Activision has been on an annual release schedule for its Call of Duty games since Call of Duty 2 in 2005. Like clockwork, fans of the franchise have been able to rely on a new Call of Duty title every year. Activision has been able to keep this schedule as each is game rotates between developers Treyarch Studios, Infinity Ward, or Sledgehammer Games, with each developer allotted three years to develop their Call of Duty game. This rotating developer system has enabled Activision to keep players in new Call of Duty games every year. However, 2020 saw a not-so-successful Black Ops Cold War with reports that the game was rushed, along with a massively successful Call of Duty: Warzone. This could mean the company is considering a change in its release schedule.
Newly established Twitter leaker @RalphsValve reported today that Activision is “in discussion for extending Call of Duty‘s annual releases.”
This change would mean fans couldn’t anticipate a new Call of Duty release every November, possibly getting a new title every two years instead. This would disappoint some but with the dismal reviews games like Call of Duty: Vanguard and Black Ops Cold War received, it could mean the shooter video game franchise sees a marked improvement in quality.
Although @RalphsValve has correctly reported information on various games in the past, this Tweet concerning Activision led many to question his reliability. Activision completely shifting their release schedule would lose them an obscene amount of money. However, with the success of Call of Duty: Warzone, the company may be carving out a completely new path for itself. One where more focus is put on the battle royale game, while the AAA releases are allowed more time to develop.
Only time will tell what Activision has in mind for the Call of Duty franchise, but if true, this could be a positive change for the company.
