Editor’s note: Ryan Smith is a longtime gamer and freelance writer who lives in Raleigh, NC. A graduate of East Carolina University with a degree in business and marketing, he has written in the past for WRAL Tech Wire and GameArgus.com. He currently plays Xbox 360 and PC as well as Nintendo DS. For story ideas, tips and feedback, he can be reached via e-mail (ryannicksmith@gmail.com)

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Word came out Monday that upcoming “Call of Duty Elite”, Activision’s cross-title “Call of Duty” service, would feature free content as well as premium content at the rate of $49.99 a year. We have seen 2 million subscribers so far just for the beta, but the full service doesn’t come online until the release of “Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition” on Nov. 8.

You can think of “Call of Duty Elite” as being your “Call of Duty” homepage, your command center for stats, recorded games, friends and teams from across all “Call of Duty” titles. With the free content, players will receive a career profile that tracks their statistics through different “Call of Duty” titles, the ability to create a class and load out online, apps and more.

But what can this $49.99 per year “premium” content provide us? Perhaps most exciting is early access to all Modern Warfare 3 map packs. If you are already planning on spending the $10-15 a map pack might cost, consider that two to three are likely to follow before long, which makes up a lot of your value right there – not to mention getting them earlier. Also it comes with access to Elite TV, with videos carrying comments by “Arrested Development” stars, or even live action footage from the renowned Hollywood director-brothers Ridley and Tony Scott.

Elite TV is probably just icing on the cake for most premium subscribers, who will be flocking to the early map packs and  the additional competitive options, such as access to daily competitions that net real-world prizes. Clans will be able to use Elite Premium to level up as a team and earn emblems and tags, plus they can even earn double XP while doing so. To help with players’ competitive edge, the premium content will also provide some pro-level strategy and analysis of tactics, maps, weapons and more.

I can see how between the map packs and the clan package, “Elite” will really draw in a lot of the hardcore Call of Duty players – Activision had 2 million subscribers for the beta alone – but as a casual Call of Duty gamer, I can’t say the free content even attracts me. The apps sound promising: making a class while bored at the office or in a waiting room sounds nice. But otherwise, I would probably use it about as much as I did Halo:Waypoint, which is to say not really at all. Honestly, the most attractive part might be the premium portion, just for the early map packs. But then again, I refuse to buy map packs for shooters. Once, in ages long past, map packs were called “mods” and they were quite free.

Which brings me to my next point: “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition” will cost $100, but gives you a one-year subscription to “Call of Duty Elite.”

Previous “Hardened” editions have cost $80, but the extra $20 still saves you $10 off the cost of a year of Elite premium service.

Additionally it includes (besides the beautiful case):

  • In-Game Items: emblems, camo, player cards
  • XP boost for your clan
  • A PlayStation Network theme/Xbox Live avatar item(Juggernaut)
  • Booklet featuring 100-plus pages of art/military info
  • Unique disc art

So if I were planning on getting “Call of Duty Elite,” I would definitely go with the MW3 Hardened Edition. You save yourself $10 off the subscription while also netting yourself some awesome real-life and in-game items. It’s a pretty great deal. Too bad I play too many games and ping-pong around way too much to take advantage of specials like this. I know millions of “Call of Duty” players out there should be drooling over this deal.

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