Activision has announced that the invite-only Call of Duty: Elite beta is now up and running on Xbox Live, offering users the chance to sample the digital community platform developed by Beachhead. The beta will be gradually activated in phases for feature testing, with limited invitations being issued over the next few weeks.
“Call of Duty: Elite is all about connecting our amazing fans around the globe in ways never before possible and we are excited to get their feedback so they can help us further develop, tune and test the service, as we head into our launch in November with Modern Warfare 3,” said Chacko Sonny, Studio Head at Beachhead Studios. “A public beta with the massive Call of Duty community is the best way to generate the scale we need for end-to-end testing. While Call of Duty: Elite will continue to evolve post-launch, we want to deliver the most polished, complete and rigorously tested service possible on day one. We’re looking to get as many participants in the beta as possible, so we ask that fans stay patient as we ramp up in the coming weeks.”
Call of Duty: Elite is scheduled to release in autumn 2011 and is set to be an integral part of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 when it launches in November. There's 2.8 million participants signed up for the beta, who will all be able to try out the service, which aims to help dedicated Call of Duty players 'connect, compete and improve', as the press release explains:
- Connect: Call of Duty Elite gives players unprecedented control over their multiplayer experience. This is a true social gaming platform. Players can compete against friends, gamers of similar skill levels or interests, join groups and clans, and play in organized competitions. They can also track the performance, progress and activity of their personal network, both in the game itself as well as via custom mobile apps for iPhone, iPad and Android smart phones, tablets and on the web.
- Compete: Call of Duty Elite hosts events and competitions for players of all skill levels on a regular basis; both in-game and real-world prizes will be awarded across the Call of Duty Elite player roster when the service goes live on 8th November.
- Improve: Call of Duty Elite is ground zero for anyone who wants to improve their in-game skills. It dynamically tracks player statistics and performance down to the finest detail. It can show gamers how they compare to their friends or other players community-wide. The user-friendly tools and data will give gamers the insights they need to up their kill/death ratio in no time.
Call of Duty: Elite will be available to everyone this fall, offering stat tracking, clan support, entertainment programs created by "top Hollywood talent" and more, including all of the downloadable content for Modern Warfare 3 for premium members. Certain aspects of the service will be free to everyone.
