The Cold War may have ended a long time ago, but that doesn't mean that spies can rest on their laurels. In fact, US intelligence agents have been keeping busy lately. Doing what, you may ask? Why, studying video games in order to improve their analytical skills.

It seems that DIA analysts have now joined the likes of surgeons in using video games for training. More on this unorthodox method of training in the full article after the jump.

Midway Studios Austin's latest game for the first person shooter genre, Blacksite: Area 51 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3), may have had much promise, but it failed to meet expectations of players and reviewers alike. Game designer Harvey Smith, known for his work on the memorable Deus Ex, looked back on the critical errors made while developing BlackSite.

Details and more at the full article.

For sure. When Microsoft seemed bent to advocate Live Anywhere to game developers in order to connect console thumb-flippers to PC twitchers on what might have been the modern gamer's World War I, they probably didn't expect to be stopped dead cold by Infinity Ward's two-lettered dumb-founder: "No." Activision's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare ain't going Live, says Infinity, and that's that.

 

But Infinity Ward's Grant Collier did reveal in an interview with IGN that CoD4 (for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) was not going to be a sandbox destructive game. Instead, they've put more focus on producing better frame rates on the game than creating a world that's "totally destructible."

And according to Collier, full destructibility is just another fad in the shooting genre that could end sooner than later. While everyone is else is requesting for such a feature, Infinity Ward doesn't feel that it delivers fun in any of the games that are being designed with that concept in mind, like EA's Battlefield Bad Company. He added:

I think it's a buzzword, it's a badge, it's a bullet-point option, but a lot of games they get in there and they try to do that and then they're like 'okay we have the sandbox, now why don't we try to make the game fun'. And total destructibility, you can really ruin the gameplay. ... So I think right now it's a fad, and the fad will pass, we're not going to be bite on in it - we want the game to be fun first, and destructibility comes second.

Oh and Price is coming back. Again. Revived for the modern era, the lovable Brit is going to get new shoes to fill, with arch-nemesis Zakhaev. Collier said that a foiled assassination attempt has your paths cross with Zakhaev and Price and much of their history gets revealed through flashbacks set in Ukraine.

And even though facts have been tossed around that Call of Duty 4 was set in present-day Iraq, it actually revolves around conflict touching the four corners of the modern world. And enemies aren't under-equipped, cowardly Guerrilla types; they've got the technology and the tactics to take you and your band of brothers (circa 2007) out.

With Activision's recently submitted financial performance report for fiscal year 2007, avid gamer and analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities remained optimistic about the future for Activision. For the fiscal year 2008, Pachter estimates a US$ 1.8 billion in revenue for the company, while eyeing a US$ 2 billion in revenue for 2009.

 

He also recommends a "Strong Buy" for the company's stock as a result, from a US$ 23 to US$ 24.50. But according to the analyst, "All things are not perfect in Activision's world." The so-so reviews of the game adaptation of blockbuster hit Spider-Man 3 were especially questioned by Pachter.

And then came the news that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was to be set in present-day Iraq, which Pachter points out as a bad move for the company. He said:

We understand that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is set in Iraq in the present, and we believe that if true, there is some potential for sales to suffer as a result of widespread dissatisfaction with the U.S. war effort in that country. Of course, prior to release, it may be possible to change the venue for the game (we prefer the fictional country of Kreplachistan), and we are confident that Activision will consider carefully how to best position the product in the marketplace this fall.

That's not all: due to recent friction between Harmonix and Electronic Arts' Rock Band with upcoming Red Octane and Activision's riff-maker Guitar Hero III, Pachter expects one tough fight ahead of the publisher. He expects that the original creators of Guitar Hero, Harmonix, will be able to create a competitive title against its former franchise with Rock Band, even if the analyst has heard little details about the new game under Electronic Arts' wing.

In case you missed it, developer Infinity Ward will be making a big announcement this coming April 28, Saturday. The company didn't mention what exactly the big news is going to be about but fans are thinking that it could be about Call of Duty 4. Gaming site IGN now confirms that it is indeed about that shooter.

First and foremost, CoD 4 will be officially known as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Still no details were released about this title but judging from the name, it is very possible that the series is moving away from the WW II settings. Could it be set in one of the modern battlefields such as Iraq? Afghanistan perhaps?

Anyway, as part of the announcement, the worldwide trailer will be released on the same day (April 28). You could catch it on ESPN around 10 a.m. PST / 1 p.m. EST. It will be shown during the NFL draft so don't miss that.

Infinity Ward, or Activision for that matter, is yet to divulge what platforms Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will be on. Although it is highly plausible though that it will come on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Games for Windows (PC) platforms.