Call of Duty: Black Ops 'Escalation' map pack releasing first on Xbox Live

"In crafting the Escalation multiplayer maps – Zoo, Convoy, Hotel and Stockpile – the team developed them to be distinct experiences in their own right, giving players the variety they crave in both setting and gameplay," said Treyarch head Mark Lamia. “And I don't want to spoil any surprises for Zombies fans, but Call of the Dead takes it to a whole new level.”

Activision is quick to point out that the first Black Ops DLC pack, First Strike, was downloaded over 1.4 million times during its first 24 hours on the market. We can probably expect the same for Escalation, especially if 'Call of the Dead' is as exciting as Treyarch claims - it currently sounds much more like a new mode than just a map. And, adding to its draw, the release will be celebrated with a Double XP weekend beginning Friday, May 6th.

We can probably assume that the DLC will be available for $15, as usual. Plans for PS3 and PC releases have not been divulged.

Apr 11, 2011

GamesRadarTylerWilde
Associate Editor, Digital at PC Gamer