for players who only plan on enjoying
the solo content.
The cooperative Special Ops mode serves as an extension to
the singleplayer campaign. Groups of up to four players tackle the multimap
missions together. Special Ops is incredibly punishing. Stealth is an option,
but usually players will have to get into an all-out assault at some point. The
enemy spawn rates are intense once bullets start flying in both directions. Groups
need to be very coordinated in their actions to succeed. I personally had a
hard time finding public groups in matchmaking that could complete missions
based on the difficulty. It’s an incredibly challenging experience, but success
tastes so sweet.
I like that Spec Ops and multiplayer progression is tied
together with some minor modifications specific to their mode. It makes
switching between the two very easy as players are never losing any progression
by choosing one activity or the other. Weapon loadouts and perks remain the
same between modes which is a bit restrictive with the six base loadout slots.
The loadouts used in multiplayer are not always the loadout players will want
to take into Spec Ops. While certain Spec Ops maps offer free suppressors during
the prep phase, players will often use the weapons lockers to tweak their loadouts
if they spent any time in multiplayer before jumping to Spec Ops. I believe separate
loadout slots would have been a more efficient alternative.
Multiplayer offers all the traditional modes we’ve come to
love in a Call of Duty title. The fact these modes have barely changed
over the years is a testament to their solid design. This year, the Ground War title
has been moved to a new combined arms mode for 64 players. It doesn’t seek to
replicate the full-blown combined arms experience found in Battlefield or
ArmA titles. Instead, Infinity Ward tries to focus more on the infantry
combat experience that Call of Duty is known for by augmenting it with
lighter vehicles like scout helicopters and APCs. Ground War strikes the right
balance by making vehicles deadly enough to be a priority without being so
overpowered they dominate. The map design helps a lot in this regard as the
large maps have plenty of tight turns and indoor areas that allow infantry to get
the upper hand on the vehicles.
The biggest issue with the introduction of vehicles and
large maps is the number of snipers who take helicopters on one-way trips to
the highest points of the map. These snipers are often a pain to dislodge due
to their high angle and the fact they often end up hogging helicopters. Sorting
out the issues is likely best done through map design by having more covered
routes to attack these high sniper nests.
The multiplayer map design is good but falls short of
greatness. Infinity Ward is almost completely dedicated to the three-lane map
design for traditional multiplayer. The real difference between maps lays in
the side routes available and the actual size of the maps. While the three-lane
design works well for balance, the maps also become rather predictable. The
maps are generally larger in size in Modern Warfare, focusing more on long
engagement ranges. There are a few maps designed for closer engagement
distances, but most favour rifle ranges. It’s a shame because the smaller, more
intense maps often become the iconic ones in the Call of Duty franchise.
This year’s perk system feels great. Each loadout equips
three perks, plus the player’s field upgrades and weapon perks. The field
upgrades are active abilities that can be triggered on a cooldown. These
abilities aren’t enough to turn the tide of an entire battle in the player’s
favour, but they are usually enough to give them a slight edge. The field
upgrades are a mix of old Call of Duty standards like trophy systems and
new abilities like weapon drops.
Gunplay hasn’t changed much in Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare. It is still the arcade-action FPS we’ve all come to know and love.
I like the ability to change loadouts within the game. While field upgrades can
only be changed in the lobby, being able to tweak loadouts on the fly cuts down
the need to back out of games to change loadouts and allows players to deal
with niche builds that may be causing headaches. It’s one of those subtle quality
of life changes that I hope never goes away. Balancing is always a work in
progress for a competitive FPS, but Modern Warfare came out of the gate at
a playable state. Since launch, Infinity Ward has been firing off a series of balancing
patches to smooth things out.
The PC port is one of the better ports in the series.
Infinity Ward offers a solid set of graphical and control options that PC
gamers expect from their games. Past titles have always felt a little clumsy with
the default mouse and keyboard controls due to the killstreak bindings, but the
default layout feels like one of the best so far. The menus are laid out well
and works perfectly with the mouse. My only complaint is accessing armory
blueprints in the loadout menu isn’t explicitly clear. A slight change to the
UI to indicate which button to press to access the armory would be appreciated.
Visuals
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare looks excellent. The
artists have done an great job recreating different hot spots around the world
for their maps. The character design is spot on, closely replicating the
equipment of special operations and their local counterparts while still
offering some individual flair.
Audio
The audio experience is generally good, though some work
needs to be done for multiplayer balancing. The voice acting is excellent as
expected from a major Call of Duty release. Most of the actors are fresh
faces to the franchise, but Infinity Ward has found actors with plenty of
experience in film and television. The soundtrack is excellent. The music does
not stray too far from the traditional video game music style but does a great
job of matching the moody and intense atmosphere of the game. The sound effects
are terrific, with a good variety of explosions and gunfire that create a
chaotic atmosphere.
The technical execution is where Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare struggles. I applaud the developers for adding multiple audio mixes
to suit a variety of playstyles and audio set ups. Competitive players with
headphones will likely opt for the more compressed Boost mixes while PVE gamers
looking for the full cinematic experience can use the dynamic home theatre
mode. On the other hand, footsteps in
multiplayer needs serious work. Tracking approaching enemies using headphones
is a long time honoured tradition for the franchise. Currently, footsteps are
incredibly loud, especially crouch walking. It’s extremely difficult to flank
on quieter modes like Gun Fight when players can hear incoming enemies with
such ease. Infinity Ward has already pushed out some patches to make footsteps quieter,
but plenty of work still needs to be done to hit the right balance.
Overall
Rebooting one of the most beloved titles in the Call of Duty franchise is a big task. Modern Warfare has its flaws. The writers haven’t quite decided if they are going for a gritty, thought provoking title or a summer blockbuster-type thrill ride. The footstep volume still needs to be balanced, and the map design feels like they are churned out from the same blueprint these days. On the other hand, the single player campaign delivers a solid cinematic experience and the multiplayer is as fun as ever. Ground War and Special Ops is the sort of modernization that the franchise needs so dearly to stay fresh and relevant. While the reboot hasn’t quite surpassed the original, the new Modern Warfare meets the challenge of filling those big shoes with gusto.
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