If this isnt bullshit...i dont know what is

[LaughingMAN.S9]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2011/09/28/modern-warfare-3s-pepsi-cross-promotion-steps-over-the-line/




I can understand a studio and a brand attempting to work together to figure out some sort of reasonable ad campaign for an upcoming game, as there’s nothing inherently wrong with that concept. Product placement or cross promotion is nothing new in the industry, but this new collaboration between Pepsi and Activision is nothing short of unholy.

The promotion is called “Rank Up XP,” and the long and short of it is that by buying certain Pepsi products, namely Mountain Dew and Doritos, players can redeem codes in the packaging for Double XP time in Modern Warfare 3. A 20 oz gets you 15 minutes, a 12 pack gets you 45, and so on.

Why is this a problem? Because XP is currency in these games, and whoever has more of it first is at a distinct advantage. More XP, especially when the game is new, means more weapons, more perks, more attachments, more killstreaks, and subsequently, usually more wins. Offering Double XP to someone who purchases Pepsi products is selling out about as much as you can, and for a franchise that’s already been accused of pushing the limits with “Elite” monthly membership and overpriced map packs, it goes to show that Activision will exploit its fans in any way they can.

[IcBlUsCrN]

i see nothing wrong with it. I never cared about the double xp weekends or any of that garbage i just play for fun never really cared about leveling up. but id see how it would irk some people

[LaughingMAN.S9]

i shouldnt care because im not getting this game anyway, not right away anyway (if ever) but i just dont think i should lose to some fat kid across the country who jumped 20 levels in 1 day while eating a family size bag of doritos by himself and resting his feet on 4 36 pack mountain dew value stacks who bought his way to the top instead of genuinely just being better or at least luckier than me


xp isnt just levels, its in game currency, kill streaks, perks and guns are all bought with xp, basically you're paying for an unfair advantage



shit like this is the reason i dont play fight night champion online anymore, because you could buy upgrade points for your fighter online instead of earning it, everytime u got online you would get knocked out within the first 2 rounds because the douchebag you were playing against bought 2 packs on the psn and invested all his points into the lucky 1 hit punch category effectively breaking the gam

[Robocop2]

Its no different than "boosting" except you have to drink Pepsi and actually be able to play well enough that you can take advantage of the "double XP for x minutes at a time"

[PapaStu]

i shouldnt care because im not getting this game anyway, not right away anyway (if ever) but i just dont think i should lose to some fat kid across the country who jumped 20 levels in 1 day while eating a family size bag of doritos by himself and resting his feet on 4 36 pack mountain dew value stacks who bought his way to the top instead of genuinely just being better or at least luckier than me


xp isnt just levels, its in game currency, kill streaks, perks and guns are all bought with xp, basically you're paying for an unfair advantage



shit like this is the reason i dont play fight night champion online anymore, because you could buy upgrade points for your fighter online instead of earning it, everytime u got online you would get knocked out within the first 2 rounds because the douchebag you were playing against bought 2 packs on the psn and invested all his points into the lucky 1 hit punch category effectively breaking the gam

Then you've not played any of these recent CoD games. I've stumbled into people that on day 1 & 2 were 30 or 40 levels up by the time I got home that evening. Since CoD4 implemented the Prestige aspect of the game, more people rush to level up, so that they can do it all over. At that point the only thing they are gaining are meaningless perks like avitar icons. The closest thing to a true step up is being able to have more preset loadouts. But since you've prestiged up, you really can't do anything until you hit level 4-5 and use your own created load outs.

Is it unfair for me to jump into a match of MW2 today as a level 1 nub and get destroyed because I'm not running w/ the AK and some dude who's a level 30 is (yes I know you don't get the AK till 60 in MW2, work with me here). Bullets kill just the same, and just because i'm not calling out the dogs or dropping a nuke (which you can selectively open sooner than later w/ your CoD bucks in Blops, or when you level up and select it in MW2 instead of something at a lower call out range) doesn't put me at some insurmountable disadvantage. I can still pick up their perk'd guns and shoot them in the face when I or a teammate kills em.



Its no different than "boosting" except you have to drink Pepsi and actually be able to play well enough that you can take advantage of the "double XP for x minutes at a time"

It's totally different than boosting. Boosting for most means that you're playing a DEAD online game and helping your fellow friends boost their way to the achievements. Once you hit the 2k kills ect. you never touch it again. I've done that with a number of games MP components. Boosting doesn't affect the rest of the (or in every case lack of) online community for the game.

[Nebagram]

Being someone unlikely to play MW3 online with random people, I could care less about this.

I've got to admit, though, I don't like the precedent being set...

[Robocop2]

It's totally different than boosting. Boosting for most means that you're playing a DEAD online game and helping your fellow friends boost their way to the achievements. Once you hit the 2k kills ect. you never touch it again. I've done that with a number of games MP components. Boosting doesn't affect the rest of the (or in every case lack of) online community for the game.

I suppose if you're talking strictly about achievements alone then yeah that definition fits and I see nothing wrong with that; but don't tell me there aren't plenty of high level players out there who get with their buddies to rank up in whatever game you play with a ranking system. This is essentially the same thing but with people spending money on an outside product to do it. But really do you think that a person who pays for that level 50 is going to actually be competitive with those who actually earned it?

[Jaruff]

The gamer in me says this is bad but the businessman in men smiles at this opportunity. People will want these codes and since I won't be playing MW3 until it hits the $20-25 range, I can make some money whenever I buy any of these products that I would buy anyway.

Now, I do like micro-transactions more than blatant DLC that locks things on the disc. Look at TF2; instead of charging for the game, they charge small amounts for bonus items. I think that's a reasonable approach because the age of truly free online gaming is coming to an end.

[Emperor Megas]

I admit, I'm a bit ignorant on the topic as I don't play any of these games, or online games at all (besides Mario Kart Wii), but can't you chose the people you play games online with? I mean, isn't avoiding someone who levels up with purchased upgrades the same as avoiding that 12 year old boy I'm always hearing about who constantly calls you "nigger", or "faggot", or [insert expletive here] the whole time, and tea bags your felled character?

[Snapple]

Boosting for chievos is fine. Boosting for leaderboards is bad.

And being able to "buy" an advantage over other players is something that's existed in games like WoW and Maple Story for a long time, but shooter fans are going to now discover the horror I suppose. I'm not a fan of it either.

[Emperor Megas]

Ah, leaderboards. I didn't think about that. I can see how that would suck then. Perhaps they should like, I don't know, but an asterisk or something next to your name if you purchase an advantage and place high.

[Ludwig]

I have to agree with the OP, but then i'm somewhat beyond caring, CoD in general is fubar'ed by now. Let's rave about the Diablo 3 auction house some more.

[The 1 2 P]

I don't think it's bullshit since the samething could happen if someone played for 10-20 hours a day Friday-Sunday during a regular double XP weekend. If you didn't play at all that weekend but your friends did then they would be several levels higher than you. And again, even though you are going to get double XP for this promotion you still need to be able to get legit kills to earn it.

[heybtbm]

Not a big deal IMO.

Besides, Bad Company 2 had a promotion with Dr. Pepper were you could get codes for the SPECACT weapons (and achievements) before they were available to the public. SPECACT weapons gave you exclusive medals for using them ("kill 6 in a row with SPECACT M-16", etc.) so by using them you would end up with more XP and therefore rank up faster. Not much different than this. I have no problem with it.

[PapaStu]

I suppose if you're talking strictly about achievements alone then yeah that definition fits and I see nothing wrong with that; but don't tell me there aren't plenty of high level players out there who get with their buddies to rank up in whatever game you play with a ranking system. This is essentially the same thing but with people spending money on an outside product to do it. But really do you think that a person who pays for that level 50 is going to actually be competitive with those who actually earned it?


Most of the games with active online communities don't allow for easy boosting like you're thinking. The games are just too popular to allow you to run a room and XP boost like that. To truly XP boost you need control of the room, and with these games, the rooms that give XP, aren't controlled by anyone.

If they're paying for 50, it's for the access to items, or the status. Just because you're a level 50 doesn't mean much. Even the worst player will still get round bonuses, and xp bonuses for kills/streaks and all kinds of crap while playing. We'll all get to 50 eventually.

Besides, 15 minutes of double XP? One MAYBE two rounds of play. NOTHING that will give anyone that much of a 'leg up' on the other gamers. 45 minutes for a good gamer could be nice in the right game type, but again, it's still not that huge of a bump. These guys are still going to be working this for more petty reasons than you're worried about. It'll be to prestige to get the silly icon next to their tag. The good stuff tends to come w/ kills anyways. Better build outs require moar kills and other subtask completions. In Blops terms, doesn't matter if you're 50 if you don't have the cash to buy the perks/weapons. Great you're a 45 with no cash. Nothing solved.


I've put good time into CoD4, WaW, MW2 and Blops. Even w/ these XP boosts I won't feel that i'm any worse off than I am when it comes to these kids who are spending 10 hours a day playing this already.

[Mr Mort]

I hate the stupid "leveling up" and "perks" bullshit online FPS'es are doing these days. If you get into the game late after its release, there's no point in playing online. Everyone else is leveled up with ridiculous weapons, and you're trying to win with spitballs.

It completely discourages "noobs" from trying to play. What is the fun in trying to learn a game if all the other players have a significant advantage over you, and you're essentially destined to lose over and over because everyone else starts out with better gear than you?

I don't like it, all players should start with the same equipment in order to determine who has the best skill.

[Hep038]

I don't think it's bullshit since the samething could happen if someone played for 10-20 hours a day Friday-Sunday during a regular double XP weekend. If you didn't play at all that weekend but your friends did then they would be several levels higher than you. And again, even though you are going to get double XP for this promotion you still need to be able to get legit kills to earn it.

This was exactly what I was thinking. They have double XP weekends all the time. This "fat kid" might redeem his code for 15 minutes of double XP and get his ass handed to him. It really does not have that much effect on leveling up . There are people who do far worse in trying to get to the top of the leader boards.

And I disagree with the idea that if you do not have all of the unlocked weapons you cannot compete. That is bullshit, you are either good or you are not. I have found out that most of the high level weapons in MW games give me no advantage at all. I usually find something middle ground that I am comfortable with and just practice with that. I still suck at the game, but I have fun...

[The Dord]

I hate the stupid "leveling up" and "perks" bullshit online FPS'es are doing these days. If you get into the game late after its release, there's no point in playing online. Everyone else is leveled up with ridiculous weapons, and you're trying to win with spitballs.

It completely discourages "noobs" from trying to play. What is the fun in trying to learn a game if all the other players have a significant advantage over you, and you're essentially destined to lose over and over because everyone else starts out with better gear than you?

I don't like it, all players should start with the same equipment in order to determine who has the best skill.

I completely agree with this.

[IcBlUsCrN]

i still dont see a difference between some kid playing all week ranking up and you only playing couple of hours a week since you have a job.

either you are good at the game or you are not. if you are good you will be without the perks anyway

[kedawa]

The XP system itself is the problem. This promotion is just the fly on the turd.

Your reward for playing the game more should be the development of actual skills, not some in-game e-penis.

[portnoyd]

So your XP rate goes up proportionally with the size of your ass. How's that for augmented reality?

[substantial_snake]

At this point I play online matches to max rank, then play almost exclusively in private matches with friends online. I don't really care for the drunk, high, or stupid ramblings of who has the largest dick and/or who is more gay that online matches tend to bring. Ranking up in COD only gives you more options, not automatically better options. Ranking up a bad player faster still makes them a bad player regardless of how many attachments are on their gold plated Commando or whatever.

[Robocop2]

Most of the games with active online communities don't allow for easy boosting like you're thinking. The games are just too popular to allow you to run a room and XP boost like that. To truly XP boost you need control of the room, and with these games, the rooms that give XP, aren't controlled by anyone.

If they're paying for 50, it's for the access to items, or the status. Just because you're a level 50 doesn't mean much. Even the worst player will still get round bonuses, and xp bonuses for kills/streaks and all kinds of crap while playing. We'll all get to 50 eventually.

Besides, 15 minutes of double XP? One MAYBE two rounds of play. NOTHING that will give anyone that much of a 'leg up' on the other gamers. 45 minutes for a good gamer could be nice in the right game type, but again, it's still not that huge of a bump. These guys are still going to be working this for more petty reasons than you're worried about. It'll be to prestige to get the silly icon next to their tag. The good stuff tends to come w/ kills anyways. Better build outs require moar kills and other subtask completions. In Blops terms, doesn't matter if you're 50 if you don't have the cash to buy the perks/weapons. Great you're a 45 with no cash. Nothing solved.


I've put good time into CoD4, WaW, MW2 and Blops. Even w/ these XP boosts I won't feel that i'm any worse off than I am when it comes to these kids who are spending 10 hours a day playing this already.

I didn't really think about that whole ranked rooms being hosted vs. user created rooms aspect to be honest and I do have limited experience with the whole system so I may have been out in left field with that but I just assumed its not totally unbelieveable that people wouldn't team up to pump up their stats. Which in a sense is no different than getting extra XP but I don't even have Gold at the moment and when I did I hardly played MP so I guess I don't even really have a dog in the fight; I just don't see it as a big deal.

[PapaStu]

I didn't really think about that whole ranked rooms being hosted vs. user created rooms aspect to be honest and I do have limited experience with the whole system so I may have been out in left field with that but I just assumed its not totally unbelieveable that people wouldn't team up to pump up their stats. Which in a sense is no different than getting extra XP but I don't even have Gold at the moment and when I did I hardly played MP so I guess I don't even really have a dog in the fight; I just don't see it as a big deal.

No, people do team up, but in games like this, there aren't alot of game types or room types w/ XP that they can really work the system. I"ve never stumbled into anyone stat boosting w/ a team in CoD MP. I've had countless games w/ people running certain guns/types, but again that's to level up the appearance of the gun (gold bling bitches!) and that only can come w/ kills, something that double XP doesn't have an effect on. Wat a gold gun in MW2? Better get on ur headshots.

The few online leaderboards in these games have all been so shot to hell by hackers that it doesn't matter anymore and I don't know anyone who does anything but track their accuracy or total wins/losses.


I don't see it as a big deal at all either. Like I said, someone gets 15 minutes of double XP. It's not going to fundamentally change the online experience for those playing w/ or against them.

[exit]

People are making a big deal out of nothing, it's just a silly promotion that probably won't even last that long, it's not like it's something permanent.

[hbkprm]

its all meh

[kedawa]

That's pretty much how I feel about the whole series.

[SpaceHarrier]

So your XP rate goes up proportionally with the size of your ass. How's that for augmented reality?

Yes, it's definitely true: the only 'double experience' you are likely to get from Mountain Dew is obesity and tooth loss.