What I Know About Call of Duty XP 2011

Today Activision announced Call of Duty XP 2011, a fan-focused Call of Duty community celebration, that will take place September 2 and 3 in Los Angeles. There’s quite a bit of info in the press release, and there is an official FAQ which is pretty easily digestible. Here’s the high points, with links for you to dig deeper. [UPDATE 8/3: Added free Hardened edition, zipline & other activity information]

1. This is where MW3 multiplayer will be revealed.
Everybody’s been asking when Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games will discuss the multiplayer aspect of Modern Warfare 3. Now you have a time and a place. Last year the MP reveal for Black Ops was a private event for only a few hundred press and community folks. This year…well, you might be there yourself.

2. You get MW3 Hardened Edition free if you go. 
Everyone who attends automatically gets the Hardened Edition of Modern Warfare 3. (If you are attending COD XP, there’s a good chance you would have wanted to buy it anyway.)

3. You’ll get to play Call of Duty for real (within reason).
In addition to hands-on time with MW3, you will be able to do some COD activities in real life. Play paintball on a replica of the multiplayer map Scrapyard. Run The Pit — MW2′s training level — by actually running through the level. That sounds like fun, and a little surreal. There will also be a Kowloon-style zipline for the brave.

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4. There are a lot of activities planned.
Developer panels and Q&A sessions. Live entertainment (exactly who or what is yet to be announced). Multiple tournaments for different game modes and four different COD games (Activision is promising prizes from event sponsors Microsoft and Turtle Beach), including a big competition with a $1 million prize pool. An armory filled with famous COD weapons. Something called Juggernaut Sumo. A video sneak peek from the team behind the cool fan film Find Makarov is on tap, and a look at whatever Will Arnett and Jason Bateman are cooking up for Call of Duty Elite will also reportedly be shown. And — I can’t wait for this — a Burger Town franchise. And, of course, hanging out with 6000 people just as crazy as you. There is an interactive map on the XP site showing an overview of what you can expect, but several areas are still marked “Classified.” Hmm.

5. Ticket cost = Call of Duty Endowment donation.
Tickets for the two-day event go on sale on July 19th, and cost $150 (same price as Blizzcon 2010, actually). The entirety of that ticket price will go right to the Call of Duty Endowment. They are expecting about 6000 people to attend, so some quick math pegs that at $900,000 instantly earmarked to help unemployed veterans get the jobs they deserve. Sounds win/win to me.

6. If you can’t attend, you can still watch.
The event will be broadcast on television and online — more details aren’t announced yet, so I don’t know what network, social services, websites or whatever. But you can sign up here for more information on that.

7. Tickets go on sale July 19th only at callofduty.com/xp.
Information on purchasing tickets has been posted over at the official Call of Duty XP website. Here are the key points you’ll need to know if you want to go:

Call of Duty XP tickets will go on sale July 19th, 2011 at 10am Pacific Daylight Time via a link on this site.
Callofduty.com is the only site that will be selling tickets for COD XP — don’t fall for fakes, use the real website. If you are really interested in going, prepare to be in front of a browser at this time, since I don’t think they will last long.

Tickets are $150 and are valid for both days. Your ticket includes admission to all events and activities with the exception of food and beverage. You must provide your own travel to and from the location.
Not much of a surprise, but I guess they have to be clear. If you are flying in, you will likely want to fly into LAX, as it’s the closest major airport to the event location. Travel packages (hotel & airfare) will be available for purchase on the 19th as well, on this page.

Individuals may purchase up to two tickets. Full name and info is required for each attendee and tickets are non-transferable. Attendees must be 18 years of age or older and bring a valid photo ID.
This means one person won’t be able to get in and say “I’d like 6000 tickets please — see you on eBay.” On the other hand, this means you can’t get a spare ticket and then choose who you want to take with you. They will be carding you at the door and the name must match — I double-checked this. It’s like buying a plane ticket: If you show up at the gate without a ticket or if your ticket doesn’t match your ID, you’re not getting in. Also, minors will not be allowed in even if accompanied by a parent — it really is strictly an 18-and-up event.

Attendees voluntarily enter Call of Duty® XP and assume all risk of injury associated therewith. Attendees also understand that they may be required to sign a release to participate in certain events at Call of Duty® XP.
Standard insurance stuff, I’m betting, but remember — live games of paintball, running around, maybe other stuff. They gotta do the CYA thing.

7. You can pre-qualify for the $1 million tournament.

You good? Prove it.

Activision has announced some of the information regarding the big tournament. Call of Duty XP’s $1 Million Operation will be a 32-team, single-elimination tournament. One four-player team will win $400,000 as the top prize, but the other prizes bring the grand total of loot up to a million. Your team can pre-qualify for one of 28 slots through official events which will take place around the world; as soon as I have hard details on these events, I will post about them here. If you win a slot at one of those events, you’ll also get complimentary hotel and airfare and you’re on your way to XP.

Additionally, four slots will be available for qualification at Call of Duty XP itself — so if you and your friends can’t make it to a pre-qualifying event, you might be able to show up at the event and kick everybody’s ass for the grand prize. All these pre-qualifying events will use Black Ops, so now’s the time to practice. To get more info on the $1 Million Operation as it becomes available, you should sign up here.

There is more info at the official Call of Duty XP website, particularly in the FAQ, so please check it out in full if you’re serious about attending. And I’ll be at XP as well, but don’t let that stop you.