Activision took the day before E3 2011 kicks off to announce that the invitation-only public beta for Call of Duty Elite is expected to begin July 14 this year. While the full capabilities of the service will not be on display until the launch of Modern Warfare 3, the beta will give users a taste of the experience and allow the service to be tested by gamers currently playing Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer.
In its five days since announcement, the Call of Duty Elite beta has already surpassed more than 1 million registrants.
“We are putting more focus, creativity and investment into every game we make than ever before. By developing deep, connected and engaging experiences we are staying ahead of the innovation curve and offering players unique entertainment experiences,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “We are particularly excited about our new service Call of Duty Elite, which we believe will reset the bar for multiplayer and create a connected entertainment community around Call of Duty like nothing else in the industry. Many of the service’s key features are free to players of all supported Call of Duty titles, which will elevate fans’ multiplayer experience beyond anything currently available in the market.”
“The Call of Duty Elite service is a win for gamers with new services like social networking components and access to great DLC, but without changing key game functionality like multiplayer access,” said McKenzie. “We are pleased to have an additional Call of Duty product for our customers during the Nov. 8 launch of the highly anticipated sequel Modern Warfare 3.”