First-Person Shooters

Beginning 1st December With All Activision Proceeds Supporting the Call of Duty Endowment, a Non-Profit Fighting Veteran Unemployment and Underemployment

Activision Blizzard has announced the newest iteration in its award-winning in-game program to support the Call of Duty Endowment’s efforts to help unemployed veterans find high-quality careers in the United States and United Kingdom. The Call of Duty: WWII – Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) Bravery Pack (PS4/XboxOne/PC), developed by Sledgehammer Games, includes a special Call of Duty Endowment in-game helmet, calling card and emblem.

The pack is available in the in-game store and the Sony and Microsoft online stores. For the first time, a personalization pack benefiting the Call of Duty Endowment will also be available at all GameStop stores across the U.S. as well as online through BestBuy.com and Amazon.com. One hundred percent of the proceeds received by Activision through the Bravery Pack will directly fund the Endowment’s mission to help veterans secure quality careers when they leave military service. More than 4,800 veterans have been placed in high quality jobs through Call of Duty® personalization packs to-date, which is a brigade-sized group of vets.

“Through Activision’s previous calling card and personalization pack programs, we have raised more than $2.8 million towards helping veterans beat unemployment and underemployment as they transition back into civilian life,” said Dan Goldenberg, executive director of the Call of Duty Endowment. “We want to thank the studio team at Sledgehammer Games for their dedication in creating the Bravery Pack, and their continued devotion to the Endowment’s mission of supporting those who served in uniform. We’d also like to thank our partners Activision, Sony, Microsoft, GameStop, Amazon, and Best Buy for their invaluable support of our ongoing mission.”

The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit foundation created in 2009 by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. With a mission to identify and fund the most effective and efficient employment-focused veteran-serving organizations, the Endowment was initially established in the U.S. with a goal to place 25,000 veterans in jobs by the end of 2018. That goal was met two years early, and has subsequently and ambitiously been revised to placing 50,000 veterans into high-quality jobs by 2019. To date, the Endowment has funded the job placement of more than 40,000 veterans. The program has also recently announced the expansion of its efforts to help veterans in the United Kingdom.

Debuting at The Game Awards, The Aurora reveals the bleak, deadly Winter of post-apocalyptic Moscow

Deep Silver and 4A Games today announced that Metro Exodus is set for release in Autumn 2018, on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and PC.

Revealed during The Game Awards, The Aurora Trailer offers a glimpse of post-apocalyptic Moscow – a hostile world locked in an endless nuclear winter. The desperate survivors who cling to existence beneath the surface in the ruins of the Metro have long given up hope of a life beyond Moscow… all except for one.

As Artyom, you must flee the Metro and lead a band of Spartan Rangers on an incredible, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in search of a new life in the East. This thrilling story-line will span an entire calendar year through the changing seasons.

Inspired by the internationally best-selling novels Metro 2033 and Metro 2035 by Dmitry Glukhovsky, Metro Exodus continues Artyom’s story in the greatest Metro adventure yet.

“We were overwhelmed by our fans’ reaction to the announcement of Metro Exodus at E3,” said Andriy Prokhorov, creative director and co-founder at 4A Games. “We’re sorry to have kept you waiting so long for further news, but you’ll be hearing a lot more from us in the months ahead.”

And visit the official Metro Website to take a closer look at our first season – Winter.

By Ian Boudreau @ The Wargamer

Shoot, move, and communicate. I learned about this basic dictum of infantry tactics during a sweltering hot September at Fort Benning, Georgia, many years ago during basic combat training. And it’s a central tenet of ArmA 3, a game (mostly) about infantry movement in large-scale combined arms warfare.

ArmA 3 has a new piece of DLC out, the Tac-Ops Mission Pack, which adds three new micro-campaigns to the game’s single-player experience. These operations—Beyond Hope, Stepping Stone, and Steel Pegasus—span seven individual missions spread across the islands of Altis, Stratis, and Malden. While they’re mostly large-scale affairs, you’ll usually be leading a small squad of either infantry or special forces to take out mortar crews or secure villages, the kind of bread-and-butter missions ArmA was built for.

Read on…

Exclusive Winter-Themed Carentan Multiplayer Map, Gun Game Mode, Double XP Playlists and Winter Siege Supply Drops Available to all Players During Limited Time Celebration

The first seasonal community event for Call of Duty: WWII is here. Running Friday, 8th December, 2017, through Tuesday, 2nd January, 2018, Winter Siege delivers an array of activities and content for free to all Call of Duty: WWII players for a limited time. The Winter Siege features a new, frost-covered Winter Carentan multiplayer map, the return of the Gun Game party mode, Double XP Playlists, a winterised Headquarters with new visiting Quartermaster as well as new Winter Siege Supply Drops delivering new, limited edition winter gear and content to players. Winter Siege is packed to the brim for the Call of Duty: WWII community this holiday season.

“The Winter Siege is all about celebrating with the Call of Duty community,” said Aaron Halon, Senior Product Developer, Multiplayer, Sledgehammer Games. “There’s a ton of content for everyone to play during this time from a reimagined Winter Carentan multiplayer map that’s now packed with snow to Gun Game to Supply Drops full of winter-themed gear and content all available throughout the Winter Siege.”

Winter Siege Features:

The Call of Duty: WWII Winter Siege event brings the seasonal change to Multiplayer like never before. During the Winter Siege event, all players will have access to Winter Carentan, a snow-covered winter themed version of the fan-favourite Carentan map, previously only available as reimagined Carentan to Season Pass owners.

The Winter Siege event also marks the limited-time return of Gun Game. This beloved mode makes its Call of Duty: WWII debut during the second week of the event as part of a non-stop schedule of special 2XP playlists, delivering a perfect way for players to take a variety of weapons out for a spin and keep their opponents guessing.

The Winter Siege event also winterises Headquarters, with the beach encampment taking on a seasonally appropriate appearance for the span of the event, and welcoming an all-new Quartermaster, Captain Butcher. Captain Butcher visits Headquarters bearing Winter Siege Division uniforms, cosmetic items and weapon variants. Players can earn a variant of each new weapon for free via Special Orders from Major Howard (Orders will be rotated daily to allow players to unlock a variant of each new weapon for free). Other rarity variants of these weapons are available through Collection Bounties or in Winter Siege Supply Drops. Winter Siege Supply Drops can be earned for free simply by playing Call of Duty: WWII during the event. Players will also receive a free Winter Siege Supply Drop for logging in to play each week of the Winter Siege event. Players can also purchase Winter Siege Supply Drops using Call of Duty Points in-game currency.

Watch the new Call of Duty: WWII – Winter Siege Trailer HERE.

Call of Duty: WWII is available on disc at a number of retailers, digital download via Steam, or at the Call of Duty: WWII official website.

Bohemia Interactive today released the brand new Arma 3 Tac-Ops DLC Mission Pack. Delivering a true boots on the ground experience on a large-scale battlefield, players will be taking part in three distinct singleplayer military operations. The DLC’s launch trailer presents a sneak peek at some of the combat situations in Arma 3 Tac-Ops.

In Arma 3 Tac-Ops Mission Pack, players are tasked to lead an infantry, mechanized infantry, and/or special forces unit across an unrestricted warzone, often with multiple objectives to accomplish. The keys to success are thoughtful mission preparation, careful movement and positioning, skillful shooting, as well as patience. Altogether, the missions should take at least 8+ hours to complete, which soon becomes more depending on playstyle and difficulty settings. Additionally, players can replay selected missions from the perspective of another unit. This, in turn, rewards them with a greater understanding of the military operation as a whole . Furthermore, people can watch special After Action Report (AAR) videos, which are presented by one of Bohemia Interactive’s military consultants, and offer mission-specific insights on military tactics and combat.

Key Features in Arma 3 Tac-Ops Mission Pack:

• 3 Singleplayer Operations – Designed for the experienced Arma player, this Mission Pack features three challenging military operations, spread across seven missions:
• Beyond Hope – Nine years prior to the “East Wind” conflict, civil war rages through the Republic of Altis and Stratis.
• Stepping Stone – NATO reinforcements responding to the “East Wind” crisis must first secure the strategic island of Malden.
• Steel Pegasus – During the invasion of Altis, NATO forces stage a daring air assault to open a second front.
• Authentic Warfare – Experience what true military combat is like with missions that favor intelligence, caution, and patience above all else. Fight alongside multiple armed forces, and lead your unit to victory, alive.
• Evolving Battlefield – Discover how your conduct and decisions on the battlefield can affect the operation by completing, failing, or ignoring (optional) objectives.
• Replayability – Replay a selection of missions from a different unit’s perspective to gain a greater understanding of the operation. Try out various tactics and figure out how to achieve your objectives in different ways.
• After Action Report (AAR) Videos – Develop your understanding of military tactics and combat with practical mission-specific insights from one of our military consultants.
• And More – Listen to newly composed music tracks, unlock additional Steam Achievements, and take advantage of new scripted systems to help create advanced custom Arma 3 scenarios.

Arma 3 Tac-Ops DLC Mission Pack is now available for purchase on Steam and the Bohemia Store at € 4.99 / $ 5.99 / £ 4.49. People can also buy the Arma 3 DLC Bundle 2, which saves them more than 25% over purchasing Arma 3 Tac-Ops Mission Pack, Arma 3 Jets, Arma 3 Laws of War, and the upcoming Arma 3 Tanks DLC separately.

For more information about Arma 3, please visit the official website at www.arma3.com.

First Major Content Update Adds Australian Forces, New Weapons, Maps, Customization Options, and More; On Sale for 50% Off Through December 1st

Tripwire Interactive is excited to release the Bushranger Content Update, the first free major content update for the award-winning tactical shooter Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, which debuted for PC via Steam earlier this year in May. The Australians were a major player on the anti-Communist side of the war for 10 years, between 1962 and 1972, along with supporting elements from New Zealand. Now playable in today’s update, the Australian forces come with new unique customization options and specially recorded voice-over.

To celebrate this milestone, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is featured on Steam’s Midweek Madness sale for 50% off! This sale is live and will end on Dec. 1st at 10 a.m. PST. You can watch the new Rising Storm 2: Vietnam – Bushranger Update Trailer HERE.

The Bushranger Content Update for Rising Storm 2: Vietnam includes:

New Weapons

• L1A1 SLR – The backbone of the Australian Army’s arsenal, this 7.62 NATO semi-automatic is available for the grunt class
• L2A1 LMG – Machine gunners will be able to choose this fully automatic version of the L1A1, with an added bipod and fire selector for precision aiming
• Owens SMG – First brought into service during World War II, the gravity-assisted 9mm machine carbine was still used by troops during Vietnam
• F1 SMG – Similar to the British Sterling, this 9mm submachine gun comes with semi and full automatic fire modes and a detachable bayonet
• Browning Hi-Power Pistol – Semi-automatic 9mm sidearm sporting a 13-round magazine

New Maps

• Long Tan – NLF forces will be tasked with attacking a defensive position set in a rubber plantation on a dark and stormy night
• Rung Sac – Battle in the Vietnamese marshlands, culminating with a last stand in an old Indochina-era fortress
• Operation Forrest – A large-scale map taking place across swamps and farmland, this map features the games longest engagement distances to-date

New Commander Ability

• The Canberra Bomber – Australian Forces commanders can now call in English Electric Canberra bombers to carpet bomb an area along a set path. New UI features have been added to help commanders direct the trajectory of this ability as well as the existing Napalm Strike ability

New Vehicle

• Huey ‘Bushranger’ Attack Helicopter – Complete with folding-fin aerial rockets (FFAR) and adjustable miniguns for the pilot and co-pilot, and dual mounted M60 door guns for passengers

Bug fixes and improvements in response to community feedback.

For full, detailed patch notes for the Bushranger Content Update for Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, please visit: https://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/forum/rising-storm-2-vietnam/rs2-vietnam-general

Stay up-to-date with the latest Rising Storm 2: Vietnam news and information at www.rs2Vietnam.com.

Source: Battlefield.com

Soon, you’ll experience battles on land, in the air, and at sea on the newest front for Battlefield™ 1™ as Battlefield 1: Turning Tides comes ashore. Read on and learn what awaits as you continue to conquer the entire Great War.

Battlefield 1: Turning Tides will be released in two waves – the first coming on December 11 for Battlefield 1 Premium Pass owners. This content drop will let you fight across a duo of epic maps: Cape Helles and Achi Baba. In a new Operation set on these maps, you can take part in the 1915 British amphibious assault of the Gallipoli peninsula. 6 weapons and 2 melee weapons will be added to your arsenal, and you’ll get to rule the waves with the L-Class Destroyer. There’s more coming after your December battles – you’ll be tackling the North Sea in January.

Coming January 2018, the second wave deploys you into the North Sea to tackle two other unique maps: Zeebrugge and Heligoland Blight. You’ll also get to charge into battle with the new Royal Marines and spawn on the C-Class Airship to deliver death from above.

As mentioned, Battlefield 1 Premium Pass owners get a two-week head start with Battlefield 1: Turning Tides. Once their head start with the North Sea content has ended, Battlefield 1: Turning Tides will be available to purchase as a standalone expansion pack.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege will be available to play for free from November 16th to November 19th, 2017. Interested players can join the more than 20 million player Rainbow Six: Siege community on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC via Uplay and Steam.

The game will be on sale up to 50% off from November 16th to November 27th, 2017. Players who try the game during the free weekend can carry over their progress and continue to play uninterrupted.

The latest content from Year 2 Season 4, Operation White Noise, will deploy on the Technical Test Server (PC) on November 20th, 2017.

Operation White Noise features a new map set in a sky high observation tower above Seoul’s skyline in South Korea. Three new operators are joining the fray, including two members of South Korea’s 707th Special Mission Battalion and a new Operator from Poland’s GROM.

Additional details for Operation White Noise will be unveiled during the Pro League Finals on November 19th, 2017. To get a first look at Operation White Noise gameplay, tune into the livestream at 8PM UK time on the Rainbow 6 Twitch Channel.

For more information about Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege, please visit the games official website.

Bohemia Interactive has unveiled the next downloadable content (DLC) for their PC-exclusive tactical military shooter, Arma 3. Available later this month on November 30, the Arma 3 Tac-Ops DLC Singleplayer Mission Pack challenges players to take part in three distinct military operations.

The Arma 3 Tac-Ops DLC Mission Pack consists of a set of missions that provide a true combat experience in an unrestricted war zone. Here, players will need to lead their brothers in arms through situations that require careful preparation, tactical movement and positioning, and skillful shooting – as well as the ability to adapt and improvise at a moment’s notice. The missions should take at least 8+ hours to complete altogether, which soon becomes more depending on people’s playstyle and difficulty settings. Players are also strongly encouraged to replay the missions with a different approach – or even from another unit’s perspective in some of the operations.

The key features of the Arma 3 Tac-Ops Mission Pack include:

3 Singleplayer Operations – Designed for the experienced Arma player, this Mission Pack features three challenging military operations:

• Beyond Hope – Nine years prior to the “East Wind” conflict, civil war rages through the Republic of Altis and Stratis.
• Stepping Stone – NATO reinforcements responding to the “East Wind” crisis must first secure the strategic island of Malden.
• Steel Pegasus – During the invasion of Altis, NATO forces stage a daring air assault to open a second front.

Authentic Warfare – Experience what true military combat is like with missions that favor intelligence, caution, and patience above all else. Fight alongside multiple armed forces, and lead your unit to victory, alive.

Evolving Battlefield – Discover how your conduct and decisions on the battlefield can affect the operation by completing, failing, or ignoring (optional) objectives.

Replayability – Replay a selection of missions from a different unit’s perspective to gain a greater understanding of the operation. Try out various tactics and figure out how to achieve your objectives in different ways.

After Action Report (AAR) Videos – Develop your understanding of military tactics and combat with practical mission-specific insights from one of our military consultants.

And More – Listen to newly composed music tracks, unlock additional Steam Achievements, and take advantage of new scripted systems to help create advanced custom Arma 3 scenarios.

Arma 3 Tac-Ops DLC Mission Pack is now available for pre-order with a 10% pre-order discount on Steam and the Bohemia Store at € 4.49 / $ 5.39 / £ 4.04 (normal price: € 4.99 / $ 5.99 / £ 4.49). Alternatively, people can buy the Arma 3 DLC Bundle 2, which saves them more than 25% over purchasing Arma 3 Tac-Ops Mission Pack, Arma 3 Jets, Arma 3 Laws of War, and the upcoming Arma 3 Tanks DLC separately.

For more information about Arma 3, please visit the official website at www.arma3.com.

Three-Day Opening Weekend Over $500 Million in Worldwide Sales Activision’s World War II Epic Sells Twice as Many Units at Launch as Last Year

Activision’s Call of Duty: WWII has surpassed more than $500 million in sell-through worldwide in its first three days of release, topping popular theatrical box office openings Thor: Ragnarok and Wonder Woman combined, according to company estimates.

On PlayStation4, Call of Duty: WWII set a record as the best-selling digital full game by units sold on its first day of availability. Overall unit sales at launch doubled year-over-year globally.

The gripping, personal narrative, boots-on-the-ground multiplayer and terrifying Nazi zombies mode attracted players worldwide resulting in the highest total connected users on current generation consoles and PC in Call of Duty history.

“We challenged our players to get their squads back together and they answered the call with the highest number of players we’ve ever seen on current gen consoles and PC,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision. “Call of Duty: WWII returns the franchise to its roots and the results are incredible, selling twice as many units in its opening weekend as last year and setting the day one record for full-game downloads on PlayStation 4. Our $500 million opening weekend was not only bigger than Thor: Ragnarok’s, it was bigger than the opening weekends of both Thor and Wonder Woman combined. And we’re committed to supporting the community with continuous improvements and new content.”

Figures include Call of Duty: WWII retail and digital sell-through, and reported movie sales, each for the opening three-days following initial launch, according to publicly-available data, retail customer sell-through information and internal Activision estimates. Digital downloads of Call of Duty: WWII is based on unit sell-through on first day of availability.

Call of Duty: WWII is available on disc at a number of retailers, digital download via Steam, or at the Call of Duty: WWII official website.