An update from a couple of weeks ago to One Of Swords has word from Activision's Dan Amrich that the Windows PC edition of Call of Duty Elite is delayed in order to secure the social networking aspect of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the imminent military shooter sequel (thanks VG247 via GameSpy). There's also a note explaining that while the service is premium for consoles, it will be free for the PC, as word is: "Elite for PC will be about access to your own stats, or those of your friends. Basically establishing a circle of trust. And because it will have some reduced functionality, it will be free for everyone." Here's word on the delay from Beachhead Studio head Chacko Sonny:

We’re as committed as ever to the PC, but the need to ensure a safe PC environment is greater than ever. It’s really extensive. We need more time to get there, so Elite on PC will not launch on Day 1. We’re working our butts off to make it happen, but we won’t release it until we know that PC gamers can enjoy Elite as it’s meant to be.

The issue here is that the PC is an insecure platform. Without a central, trusted resource for stats, a lot of our competition features become unfair. We can’t give away prizes when people can easily cheat their stats. Leaderboards are less fun when a lot of the users are there unfairly.