A long line of eager NIC students waited outside the Game Stop on Ironwood Drive Monday, Nov. 7. As early as 7 p.m. people waited to be one of the first to get their hands on the third installment to one of the most popular video game trilogies ever made.
Hardcore gamers didn’t wait for the midnight release of the new “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” (MW3) alone. Around 8 p.m. soldiers from the 455th Engineering Army reserved unit, stationed in Hayden, showed up with two up-armored Humvees and a M113 Armored Personnel Carrier (A.P.C.).
“It’s exciting.” said NIC student Robert Bauer, 19, Coeur d’Alene, photography. “But I wonder why a lot of people showed up for just a video game.”
The soldiers gave people the chance to climb around on the vehicles and handle some of the weapons used in the very game they were about to buy. Kids explored the A.P.C. and got pictures with the 50 Cal Machine gun mounted on the roof, as well as the MK 19 grenade launcher set up on the sidewalk.
“It was pretty cool!” said NIC student Tim Taigen, 19, Spokane, civil computer aided design. “Considering I was gonna be here anyways.”
“A lot of these guys look familiar,” said NIC student Matt Cotton, 21, Coeur d’ Alene, general studies.
One such familiar looking solider was 24-year-old fire service technology NIC student Specialist Zachary Wolf, from Post Falls. His record includes a 9-month deployment to Iraq with the 41st infantry and he is the founder of the NIC Veterans Club.
“Getting out in the public is good for the Unit,” said Spec.Wolf. “The unit being there is a good reminder that it’s not just a game, it’s a lifestyle.”
Some of the soldiers that attended the midnight release, such as Spec. Wolf and Lt. Lind, also attended the Veterans Lunch in the SUB Nov. 11.
The line stretched around the shopping center as midnight approached.
One minute after midnight the long line filed anxiously into Game Stop. On the way in, Air Force recruiters handed out MW3 door prizes and Air Force lanyards.
After a more than profitable night for Game Stop passed, satisfied gamers went home to spend their morning hours playing the long-anticipated game.
For information on “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” visit their website at: http://www.callofduty.com/mw3.
Jake
November 17, 2011 at 9:37 am
one of best video game trilogies ever made? long-anticipated game? Wow, first of all, I can name a lot of trilogies that are better than COD, and second, long anticipated? This was announced in June, yer, REALLY LONG WAIT! Wow
Noura Alfadl-Andreasson
November 18, 2011 at 2:40 am
The word “best” was a mistake by the editor. It was meant to say “popular,” which it is, because it is one of the highest selling video game trilogies ever. According to the MW3 website it was a long anticipated wait for some cities. If you visit the web site’s news section, there are photos and stories of of the Nov. 8 MW3 launch in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.
lofler1maie1
November 27, 2011 at 11:21 am
mw3 is so fucking awsome hellyer baby