First Strike DLC dated for PS3 Black Ops; new CoD 'digital content' studio formed

The Call of Duty: Black Ops DLC map pack'First Strike'will be released for PS3 worldwide on March 3rd, and the PC version will be dated soon. The $15 expansion includes four new multipalyer maps (Berlin Wall, Discovery, Kowloon and Stadium), as well as a new Zombie level, Ascension.

The DLC was released on Xbox Live earlier this month, and was downloaded 1.4 million times in its first 24 hours of availability, setting a new record for the service. The previous record holder was - you guessed it - the Stimulus Package DLC for Modern Warfare 2.

In another news, Activision announced today that it has formed a new Call-of-Duty-focused studio called Beachhead. The studio will focus on "digital content" for the franchise - meaning it will create a "digital platform," whatever that is (this?) - and is headquartered in a makeshift officebuilt out of discarded plastic instruments.

By the way, this means that there are now five studios dedicated to Call of Duty. Maybe we can start expecting two games per year?

Feb 9, 2011