Activision has confirmed that a new Call of Duty subfranchise is currently in development, indicating a strategic move away from its established series such as Black Ops and Modern Warfare.
In a recent interview with The Game Business, Activision's Chief Marketing Officer, Tyler Bahl, revealed that one of the company's studios is working on a new entry for the expansive Call of Duty universe. While Bahl did not disclose which studio is leading the project or its expected release window, speculation points toward Sledgehammer Games, with a potential launch next year. This comes as Activision has stated that the story arc for Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare series, which began in 2019, is nearing its conclusion with Modern Warfare 4, although possibilities remain for certain characters to continue their narratives in future titles.
Activision believes that the future of Call of Duty hinges on innovation rather than solely relying on legacy franchises and familiar characters. "Where we go with future games, we have to innovate," Bahl stated. "What we heard from the audience is they want new or better or different. The landscape is changing right under our feet. You’re seeing new games being built overnight, and you’re seeing tastes change and how people want to play."
These remarks have fueled considerable fan speculation regarding the direction of the next Call of Duty installment. Potential avenues include exploring different time periods, such as the far future or a more distant past, and introducing novel gameplay mechanics to keep the experience fresh without drastically altering the core formula. A rumor from Call of Duty leaker TheGhostofHope in 2025 suggested that Sledgehammer's next project might incorporate martial arts-inspired combat, featuring elements like karate kicks and chops. This concept could draw inspiration from the "gun-fu" style seen in media like John Wick, blending firearm combat with fluid close-quarters action. While such mechanics might be more readily implementable in a third-person perspective with an emphasis on animations, their integration into a fast-paced, competitive first-person shooter could present a unique challenge.
Historically, Sledgehammer Games has a background of attempting innovation within the Call of Duty series. The studio was initially formed with the intention of developing a third-person Call of Duty game set during the Vietnam War, aiming to leverage their experience from titles like Dead Space to create a distinct experience. However, this project was ultimately shelved when Sledgehammer was reassigned to assist with the development of the original Modern Warfare 3 following internal issues at Infinity Ward.
Sledgehammer later revisited innovation with its first solo title, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. This game introduced exosuits, significantly altering player movement with enhanced jumping, dashing, and sliding capabilities. Despite being a bold departure for the franchise, the introduction of futuristic elements was met with mixed reactions from the player base. Since then, Sledgehammer has largely returned to more traditional settings, developing two World War II-based titles and the recent Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The upcoming subfranchise, if developed by Sledgehammer, would mark a departure from the Modern Warfare and Black Ops continuations that have dominated the series for over half a decade.