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Hardcore Call of Duty fans won’t hesitate to subscribe to the recently announced Elite’s premium subscription option.
That’s according to Jamie Berger, Activision’s vice president of digital for Call of Duty. Speaking in an interview with VideoGamer.com, he said “when the players see the value, they just go ‘it’s a no-brainer’.”
But Berger is keen to stress that users need to see the service in context before making snap judgements about the product. “We want to make sure [players] see everything in context, right. Obviously we understand people are going to hear premium and go ‘woah that makes me nervous, what does that mean?'”
Call of Duty Elite is launching with Modern Warfare 3 on November 8. It contains both free and premium features, with a price for the latter remaining under wraps until the summer. VideoGamer.com went hands-on with the service last week and detailed what potential subscribers will be getting for their money.
Berger is also keen to stress that he doesn’t expect people to commit their credit card details to the service based on name alone. “[Call of Duty: Elite] has to earn it,” Berger said. “It has to be something that, when you look at everything we’re offering and when you look at the price – if you’re the type of gamer that this is of interest to, you should go ‘this is a no-brainer’.”
But what if you only play Call of Duty online for a couple of hours a month, and are miles off the 170 hours the average player invests. “If you’re not that guy? If you only play 20-30 hours a year, and you’re just not really that intense and you go ‘I don’t really need that’ then you don’t have to get it.”
It’s important to Activision for the service to offer that choice – free or premium – to its users. “That’s, to us, the really important thing. That’s part of the reason DLC is part of it, because we wanted people to say ‘oh okay, now I don’t have to get another thing – this is just like everything all at once combined.”
“For millions and millions of our really loyal guys, that’s what they’re looking for.”
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 launches on November 8 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.
VideoGamer.com saw Modern Warfare 3 in action last week and has detailed the Manhattan level and the London underground tube chase.
Modern Warfare 2 was VideoGamer.com’s Game of the Year 2009. Find out why by reading our 10/10 Modern Warfare 2 review.
