With theCall of Dutyseries spanning two decades, fans have experienced some clear highs and lows. The golden era of the franchise began with the originalModern Warfareand ended withModern Warfare 3, with the trilogy,World at War, and the first twoBlack Opsgames serving as some of the very best entries in the franchise. Afterthe lukewarm reception toCall of Duty: Ghosts, the controversial futuristic era began, which eventually gave way to the live service approach seen with the last few games. Within these different eras,Call of Dutygames have felt quite similar to each other.
It takes one look at the futuristic era to see how overly similarCall of Dutytitles could get. For example,Call of Duty: Infinite Warfarefelt almost the exact same asCall of Duty: Black Ops 3, with some of the only differences being that it was set further into the future and had less color. Similarly, in the modern era,Call of Duty: Vanguardfeels a lot likeModern Warfare2019 with a World War 2 skin, lacking a distinct identity of its own. Going forward, every developer should strive to make itsCall of Dutytitle feel more unique through three hugely different settings and types of gameplay.
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Balancing The Past, Present, and Future With Call of Duty
Though controversial,the decision to takeCall of Duty to the futurewas not a bad one. Instead, the issue came from the choice to stick to a futuristic setting for several years and several games. With the right approach, futuristicCall of Dutygames could be successful, especially if they launch every several years to shake things up a bit.
When it comes to the developer that should lead the futuristic trend,Sledgehammer Gamesis undoubtedly the right choice. The studio has struggled greatly with both of its World War 2 games, butCall of Duty: Advanced Warfarefelt like a passion project with a clear personality. Though it was not everyone’s cup of tea, the exosuit movement was polished and led to maps that felt nothing like what the series had seen before. Character customization was at its best, too, with players able to edit multiple parts of their character. Upgradeable killstreaks and futuristic weaponry also proved interesting.
WithTreyarch’s nextCall of Dutygame not coming until 2024, and the upcomingCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2seemingly set to be the first two-yearCall of Duty game, a new futuristicCoDtitle from Sledgehammer would be years away. Further, the gap between each futuristic game would be quite large, giving fans time to miss exo gameplay and tire of the boots on the ground style. Speaking of Treyarch, though, the studio has consistently shown that it is at its best when embracing historical conflicts like the Cold War, so sticking to the past would be ideal. Zombies should also be exclusive to TreyarchCall of Dutygames, with the studio’s titles consistently receiving Zombies updates for years and years after they have been released.
As for Infinity Ward, it has once again found success with theCall of Duty: Modern Warfaresubseries. WhileCall of Duty: GhostsandCall of Duty: Infinite Warfarehad some strengths, most would agree that they were a step below the originalModern Warfaretrilogy, so it makes sense for Infinity Ward to stick with what it knows best. Fortunately, given the success of the rebootedModern Warfareuniverse, Infinity Ward will likely keep exploring it for some time. This is good news, especially for those who enjoy the slow-paced, methodical style of the newModern Warfaregames. Though it would get old fast if everyCall of Dutyplayed this way, having a more tactical game here and there is a good thing, as it once again caters to a different type ofCoDfan.
If Sledgehammer handlesfuturisticCall of Dutytitles, Treyarch covers real conflicts from the past, and Infinity Ward sticks with present day warfare, every entry could appeal to a different audience. This extends to gameplay, too, making the suggestion even more appealing. Sledgehammer’s games could introduce new gimmicks and exosuit-related abilities, Treyarch’s could provide fast-paced combat, specialists, and slower time-to-kills, and Infinity Ward’s could lean into tactical gameplay and a quick TTK. This way, every type ofCall of Dutyplayer is getting a game that suits their interests every few years, and each developer is leaning into its strengths instead of trying to mimic what its peers are doing. DedicatedCall of Dutyfans likely have their preference when it comes to developers already, so having each studio fully embrace the distinct qualities of its games only makes sense.
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