The Call of Duty franchise has cemented itself as one of the most successful in gaming, with its passionate community expecting an all-new blockbuster title to release every November like clockwork. Call of Duty Vanguard, the most recent release, has been met with plenty of positivity from players as the series returns to World War 2 for the first time since late 2016.
Development of a Call of Duty title works differently to other first-person shooters on the market, with Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games, and Infinity Ward having a three-year window to create an all-new title. Due to the underwhelming launch of Black Ops Cold War, a leak has suggested that Activision could be moving away from annual releases.
Read More: Call of Duty Vanguard Season 1 Release Date, Leaks & Everything We Know
Latest News
20 January 2022 - Activision Has Considered Stopping Annual Releases
According to a Bloomberg report, there have been conversations within Activision regarding annual Call of Duty releases coming to a halt. It states that the shift could take place as soon as 2023 which is expected to be developed by Treyarch.
Will Call of Duty Stop Annual Releases?
Original Article - November 30, 2021
The news comes from leaker @RalphsValve, who claims that Call of Duty publisher Activision is reportedly in talks to dump annual releases, meaning a new Call of Duty title will release every two years which could drastically improve the overall quality of the games being developed.
The leaker has been accurate when leaking information on 2022's Modern Warfare 2 but many have questioned the legitimacy of the account on certain areas of the franchise. Activision moving away from annual releases for Call of Duty would be a surprise considering the huge amount of revenue it generates for the publisher but with the incredible success of Warzone, moving to a two-year release cycle could allow more focus to be placed on the battle royale which is about to enter an all-new era set in the Pacific.
Will It Happen?
As always, leaks and rumours should be taken with a pinch of salt but if Call of Duty did ditch annual releases, it would be very interesting to see whether the quality of the game would improve or if players would grow tired of the existing title if its cycle is extended by another 12 months.
For more Call of Duty news, check out everything you need to know about Season 1 of Vanguard and Warzone Pacific in our dedicated hubs filled with the latest news and rumours.