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MCV 10/09/10 11 NEWS Can multiplayer stem pre-owned?
COD developer Treyarch believes quality is a more effective deterrent than one-time download codes by James Batchelor
A STRONG multiplayer offering is all publishers need to discourage consumers from trading in their games. That’s according to Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia, who believes Black Ops’ multiplayer is an ideal alternative to the one-time download codes other publishers have introduced in
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“Multiplayer is critical to the success of this series. It has such tremendous staying power – there are millions of people playing Call of Duty every day. It’s entertaining people on a magnitude that’s mind-blowing and we work really hard to make sure it’s supported for a long time.
“The effort that goes into the multiplayer is a living thing –
I want to bring consumers really great reasons to keep their Black Ops games rather than trade them in.
Mark Lamia, Treyarch
an attempt to dissuade pre- owned sales. Speaking to MCV at Activision’s Call of Duty event in Los Angeles last week, he said: “I want to take that in the other direction and bring consumers really great reasons to keep their games, rather than trade them in.
Treyarch boss Mark Lamia says strong multiplayer content deters consumers from trading in games
we have a team that continues to work on it for World At War. We’ve done that for a long time and expect to do so for this game. “We’re going to support the hell out of Black Ops. That will be our focus post-release: making sure we keep our fans engaged, and hopefully as a
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KIDS’ MEGA-FRANCHISE Ben 10 is heading to Leicester Square next month.
The event on October 2nd will allow fans to get a first hands-on play with the upcoming Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: Cosmic Destruction game. It will also feature exclusive screenings of the new TV series and kids’ goody bags will be given away. “Ben 10 is a key evergreen title for us,” Namco Bandai product manager Kate White told MCV. “It’s the number one boys’ brand in the UK for the second year in a row. The games are popular all year round and prove to be bigger than ever.”
Ultimate Alien is the first
Ben 10 game to make its debut on PS3. Its predecessors Ben 10: Protector of Earth and Alien Force boast worldwide sales of over 4.5m units. The publisher
expects
continued success with its marketing campaign for Ultimate Alien. This includes promotions with High Street stores and ads running on TV, radio, websites and in print. White added:
“We know that the game will be another successful
result, they’ll want to keep playing our game and won’t want to trade it in.”
Since the start of the year, publishers such as EA and THQ have used one-time download codes that charge gamers with second-hand copies to unlock
Ben 10 gets Leicester Square launch
Ben 10 release due to the new series launch, the targeted marketing activity and the new release on both Xbox 360 and PS3 for the first time.” Players have 16 aliens to choose from in the new game, with exclusive creatures available for Xbox 360 and PS3. The new Cartoon Network TV episodes will air on October 10th, two weeks ahead of the game’s release on Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP and DS on October 29th. A Wii version of the game will follow. Namco Bandai: 0208 222 9700
the multiplayer mode in titles such as Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 and UFC Undisputed 2010. The Treyarch boss was also keen to assure fans that such a tactic will not be used to restrict Black Ops’ multiplayer – regardless of whether
consumers buy new or second- hand copies of the game. “You won’t see that for Black
Ops,” said Lamia. “The multiplayer comes with the game you buy – you don’t have to do anything else for that.” Activision: 020 3060 1000
UK gaming league partners with HMV
UK PUB GAMING league Play The Gamer has signed HMV as official retail partner. HMV representatives were at the league’s official launch at the Empire Casino in London’s Leicester Square last week, alongside boxer Evander Holyfield. The retailer offered participants two hours’ free play at its Trocadero Gamerbase centre. The Play The Gamer league kicked off in June by events agency Living It Loving It – better known for its live poker nights across Europe. It allows venues to host game leagues.
Play The Gamer has teamed
up with Eurogamer and Multiplay to further promote the national games league. It has also revamped its website. A competition ran at the i40 LAN gaming event last month, and another will take place at the Eurogamer Expo in London on Friday October 1st through to Sunday 3rd, complete with a ‘Pimp My Ride’ gaming area.
The new promotions are part of a drive to attract more venues and participants to its £30,000 prize fund.
www.playthegamer.co.uk
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