The new subscription service will have more to offer than basic gameplay content.
In an effort to justify the recently announced Call of Duty: Elite subscription service, Activision will be putting together a web series that will be exclusive to Elite subscribers and according to Activision publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg, the series definitely won’t be an amateur production.
“We have engaged some top Hollywood talent to create linear video content that will be exclusive to Elite members,” Hirshberg told the Guardian. “That content is inspired by Call of Duty.”
Hirshberg explained that the extra content is a good way to generate interest in the Call of Duty brand at a level that goes beyond stat tracking and standard community features.
“If you’re a sports fan, there are lots of ways for you to connect with that hobby, that passion, not just on the day that the games are played, but throughout the week, and we wanted to give [Call of Duty players] real entertainment value.”
The details are still fuzzy – for instance, we don’t know if the series will be live-action or animated – but Call of Duty games generally strive for a certain degree of realism and Hollywood talent is involved, so some kind of live-action production seems more likely. Unfortunately, Hirshberg says that Activision won’t reveal any more information until they have “something to show,” so don’t expect any updates until “later in the year.”
The news makes Activision the latest game company to branch into television and/or film. Ubisoft and Namco Bandai both have their own TV and movie production companies and Warner Bros. recently launched a web series to accompany the new Mortal Kombat.
Source: The Guardian
