'Call of Duty' convention kicks off in Los Angeles

[September 03, 2011]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Call of Duty" is coming to life.

Fans of the shoot-'em-up franchise are converging Friday on the sprawling 12-acre compound in Los Angeles where Howard Hughes built the Spruce Goose for the inaugural "Call of Duty XP" convention.

It's a two-day event celebrating the Activision Blizzard Inc. military shooter with game previews, real-world recreations of "Call of Duty" levels and a performance by Kanye West.

More than 7,000 attendees are expected at the sold-out event, which will serve as the unveiling for the multiplayer mode of the upcoming "Modern Warfare 3."

Tickets cost $150, with proceeds going to the Call of Duty Endowment, a nonprofit organization that Activision founded to assist military veterans.

[Associated Press; By DERRIK J. LANG]

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