Call of Duty 4 suffering sellout syndrome
by Ross Miller 
{ Nov 8th 2007 at 6:00PM }
According to Nollenberger Capital Partners analyst Todd Greenwald (via GameDaily), "we've checked with a wide range of retailers (Gamestop, Wal-Mart, Target), and only pre-orders are being satisfied-stores are otherwise sold out of the title." The publisher's other recent major release, Guitar Hero 3, is also in the midst of selling out. The news does sound good for Activision, but just think about how much more money they could make off of downloadable content if they manage to meet consumer demand.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gonk @ Nov 8th 2007 6:06PM
just go to best buy, they had a pile of em when i picked it up yesterday
Edog Lost @ Nov 8th 2007 7:36PM
Word.
Best Buy FTW.
The1 @ Nov 9th 2007 8:37AM
I went to my local GameStop and they had plenty.
Matthew @ Nov 9th 2007 9:37AM
I got mine on Launch Day from EB and they said they got undershipped and I got that last copy so the EB here is Birmingham, AL was out for at least a day or 2 of the 360 versions
Svalsbard @ Nov 8th 2007 6:12PM
A Circuit City near DC had several console copies on Tuesday, as did a Best Buy I went to. However, for some reason only the Best Buy had the PC version of the game, but they had a deal where you got a free copy of Behind Enemy Lines on DVD with your purchase...joy.
BananaBoat @ Nov 8th 2007 6:11PM
I picked one up today at Bestbuy also, and they had a ton of them. I think the guy mentioned might have some money riding on this game, and he's drumming up the hype accordingly. Either that, or stores (other than bestbuy, which by 2 reports thusfar, mine included, has plenty of copies) are getting low supplies.
I thought this game would have mediocre sales compared to all the other games coming out, but I guess if it actually did sell out, it's all thanks to the amazing Beta that showed off the fantastic gameplay that COD4 has to offer.
Still though, I think I could walk into ANY store in town and pick up a copy if I still needed one.
Jeff @ Nov 8th 2007 6:17PM
I really get confused when I see posts like this. I have never, ever had trouble finding a copy of a game on release-day. Maybe it's just because I have 3 (count em') gamestops near my house.
Clack @ Nov 8th 2007 6:29PM
I didn't get my copy of Metroid Prime 3 until the third Gamestop on launch day.
glutto @ Nov 8th 2007 6:33PM
I went to Best Buy on release day for the Orange Box. They had them locked up in the cage at the front.
They refused to sell me it because the flyer incorrectly stated the release date was one day later.
I shrugged, walked next door to the Future Shop, and picked it up there.
Scott @ Nov 8th 2007 6:19PM
the game is awesome!
Period.
If it doesn't AT THE LEAST pass Gears of War for 2nd game played on Major Nelson's little LIVE activity thing I'll be sincerely SHOCKED and AWED!
Jose @ Nov 8th 2007 6:20PM
Good thing PC users can just use Steam :)
LaughingTarget @ Nov 8th 2007 6:40PM
But the Steam users have to wait an extra week.
Jeff @ Nov 8th 2007 6:41PM
Let's be honest with ourselves. PC games never sell out, unless its something like Darwinia or Psychonauts where they might only get one copy ever.
Ted @ Nov 8th 2007 7:51PM
Agreed :) Steam is the future.
"PC games never sell out"
o.O
Well with the millions and millions playing WoW the fact that they don't sell out doesn't mean that they don't sell.
jopojelly @ Nov 8th 2007 6:26PM
Haven't played any Call of Duty games yet, maybe I should. heh
Clack @ Nov 8th 2007 6:27PM
I will do my part to help the situation by not buying a copy. I'm so selfless.
umm....hello??? @ Nov 8th 2007 6:37PM
"inadquate" supply?? how about an "inadequate" supply?
@Clack: lol
nxtiak @ Nov 8th 2007 6:39PM
Uhh out of stock wtf? I just bought mine at my local Best Buy. They have the game cages at the registers, So I tell the girl i wanted COD4, she calls someone, the person opens the locker and there's like 100 COD4s there.
Negativecool @ Nov 8th 2007 6:46PM
I seriously don't know why these are flying off the shelves. I just finished level 3 and they need to tighten up the graphics a little bit...
fawazr @ Nov 8th 2007 6:50PM
BRILLIANT!
Drew @ Nov 8th 2007 6:54PM
Because graphics totally sell a game.
The gameplay and multiplayer is AMAZING.
Negativecool @ Nov 8th 2007 7:01PM
Ok Drew, you completely missed my Westwood college reference.
booo:(
ToastyBuffoon @ Nov 8th 2007 7:06PM
I think that one went over Drew there....
Drew @ Nov 8th 2007 7:14PM
awww boo. Second comment in a row... foot right into the mouth.
Jeeze, I need to stop posting at work so I can actually pay attention to these things and stop making an ass out of myself :P
My apologies for being an idiot :D
Tom @ Nov 8th 2007 8:16PM
Ahhh... sarcasm in text form... doesn't work
Anyways, this game's visuals puts Gears of War to shame, and you all know it!
Geist @ Nov 8th 2007 7:29PM
An interesting title, but I buy my games for the single player experience, which I hear this sorely lacks. I like the sound of 'experience' in multiplayer, other titles should take note.
gonk @ Nov 8th 2007 8:54PM
this one seems like they spent 75% of their time on multiplayer, because I know I'll play it for 100+ hours, while the single player will only be a 5-6 hour thing (although it sounds cool)
Mal F4cti0n @ Nov 8th 2007 10:29PM
Yeah.
I played the Campaign for a couple of levels. Its good, better than COD2 and, by default, a hell of a lot better than COD3. The just didn't care about the story. Gameplay is fun.
But, holy shit, the multiplayer is complete tits! I must have played about 12 games, from about 7 o'clock until 10:00 and realized I hadn't had dinner yet. It was super sweet! I want to play again right now, but I know one game won't be enough and I won't go to sleep all night.
So Ize posting here. ; )
Ted @ Nov 8th 2007 7:59PM
I like the Call of Duty series because of the epic single player campaigns that make you feel like you're taking part in something much much bigger than yourself. I remember the charge across Red Square and the storming of the Reichstag in the original CoD very fondly. For multiplayer I prefer the online-only titles like Team Fortress 2, Battlefield 2 or Day of Defeat Source, but I hear that CoD4 innovates in a lot of areas so I'm looking forward to trying it out. Overall can't until my steam preorder gets unlocked :)
One concern though... I hope they go back to historical wars... I'm concerned by the lack of defined countries beside Ukraine etc (it only gets called 'The Middle East'). The sweeping scale of the CoD single player is much more effective if you feel it's something that was experienced by real people and not pure invention.
LaughingTarget @ Nov 8th 2007 8:22PM
Problem with that, all historical wars after WW2 aren't terribly exciting in a quasi-historical game environment. Korea and Vietnam would be an exercise in frustration. The first would involve your health slowly depleating while you freeze to death and the second would involve simply getting lucky to not get ambushed in the dense jungle. The rest of them are pretty much one group walking over another with ease (usually the US over some developing nation) or regional conflicts that the game buying public just can't get into. Could you enjoy the Afghanis vs the Soviets? Probably not.
Ted @ Nov 8th 2007 8:31PM
True... but I think CoD there is still some fresh WW2 material to be exploited now that they have left it alone for a development cycle. I bet the Call of Duty devs could do an awesome job with Iwo Jima for instance (Imagine playing through the battle scenes of 'Flags of our Fathers' and 'Letters from Iwo Jima'-- those were epic).
Good point though, it's just that I don't really get the 'chill down my spine' factor as much if it doesn't seem 'real'. (Although admittedly I wouldn't mind a CoH involving the Cold War going hot, NATO vs Warsaw Pact). I would probably be more into the setting for CoD 4 if they just named the middle eastern countries and used something from the real world as a starting point eg US invading Iran or Pakistan nuking Afghanistan or something...
Specter @ Nov 9th 2007 2:23PM
The Circuit City I work at has plenty, although we did sell out of GH3 for the Xbox 360 a few days after release.
fester @ Nov 8th 2007 10:59PM
WOW! The graphics and playability are superb-even better than GOW; run, swim, or fly-just get it!
t_m @ Nov 8th 2007 11:20PM
Its not a lack of supply... its store policy in places like EB where they try and FORCE people to pre-order by making artificial shortages.
Hopefully soon everyone will use steam and crooks like EB will go out of business.
Korova @ Nov 9th 2007 7:59AM
Yeah, this is yet another instance of the Nintendo Short Press - announce shortages -> increase and extend sales.
Rockband just did it, now COD. Its getting old so quick.
It didnt work the last two times, but I will get the COD4. I wont run. I wont dignify that sheit.
Matt @ Nov 9th 2007 10:51AM
I got mine at Gamestop the day it came out. I like how the clerks try to give you a guilt trip sometimes for not pre-ordering it. The guy was like "well, we only have two copies left, one standard edition and one limited, that's all we have." He gave me this look as if it was somehow irresponsible of me to even ask if they had a copy in stock. I was just like "Good thing I don't want two copies then, isn't it?"
nealbailey @ Nov 10th 2007 4:44PM
"I just finished level 3 and they need to tighten up the graphics a little bit"
You're smoking crack dude, the graphics in this game are mind-blowing. Wait until you get to the part of the game where the nuclear bomb explodes and you get to walk around the fallout and witness the suffering...
I've never seen anything like it and I've been gaming for 20 years.
DirtnSky @ Nov 10th 2007 9:21PM
To those who played the demo. That was a Massive Chock-tease. We're to believe in it that there's some kind of -you know- WAR going on in Raghead Central...
...I just finished "Rainbow Recon: Advanced Call of the Warrior". Jesus, They could of just renamed it "TOM CLANCY: We can one up you Any day!" Hundreds of lives where to be toasted - but get this.. Nobody noticed. Saudi Arabia gets invaded by nasty US soldiers and no stick is made? The CAPITAL of IRAQ that is called..Al Başrah Gets nuked? Aping a sequence out of an REAL video with a C-130 in Afghanistan during the start of the war. But instead of "mosque" It's "Church".. And they even Ape "We've got a runner" line to boot.. have they No Shame? Did anybody in Infinity watch "BlackHawk Down"? Why the Hell are all those rotors SAGGING In Flight!?! This wasn't a Global conflict, it was all "shush shush" Recon Six affair, and Infinity does not have the balls to put Real Names or places except for Chernobyl in it to prove some worthless point. In case anyones wondering, the only reason why the city hasn't recovered is because the government's out of money. The final car chase was as infuriating as in CoD2, you aim at the driver and the glass is transparent steel?! Hinds are bouncing around while you're bouncing around and somehow you're given a RPG to hurt them? Note again to Infinity: Hinds have thickened frames that can withstand light arms fire as well as ANTI-PERSONAL propelled grenades. And here the MASSIVE kicker: The REAL BAD GUY is:... wait for it... A WHITEY!!! Yes, the Ragheads where still bad... But they where Played by the WHITEY Cossack!!!! Just like the film "The Sum of All Fears", it aint the Ragheads..Its All White NeoNazi time! And finally: the Epilogue..Oh my. A HUGE chunk of fuselage is blown off(twice)... And decompression doesn't occur, which of course would "eject" anything not bolted to the frame in half a second and plunge the plane into a quick spin to the ground..no no. Let's steal a little HollyWeird action to end this whole sad affair. Man I'm glad I just rented it.
Europe and America for the most part somehow lost some balls in these last few decades. Ragheads kill 4 THOUSAND PLUS Americans in the last few decades, and what have we been doing? Whining and moaning and bitching about how insensitive we are to the DAmn spotted Owl! Tree-huggers should be weeping over all those millions of pamphlets and decrees "shaming" those naughty Ragheads.