This week’s Xbox Live ‘Deal of the Week’ sees the first discount on the two Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 map packs, The Stimulus Package and the Resurgence Pack. If you want to get the map packs before Black Ops hits the streets, now is the time at 50% off (until Monday, October 11, 2010.)

Normally 1200 MS Points, the two map packs are now 600 MS Points ($7.50) and features three new maps and two remade CoD: 4 maps in each pack.

Hit the Xbox Live dashboard ‘Deal of the Week’ section to take advantage of the 50% off Modern Warfare 2 map packs deal, or you can use these links to add the packs to your Xbox 360 download queue: Stimulus Package, Resurgence Pack.

Just a quick update for our readers that sit on the PS3 side of the fence. The Xbox crowd have enjoyed a 30-odd day exclusivity with the Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package. Well, finally the wait is over! The PSN Store was updated just a matter of hours ago and now includes a download link for the first of the Modern Warfare 2 DLC packs. This only applies to the US so far, the EU PSN Store will update tomorrow (5th May).

The $15 map pack add-on delivers 5 additional action-packed multiplayer maps featuring a variety of locations, 2 of which are returning fan favorites from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

• Bailout – a multi-level apartment complex
• Storm - an open industrial park littered with heavy machinery
• Salvage – a snowy junkyard fortified by stacked debris and crushed cars

Two legendary fan-favorites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare make a return.

• Crash – a war-torn urban environment
• Overgrown – which features a massive dry creek bed

You will also notice a playlist update that enables a much welcomed double XP event, which should help reach that next prestige. It’s not clear how long the double XP will last for so get it while it’s hot. If you haven’t already…. get downloading and see you online.

If you’re a PC Modern Warfare 2 gamer you’ve probably been waiting what seems like forever to pwn some noobs on the new Stimulus Map pack, right? Well, if you pre-order the 5 map stimulus package through Steam before the May 4th release date you’ll be entitled to a 10% discount, and discounts are good.

That equates to $13.49 or £10.79 which is not much of a saving but if you was planning on buying the map pack why not save yourself some dough and pre-order.

Here is the link to pre-order http://store.steampowered.com/app/10195/

In a Tweet sent out by Infinity Ward front man, Robert Bowling, finally comes confirmation of the PS3 and PC Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package release dates. Although, it seems there is still quite a wait for the five-map, fifteen-dollar “Stimulus Package” for PS3 and PC gamers.

fourzerotwo – The Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package DLC will hit PS3 in North America on May 4th, everywhere else May 5th. PC gets it worldwide on May 4th

Xbox 360 owners received the pack exclusively through Xbox Live on March 30. Activision announced yesterday that first week sales reached 2.5 million downloads.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 publishers, Activision, today announced that the Stimulus Package, the first map pack released for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was downloaded over one million times on Xbox Live in the first 24 hours.

First week sales for the MW2 map pack reached 2.5 million downloads in total. The Stimulus Package is currently only available for download on Xbox Live, making these sales all the more impressive.

To put those figures into perspective, first-week sales of the first map pack for Call of Duty: World at War reached one million downloads across Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.

Microsoft also had some other interesting MW2/Xbox Live statistics to share – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 players have invested more than 1.75 billion hours of gameplay on Xbox LIVE alone since the title’s release in November, which is equal to more than 200,000 years of gameplay playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Welcome to the fourth MW2Blog “Poll of the Week” in which you get to vote for your favorite aspects of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This weeks poll pits the new Stimulus Package maps head-to-head.

Think carefully before you vote… You’ve only got one shot soldier, take it wisely!

You can view and vote on all our polls Here

Modern Warfare 2’s Stimulus Package map pack was made available for download on the Xbox 360 today, and guess what…. there are problems. Frustrated gamers have found that Xbox Live is having issues that are preventing them from enjoying their new purchase.

Xbox Support’s Twitter account is loaded with communications with customers about the problem, and the official support website at www.xbox.com/support is being bombarded by users. The company line is currently: “We’re aware of the issue and it is being worked on. Stay tuned for updates.”

Microsoft hasn’t said if the intense rush of Modern Warfare 2 downloads and connections is responsible for the server issues, but folks trying to play the game are either simply unable to connect or getting error code 80150019, which is given to users when the console is unable to access their “gamertag” account information, “Notice: Unable to join game session” or “Error: Com with the XBL servers has been interrupted”.

Unfortunately all we can do is wait for the guys at Microsoft to fix the issues.

[UPDATE] – Users are now reporting that matchmaking is working and they are able to successfully connect to public matches. If you’re still having trouble, hang tight.

With just a matter of hours until the MW2 Stimulus Package goes live Infinity Ward have detailed exactly what those gamers booting up the first-person shooter can expect to receive.

Come March 30, not only will Xbox users be able do download the DLC but there will also be a playlist update, Ranger maps will be added to HC Headquarters, a title update, and the double XP event that was originally planned for this weekend has been brought forward so you can start earning your double XP from the moment the Stimulus Package goes live.

The Stimulus Package (Downloadable Content)

The first dlc for Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer hits exclusively first on Xbox Live. It’ll be coming to other platforms at a later date as well, but tomorrow morning you’ll be able to download the 5 new maps including Bailout, Salvage, Storm, and my favorite classic maps Crash and Overgrown.

Double XP

Originally planned to do it this weekend, but we’ve decided to throw the Double XP switch early when the new maps hit. So jump online with the new DLC and check out the two new DLC specific playlists.

Stimulus and Hardcore Stimulus Playlists

These two playlists are 100% dedicated to the new maps, and are Double XP enabled. So jump on and experienced the new DLC you downloaded, get double XP, and experience all your favorite gametypes along with some hardcore variants of them.

Ranger maps added to HCHQ

We’re adding a few maps to the Hardcore Headquarters Pro playlist on Xbox Live, allowing you now play all the Ranger maps in this gametype, something I know a lot of users have been asking for! These maps include Highrise, Invasion, Skidrow, and Terminal.

Title Update

Along side the DLC, but something ALL of our users will get, is a title update for Modern Warfare 2. Included in this update is support for the DLC (if you choose to purchase it), as well as some tweaks to the One Man Army perk, some matchmaking updates that will help our international users find more locally hosted games thanks to how ping is now sorted, and various other code updates that will help improve the overall quality of multiplayer on Modern Warfare 2.

There is no exact time you can expect all this, I’d say early morning when traffic is at its lowest, but by the time you wake up and get online I’m sure it will be available to most of you on March 30th! See you online all this week!

Check out the official trailer for the upcoming Modern Warfare 2 DLC – The Stimulus Package. The Stimulus Package will be available March 30 for the Xbox 360 and at a later date (rumored 30 days) for the PS3 and PC.

• Bailout – a multi-level apartment complex
• Storm - an open industrial park littered with heavy machinery
• Salvage – a snowy junkyard fortified by stacked debris and crushed cars

Two legendary fan-favorites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare make a return.

• Crash – a war-torn urban environment
• Overgrown – which features a massive dry creek bed

If you were to switch on your Xbox 360 right now you would have the pleasure of seeing the first preview video of the upcoming Modern Warfare 2 DLC, the Stimulus Package. That’s right, the first official Stimulus Package preview video is on the Xbox dashboard, courtesy of Inside Xbox, right now.

If you’re too comfy to reach for your controller to turn on your Xbox you can watch said video after the break.

Talk about this video Here