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Modern Warfare 3 makes cover of Time

News magazine lets Activision use iconic front face for Call of Duty promotional campaign.

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No Caption Provided Time bills itself as "the world's most influential magazine," with a publishing history stretching back 88 years. Now the news weekly is lending that influence--in the form of its iconic logo and red cover border--to Activision to help promote Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Could this ever be an actual Time cover? Image credit: New York Times.
Could this ever be an actual Time cover? Image credit: New York Times.

According to a New York Times report, Activision and Time have paired to bring gamers a fake magazine cover that will be used as promotional material and as a preorder incentive for Modern Warfare 3 at GameStop locations nationwide. According to the Times, this is the first time Time has allowed its image to be used for a commercial product.

As for the faux magazine cover, it was created by Activision and features an image of a battered Wall Street, complete with a fake headline that reads "World Stands on the Brink" and a deck head that states "Tensions Rise Across Europe." These headlines fall in line with what is expected of the game, as the title will feature battles across the globe in places like the United States, Germany, France, and England.

According to Time's publisher, Kim Kelleher, the decision to let Activision use its image was made to tap into a demographic the magazine has struggled to connect with.

"This is where the boys are," Kelleher said. "This is a great way to connect with millions of people we might not have otherwise connected with. I like the concept of Time being a related brand of something that's happening in 2030," she added. "That makes me happy."

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games' follow-up to Treyarch's blockbuster hit Call of Duty: Black Ops. It is due out for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC (Wii and DS versions have not been announced) on November 8. For more on the title, check out GameSpot's most recent preview of the game.

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