Oops.

If you own a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, or even have the TOTALLY FREE demo that was released last week, then you’ll be able to take advantage of a highly unusual glitch and play full versions of five downloadable games from the Xbox Live Arcade service.

For whatever bizarre reason, Modern Warfare 2 and its demo are unlocking games such as Garou: Mark of the Wolves, The King of Fighters ’98, Ultimate Match, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug XX and Samurai Showdown II. Players can open and play said games while in Modern Warfare 2, but can’t save the games.

As it happens, all the affected titles are classics from legendary Japanese developer SNK. So that’s a game from Activision and Infinity Ward unlocking games from a completely unrelated Japanese studio … okaaaay! That distant sound you hear is SNK’s law team sharpening its knives.

Obviously, this glitch isn’t likely to hang around for long, as someone (be it Microsoft, Infinity Ward, or SNK) will soon have a patch out to stomp this weird bug. I can only imagine SNK are thoroughly pissed about this. Looking on the bright side, maybe the free publicity will make some people go out and buy the full games (which are almost all awesome) after the glitch is zapped.

[Via Worthplaying]

Modern Warfare 2 glitch opens Xbox Live Arcade games for free is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nine months after the full game launched, a single-player demo for Modern Warfare 2 has nonchalantly sauntered into the room. Yeah, a demo. Punctual, much?

It’s available right now from Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, and I’m guess it’s aimed at the four sentient lifeforms who do not yet own Modern Warfare 2. Isn’t it a bit weird to promote the game now, with its spiritual sequel just around the corner? Well, yeah. But maybe there are other reasons for this absurdly late demo.

In the past few months, Activision released two hilariously overpriced packs of extra maps for prices that made me laugh, then immediately stop laughing when I realised people were actually paying. So maybe this demo is to help promote those. I dunno.

Either way, at least they picked one of the best levels in the game to show off: the snowy “Cliffhanger” level towards the end of the title is playable from start to finish.

[Via Destructoid]

Err … Modern Warfare 2 gets a new single-player demo is a post from: The Inquisitr

A mysterious video appeared on YouTube yesterday, showing what looked like a subscription plan for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  Well, you can breathe easy again, because Activision has squashed the rumors that came from the footage, stating that no membership model is planned for the series.

The publishing giant also concedes that what the video shows wasn’t a hoax, but an Xbox Live glitch. Says Activision’s Dan Amrich in this blog post:

“There’s a video that made the rounds today of a 360 player getting a glitchy, incomplete message that uses the phrase ‘Modern Warfare 2‘ and half of the word membership. This video shows just a glitch — since you can access a Live subscription renewal from within the MW2 game interface, it appears some data got jammed between two parts of Live. It’s not a secret portal to some nefarious plot to charge people for COD multiplayer — and there are no plans to do that.”

Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling went one better, revealing on his blog that “There is not, and will never be, additional fees required to subscribe and play Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer.”

Hear that? Never. And quite right too.

[Via 1UP]

Modern Warfare 2 subscription rumor gets shot down is a post from: The Inquisitr

Big, potentially horrible news for gamers: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 publisher Activision might be planning a “membership” plan for its popular Call of Duty series, including the best-selling Modern Warfare 2.

The video you see below shows a player attempting to join a multiplayer session in MW2, only to be confronted with a screen entitled “Modern Warfare 2: Membersh -”. I assume the last word there is meant to read “Memberships”. This would seem to imply that Activision was planning some sort of subscription service, payable with Microsoft Points, to play the game online. A game you’ve already shelled out $50 for.

On the one hand, this seems so outrageous that I can barely believe Activision – greedy swines though they are – would try this on.

On the other, slightly more convincing hand, this is Activision. The company has already fleeced gamers with shockingly high prices for downloadable maps, and I’m sure it would have no qualms in milking us for a few more cents. I certainly wouldn’t put such scumbaggery beneath them. But we should wait and see – perhaps this means nothing, right?

If this footage is a fake, it’s a damn good one. Make your own mind up:

[YouTube, via VG247]

[VIDEO] Activision could be planning subscription fees for Call of Duty games is a post from: The Inquisitr

The next batch of downloadable maps for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is arriving next week, so here’s a little (in every sense of the word – prepare to get your squint on) video preview of what lies in store, starring Infinity Ward’s Robert Bowling.

The ‘Resurgence’ map pack will consist of three new maps, including Carnival (above), and two old maps. It’s exclusive to Xbox Live for the first 30 days, and will be priced at 1200 Microsoft Points. You can catch my opinion of that pricing strategy here.

Rip-off they might be, though I’ll grudgingly admit Carnival looks a lot of fun.

[Via YouTube]

[VIDEO] New maps for Modern Warfare 2 shown off in new, tiny footage is a post from: The Inquisitr

Only yesterday, I praised Activision for including five new maps in its next round of downloadable Modern Warfare 2 maps, rather than rehash some old arenas. Well, turns out my sources were wrong: two of the five maps in the ‘Resurgence Pack’ are actually from the first game, albeit with a little extra polish. Thus, Activision, you are once again utter douches.

With that out of the way, new shots and details of the maps have emerged. The old maps from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will be Vacant and Strike. The new ones will be called Trailer Park, Carnival (pictured above, if you couldn’t guess) and Fuel. The Resurgence Pack is due to debut on Xbox Live on June 3.

Infinity Ward bigwig Robert Bowling gave an interview to Major Nelson, in which he described Trailer Park as a “super condensed” experience, Carnival as a “decimated amusement park” (possibly channeling Left 4 Dead 2‘s ‘Dark Carnival’ campaign), and Fuel as a “sniper haven,” a.k.a. the one you’ll never play because of the bitter frustration of being repeatedly sniped in the face.

Activision sent a selection of five new screens to the press – the first is above, the other four are – oh! – right here:

[Via VG247]

Fresh details and screens on extra Modern Warfare 2 maps is a post from: The Inquisitr

The first downloadable maps for Modern Warfare 2 sold by the shedload, even if it did represent the kind of value that makes baby Jesus cry. Today, we got a release date for map pack #2, with Activision revealing the ‘Resurgence Pack’ will be released for Xbox Live users on June 3.

Amazingly, it looks like Activision might have listened to the criticism the ‘Stimulus Pack’ received for its high price point (1200 Microsoft Points, or around $12). Pricing for the Resurgence Pack hasn’t been announced, but it will contain five new maps, rather than three new maps and two reskinned arenas. None of the five new maps are named yet.

The Stimulus Package was exclusively available on Xbox Live for 30 days – expect the Resurgence Pack to follow that example and follow later on PC and PS3.

See also: [VIDEO] The most amazing Modern Warfare 2 kill yet

[Via press release]

New Modern Warfare 2 downloadable maps get release date is a post from: The Inquisitr

Just a reminder if you’re a PC or PlayStation 3 owner and you’re yet to be ripped off by pick up the first piece of downloadable content for Modern Warfare 2: it’s out today.

The ‘Stimulus Package’ contains – HAHA – five maps, two of which are – HEHEHE – older maps from the first game, and costs – OHOOHOHO – $15. Yeah, $15 for three maps. It’s a joke obviously, but hell, people fell for it on Xbox 360 last month. Then, the downloadable bundle of maps broke sales records for digital gaming content.

I’m sure the same will happen on PS3 and PC, so don’t let me stop you from getting fleeced, sheep.

[Via press release]

PlayStation 3 and PC get Modern Warfare 2 ‘Stimulus Package’ today is a post from: The Inquisitr

The story of Modern Warfare 2 has been one of success and fortunes. Critics loved it, and consumers lapped it up. The shooter launched late last year, and became the biggest entertainment launch in history, across all forms of entertainment. Publisher Activision sat back as the profits rolled in.

Now, however, things have taken a sour turn. Over the last two months, Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward has leaked around 26 employees, with many joining a new start-up headed by two former Infinity Ward bigwigs. Suddenly, those mass departures are making more sense.

Earlier today, the “Infinity Ward Employee Group” (IWEG) filed a lawsuit against Activision. They’re alleging that contracts between Activision and Infinity Ward were breached and bonuses have gone unpaid. IWEG wants blood. Or probably just a crapload of unpaid royalties. One of IWEG’s attorneys explained the employees’ side to G4:

“Activision owes my clients approximately $75 million to $125 million dollars. Activision has withheld most of the money to force many of my people to stay, some against their will, so that they would finish the delivery of Modern Warfare 3. That is not what they wanted to do. Many of them. My clients’ are entitled to their money. Activision has no right to withhold their money — our money.”

Anyway, Activision has since issued a response to the lawsuit, suggesting that shit is about to get real:

“Activision believes the action is without merit. Activision retains the discretion to determine the amount and the schedule of bonus payments for MW2 and has acted consistent with its rights and the law at all times. We look forward to getting judicial confirmation that our position is right.”

So they’re fighting it. This is going to be messy.

[Via G4]

Modern Warfare 2 developers file lawsuit against Activision is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sometimes, you just have to stand back and admire the mooing stupidity of the human race.

Last month, Activision released a paltry pack of five downloadable maps for Modern Warfare 2. Only three of these arenas were actually new, yet the publisher still charged folks $15 for the bundle. You know, $15 that could otherwise buy, oh I dunno, the best Xbox Live Arcade game of 2009.

Did that outrageous price tag stop people buying the ‘Stimulus Package’? Did people rise up and say, “No Activision, we shan’t be mercilessly gouged by a company brazenly ripping off fans.” Of course they didn’t. Because people don’t mind getting fiscally raped, over 2.5 million suckers downloaded the semi-new maps in the first week alone. That’s a record, apparently.

So hurray, let’s all hold hands and look forward to a future where Activision charges whatever the hell they like because they know numbskulls will suck it up like the great, farting eejits they are.

No date has been set for the Stimulus Package on PC and PS3, but I imagine the same will happen there.

See also: Modern Warfare 2 is culturally sensitive

[Via press release]

Thanks, world: Rip-off Modern Warfare 2 DLC sells millions is a post from: The Inquisitr

Activision is determined to coax the seven people yet to try Modern Warfare 2 into loving the shooter. How will they do this? Simple: give the game away for free.

The game’s multiplayer mode is available for free this weekend (and a little more) on Valve’s Steam service, with the free multiplayer kicking off Thursday, April 8. Okay, it’s a temporary deal, but it costs nada. Can’t really complain about that, can we?

There’s no free play on the single-player, though you’re not missing much, aside from some boring, ill-judged “controversy” and terrible scripting.

See also: [VIDEO] The most amazing Modern Warfare 2 kill yet

[Via press release]

Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer free to play this weekend on Steam is a post from: The Inquisitr

So here’s the first footage of Modern Warfare 2‘s “Stimulus Package”, a new map pack that’ll hit Xbox Live on March 30th. As the first downloadable content for Modern Warfare 2, this will feature three new maps and two arenas revamped form the first game.

Also, it will be selling for a quite hilarious 1200 Microsoft Points, which equates to $15.30, €14.40, or £10.20. Yeah, seriously. Three new maps and two half-assed revamps for the same price as the whole of Trials HD.

But it’s pretty and shouty as ever, I s’pose:

See also: The most amazing Modern Warfare 2 kill yet

[Via YouTube]

[VIDEO] Let’s take a look at the new Modern Warfare 2 maps is a post from: The Inquisitr

Activision and Infinity Ward just released details and pricing for Modern Warfare 2‘s first ever downloadable maps, and it’s fair to say they’re taking the piss somewhat when it comes to cost.

The “Stimulus Package” contains five new maps for the popular military shooter, and will cost – HAHAHA – 1200 Microsoft Points when it launches on March 30. In real money, that’s £10.20, or $15.30, or €14.40. Or, if you prefer, a shameless fecking rip-off.

1200 Microsoft Points would be steep for five new maps, but two of the five here are going to be maps from the first Modern Warfare: “Crash” and the sniper-friendly “Overgrown”. They’ll have a tiny visual upgrade, but otherwise they’re geographically identical. Great!

The new maps, for what it’s worth, are called Bailout, Storm and Salvage:

- Bailout – An overrun apartment complex
- Storm – An industrial park in the middle of a tense thunderstorm
- Salvage – An abandoned junkyard, with a snowy terrain

So yeah, 1200 Microsoft Points, and don’t expect these to get any cheaper when they hit PS3 and PC in late-April (Xbox 360 has a 30-day exclusive on this map pack). Activision knows people are happy to be gouged, and as long as customers keep coming back for more, they’ll keep charging ludicrous prices.

If, like me, you’re sick to the molars of over-paying for Activision’s content, save your 1200 Points and go buy Geometry Wars and Mega Man 9 instead: two high quality FULL games for the same price.

First Modern Warfare 2 downloadable maps are a rip-off is a post from: The Inquisitr

Activision has announced that Modern Warfare 2‘s first downloadable map pack will be called “Stimulus Package,” and is set to launch on Xbox Live on 30th March.

You may recall that this new downloadable content will be available on Xbox Live only for the first 30 days of its existence, after Microsoft delivered a briefcase of banknotes to Activision for temporary exclusivity. That means it should reach the PlayStation Network and PC around the end of April.

There’s no word yet on what the Stimulus Package will contain, though obviously we can expect new maps and perhaps some new game modes, many of which I imagine will have the same ultimate goal: shoot people in the face as often and as thoroughly as possible.

To get more players hooked on the game so they buy Gold subscriber packages celebrate its DLC launch announcement, Activision has also revealed all Xbox Live Silver members will be able to play the shooter online between 12th March and 15th March for free.

[Via press release]

Modern Warfare 2 downloadable content dated, detailed is a post from: The Inquisitr

Microsoft has had the checkbook out again, securing a timed Xbox 360 exclusive on the new downloadable content for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The deal in itself isn’t news – it was announced last June that Microsoft and Activision had come to an arrangement regarding the game’s DLC – but until this morning no details had been revealed.

The big news is that Xbox 360 owners will be able to download and play the first two map packs for Modern Warfare 2 first, by 30 days.

We know these will be arriving in spring, but we’ve still no exact release date: all we know is that PS3 and PC owners will wait a month longer for access to the new maps. Naturally, a Microsoft spokesperson couldn’t resist a good ol’ brag to Eurogamer:

“We have a 30-day timed exclusive on the Modern Warfare content packs. So it will be available on other platforms, but you get to try and play on Xbox 360 first.”

Yeah, yeah. Microsoft has form in this kind of area, of course – last year, the firm paid a cool $50 million to secure complete exclusivity on Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content. Considering Modern Warfare 2 has sold even more quickly than the Rockstar crime opus, this is quite the coup for Microsoft.

[Via Eurogamer]

Xbox 360 gets 30-day exclusive on new Modern Warfare 2 maps is a post from: The Inquisitr

Can you believe we’ve had 19 days of 2010, and I’ve not mentioned the biggest game of 2009 in a single post? Let’s correct that!

Modern Warfare 2, then. It was A Big Deal in 2009, and it’ll be pretty important to a lot of people in 2010. And now, it’ll be a little less glitchy. That’s because a patch for the PC version is available for download from Steam, fixing two fairly major hacks: the one that zaps million of XP points from the unfortunate victim, and the one that makes everything in the game move at freakin’ hyperspeed.

“But hey,” you console players cry, “where the frig is our patch?” Well, it’s coming, so calm down. Joystiq contacted Infinity Ward wise man Robert Bowling, who confirmed a console patch is “currently in test for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions.”

Until then, I advise carrying a sick bag at all times to deal with this nonsense:

[Via Joystiq]

PC Modern Warfare 2 gets patched, PS3 and Xbox 360 fixes on the way is a post from: The Inquisitr

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 enjoyed critical and commercial success on a grand scale this year, but it also earned a more dubious honor: the most pirated game of 2009.

While the first-person shooter shifted a record-breaking 4.7 million units in its opening 24 hours at retail, the PC version has been downloaded illegally 4.1 million times in the last two months; the game was also the most heavily pirated Xbox 360 title. Obviously, not every unauthorized download equals a lost sale, but it’s still lost Activision a considerable amount of green.

On the Wii, meanwhile, New Super Mario Bros. Wii earned top spot on the chart no game publisher wants to appear on:

PC Game Downloads on BitTorrent in 2009

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (4,100,000 downloads)
2. The Sims 3 (3,200,000)
3. Prototype (2,350,000)
4. Need For Speed Shift (2,100,000)
5. Street Fighter IV (1,850,000)

Xbox 360 Game Downloads on BitTorrent in 2009

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (970,000)
2. Street Fighter IV (840,000)
3. Prototype (810,000)
4. Dirt 2 (790,000)
5. UFC 2009 Undisputed (720,000)

Wii Game Downloads on BitTorrent in 2009

1. New Super Mario Bros. (1,150,000)
2. Punch-Out!! (950,000)
3. Wii Sports Resort (920,000)
4. The House of the Dead: Overkill (860,000)
5. Mario Power Tennis (830,000)

[TorrentFreak, via Joystiq]

Modern Warfare 2 is 2009′s most pirated game is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Karachi-based gamer has revealed that a new Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer map set in his home city is covered with a language that is never used in Pakistan.

Saad points out that English and Urdu are the main two languages in Pakistan, yet the new level is smothered in slogans, shop signs, and scenery with Arabic. Whoops. In an email to Kotaku, Saad noted:

“[Developer] Infinity Ward probably thought, ‘Oh hey its a Muslim country so Arabic is the language.’”

He adds that, although Arabic and Urdu use a similar script, words are formed in completely different ways.

While Infinity Ward surely meant no harm by this, it is extremely sloppy research – especially as a three-second visit to Wikipedia solves the issue. I don’t blame Saad or anyone else who’s miffed at this. It’s culturally insensitive, not to mention disappointing: a bit like your favourite blog suddenly deciding to erscheinen Sie in einer verschiedenen Sprache.

[Via Kotaku]

Modern Warfare 2 is culturally sensitive is a post from: The Inquisitr

First-person shooter, all-round glitch-fest, and Most Popular Thing Ever Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has just received a new patch on Xbox Live, conveniently fixing sneaky tricks like the “Akimbo glitch.” It also retunes the Model 1887 shotgun, further balancing gameplay.

The update is live on U.S. servers as I type, so get downloading people!

Sadly, as important as this news story is to many gamers, it’s also a bit dull and rather difficult to squeeze many more words out of, so here we go: isn’t the terrorists-in-an-airport level awful / what about all that glitchiness / aren’t they doing well to ban so many cheaters / oh, and here’s the best knife kill yet in the game.

That should do it.

[Via Kotaku]

Modern Warfare 2 gets patched, I write some stuff is a post from: The Inquisitr

The latest glitch to affect Activision and Infinity Ward’s multi-zagrillion-selling Modern Warfare 2 is an exploit that allows players to gain unlimited XP and ammunition on private games.

Internet reports of the glitch popped up earlier this week, and Infinity Ward’s Robert Bowling has since confirmed the exploit exists on his Twitter feed. Players can reportedly use this on any map and any game mode, with one player informing Destructoid that he racked up 400 kills and 20,000 XP in just one game of Domination.

Bowling, for the record, says Infinity Ward are hard at work on a fix to iron things out. Meanwhile, take a look at the exploit for yourself below:

[Via Destructoid]

Modern Warfare 2 hit by new infinite ammo glitch is a post from: The Inquisitr