The Call of Duty is going to throw its own party, the Call of Duty XP 2011, a two-day event for fans Sept. 2-3 in Los Angeles.
The $150 tickets will go on sale July 19 with all proceeds go to The Call of Duty Endowment, a not-for-profit group that funds jobs for veterans returning from battles overseas. “It will be far more than just a chance to play the game early,” says Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg. “It’s going to be a truly immersive experience” with keynote speeches, developer meet-and-greets, musical performances and a life-sized paintball battlefield based on the game.
Among the other on-site attractions at the secure 12-acre military-themed compound a speed-run challenge based on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s “The Pit”, an armory and museum and live musical performances. The 6,000-plus attendees will get to be among the first to play the multiplayer and Spec Ops coop modes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (due out Nov. 8). Also on display: Call of Duty Elite, the new online service planned by Activision for Modern Warfare 3 and other Call of Duty games.
A big draw for hard-core multiplayer veterans: a $1 million Call of Duty tournament — that and other prizes put up by Activision and the event’s lead sponsor, Xbox 360. Players will be able to compete in qualifying tournaments across the U.S., as well as in an on-site competition.
