Call of Duty: World at War Preorder Bonuses Announced

[DoctorFinger]

Pre-order bonuses, they're the new black!

Okay, maybe that's going a little far, but you can't deny that pre-order bonuses and single use download codes are becoming almost standard operating procedure for feature titles. This time it's Call of Duty: World at War.

Gamers who pre-order the game will get a free theme for either the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 (depending on which system they order it for) as well as a day one download of the exclusive M1A1 Carbine rifle for use in multiplayer. Some gamers who pre-order will also be invited to participate in the game's closed beta testing.

[SPBTooL]

Wait, what? The M1A1 Carbine rifle is not a standard usable weapon for the MP in a WWII shooter?

[Wilkz07]

sounds cool but that would help boost ebgames/gamestop's pre-order totals. don't pre-order games.

plus the first mp game you play just kill the guy who has it and pick it up. :)

[MrBibbz]

Bleh .. don't remind me of games that I want to buy...

[Khrymsyn]

I'm with SBP...

The M1 Carbine is not a weapon available through other means?!?!? That was THE standard US Firearm for Airborne in WWII (The M1 Garand was a bit too heavy). How can THAT weapon of all weapons not be available?!

[cppcrusader]

I think the Carbine download was just for instant day one access. The way the bonus details read at Gamestop sounds like it has to be unlocked.

[VerseD]

Better be. That was one of my favorite weapons in Call of Duty 1 and 2.

[Commissar Rob]

Is it the only version of the weapon, or is it some sort of graphical enhancement - like the gold lancer in Gears?

As far as the direction of offering this sort of thing goes...I don't think it hurts anyone as long as the items don't unbalance the gameplay. If it's just a "nice to have" then more power to you, oh corporate overlords.

[King3567]

I personally think pre-order bonuses are fine as long as they don't give you something that you would have to unlock in the game (a la Guitar Hero IV or CoD:WaW). I think it puts a damper on your experience since...well...you don't experience unlocking it. But, then again, lots of people seem to be into that kind of thing these days...

[bryan]

From what I recall, it's a level unlock. So instead of leveling up to get it you get it day one. Seems fine to me as long as I can work my way up to it.

[cp#]

It's a lvl 40 unlock or something like that.

[King3567]

It's a lvl 40 unlock or something like that.

Holy shit?! Are you serious? This unlock code is pretty broken then if you ask me. Guess what gun we'll be seeing come launch day? ;)

[bryan]

It's a lvl 40 unlock or something like that.

Yup, I think that's for the Carbine, and some chain has a the BAR as a pre-order bonus as well. To me, as long a I can get it in normal play there's not a problem. My experience in COD4 was that the really fanatical players get all their unlocks in the span of a weekend while I take a month.

The Carbine was my favorite gun in COD2 tho, makes the pre-order thingy mighty tempting :D

[KingGorilla]

Not to dog on Treyarch, they are fine developers. But how long before:
A. Activision wises up and just lets IW make the game they want and support it properly(a 2-3 year cycle) or
B. The guys at IW get fed up again with large publisher politics, branch off, and start anew? or
C. Call of Duty turns into the next Tom Clancy where the game just seeks to bilk its most core fans with limited effort games releases annually, or more frequently?

[pomeroy]

Not to dog on Treyarch, they are fine developers. But how long before:
A. Activision wises up and just lets IW make the game they want and support it properly(a 2-3 year cycle) or
B. The guys at IW get fed up again with large publisher politics, branch off, and start anew? or
C. Call of Duty turns into the next Tom Clancy where the game just seeks to bilk its most core fans with limited effort games releases annually, or more frequently?

They should have just renamed CoD4 to a different franchise and let IW have at it.

[bryan]

Is IW not wholly owned by Activision? What's the nature of their relationship?

[KingGorilla]

Is IW not wholly owned by Activision? What's the nature of their relationship?

Wholly Owned, but the people can still walk. These guys left EALA and the Medal of Honor team to form Infinity Ward.

[Gerbs]

Not a big deal as it doesn't unlock something that is not normally available to regular players. It's like starting with the G3 unlocked at level 1 in COD4.