Sweeping vistas, swelling music, but this is not the latest Hollywood blockbuster; it is a video game: Modern Warfare 2 is the latest installment in the popular Call of Duty series. Game-maker Activision rolled out the camouflaged carpet in a first ever game premiere at London's Leicester Square styled after Hollywood's red carpet affairs.
"I think it's great to get that recognition now and to realize how many people actually play video games and that it is enjoyed by so many people around the world, so it's on a massive scale."
In fact, high-profile computer games now routinely make more money than movies do on their release. Modern Warfare 2 is expected to rake in a record half a billion dollars in the first week. It's not just shooting targets, Modern Warfare 2 features complex plots and stunning visuals. Live actors are featured to make playing as real as possible. Gamers can play alone or against other players world-wide.
Maybe too real. Modern Warfare 2 has stirred controversy with its bloody depiction of a terrorist attack. The game is targeted at adults. It has an M for Mature rating and comes with a higher price tag:60 dollars not including any add-ons. Industry analysts say Modern Warfare 2 will likely set a new record as the most profitable game and possible entertainment launch in history.
"There's a big question over whether movies make more money in the long-run bacause of all the licensing and DVD sales, Blue-ray, that kind of thing. But certainly video games are the biggest entertainment industry now in terms of pure cash in the first week."
And in one more sign of the growing dominance of the video gaming industry, Modern Warfare 2 may spawn spin-offs including a comic book and a movie.
Atika Shubert, cnn, London.
vistas: n. 远景,前景,展望,追忆
blockbuster: 流行佳作
swell: a. 优秀的,一流的 vi. 增大,膨胀,肿胀,增强
installment: n. 分期付款;一期,一部
add-on: adj. 附加
spawn: vt. 产卵,酿成
spin-off: n. 有用的副产品
