Source: Sledgehammer Games / Call of Duty: Vanguard
In more Call of Duty news, we could be getting breaks in between releases.
Call of Duty has been the subject of much discussion after Xbox dropped damn near $70 billion on the insanely popular first-person shooter’s publisher Activision Blizzard. Many gamers wondered if the acquisition meant that future Call of Duty games would become Xbox exclusive. Both Xbox boss Phil Spencer and Sony answered that question, confirming the game will remain on PlayStation platforms for now.
With that solved, a new report indicates that Activision Blizzard’s acquisition will see some changes to the Call of Duty franchise by changing its release strategy. With each new year, gamers could expect a Call of Duty game. 2022 will still reportedly see a follow-up to the Modern Warfare reboot but reports the game’s developer is eager to move away from the game’s annual release strategy. Developers feel this move is necessary to help the franchise battle what it describes as “Call of Duty fatigue” among fans after the lukewarm reception to Call of Duty: Vanguard.
Per IGN:
In a new article that provides an overview of Activision Blizzard’s internal reactions to the acquisition, Bloomberg reports that “high-level employees” have discussed ditching Call of Duty’s current release schedule. Currently, Activision continues to put a new Call of Duty every year from a rotating series of studios — a strategy that has proven an awkward fit since the release of Warzone.
These developers are said to feel that slowing the franchise’s release cadence would please players who have grown weary of Call of Duty’s steady drumbeat of releases. Bloomberg’s article cites Call of Duty: Vanguard‘s 36 percent sales decline in the UK, though it still managed to top 2021’s sales charts.
Bloomberg further reports we can expect to see this rumored change in strategy “next year or later.” We also side with the devs because the franchise has grown quite stale and is suffering the same issues as other annual releases like Madden NFL and NBA 2K. A gap between launches could help Call of Duty return to the form that made gamers fall in love with the iconic first-person shooter franchise.
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Photo: Sledgehammer Games / Call of Duty: Vanguard
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