It looks like 'Beast Mode' is coming to Call of Duty.
The Seattle Seahawks superstar running back and Super Bowl champion Marshawn Lynch appears on the cover of ESPN: The Magazine's first ever esports issue. The bruising runner whose punishing runs and unstoppable physicality have lead fans to dub him 'Beast Mode' stars on the cover wearing futuristic battle armour and a bionic arm.
The reason for the high tech get up? It's because Lynch will also be starring as a character in this year's edition of the mega hit first person shooter franchise Call of Duty known as Black Ops III. The game which takes place in a war scarred future, continues the story of the previous two instalments. Black Ops III was developed by Treyarch studios and published by Activision Blizzard. It is set to hit stores in November 2015.
Inside the magazine, Lynch talks about his love of video games and the huge honor it was to be chosen as the cover man for ESPNs first ever issue dedicated to cyber gaming: "I've been in the Super Bowl, movies, music videos, 'Madden,'" Lynch told ESPN The Magazine. "But to have your own character in 'Duty' is, I mean, it's almost like you arrived."
In an excerpt from the magazine, which is in stores now, Lynch talks on his history with the franchise:
Lynch says his 'COD' fandom was sparked during his college days at Cal. The nine-year NFL veteran now logs on daily for battles with teammates old and new, because "it's a cool way to keep in contact," he says. "It's a fun-loving way to let off some stress." As a bonus, the game aligns with Lynch's on-field philosophy. "You're shooting up everything but always fighting for a bigger picture. The whole game is Beast Mode."
The magazine issue is another step in ESPN's slow but steady expansion into the realm of competitive gaming. The network recently televised a League of Legends tournament on one of their channels, much to the bemusement of their core audience.
