Smacking the name Modern Warfare unto any Call of Duty game guarantees an explosive launch with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, but the latest installment from Infinity Ward has managed to essentially revive the franchise and break several records while at it. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is now the fastest-selling game in the entire series and going by the reception from the community, it’s safe to say that Task Force 141 is back to kick ass and take names.
But the biggest first-person shooter release in recent memory isn’t the only big news from gaming circles today. Hideo Kojima, a celebrated Japanese game developer and a man who loves the coyness of his own Easter Eggs all too much, has revealed another actor from the star-studded cast of his next game, whatever it turns out to be, and it’s a big name.
Here’s your daily gaming news roundup.
Microsoft is losing $100 to $200 on every Xbox Series X and S
The ninth generation of gaming consoles brought about a huge boost in hardware specs, with Xbox Series X being marketed as six times more powerful than Xbox One and twice as capable as Xbox One X at running games in 4K. All of that performance juice, extra resolution, and ray-traced visual fidelity come at a cost; a cost that Microsoft and Sony have been willing to let by until now. Well, Sony could no longer stand to lose so much on every PlayStation 5 sold, so they increased its price a while ago. With Xbox boss Phil Spencer now claiming that Microsoft is also losing $100-200 on every next-gen console unit, the green time might also be compelled to go down that path eventually.
I mean, let’s face it: There’s no way all of that cutting-edge hardware stacked together in a perfectly shaped box costs $500. It’s a wonder that the two companies have been able to maintain these prices for as long as they have —especially amidst this hellish ongoing semiconductor shortage— but the reality of the situation is catching up to them at last.
Modern Warfare II is the biggest launch in Call of Duty history
We all knew this moment was coming ever since the rebooted Captain Price from the rebooted Modern Warfare in 2019 brought out that dossier containing the information on potential Task Force 141 members. Now, the moment has come at last to bask in the greatness of the Modern Warfare storyline yet again with Modern Warfare II. The game has garnered positive reactions from critics, and even the franchise’s most ardent critics have been hard-pressed to find faults with either the game’s amazing story campaign or its multiplayer.
Is this the true successor to 2009’s Modern Warfare 2, which itself was one of the most revolutionary games in history? That certainly seems to be the case, and the fanbase is here for it. According to Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare II has generated more than $800 million in three days, surpassing the previous five-day record set by Modern Warfare 3 in 2011. Pretty impressive for a franchise that was hanging on for dear life last year with Vanguard, eh?
Shioli Kutsuna joins Elle Fanning in Hideo Kojima’s next game
Hideo Kojima will never tire of playing games with his community. When it comes to Kojima games, it’s never as easy as releasing a trailer or, you know, generally explaining what the hell is going on in simple terms that everyone can understand. Now, the Metal Gear director is slowly preparing to unveil his next game —which is probably the project codenamed Overdose in partnership with Xbox Studios— and that means bombarding the fans with all too obscure teases and little snippets.
The latest of which has revealed another character in the new lineup. Japanese-Australian actress Shioli Kutsuna, best known for her role in Deadpool 2 as Yukio, is joining Elle Fanning and the rest of the as-of-yet unannounced Overdose cast. Kutsuna’s poster on the official Kojima Productions website seems to pose a simple question, “Where am I?” but of course, your guess is as good as ours.
That’s all for now, but tune back in tomorrow for even more news and announcements from around the gaming sphere.
