Call Of Duty 2023 Isn't Happening, And It's The Best Decision In Years
Well, it's official. For the first time since 2005, Call of Duty is going to be ducking the yearly releases and skipping its 2023 window, per Bloomberg. This is huge news that comes in the wake of the Xbox acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which saw Microsoft absorb some of gaming's biggest franchises... Call of Duty included.
Fans have been waiting with bated breath to see what the company actually do with the series - after all, it's one of the most lucrative that the industry has to offer, and even when it has a fiscal disappointment like Vanguard, it dominates the gaming charts every year regardless.
This is a turn for Call of Duty, breaking its traditions for the first time in 17 years - but frankly, the franchise has needed this. This is the best decision that has been made on behalf of the CoDverse in years, and finally, Call of Duty might have a chance to dominate again.
Call Of Duty Needs A Break
Click to enlargeIt's hardly a secret at this point, but Call of Duty has long needed to take a breather. Of course, it's presumably pretty hard to see that when you're sat in the Activision Blizzard boardroom having sales numbers blasted into your face. In terms of overarching quality - and making a gaming experience that stands the test of time - the franchise has been in a drought of sorts.
A lot of long-term fans heavily praised 2019's Modern Warfare on launch, citing a return to form and a vastly improved engine. Ever since, the game hasn't been mentioned very often. It's safe to assume that Call of Duty has become too comfortable in its successes, knowing that the likes of Battlefield and Halo don't stand as genuine threats to the trucks of cash coming through the back door of Activision HQ.
While the games have been fun, and the likes of Vanguard and Black Ops Cold War have their merits, there's very little to be said about these titles beyond the fact they're yet another Call of Duty game. The franchise hasn't made a genuine swing for the fences or made an impact on pop culture since Modern Warfare 2 in 2009, meaning this break could be a chance for the many studios behind the series' curtain to step back and reassess what Call of Duty really is.
How Will This Break Affect Call of Duty?
Click to enlargeNaturally, missing out on a year's worth of money from a mainline Call of Duty title will mean a financial docking for the franchise - but let's be honest - we can afford it. The name has long been the absolute dominating force of the gaming industry. Plus, with Warzone remaining a money printing machine despite its wealth of problems, it's not like they're making a serious loss.
Call of Duty can afford to take a moment, and though there'll still be a loss, if this strategy pays off, the year to readjust and prepare for a better Call of Duty experience could more than pay for itself. At this point, the series is recognisable more by Warzone than it is Vanguard. While this was likely unexpected, it's still not a good sign that the franchise's mainline, AAA-priced titles are falling behind the shadow of a free-to-play title.
This break could also allow the franchise to win players back - especially as many players have opted to simply not bother with Vanguard. Fans are unsure about getting back into Call of Duty, especially after some titles that positively did not rock pop culture and charged £70 for the privilege.
The wider CoD community is in a strange place, dug into a proverbial hole of its own design - and taking a year sabbatical could be exactly what it needs to reassess, reconfigure, and redetermine what Call of Duty needs to be. After all, we all need a break from time to time, especially if we haven't had one for 17 years.
We're Not Getting Call of Duty In 2023. Great News
Click to enlargeIt's high time that Call of Duty abandoned its yearly churnings in order to focus on quality. It's clear now that consumers will buy the games when they come out anyway, so why not take some time to truly make the games stand out again?
There was once a time when the franchise was a big part of the cultural zeitgeist, but that's not necessarily gone forever. Statements on war rarely go out of date, and even though Call of Duty's are often hamfisted, there's an opportunity to make something genuinely special.
Not only do fans deserve a CoD that means something, but the franchise itself is in dire need of a change. This bold move is the chance for the franchise to scrub up that it's needed for years - and it's the best decision that could have been made after Activision's purchase by Xbox. 2023 may be quiet - but 2024 is going to go off with a bang to make up for it.