"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" faced its fair share of outrage when it launched last fall, specifically on the PC, where the game's developers decided to pass on setting up dedicated servers in favor of the IWnet matchmaking system. A quarter of a million signatures on an online petition didn't stop "MW2" from becoming a profit juggernaut, though, and leading up to the new "Stimulus Package" map pack release on March 30th, Infinity Ward says even the haters stayed around to play after the game shipped.
"You know once it hits a certain level of popularity in the mainstream that's when people start to stand back," Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling told CVG. "But that doesn't mean they stop playing. I mean the numbers show that these guys are still logging on every night."
Given the billion-dollar sales numbers "MW2" brought in, I don't doubt that many of the same players who complained on message boards during those opening weeks were also logging in. It would be nice to know what percentage of online petition signers still opted to buy the game anyway, though. I'm curious to know how easy it is to tell where the overlap lies. Nevertheless, Bowling credited the game's high profile for the backlash it received.
"I think when any property is number one at anything [it will face backlash]," he said. "Whether it's the number one move at the Box Office or the number one most played game online, like 'Modern Warfare 2,' you're going to be up against that instinct."
Do you think "MW2" would have seen the same criticism it did if it weren't a high-profile release? Was the online petition deserved? Share your own thoughts in the comment section below.