The first official “Call of Duty Convention” called “Call of Duty XP 2011” has been announced by Activision.
It will be held during Labor Day weekend on September 2nd and 3rd, 2011 at a “secure 12-acre compound in the urban confines of Los Angeles, California”. Tickets will cost $150(!) and go on sale July 19, giving attendees a two-day pass.
One of the biggest draws of the Call of Duty Conference is sure to be the public debut of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 mulitplayer mode, where over 6,000 fans will get to witness the mode for the first time ever! They’ll also get to play the new Spec Ops Survival Co-Op Mode and get to experience the full functionality of Call of Duty Elite.
Perhaps even more exciting than the “videogame” stuff is the non-videogame stuff!
Players will be able to challenge each other in a paintball firefight on a life-sized Call of Duty multiplayer map, as well as attempt to speed-run Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s legendary “The Pit”—for real! Huzzah!
And there’s more:
Supporting this epic reveal is a series of real-world Call of Duty action-experiences and gaming competitions as well as an unprecedented $1 million Call of Duty tournament by Activision and the event’s lead sponsor, Xbox 360.
Through Activision’s network of global partners, fans will have the opportunity to qualify for the tournament prior to the event by showcasing their skills in Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer through regional promotions and competitions. For those unable to qualify in advance, there will be select, on-site/at-large qualifications, further expanding the opportunity to compete for cash prizes among some of the best Call of Duty players in the world. For anyone that can’t be on hand, but still wants to keep an eye on the action, fans from around the world can link up for a connected experience by watching a constant stream of high-production value videos that will be available through television and the web, as well as a constant stream of photos and status updates from the event via social media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter.
“From the high production values of our live, immersive events – all the way to the smallest details in every design and activity – we’re pulling out all the stops to make Call of Duty XP the ultimate gathering for the global community of Call of Duty fans,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “The celebration will immerse attendees in a Call of Duty experience unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Over the course of two days, gamers can trade Call of Duty war stories, experience the official unveiling of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer and the full feature functionality of Call of Duty Elite, as well as enjoy world-class entertainment and compete head-to-head for some serious cash prizes.”
Activision will donate 100% of the ticket sales to The Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit, public benefit corporation that seeks to help veterans transition to civilian life, find work and establish careers, and assist other organizations that provide career training and job placement for veterans.
Other Call of Duty XP activities include: