A new rumor suggests the Call of Duty release cycle could get a massive shake-up in the future. For roughly 20 years, Call of Duty has consistently released a new mainline entry every fall. The franchise dominates the holiday season, topping sales charts, and has become a routine series to play for shooter fans. That routine could be coming to an end, however. Rumors began swirling earlier this year that Call of Duty will not have a new mainline game in 2023, but could opt for something like a standalone zombies game to fill the void instead. None of this has been confirmed yet, but the initial delay rumor comes from reputable sources and seems plausible.
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The series might not just take a single year off, though. According to Call of Duty insider RalphsValve, the series may leave its release schedule up to its developers. Essentially, it could boil down to releasing when it is actually ready as opposed to shoving something out the door because they’re sticking to an outdated cycle. The last few Call of Duty games have suffered from not feeling like they had enough time in the oven, with certain modes like zombies being shells of their former iterations. If a developer can pour itself into a new entry, not only will it be more polished, but it could also allow room for Call of Duty to grow and innovate in ways that were otherwise impossible. Of course, this is just a rumor and if it did happen, Activision would likely still have some say since they’re fronting the money, but not being confined to a strict three year development cycle could pay dividends for the series.
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced it was acquiring Activision and the deal is expected to complete by summer 2023. It’s possible that Microsoft could also leverage its wide array of studios and resources to help lighten the load for developers like Infinity Ward and Treyarch. Call of Duty has been the big money maker for Activision, meaning the publisher heavily relied on a yearly release. With the series now going under the ownership of a company as big as Microsoft, it gives the teams the safety net necessary to take more time with their games.
How often would you like to see Call of Duty games release? Let me know in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
