An invite to a game launch is always exciting, because whether you’re media or just a gamer, you get to enjoy the game you’ve been eagerly anticipating while hanging out and playing with a room full of like-minded fans and friends. It can’t really get much better than that!
When it comes to MWEB’s game launches they always deliver on that experience and Tuesday 13th November was one such occasion, when the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 launch event took place at the super uber MCave, over at the MWEB offices in Cape Town. About 50 gamers comprising media and VIP gamers were all present and eager, a majority of whom were to experience the game for the very first time.
Greeted by MWEB’s online gaming manager Desmond Kurz and co., we were welcomed with smiles and goodie bags featuring some cool Steel Series and Guild Wars 2 swag, and were then escorted to a Black Ops 2-themed MCave featuring eight PCs and eight Xbox 360s all armed and ready for the fragging.
Kurz welcomed the crowd, explaining the festivities planned for the evening in order to win the many prizes that were up for grabs. The first challenge series was ‘Challenge the Pro’ where all that needed to be done was get one kill against the 4 Pro’s and keep them from killing you twice, in order to qualify for a prize draw. The pro players for the night were Brad Kirby from MWEB and Nashief Hendricks from Clan ASF on PC, and Chad Desmore from Clan Hi5 and Lee Bransgrove from Team XtaZ on Xbox 360.
Several copies of Black Ops 2 across all three main platforms were given away, while Gioteck gaming hardware (sponsored by Apex Interactive) and even vouchers to shoot real guns at Fish Hoek Gun Club were up for grabs. How’s that for super neat?! There were also prizes for ‘Best Dressed’ for those that paid tribute to their favourite Black Ops 2 characters, and we even had a Zombie in the building paying homage to the famed Black Ops Zombies mode, and nope this time it wasn’t our friend Zombie Dredd from Zombiegamer but instead Richard Scott (aka Coldcat).
With a bevy of finger snacks and beverages sponsored by Mountain Dew along with an assortment of pizzas that followed later, all gamers present were fuelled and ready for a full night of gaming. I was so eager to get my hands on the game that I jumped straight into a ‘Challenge the Pro’ match-up, taking on Nashief on PC. Suffice to say that was a bad idea, as despite my own confidence in being a decent PC player I should have practised on the casual side of the MCave first to stand a chance against the a Pro like Nashief. Lesson learned!
Worth a mention but not so much the merit was the MAG Gun Controller, a wireless motion-sensing gun peripheral that aims to immerse the gamer into the midst of combat but failed to achieve that, due to its inaccuracy not only on screen but also its uncanny habit of wanting you to aim at the floor all the time. As if we were playing Call of Duty: Cockroach Ops or something [lame, but I tried]. Bold attempt on their part, perhaps with some more R&D and software tweaks it could work out well for interested first-person-shooter gamers.
As the night continued with interesting conversations, unavoidable refuelling of Mountain Dew and yummy snacks ( and even more fragging), the ‘usual suspects’ Zombie Dredd, Glenn from 2upGamers, Brady from ITF Gaming, Dean from eGamer, Swarl3y and Clint from F34R Clan and myself found ourselves quickly addicted to a really awesome game mode called ‘Sticks and Stones,’ which arms each player with a crossbow and sticky explosive arrows, as well as some throwing tomahawks.
Needless to say we had a blast, as trying to plant a sticky arrow to your opponent from less than two metres away is both fun and frenetic and makes for an excellent party game, especially for those looking for a casual and light-hearted Call of Duty experience.
Overall, it was a great event – passive, refreshing and fun. MWEB never fails and always impresses when it comes to the local gaming community, and I will never tire to mention how grateful I am for the good that they have done and are doing for the South African gaming community.
To everyone else that was also involved and otherwise not mentioned or remained behind the scenes, good on you guys for being a part of this great launch and making it happen.
Tags: activision, callofdutyblackops2, capetown, southafrica, treyarch
