Back To The Future: Why Call Of Duty Should Return To A Futuristic Setting
The Call of Duty franchise has visited numerous points in history alongside a diverse range of settings that often sets it apart as one of the very best first-person shooters money can buy. After the fourth instalment of the Black Ops series, fans were incredibly excited to find out that a return to Modern Warfare was on the cards, a setting synonymous with laying the foundations for the franchise’s gripping single-player storylines and fast-paced multiplayer.
With focus already making its way towards the 2021 instalment of the franchise, WWII: Vanguard, there have been several calls for a return to a fully futuristic setting similar to that of 2016's Infinite Warfare and 2014's Advanced Warfare titles. The change of setting did make a welcome change for a franchise embedded in either World War 2, the Cold War, or some kind of modern-day conflict.
It may be a while before the franchise makes its way back to the future, but with several players voicing their concerns surrounding the release of WWII: Vanguard, there are several reasons as to why Call of Duty should capitalise on a setting that managed to breathe a breath of fresh air back into the franchise.
Something Different
Click to enlargeDevelopers of Vanguard, Sledgehammer Games, are no stranger to thinking outside of the box when it comes to setting, having pioneered advanced movement mechanics with the release of Advanced Warfare. The added elements of verticality to the game weren’t to everyone’s taste, but it did show that the franchise could innovate from what had become a pattern of rinsing and repeating the same concepts with a few modifications, in order to satisfy the demand of players craving for something completely original.
It doesn’t look like Vanguard will be a return to the future, but it’s not an idea that should be totally ruled out. Black Ops 3 is arguably one of the very best instalments in the history of the franchise and fully utilised advanced movement, game-changing Specialists, and a futuristic setting to its advantage. Looking back on the game, Black Ops 3 is criminally underrated and in many people's opinion, is the best Call of Duty that released during the ‘jetpack era.’
The setting of World War 2 has become incredibly saturated in the first-person shooter market despite Call of Duty, releasing just one title set in the time period over the last decade. The 2022 release has the potential to revive the innovative nature of the franchise with a blockbuster set in the distant future.
Avoiding The Infinite Warfare Disaster
Click to enlargeIf you ask players and fans what the worst Call of Duty title is, it’s more than likely that they will say Infinite Warfare. Despite featuring an incredible single-player campaign, the last hurrah of the jetpack era contained one of the worst multiplayer experiences that has ever been seen, thanks to lacklustre gunplay and several exploits that enabled players to obtain an unfair advantage over their opposition.
In February 2017, Call of Duty’s publisher Activision stated that Infinite Warfare “had a setting that didn’t appeal to our fans,” but those that played the game know that the setting was not one of the major flaws of the game. Activision had such little faith in the release of Infinite Warfare, that its Legacy Edition came with a fully remastered copy of Call of Duty 4, perhaps the greatest Call of Duty title ever made. With the player base split across two titles, there was no chance of Activision managing to rescue Infinite Warfare and elevate it to the heights of Black Ops 3 that released a year earlier.
With the setting of Infinite Warfare having almost nothing to do with the failure of Infinite Warfare, there’s no reason as to why Call of Duty can’t revisit a setting that has so much potential. If another trip into the future does come to fruition, it will be met with criticism from those that love the classic boots-on-the-ground gameplay that the franchise is synonymous with, but with the likes of Battlefield hot on the heels of Call of Duty, the future is the way forward if it is to stand out from the crowd.
Images via Activision
