Call of Duty: Black Ops News

Activision offers explanation of what gamers can expect from free membership to upcoming online service; custom leaderboards, video uploads, and heat maps available; mum on what paid subscription will offer.

Sony announces new limited-edition system pack that includes console, latest Call of Duty game, and First Strike add-on.

Top game retailer banks $80.4 million during Feb.-Apr.; Pokemon Black & White, Mortal Kombat, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Homefront pegged as best sellers.

Resurrection of fatality-focused fighter sells nearly 900,000 copies, beats out Portal 2 in big month at retail as total game sales up 20% year-over-year.

Activision announces sales milestone for Cold War-era shooter; Q1 earnings hit $1.4 billion, profit rises to $503 million; Diablo III beta kicking off Q3; free-to-play COD en route to China.

Wedbush's Michael Pachter says Treyarch's shooter has hit new sales milestone; analyst estimates 12 million units sold on Xbox 360, pegs Escalation DLC day-one sales as 4 million.

[UPDATE] Xbox 360 sells 433,000 units as Pokemon Black & White combine for 2.4 million; 3DS first-weeks sales hit 400,000; Homefront and Dragon Age II also medal in weaker-than-expected retail software market.

Microsoft officially confirms previously outed downloadable content for Activision's wildly popular shooter; will debut on Xbox Live first.

Latest Call of Duty getting second map pack on May 3 according to pulled retailer advertisement; will arrive first on Xbox Live.

Multiple job listings on Santa Monica developer's career portal point to studio crafting new COD entry; this November's game still TBA.

Rhythm game minted $830.9 million--but Call of Duty: Black Ops is closing fast with $787.4 million; Wii Fit, Modern Warfare 2, and Rock Band also make top 10.

Heavy Rain proves a critical favourite, picking up three British Academy awards; Mass Effect 2 wins the Best Game prize; Peter Molyneux awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement.

[UPDATE] Microsoft's console sets record as latest COD proves most popular software in US history with 13.7 million units sold; domestic sales up 3% overall.

GDC 2011: Rockstar San Diego's Western triumphs at Game Developers Conference's annual ceremony; Mass Effect 2, Limbo, Minecraft, also honored; full video inside.

Wedbush's Michael Pachter breaks down NPD data, with Microsoft's console coming out on top; Donkey Kong Country Returns sales come in at about 166,500.

Sinking hardware, software sales send overall stateside revenues sliding; Just Dance 2, Dead Space 2, Little Big Planet 2, Zumba Fitness make top 10.

DICE 2011: Red Dead Redemption, Enslaved, and God of War III upset at Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' annual trophy fest.

The UK's premier gaming awards has released the shortlist for the ceremony's one publicly voted award; rest to follow next week.

Activision founding all-new Beachhead studio to develop "special services" for popular shooter; CEO compares it to Battle.net.