Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is a first person shooter game which was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision across the main formats such as the XBox 360 and Playstation 3. Though, similar games were released across other formats such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized for the Nintendo DS and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex, which was closely associated with Call of Duty 4 for the Wii console. The game was officially released worldwide on November 10, 2009. Upon its release,the game was a monumental success, with approximately 4.7 million copies sold worldwide in 24 hours. What's more, Activision confirmed that the game had sold over 20 million copies worldwide and was acknowledged as the best-selling game of all time in the UK and the second best-selling game of all time in the U.S.
In terms of sales and revenue, the total revenue from first day sales in the U.S. and the UK was $310 million, making Modern Warfare 2 the biggest entertainment launch in history, surpassing in revenue its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto IV. After five days of sales, the game had earned revenue figures of $550 million worldwide. Within five days, the game had 8 million players online which constituted to the game having the largest 'army' of players in the world.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was successfully marketed across the three platforms; e media, print and broadcast. On March 25, 2009, a trailer for the game was revealed at the Game Developer Choice Awards ceremony in San Francisco. The trailer was posted on Infinity Ward's website, and released on the Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network. A second trailer was released on May 10, 2009 and showed game play features such as snowmobile driving and underwater actions. The third trailer was a first full-length trailer, which debuted extended sequences of actual in-game scenes and combat; the trailer was subsequently made available on the Modern Warfare 2 official website, which was kept updated for the occasion. A fourth trailer was released on July 27, 2009, and showed the first footage of the game's multiplayer mode. On October 4, 2009, a second full-length cinematic trailer was released and revealed that part of the game would take place in a war-torn Washington, D.C.
As well as this, e media was effective, with virals based around exclusive footage from the game, trailers and promotional advertising on sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. As well as this, the game was also promoted across the broadcast platform, with trailers advertising the game for formats such as Playstation 3 and X Box 360. In accordance, the print platform was also effective, as adverts for the game across different formats were included in official gaming magazines such as Games tm, the Official Playstation Magazine, 360 magazine and a range of exclusive gaming magazines. As well as gaming magazines, COD Modern Warfare 2 was also promoted in newspapers such as the Guardian, Daily Mail, The Sun and in free sheets such as Metro, Shortlist and The Evening Standard.
Interestingly, Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 2 was particularly successful, due to the fact that the audience could play online, via a broadband connection and had the opportunity to play in teams or against players across the world. Also, the game allowed the audience to play in different terrains such as deserts and mountains, as well as in different settings such as airports, urban areas such as villages and towns. In addition, the game also features an arsenal of weapons which can be collected in different missions, with guns, knifes, grenades which allows the player to be more efficient and successful in getting a higher 'kill streak', which means that the player gets points for the way they kill their opponent, for example a buzz kill gets approximately +600 points.
Analysis of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 gameplay
In this video, the online mode, 'Search and Destroy' , 'Intel' is signified, as the audience can play in teams, as is the case in this mode. The name of this mission connotes that the player will be involved in a shooting fest, where they can kill hordes of enemies and be truly liberal. The menu screen is signified, with the audience being able to choose from a range of classes such as 'Sniper', 'Grenadier', 'First Recon' and 'Overwatch'. By choosing a class such as 'Sniper', the player can choose from a range of snipers which would be applicable in this mode. If the player chooses a specific weapon, the specifications for that weapon are signified; with the advantages and disadvantages of that weapon given, for example, the 'sleight of hand' enables the player to reload their gun faster.
In regards to the audience, the game is primarily aimed at teenagers, especially males, as the game is a typical action adventure game which employs themes such as violence and fighting. In addition, the game would appeal to a C2/D and E socio economic group and woul also appeal to aspirers, succeeders, reformers and explorers, as the game features many modes and missions which would enlighten and be popular amonst all audiences. Therefore the game could appeal to males, as biologically, males would stereotypically play games which are more violent, as males tend to have more testosterone. Simialrly, the audiences' genre expectations would be fulfilled as the game allows them to reek havoc in a game where the rules are limited. Also, the audience would seemingly purchase the game, as it allows the audience member to have relationships with family members, as they can play with each other online. Yet, the audience may also be able to identify with the text, as they are learning new skills whilst they are playing. Though, audiences may also play the game for escapism, as it allows them to vent thier frustration on thier opponent and allows them to escape from reality.
On the whole, the game seemingly injects the audience with the belief that violence is acceptable. Audiences seem to buy the game in order to 'fit into the crowd'. Yet, audiences seem to consume the text, due to the fact that they are desensitised to the violent nature of the game. By killing people, the audience don't seem to be susceptible to real life violence. The vast experiments and investigation carried out seem to reach a conclusion that video games are a serious concern and seem to cause aggression, with different audiences objecting to violent videogames. However, the scientific evidence is insufficient, as it fails to prove that these video games cause agression in the long term. Whats more, people seem object to games as they seem to dumb down the audience, by not actually teaching them anything useful. Though, this does'nt appear to be the case with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as the game allows the audience to develop stategical knowledge and problem solving skills, as in this mission 'Search and Destroy', the audience member has to defuse an explosive device.
Generally, the use of the first person is predominant in this game, which enables the audience to identify with their player and observe their surroundings. In addition, the use of panning allows the player to look around themselves for any sight of danger or any unsuspected attacks by the enemy. As the player moves, the camera tilts and pans, as the audience would identify with the player, who needs to move to different locations such as restaurants and houses in order to complete their objectives, while also intercepting or even avoiding the enemy at any cost.The urban city setting signifies that this mission is focused on urban warfare. In accordance, the use of high key lighting connotes how the fighting is being conducted in the day, with the team members depicted with a sign above their heads, for example 'Ranger'. Notably, the use of diegetic sound of explosions immediately familiarises the player with a war setting, with the parallel sounds of the player's comrades advising you to 'Defend the objective'. By following their advice, the audience member is rewarded for killing the enemy, for example the player gets points for a 'Buzz Kill'. In addition, the diegetic sound of shooting and explosions is threatening to the player, as the risk of getting shot is high. As the player is shot, the screen is filled with blood, which connotes that the player has been shot by an enemy.
The characters in the game seem to be accurately represented as brash, aggressive, American soldiers, as signified by the soldier's voice in the opening of this video. Similarly, the game seemingly marginalised and subordinated other audiences, such as Afghans and Russians, as stereotypically in the media, they are represented as being evil and malevolent. Therefore the game reinforces the binary opposition of good vs evil, as the Americans are represented as the Proppian heroes who are fighting the constructed representation of evil, in the form of Russians and Afghans. To some extent, the hegemonious institutions seem to subordinate other races and have the white males as the dominant character within the game.
The fact that the instititutions Infinity Ward and Activision promote violence could have oppositional readings from different audiences, such as adults. The incessant and continual references to killing may result in a wider moral panic surrounding the game, as they may feel that children and teenagers who play this game, may become more aggressive and addicted, as the game rewards killing and is focused on an objective, which is 'Shoot on sight'. In many respects, the governments in the US and UK were enforcing regulation on violent video games amidst concerns that they increased aggression in teenagers and were harmful to peoples health, as they would play for numerous hours on end. Though , what adults don't realise is that these video games are effective, as they can also teach teenagers about navigation skills and problem solving, as this game clearly demonstrates, the player has to fulfill objectives and move to different locations.
In response to society, this game is similarly based around the Iraq and Afghanistan War, as the audience can play in Afghanistan and have the opportunity to fight in real scenarios and war torn settings, which would be typical of a soldier's life in war. Similarly, the fact that the game is available worldwide, enables audience members from different countries to play against or with each other in different modes, such as 'Search and Destroy' and 'Team Deathmatch'.
In regards to history, the game is an example of the modern technology, which has become advanced since the early 1970s and 80s, where the arcade games and consoles such as Nintendo 64 were popular. Nowadays, the graphics and story lines have been improved, with the arrival of new technologies such as High Definition televisions, The Internet and Playstation 3 and similar consoles allowing audiences to play different people around the world as well as other family members. The availability of an online mode allows the audience to access exclusive content of the game , as well as the demo, where they can play a mission from the game. Notably, games in the 21st Century seem to be more varied, with different consoles such as the Wii introducing games which involve audience participation. Similarly, the XBox Connect system rivals the Nintendo Wii, with similar features such as sports games which require the audience to more about.
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