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Dost thou sense it?

The Call of Duty franchise is set to begin an exhilarating new phase. Activision has announced that next year’s release will not extend any current sub-series within the franchise but will rather unveil a completely new sub-franchise. This signals a major strategic change as the series moves away from its entrenched practice of alternating between its two primary sub-series, Modern Warfare and Black Ops.

In a recent discussion with The Game Business, Tyler Bahl, Activision’s Chief Marketing Officer, elaborated on the company’s choice to chart a new course. “We’ve already kind of stated that a future title is going to be a new sub-franchise and we’ve already kind of laid the groundwork there,” Bahl remarked. This announcement ushers in a new chapter for Call of Duty, following the completion of this year’s title, Modern Warfare 4, which concludes one of its most acclaimed sub-franchises.

Traditionally, Call of Duty has thrived on its oscillating releases between Modern Warfare and Black Ops. Nevertheless, as video game trends and player demands evolve, the company is reevaluating its release approach. Activision previously indicated that it would stop releasing consecutive titles from the same sub-series, in response to feedback from players who have shown a desire for greater diversity. “Yeah, I think we were pretty public about the idea of us going back-to-back with Modern Warfare 2 to Modern Warfare 3 and Black Ops 6 to Black Ops 7 was not something that our community was looking for,” Bahl emphasized.

The choice to launch a new sub-series arises from players’ appetite for novel environments and experiences, even with recurring themes. “And even though there were different time settings and different ways to play the game[s] and lots of new features, that tonal shift is something that they were looking for us to [do],” Bahl continued. This perspective highlights players’ cravings for fresh stories and settings that separate themselves from earlier installments.

Previous efforts to innovate within the franchise, such as 2021’s Vanguard, created by Sledgehammer Games, fell short of expectations and struggled to establish a lasting identity as a sub-series. The industry buzzes with excitement over whether next year’s game, also produced by Sledgehammer Games, will successfully establish its legacy in Call of Duty’s vast lore.

Looking towards 2027, there are whispers of a backdrop in the late 90s and early 2000s, offering a fresh range of characters and stories that could set this installment apart from its predecessors. The triumph of this new sub-series may prove pivotal in shaping Call of Duty’s trajectory and its capacity to resonate with longtime fans while drawing in new ones.

This transition mirrors a wider trend in the gaming industry, where players are on the lookout for creativity and originality. As Call of Duty steps into unexplored realms, the community will be keen to see if these new aspirations translate into the kind of engaging and innovative gameplay that has become synonymous with the franchise.