Completes Week-Long USO Tour in Germany and Kuwait with Donation of $100,000 Worth of Call of Duty Hits to be Delivered to 50 USO Entertainment Centers Worldwide
SANTA MONICA, Calif.— Apr. 19, 2018– Activision announced today it has donated more than $100,000 worth of Call of Duty games to the USO. A library of recent releases, including Call of Duty: WWII, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered will be shared with more than 50 USO Centers around the world. The announcement comes in celebration of Call of Duty and the Call of Duty Endowment’s first official USO entertainment tour, which included stops at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring, Kuwait, to visit and play Call of Duty: WWII with active duty and deployed Reserve and National Guard service members.
“We’re honored to have come together with the USO entertainment team through this extraordinary opportunity to spend time with active duty service members stationed overseas as a further reflection of our appreciation and recognition for their service,” said Dan Goldenberg, Executive Director of the Call of Duty Endowment. “The Call of Duty Endowment shares a common bond with the USO to support the men and women of our armed forces. Through this tour we visited as many troops as possible to add some fun to their daily routine. On behalf of the Endowment, the Call of Duty team and everyone at Activision, we’re grateful to them for their service.”
Activision’s donation of the library of Call of Duty games have been distributed to service members stationed throughout the world via USO’s Holiday for Heroes, Warrior Center USO, USO2GO and other programs.
While visiting Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, as well Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring in Kuwait, the Activision team was honored to play the newest Call of Duty: WWII DLC Pack, The War Machine, with service members. Following the gameplay sessions, Q&A’s were held with Brian Miggels from Sledgehammer Games and the troops regarding the game’s development and season of content. Additionally, throughout the week the team was treated to various on-base experiences, including Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and K-9 Unit special demonstrations, among others, which provided a unique opportunity to not only meet the men and women in uniform, but also develop an even greater appreciation for their talents and professionalism.
“It’s an honor to work with such kind organizations like Activision and the Call of Duty Endowment,” said Rebecca Medeiros, Center Director, USO Camp Arifjan. “USO’s mission is to connect service members to family, home and country and we’re thankful for any interaction that lets them be themselves in our home away from home.”
The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit founded in 2009 by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. With a mission to identify and fund the most effective and efficient employment-focused veteran-serving organizations, the Endowment has funded more than 43,000 job placements to date, at an average 2017 cost-per-placement of $504, with an average starting salary of $58,350, and with a six-month retention rate of 88 percent.
Released in 2017, Call of Duty: WWIIis rated M for Mature and is developed by Sledgehammer Games with additional development support from Raven Software. 2016’s releases Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, developed by Infinity Ward, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, developed by Raven Software are both rated M for Mature. Originally released in 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops III is rated M for Mature and is developed by Treyarch. Call of Duty is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI).
To view highlights of the recently completed USO tour, visit: https://blog.activision.com. For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com,www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty.
About the Call of Duty Endowment
The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit co-founded by Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. The Endowment helps veterans find high quality careers by supporting groups that prepare them for the job market and by raising awareness of the value vets bring to the workplace. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.
About the USO
The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.
I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.
More Stories
IHOP Collabs with Sonic the Hedgehog to Bring Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola Plus More to Menu
Shifty Eye Games Receives Funding from Creative Export Canada Program, Bungie Co-founder to Advise
Displate Reveals Displate Textra, A Metal Poster Bringing Art to Life in 3D