Michael Condrey, Co-Founder, Sledgehammer Games
Co-Op Gameplay
Co-Optkmus: Obviously the CoD series multiplayer mode is on top of the world right now. Is your goal to have the co-op modes occupy the same place in gamers' minds?
Glen: It would be nice to think we can capture that same attention for all of our modes whether it is SP, MP, or Co-op, but in reality, the most vocal fans that help extend the shelf life of these games are ultimately those that play MP for the majority of the time. However, we pride ourselves on replay value. This year we feel with the amount of energy and cool things being poured just into Co-op alone, this mode will surely gain a reputation as having some fantastic replay value. I also believe there will be a lot of competing back and forth with the leaderboards and people trying to get all the upgrades and emblems, etc that we've packed into this mode.
Co-Optimus: Are there any co-op specific Achievements/Trophies?
Glen: Yes there are but we can’t dive into all the details just yet but there are definitely some fun surprises that come with playing Co-op. People will really enjoy the ‘rewards’! You can upgrade your weapons, rank up, get cash to buy new weapons and perks including more troops to help support you.
Co-Optimus: Do you think having co-op in your game is a necessity today in gaming? Has the co-op revolution surprised you?
Glen: The bar is constantly changing in terms of what games have to offer. For the Call of Duty franchise you’ll notice that, starting with the first, each game in the series has its own personality and features. With each game, we try to top the previous whether that’s driven through gameplay mechanics, graphical upgrades, weapons, story, etc. and usually these decisions are based on community feedback. With the most recent Call of Duty games, Co-op proved to be gaining a lot of popularity. So with MW3, we knew it was necessary to put a lot of energy and focus into developing the best Co-op experience to date. We really want to bring the fans something new, fun and competitive but feels like it fits in the MW universe. Come November 8th, we’re confident our fans will absolutely love what Co-op has to offer.
Co-Optimus: If you could play MW3 Spec Ops with anybody, who would be your co-op partner?
Glen: How about I mention who wouldn’t be my co-op partner. The obvious answer to that is Michael Condrey. That guy still tries to use his PS controller to turn on his Xbox. Do you think I want him on my team? No thanks…