Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is going to be bringing microtransactions to the PS3 and the PC versions on April 12. The Xbox 360 version of the game got these microtransactions earlier this month.

The microtransactions that will be introduced to the Windows and Playstation 3 versions will apparently be identical to the ones that came to the Xbox.

This means that Black Ops 2 gamers will be able to get special weapons and uniform packs when the additions are released on April 12.

The developers and publishers of this game have long claimed that the microtransactions will not directly affect the gameplay. That appears to be a pretty big concern as these sorts of things come to the console.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is just the latest game that has introduced something that used to be recognized as almost exclusive to mobile gaming.

Gears of War: Judgement and Dead Space 3 have both introduced microtransactions this year and EA has said that quite a few of their coming games will have this function as well.

Along with the release of these microtransactions will come the Nuketown 2025 map that was released earlier for the Xbox 360. The companies have said that eventually this map pack will be in the regular rotation for the game.

Activision’s social manager, Dan Amrich also talked about whether or not these microtransactions and expansion DLCs would be coming to the Wii U anytime soon.

The answer won’t make Wii U gamers feel any more comfortable about their choice than they have over the last few weeks.

Armrich said that he is still not able to get a definitive answer on when or if the DLCs that have landed for every other format earlier this year will ever hit the Wii U.

Amrich added that “means it’s not a lost cause but it’s not a done deal.”

Battlefield 4 has been officially unveiled with a ton of screenshots, details, and even a 17 minute “trailer” that consists of action that is inside the game.

DICE has been teasing different aspects of the game leading up to a midnight unveiling last night. We knew there was going to be tanks and helicopters and boats and of course soldiers involved in the game, but we weren’t sure how they would all be incorporated.

Thanks to a leaked poster from EB Games, we already knew that this game was due out this fall, but one of the details that EA and DICE divulged last night is that it would indeed make an appearance in time for the holiday shopping season.

Battlefield 4 is aimed at being unique by giving more of a story to the characters in the game. This isn’t a war story where you don’t care whether your “comrades” die or are wounded.

In this particular title, you get to know the guys you are fighting with, and that is geared towards making you want to save them.

The facial features of each character are even unique enough that, once you learn their names, you will know them as friends as opposed to just some dudes you are running alongside.

The voice actors that were hired for the game are clearly top notch as well. The dialogue makes you feel not only as if you really are on a battlefield, but, when your squad is ambushed by a helicopter, you feel anxious and surprised.

The game is being released on PC, PS3, and the Xbox 360. It will also eventually be coming to the PS4 despite earlier reports that it wouldn’t.

While it’s not listed as coming to the PS4, an official from EA confirmed that the game will hit the next generation console as well.

If you happen to own a Wii U, you are going to be disappointed to learn that the game will be skipping that console in a move that is being seen far too often these days.

Tomorrow, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will be updated on Xbox 360 with a single-purchase ‘Extra Slots Pack’ available for 160 MSP ($2), offering players 10 additional Create-A-Class slots and extra space for media storage, letting Theater Mode users archive 20 more emblems, 32 more films and 40 more screenshots.

The Nuketown Zombies map, previously only available with the Black Ops 2 Season Pass or with the Hardened and Care Package editions of the game, will also be released for 400 MSP ($4), while the Nuketown 2025 multiplayer map, previously a pre-order exclusive, will be released to all for free.

“At the end of the day, all of these items are completely optional, and were created for players who’ve asked for more customization options,” says Amrich.

“If that’s not you, that’s fine; everybody gets Nuketown 2025 for free, so definitely take advantage of that.”

Finally, “Flags of the World Calling Card Packs” are available for 80 points ($1) per regional pack. “Personalization Packs” let you customize your weapon, Calling Card, and reticle for 160 points ($2), with One of Swords showing the “Bacon personalization pack” above as a very weird example. It’s like a free-to-play model, except you also pay a bunch for the game! At least this stuff is optional, and isn’t consumable.

“And yes,” One of Swords writer Dan Amrich notes, “these will be coming to other platforms as well; when I know a date, I’ll post about it.”

The content will be released on “other platforms” at a later date.

Respawn Entertainment co-founder Jason West has left the company, sources close to the studio have informed me. Co-founder Vince Zampella is now the acting head of the studio.

The duo are best known for having created the Call of Duty series under Activision.

I’m told West has not been involved in active development for Respawn’s game for a number of months now, but it has not impacted development.

The company did not respond to my request for comment.

West founded Respawn after leaving Infinity Ward, a studio he also co-founded, in a contentious and public exodus during 2010 that resulted in a lengthy lawsuit with publisher Activision. Dozens of employees left at the same time, and many of them went with West to Respawn.

Respawn has been developing a first-person-shooter for Electronic Arts. The game has not yet been unveiled, but it is reported to have a sci-fi slant, and is expected to be unveiled at E3 this year.

I never thought that this would ever happen, but it has today. This feature has to be one of the best features I think a game, especially as of lately, could get added. It this feature continues to get added to games, it will kill capture cards of which I own 3 Intensity Pro’s among others but at the same time it will make it easier to stream and less stress on a PC or requirement.

Well with that said, here is a quick video and tutorial along with the blog post from Twitch.TV.

We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership with Activision and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Starting today on Xbox 360 (and coming soon to PlayStation 3 and PC), you’re now able to broadcast your gameplay directly to your Twitch channel from within the game itself, with no additional hardware or software required.

Since its release in November 2012, Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II has consistently been one of the most popular titles on Twitch, and gamers have made it clear that they wanted to see our live streaming technology implemented into the game. We hope you agree that it’s been worth the wait, as Twitch in-game broadcasting supports a number of fantastic features:

Connect to your Twitch account from within Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Broadcast freely and direct to your Twitch channel

Webcam enabled for picture-in-picture broadcasting with Xbox Kinect

Automatically share your live feed to Facebook and Twitter

Read more…

The first DLC Map Pack that offers a massive amount of content, including four all-new Multiplayer maps, a new Zombies map, a new Zombies game mode, and — for the first time in a Call of Duty game — a brand new Multiplayer weapon.

4 new Multiplayer Maps:

• Hydro
• Grind
• Downhill
• Mirage

1 new Zombie Map (new game mode too):

• Die Rise

1 new Multiplayer Weapon:

• Peacekeeper SMG

Take a look at the all new trailer for Nuketown Zombies.

Here is a behind the scenes video of “Suprise”.

Over the weekend, those playing Modern Warfare 2 began to notice that one of the series’ most popular multiplayer maps, Favela, had disappeared.

Why? Publishers Activision and developers Infinity Ward took the map off rotation after receiving complaints from Muslim gamers, who had discovered offensive imagery contained within a room of the stage. It’ll return after edits to the content in question have been made.

In a single room on the map, two paintings had been hung whose frames contained a decorative representation of a quote (pictured here) attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, which reads “Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty”. Those paintings were hung in a bathroom, one right above a toilet, and didn’t appear to be found anywhere else on the map.

You can see the paintings in this video, dated October 2.

It can be offensive to those of Islamic faith—like those in the aforementioned video—to see holy teachings written on or in a bathroom, and with the paintings having been brought to Activision and Infinity Ward’s attention, the map has been removed until it can be edited.

An Activision representative tells Kotaku:

We apologize to anyone who found this image offensive. Please be assured we were unaware of this issue and that there was no intent to offend. We are working as quickly as possible to remove this image and any other similar ones we may find from our various game libraries.

We are urgently working to release a Title Update to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 3. We are also working to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 2 through a separate Title Update. Until the TU is ready, we have removed the Favella multiplayer map from online rotation.

Activision and our development studios are respectful of diverse cultures and religious beliefs, and sensitive to concerns raised by its loyal game players. We thank our fans for bringing this to our attention.

Source: Kotaku.com