Call of Duty Multiplayer Always Free

source:http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/110/1107031p1.html

Whether or not Activision ultimately decides to introduce a subscription-based service for its Call of Duty titles, fans will be pleased to know they won't have to pay to play multiplayer matches, at least for now.

A purported YouTube video surfaced last night that showed a possible membership program was in the works for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Addressing the video, Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling said the 'Modern Warfare 2 Membership' menu shown was an error and that there will never be 'pay-to-play' Call of Duty multiplayer.

"To be clear: There is not, and will never be, additional fees required to subscribe and play Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer," he said on his blog.

"The video above seems to show a user on what appears to be the Xbox Live Gold Membership renewal page via the Marketplace in the guide, but while in-game in Modern Warfare 2 (which is in error)," he added. "It does not however, prove a pay-to-play subscription model is in the works for Modern Warfare 2, because no such plan exists for this or any other Call of Duty (including the upcoming Black Ops)."

"That said, feel free to cease freaking out."

Treyarch community manager Josh Olin addressed the rumors saying Call of Duty: Black Ops will also be free to play online. "No, you will not have to 'Pay to Play' multiplayer either," he said. "Rumor -> Squashed."

Activision issued a statement to IGN further reinforcing what Bowling and Olin had stated, saying the company has no plans to charge for online multiplayer.

"Reports of a subscription membership in Modern Warfare 2 are not true," a spokesperson said. " Activision has no plans to charge gamers to play Call of Duty multiplayer."

This news comes just days after industry analyst Michael Pachter preached that publishers such as Activision need to begin to monetize multiplayer by including subscription fees, starting with Call of Duty: Black Ops this November.