Not worth it.

This is definitely a better deal for the PS3 guys though. The xbox guys are already paying 60 bucks a year and the CoD hardcores probably pay that 60 to play CoD exclusively. Now they can pay 120! Hurray!

Let's not forget the 15 bucks for each map pack and the cost of the game. Insane.

godofallu:
Look at all these people hating on the Elite service, and like 80% of them have no idea what the service even offers.

There are usually 4 15 dollar map packs a year, so you're already saving money people. Add in the early access to the maps and a few other small perks and you have a decently priced deal.

So you are getting a better deal... for a rip off?

The_root_of_all_evil:
And @Rednog, "Seriously"? Opinions are open, but charging for a service that could be atrocious is the same day 1 DLC that crippled Portal 2. It's hardly a new call.

Wait... Portal 2 had day 1 DLC?

Rednog:

I'm sorry but I've been trying to go over the numbers a couple of times, and your calculations just don't seem to add up. Would either one of you care to explain where you are getting your numbers? They just seem wrong....

Spoiler: Click to ViewPHA+VGhlIERMQyBtYXBzIGNvbWUgd2l0aCB0aGUgZWxpdGUgc2VydmljZSwgc28geW91IGFyZW4ndCBwYXlpbmcgJDYwIG1vcmUgZG9sbGFycyBpbiBhZGRpdGlvbiB0byB0aGUgZWxpdGUgc2VydmljZSwgeW91IHBheSAkNTAgZm9yIHRoZSBlbGl0ZSBzZXJ2aWNlIGFuZCB5b3UgZ2V0IHRoZSAkNjAgbWFwIHBhY2tzIGluIGFkZGl0aW9uIHRvIHRoZSByZXN0IG9mIHRoZSBlbGl0ZSBzZXJ2aWNlLjwvcD4=

Can I get a source on where you are hearing that from? Because this very article we are commenting on says:

"The company announced that Elite will cost $49.99 per year, for which players will receive early access to all Modern Warfare 3 map packs"

I didn't read anything anywhere about the map packs being included with the Elite service. All I see is "early access". So please, source.

Captain Placeholder:
Irony is Strong in this thread.

Whiny little children crying that CoD Players have no lives and are mindless sheep, when in fact they are having fun and everyone here is wasting their time bitching about other people.

What I want to know is this:

Why the hell does it matter to ANY of you? Let the CoD players spend their money. Does it truly matter at all?

Also, don't pull the "COD IS RUINING SHOOTERS!" The SAME thing happened with RTS back in the 90s. With RPGs back in the 80s. Shit happens, get over it.
...
Question, why does it matter to you if someone wants to "Waste" their money? Does it affect you, personally - be it Physically or Mentally if someone wants to pay for this? Trick Question - it doesn't. Let it be and let the CoD Fanboys pay for it.

I find the "How does it affect you personally?" argument a bit of a cop-out. Of course it doesn't directly/immediately affect us personally, but where would this industry, hell any industry go without its consumers analyzing and interpreting the different situations going on in it? Some people decide to show those interpretations through dance heated arguments. In a sense, yeah, it does affect us in that this will affect the industry in some way. Going "Oh, just let them spend money! It doesn't affect you personally, why should you care?" only make us more susceptible to being exploited.

Low Key:

Rednog:

I'm sorry but I've been trying to go over the numbers a couple of times, and your calculations just don't seem to add up. Would either one of you care to explain where you are getting your numbers? They just seem wrong....

Spoiler: Click to ViewPHA+VGhlIERMQyBtYXBzIGNvbWUgd2l0aCB0aGUgZWxpdGUgc2VydmljZSwgc28geW91IGFyZW4ndCBwYXlpbmcgJDYwIG1vcmUgZG9sbGFycyBpbiBhZGRpdGlvbiB0byB0aGUgZWxpdGUgc2VydmljZSwgeW91IHBheSAkNTAgZm9yIHRoZSBlbGl0ZSBzZXJ2aWNlIGFuZCB5b3UgZ2V0IHRoZSAkNjAgbWFwIHBhY2tzIGluIGFkZGl0aW9uIHRvIHRoZSByZXN0IG9mIHRoZSBlbGl0ZSBzZXJ2aWNlLjwvcD4=

Can I get a source on where you are hearing that from? Because this very article we are commenting on says:

"The company announced that Elite will cost $49.99 per year, for which players will receive early access to all Modern Warfare 3 map packs"

I didn't read anything anywhere about the map packs being included with the Elite service. All I see is "early access". So please, source.

Go down to point 10, it says it right there.

Rednog:

Go down to point 10, it says it right there.

Spoiler: Click to ViewPHA+PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuY2FsbG9mZHV0eS5jb20vZWxpdGUvaW1nL2ZlYXR1cmVzLWNvbXBhcmlzb24uanBnIiBhbHQ9ImltYWdlIi8+PC9wPg==

Interesting.

I still see Activision requiring Elite to play CoD in the future. Charging $10 less for Elite than individually purchasing the map packs kind of points to that. Activision has never been known to give customers a good deal, ever.

So on top of the 60 dollars a year for Xbox live, you'd expect me to pay another 50 for... A few maps earlier and some 'strategy' videos... So you'd expect me to pay 110 dollars a year... In this economy.

There's a few reasons I don't play Call of Duty, and this just gives me another one.

Alpha Maeko:

Rednog:

Alpha Maeko:
Xbox Live: $50 USD per year
Call of Duty Elite: $50 USD per year
Call of Duty: $50
Map Packs: $15 for each

Paying $200 for the privilege of dealing with screeching, profane, racist 12 year olds each and every day?

Priceless.

RONG!

Yeah, I know, but that's not the point. My post was a joke, cashing in on the worst-case-scenario.

Anyway, you're literally doubling how much you pay per year for your online gaming, assuming you play Call of Duty on the 360.

Here's the problem with the argument of doubling your cost if you play on the 360.
You can't just tack on the price of $50 for playing on live. If that is the only online game you're playing on the 360 during the year, then yes you could argue that it is an extra $50 tacked on. I have no data to support this, but I surmised that if there are any gamers, if any at all, that only play CoD in a year's span they are a tiny, tiny minority.
If you pay more games than one online, you really can't attribute the cost of Xbox live to the cost of CoD. That really isn't fair on CoD's part.
And with that cost negated for reasons above, the Xbox players are pretty much in the same boat as the PS3 and PC players.

Low Key:

Rednog:

Go down to point 10, it says it right there.

Spoiler: Click to ViewPHA+PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuY2FsbG9mZHV0eS5jb20vZWxpdGUvaW1nL2ZlYXR1cmVzLWNvbXBhcmlzb24uanBnIiBhbHQ9ImltYWdlIi8+PC9wPg==

Interesting.

I still see Activision requiring Elite to play CoD in the future. Charging $10 less for Elite than individually purchasing the map packs kind of points to that. Activision has never been known to give customers a good deal, ever.

If it does get to a point that Activision charges people a monthly basis MMORPG style, then I will be the first in line to burn them at the stake, but as it currently stands this is a good deal for those who would have/will buy all the DLC.

i try to be pretty open minded and understand publishers are businesses..

but i think a fuse just broke in my head, i might just have to kill someone at activision, especially the department head that authorized this bullshit.

good lord almight i'll keepy my 50 dollars to spend on games that are actually worth it and give you all that shit FOR FREE ANYWAYS.

sad thing is i know 4 people off the top of my head who are stroking boners about cod elite right now...

The_root_of_all_evil:

And @Rednog, "Seriously"? Opinions are open, but charging for a service that could be atrocious is the same day 1 DLC that crippled Portal 2. It's hardly a new call.

Here's the thing, in my honest opinion, I have yet to see an valid argument against the Elite service based on the existing CoD model.
First of all let's put one thing aside, the map packs have been $15 each since Modernwarefare 2, this isn't going to change, any argument about paying for them as opposed to other companies offering "free" DLC or stating that $15 for map packs is too much is just an old argument and a somewhat pointless argument that has little to do with what the Elite service is offering.

With that out of the way, I pose a question. If Activision rolled out and said hey we're going to provide stat tracking and all that other stuff just like Halo and Battlefield for free (which is currently the case) and the map packs are still the map packs @$15. Would anyone really have a problem with Activision? (Take note that we're putting aside any argument of the map pack price because this has been their fee for the last 2 games.)

To me the obvious answer is no. Because how could you possibly have any problem with this? They are just offering the same thing everyone else is and the rest of their business model would be exactly the same.

So how is it that when they bundle the map packs and a bunch of other stuff into a package that is actually cheaper than it would be based on the current model for the last two games that people all of a sudden have a problem with this?

It is pretty much the same thing that Epic is doing with gears of war. They are offering a DLC discount for their "season pass" all 4 of their map packs cheaper if you buy it all at once. And yet there is no hate for Epic. Hell even Logan Westbrook (escapist) called Gear's Season pass: "Out of all the different schemes and systems that developers and publishers are using to monetize DLC properly, this is probably one of the best ideas. Microsoft and Epic get make money on all four packs, and the consumer gets a discount and a neat little downloadable exclusive. Basically, everybody wins."

So once again I ask how is it that CoD elite is getting flak for this but not Epic?

I fail to see what people are bitching about.
Seriously if a person is into CoD and intends to get all the map packs, they would be absolutely insane not to get the Elite service.

FreakSheet:

godofallu:
Look at all these people hating on the Elite service, and like 80% of them have no idea what the service even offers.

There are usually 4 15 dollar map packs a year, so you're already saving money people. Add in the early access to the maps and a few other small perks and you have a decently priced deal.

So you are getting a better deal... for a rip off?

I don't know i've got a little over four days on multiplayer gametime on BLOPS, I think in total I have about 105 hours of gametime. So at 40 dollars for the game (20 for the singleplayer) and 30 dollars for two mappacks you get a 70 dollar investment. Which makes it about 67 cents per hour of entertainment. Compare that to going out to the movies where I watched a great film (X-Men First class) for two hours for 8.50. Which makes it 4.50 an hour of entertainment.

Anyways i'm only trying to reason out why millions of people buy these things to you for fun, I don't expect you to actually understand that trade relies on mutual benefit. Or that some people in this world make 15 dollars in the time it takes them to download the silly mappacks. 50 dollars is like 2 hours of work and in return you get a year of smiles. That's the way a lot of people see this thing.

$60 for the game
$60 for the map packs
$50 for stat tracking.

That is 170$ a year. For a game who's campaign lasts 6 hours, and the multiplayer is outdated and unbalanced. Skyrim's campaign is 300 hours long, and that only costs 60$. Team Fortress 2's multiplayer is well balanced, and that is free. Activision really has built up a culture of "You have to keep buying these games, or you won't be with all your friends. Well here is a fucking idea, everyone go play World at War, that game is by far the most advanced and content heavy of the series, and yet nobody plays it, simply because there is 3 copy paste sequels coming after it.

I feel like this would be perfect for me!!! If I wanted to stop having any semblance of a life. I think i'll pass.

why the fuck would i pay 50 dollars a year for call of duty elite? i can almost buy a brand new game for that much! it doesnt seem like it offers all that much anyway. sure you get map packs early, but do you still have to pay for them? i guess this is more attractive to people who play COD all the time.

My only question, and I'm serious about this, who is going to get this? Like, actually pay for it, not a free trial or anything?

Do you hear that? That's the sound of raving fanboys shoving money in Activision's face. Sort of like the sound of raving fanboys shoving money in Bioware's face, but with less content and more douchebags.

god damn it this means I will probably have to pay for xbox ahoy's videos now.

50 fucking dollars a year? COD already costs $100 for 2 years post-release. No thank you.

Rednog:
-Snip-

Sadly, your well-reasoned and informed opinion is an endangered species here. Absolutely astounded by the ill-informed, knee jerk reactions on display here and around the internet. Incredible. It's so absurd to the point of amusement.

I have been on the fence about Elite. Ever since its first article, which appeared on the WSJ (poorly worded), I've had feelings of trepidation due to the lack of detail. Now, I think it's a pretty good deal for COD fans. Most of the functionality is free; for subscribers there's a substantial discount on all DLC, and extra content/exclusive tournaments for more hardcore fans.

MW3 isn't on my radar because I like Battlefield and I'm also saving space for Rage and ME3, but I may consider MW3 if its balance and online play are top notch. Still unlikely due to franchise fatigue, but things are looking quite good for COD fans.

The biggest complaint I have in regards to the community reaction is the fallacy surrounding 'customer options' or its percieved lack thereof. Truth be told, you don't have to subscribe and you still get all the prior functionality of COD.

FreakSheet:

The_root_of_all_evil:
And @Rednog, "Seriously"? Opinions are open, but charging for a service that could be atrocious is the same day 1 DLC that crippled Portal 2. It's hardly a new call.

Wait... Portal 2 had day 1 DLC?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=portal+2+day+1+dlc

LOTS of hate.

I think I see Battlefield and Halo gaining a significantly larger portion of the FPS fanbase in the next year or so.

I myself have roughly two hundred hours logged on Black Ops (MW2 was much better, imo) and my brother has over twice that at four hundred and twenty nine. He's a bit more into CoD than I am obviously, but we both greatly enjoy the game and play it with our friends into the wee hours of the morning... And neither us nor any of our friends (mind you, our circle of friends is aged from 18-35) feel that more than a $10 annual price would be acceptable. When i found out its priced at $50... Well, Lets just says I'm in the beta, and I'd never pay money for such a low level service. Its akin to a slightly upgraded bungie account from Halo 3, and as many have no doubt pointed out, has a grievous flaw in it's biggest selling point. You pay extra to pay sooner.

Well, that's my two cents. Excuse me while I stick needles into my Bobby Kotick™ Voodoo Doll's groin... over and over and over again.

Rednog:

The_root_of_all_evil:

And @Rednog, "Seriously"? Opinions are open, but charging for a service that could be atrocious is the same day 1 DLC that crippled Portal 2. It's hardly a new call.

Here's the thing, in my honest opinion, I have yet to see an valid argument against the Elite service based on the existing CoD model.

Ok, the existing CoD model is naff for a start. You're starting from a very low baseline. A major company making a yearly re-make that promotes itself on realism, yet has no yearly ties, no actual realism and just tweaks the base engine based on last year's result is lazy in the extreme. The bells and whistles are quite nice, but the groundwork for them is already in place.

Same cake, different icing.

Now for the Elite Service:

1) Compound Interest: You're actually paying Activision $140 over the year.
2) A Pricing Model based on IP: When you're paying more for a named brand, then you're going into the realms of fan-sponsorship. That's an economic model that makes it's fans even more rabid than they originally were.
3) Paying up Front: You've no idea how good this service will be, but you're prepared to spend the same amount of money just in case. That's basically the same as pre-ordering MW4 and being allowed into the beta. And then you can pre-order MW4 on top of that.
4) Grass is Greener: Let's say you also want to buy BF3 or some other FPS. You've already put down your money on Elite, so you'll either be wasting that money or wasting your Elite purchase. Safer not to buy any more FPS.
5) Throw That One In: I'll be willing to put money on it that one of these map-packs is a "retro pack, re-enabling some of your favourite maps from past MWs". You've NO guarantee that these packs are going to contain anything as good as what the original game came with - and the only people you're going to be able to play them with is the Elite echolon.
6) Pay To Win: People with the Elite service have an advantage over others regardless of skill. That's a bad thing.
7) They Lie:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.215925-No-Subscriptions-for-Call-of-Duty-Multiplayer-Says-Activision
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105602-Activision-Adamant-it-Will-Never-Charge-for-Call-of-Duty-Multiplayer
8) They Know You'll Pay, Regardless:

Eric Hirshberg:
In order to achieve this potential, we need to focus: on making games that constantly raise the quality bar; on staying ahead of the innovation curve; on surrounding the brand with a suite of services and an online community that makes our fans never want to leave.
Entertainment franchises with staying power are rare. But Call of Duty shows all of the signs of being able to be one of them. It's up to us.

Maybe you can knock 4 of those out due to personal opinion. But there's enough there to paint a decidedly Black operation, regardless of personal feelings towards Activision (of which there is already a lot of deserved hatred)

But you did make a good point about Epic. Point is I'd never buy any of the GoW series anyway.

SonicKoala:

You're right - it would seem as though Activision are heavily invested in some pretty serious Black ops....

It's so gratifying when someone returns a good service :)

50 dollars and you dont even get the maps free??? thats horeshit! Does that also mean it will cost $100 in Australia? yeah fuck you activision. Enough said.

Are they going to go down the other path next where you get access to weapons that make the game unplayable unless you pay extra for it? Like burnout paradise?

Hey, if they can't innovate the game anymore...why not innovate the revenue stream? :p

Why not give us some crappy gamer pics and shit-encrusted boxer shorts for our avatars too? Only $50 a year...

Korten12:

Um... Yeah, it is actually A LOT who said they were idiots.
Half of them even said you needed to buy the dlc on top of Elite. Yeah, they know there stuff.

Re-read page 1. I can only see Rawne/Sean criticizing. No-one says you need to buy the dlc. In fact, all of the people who are being aggressive are those defending Activision. And, like Nintendo, I don't think they need defending or even notice it.

Also when the fuck did I say I was willing to pay. Wait let me re-read my post. Nope, never once I said I would pay for it.

So you're defending a service that you wouldn't even buy? O....K....

Quality of maps is purely subjective.

That's an even bigger cop-out than "I like this but I won't buy it".

And doesn't answer any of the valid criticisms raised.

Don't you think you're taking this a little personally?