Microsoft has done it again, delivering content on its platform before anyone else can receive it. However, unsurprisingly, there are two sides to this pandemic; one supporting Microsoft, and the other against Microsoft dishing out money for exclusives. That said, Microsoft has responded to the “non-supporters”, who are non-supportive of them with their current downloadable content deal.

“I think about it like a sports team, when you sign a star athlete for your team… when you sign that free agent, I think it makes your team better. At the end of the day, we want to turn as many people as possible into Xbox 360 fans,” said Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg when asked about the business of getting exclusive content with ArsTechnica.

“…on top of that, to take the biggest game of last year, and be the exclusive place you can get that downloadable content first, I think that’s a big deal. That’s a big reason you’d want to buy an Xbox 360 instead of another console, “he continued. “So we think from a business standpoint that’s part of the reason more people are buying the Xbox 360, more people are on Xbox Live, it’s part of the reason more people are buying Modern Warfare 2—more than two to one our box vs. the PS3.”

Infinity Ward announced during a press event in Los Angeles tonight, that with the release of Modern Warfare 2, Microsoft is planning to release a new Xbox 360 model based on the upcoming game.

This new bundle (to be available in both North America and Europe) comes with an Elite console marked Modern Warfare 2 branding (seen above), a 250GB HDD (hard dive), a copy of Modern Warfare 2, and two wireless Black controllers. And it will be available for $399.

“It’s the highest compliment to the team and our fans to have a special themed Xbox 360 console,” said Vince Zampella, CEO of Infinity Ward. “The precision and detail that’s been put into the console captures the intensity and feel of ‘Modern Warfare 2.’ We can’t wait for our community and fans around the world to see for themselves on Nov. 10.”

Update: Robert Bowling from Infinity Ward tells us that 50 Cent is “one of many squad voices” that will be featured in the multiplayer and Spec Ops modes in Modern Warfare 2. Expect to hear Fifty saying things like”Reloading,” “Watch your fire,” “I’m down, get me up!” and “Tango Down!” according to Bowling.

“He is one of quite a few casual cameos in the game, none of which I can name at this point,” Bowling says. “Benji and Joel of Good Charlotte NOT being one of them. They’re just good friends with Curtis and came along with him when he was here recently to check out his voice in the game.” – via Kotaku.

Original: 50 Cent is ready to make an appearance in yet another video game, but this time it isn’t his own. Instead, he’ll be making a cameo in Activision’s and Infinity Ward’s upcoming title Modern Warfare 2. However, it still unknown if 50′s going to continue his search for his diamond encrusted skull.

Anyway, half-a-dollar will lend is talents as one of the many voices featured in the Multiplayer positions of the game. The rapper dropped the news following a visit to Infinity Ward, during which he played Modern Warfare 2 with Good Charlotte’s Benji and Joel Madden.

There hasn’t been an official announcement, yet, but  Robert Bowling, the developer’s director of communications, stated on his twitter that 50 Cent will be “one of the squad voices in Multiplayer / Spec Ops” – no news on the other two yet.

“Everyone else is just mad ’cause I came from the bottom without them,” 50 states – this isn’t a real statement from 50 himself, but it does sound like something he would say. More news coming soon.

[Modern Warfare 2 Features Cameo From... 50 Cent? via Kotaku]

Speaking exclusively to Gamesindustry.biz, Ubisoft Game Designer Michael de Plater acknowledges that the festive holiday season is a “brutal” duration to release new IPs and that many good games could fall wayside as a result.

“It’s a bit tough to launch a new IP exactly at Christmas when you’re head-to-head with blockbuster sequels. It’s interesting to see a number of big titles, like Heavy Rain, being targeted at 2010 to avoid the Christmas rush,” he explained. “And Ubisoft’s got Ruse coming out in 2010. Even God of War 3′s in 2010, that’s how brutal it is. I mean, you’ve got Assassins Creed 2, Modern Warfare 2, Mass Effect 2.”

“To me, it’s been a period of enormous change, and the last four years I would say has been the time when games have actually surpassed movies as the premium blockbuster entertainment,” he continues.

Speaking of, the summer is basically an empty season for video games. I don’t know why developers and publishers can’t just space things out because, like I said, the summer season is basically empty for video games.

When revealing the special editions for Modern Warfare 2, there was the mention of a downloadable version of the original Call of Duty. However, it was said that you’ll have to buy either the Hardened or Prestige editions be given a token for the game. But, people have been wondering if Activison would be selling the game as a stand-alone arcade game.

“Prestige and Hardened Edition buyers will be getting access to Call of Duty: Classic first. It’ll eventually be coming out for both Xbox Live Arcade and PSN as a stand-alone arcade game,” Community Manager Robert Bowling confirmed to IGN.

Bowling also added that the game will have working multiplayer. “However, price and release date are unknown at this point. It’s the true original Call of Duty including full multiplayer.”

With the recent release of Battlefield 1943, it’s likely that the title would release at $15 to contend with Battlefield’s price.

With a name such as “Prestige” the only conclusion is that it would cost an arm and a leg. To add to that, there’s the fact that it comes fully packed with a pair of “fully functional night version goggles”. Seems like it’s going to cost alot, doesn’t it.

So what’s the cost Infinity Ward? Their response; a reasonable price.

To get the “Prestige” version, which includes an art book, limited Steelbook case and a token to download the original Call of Duty, plus the “fully functional” night version goggles, you should expect to pay $149 USD, almost twice that of the $79 “Hardened” edition.

Infinity Ward also confirmed, via its Twitter account, that the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network versions of the original Call of Duty will have multiplayer support.

[Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition Comes With Prestige Price via Kotaku]

A video showcasing the un-boxing of Modern Warfare 2′s Prestige Edition was posted to the internet yesterday.

This is the most expensive edition of Modern Warfare 2 and comes packed with the Harden Edition of the game, an exclusive art book, and a fohawk head to put your pair of working night vision goggles on. Yes, you heard right, working night vision goggles.

Anyway,  this collector’s bundle seems to be one of the most ambitious bundles ever published. However, without a price point, who knows if this bundle is worth the price? All I know is, it would take a ridiculous price point to get me away from buying a pair of working night vision goggles with my video game.

This holiday season we’re going to have to dig deep into our pockets to find the money for buying video games, like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Brutal Legend, and Assassin’s Creed II. But, the developers behind Heavy Rain want their project to be really successful. And have push the game back beyond the holiday rush.

When speaking to GI.biz in a interview, Quantic Dream co-CEO Guillaume de Fondaumiere stated that the Holiday ’09 release date for Heavy Rain was “a very crowded place”. As an affect, they have pushed Heavy Rain into 2010.

“Purely from my perspective, most publishers today realise that it’s not ideal to release a new IP or a new genre just before Christmas,” he said in the interview. “It’s a very crowded place to be, and certain games need more space to live their life. Everybody at working on the project, both at Quantic and Sony, believe this is the right time.”

More info should be revealed during Gamescom in Cologne next month on its new release date.

After improperly ditching the “Call of Duty” trademark for the last couple of months, the trademark somehow finds its way on to the official packaging for Modern Warfare 2. Turning Modern Warfare 2 into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

However, in the past couple of months, its developer, along with its publisher, proclaimed that Modern Warfare 2 “has taken on such a life of its own.” So what’s up with the change of heart Infinity Ward and Activision?

“Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2 is the direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” a spokesperson told Kotaku. “We have focused our attention on Modern Warfare in order to most effectively communicate the fact that this is the first true sequel in the Call of Duty series.

As much as I hate to admit it, this doesn’t really explain much, or even anything. However, one can only wonder. Is this a direct cause to the recent brand awareness survey?

When it comes to holiday releases only the strong can make it out alive. That’s why Activision has bumped Singularity’s release date, because they do not want Modern Warfare 2′s release getting in the way of Singularity being a success.

According to Kotaku, Activision has today opened a time portal for Singularity, moving it to Q1 2010, well out of range of Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2.

“The level of excitement for Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2 coming out of E3 well exceeded our expectations and therefore we have decided to move Raven’s upcoming sci-fi first person action title, Singularity, from 2009 to Q1 2010,” said an Activision spokesperson to Kotaku.

“We believe that the March quarter will provide a better opportunity to establish the new cutting-edge action IP as a ‘must-have’ title and clears the way for Modern Warfare 2 to dominate this holiday season.”

[Activision Moves Singularity Out Of Modern Warfare 2's Way via Kotaku]

Leading global publisher of mobile games, Glu has announced its plans to release a Modern Warfare 2 mobile game, published as part of the company’s expanded partnership with Activision.

“Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most anticipated entertainment properties of the year and the Glu team is excited to develop a mobile game for this blockbuster title for fans of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare franchise,” said Jill Braff, senior vice president, global publishing, Glu Mobile.

The mobile title will be available in Q4 2009 and will be published worldwide for carriers and application stores that support Android, Blackberry, BREW, J2ME and Windows Mobile.

Alright. Modern Warfare 2 may seem to capture image of war, but studio head Vince Zampella says that with Modern Warfare 2 Infinity Ward aims for entertainment, not realism.

“We go for authenticity not realism,” Zampella told Official PlayStation Magazine. “We’re not making a sim, we’re making entertainment. We want it to look real like an action movie.”

Zamplella explains why the futuristic weapons don’t ruin the game’s authenticity. “You see a guy in an action movie, what he does is a little over the top. It makes for a great movie.”

[Modern Warfare 2: Authenticity over realism via CVG]

It’s time. After god knows how long since the teaser that shocked the inter-web, the Eastern Conference Final is finally upon us. During the end beginning of the second third fourth quarter of the Eastern Conference Final millions of fans and gamers were left at the edge of their seats with this very Modern Warfare 2 trailer.

“Everyone on the team is laser focused on making the most gripping experience we’ve ever created,” said Infinity Ward’s CEO, Vince Zampella when the title was announced. “No detail is too small and every finishing touch imaginable is underway to make Modern Warfare 2 our best ever. We can’t wait for our fans around the world to play starting November 10th.”

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In the shadow of being brutally teased earlier on today, it seems that even the developers at Infinity Ward just can’t let it end – but this time it was worth the wait.

As promised by Geoff Keighley, in this weeks episode of the much anticipated GameTrailers TV, it featured a teaser for Infinity Wards upcoming title Modern Warfare 2, the sequel to ’07′s Call of Duty 4. However, once again, the teaser doesn’t fill your gut because during the Easter Conference Final on May 24 we’d be able to witness the “World Premier” of the title.

That’s right. It seems that we don’t have to wait until E3 to get our hands on the a trailer that shows Modern Warfare 2 in action because on May 24th during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on TNT we’ll be getting that chance. But, lucky they left us with a little tease, thanks Activision.

“Everyone on the team is laser focused on making the most gripping experience we’ve ever created,” said Infinity Ward’s CEO, Vince Zampella when the title was announced. “No detail is too small and every finishing touch imaginable is underway to make Modern Warfare 2 our best ever. We can’t wait for our fans around the world to play starting November 10th.”

There were many reports today stating that Modern Warfare 2 has dropped the ‘Call of Duty’ out of its name, so we asked Activision for a reason why they changed the name. Responding, a company spokesperson told us as to the reason why.

“Modern Warfare has taken on such a life of its own, it has become our focus now,” we were told by the company spokesperson. But, sadly, other then that we were reminded that, “it’s too early to release additional details.”

The game is planned to release November 10th 2009. More details will be revealed in our upcoming preview of the title coming god knows when.