Next Battle In World War III Erupts On East 14th Street Monday Night

Several hundred San Leandrans were so eager to fight World War III that they lined up outside the on downtown East 14th Street Monday night to buy the latest installment in the popular, online shoot-em-up, "Call of Duty."

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" officially launched at midnight. It costs $59.99.

By 10:30 Monday night, the line of fans stretched around the corner of East 14th Street into the parking lot of the downtown shopping center.

It was a scene repeated around the world as reviews of the game's plot stirred anticipation for the latest installment in the popular series.

Seated in front of the door with friends, San Leandro High School student Quin Spencer said he had arrived at 6:00 p.m. to be among the first local buyers.

Many of the gamers waiting Monday night had performed the same ritual for previous editions of "Call of Duty."

"This is the third time I've done this," said Vince Harris, a retail clerk in San Leandro. He said he had taken Tuesday off so he could stay up to play the game after he got it.

Inside GameSpot, clerk Shaun Morgan stayed busy all night taking money from buyers, some of whom had to bring parents along to okay their purchase of a game with mature content.

Game stores know how to handle such hot titles. GameStop started letting buyers prepay at 6:00 p.m. and gave them green wristbands so that when midnight came they could just walk up and get their copy

Not all those in line were young men or teenaged boys.

Leslie Dunn, 36, waited near the Delight Cafe with her son, Paris, 11, to buy herself a copy of the game.

"I'm the cool mom," she said as the young men within earshot said they wished their parents were like her.