Being one of the biggest gaming properties around, the Call of Duty series is no stranger to leaks. But while these leaks often cover what’s coming in a future update, some of the most recent Call of Duty leaks could potentially shake up the future of the entire franchise if they prove true. According to recent leaks, Call of Duty might not release an installment in 2023, and if that’s true, then it’ll break a 17-year-long streak.
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A New Call of Duty Has Released Every Year Since 2005
The very first Call of Duty released all the way back in 2003. Though it certainly wasn’t the first military shooter, it did make a sizable impact on the genre with its intense campaign and great visuals. Call of Duty 2 wouldn’t appear until 2005, but by all accounts, the wait was worth it. A stellar campaign told from multiple perspectives, phenomenal visuals and sound design, and the beginnings of a multiplayer mode that would go on to change the gaming world, Call of Duty 2 broke new ground for the FPS genre and essentially kick-started the Call of Duty franchise as fans know it today.
The Call of Duty franchise has released an entry every single year since 2005. Unlike other juggernaut yearly franchises, Call of Duty often rotates its developers to ensure that the team has enough time to produce a title of quality. Treyarch and Infinity Ward are the two biggest names in franchise history, with their Black Ops and Modern Warfare series being the highlight entries for most fans, however developers like Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software have given it a go in the past.
The Pros and Cons of Call of Duty Skipping a Year
For the most part, Call of Duty’s yearly release schedule has worked fairly well. For the fans, they get a new Call of Duty experience every year, with a heap of new content to sink their teeth into, and if they didn’t like that particular entry then at least they know they only have another 12 months to wait for a new one. For the publisher, this business model is clearly extremely lucrative, with Call of Duty having dominated the sales charts for almost two decades. However, this annual release schedule probably doesn’t benefit Call of Duty’s developers.
With such a short development time, Call of Duty developers must feel fairly restricted in what they can include in their game. While that hasn’t stopped entries having multiple game modes, countless maps, and extensive progression systems, it must feel limiting to not have enough resources or time to really push the boundaries of the 20-year-old franchise. If the rumors are true and Call of Duty skips a year, then the next game can really switch up the Call of Duty formula, which fans have been requesting for years now.
In the absence of a 2023 Call of Duty entry, some fans have suggested introducing more live-service elements to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. With a Battle Pass and Season structure already in place, Modern Warfare 2 is just one step away from becoming a live-service title, and it seems like a natural evolution of the franchise. Releasing new maps and weapons at a more consistent rate would give fans plenty of new content to consume while they wait for another mainline entry in the series, which gives developers more time while also providing Activision with plenty of cash. Throw Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 into the mix and fans have plenty of content to enjoy this year. Still, it would be a bold move for Call of Duty, and one that goes against a successful 17-year approach.
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