CoD: Elite, Gunns & Xbox Ahoy

I’m pretty much with Gunns on this one. Especially if the pay service provides an advantage to a player in MW3 over someone who does not subscribe. The ability to buy equipment and make your Be A Pro toon better was the reason I never played NHL 10 online. It unbalances the game. It becomes a rich versus poor thing, or idiots with far too much disposable income versus the rest of us with common sense enough not to be surreptitiously duped into buying virtual items thing.

Xbox Ahoy is doing some video work for the CoD Elite site and he talks about this whole mess in the following video, offering a different perspective. Keep in mind that Ahoy (I say this with all due respect to one of the greatest game commentators alive) is completely biased as he is currently on Activision’s payroll. He offers the old if you don’t like it don’t pay for it clause rather than taking to the airwaves to voice your displeasure. I agree with Ahoy’s don’t buy it clause but not the part about voicing your displeasure with Activision’s decision in other ways. Even if this service is a complete travesty and insult to our intelligence there are just far too many morons out there who would still buy it, making taking to the airwaves our only recourse. It is really cool that Ahoy got this gig though, he’s very talented and sharp, I only hope I get to see the videos he’s producing for Elite.

Will the Elite service allow gay gamers a respite from the hostile environment created by ill-parented 12 year olds and homophobic adults as suggested at the end of this article on Wired? The first thought I had after reading this is ‘way to put back up the walls people have been trying so hard to tear down since the ’50′s‘. Some of the nicest people I have ever met are gay men and women (some of the biggest bitches too!) and I’m sure the hate and homophobic bigotry on Xbox Live is the main reason I haven’t had the opportunity to game with any gay men or women on line (that I know of). I wouldn’t wear my mic either in their situation. But I fail to see how this would advance their cause any. I understand why they would want a corner of the internet to call their own but in order to fight the good fight you have to be out there fighting it, not hiding in some virtual closet with like minded people. That’s right, I said VIRTUAL CLOSET.

One thing is for sure, Activision needs to tread lightly here, else they boost the sales of Battlefield 3. The persistent problems with the CoD series are waring thin on me.

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