The next Call of Duty game is coming soon, but if it is to be a success, Treyarch will need to pull out all the stops to satisfy fans. This year has been a tumultuous one to say the least, both in and out of gaming, but the unveiling of the next generation consoles and the spike in quality of games is making it clear that gamers won't settle for less anymore. The next entry in the franchise, believed to be titled Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, needs to go big or go home if it is going to surpass Modern Warfare's influential legacy.
As far as Call of Duty games go, few seem as complete as last year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. That isn't to say that other games were incomplete by any means, as some of the older entries in the series are beloved to this day, but Modern Warfare manages to bring so much of the franchise under one umbrella and has provided fans a way to experience all the things they love in one place. This and its connection to Warzone likely are the cause of its great success.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone Bugs
Despite what one may think about Modern Warfare and Warzone as standalone games, it can't be denied that they are full of glitches and bugs. Most of these are minor, but it still seems that every week a player is reporting something new. The above picture references a time when the city of Verdansk lit up with neon lights for one player and remained that way the whole match. There was also a time when using a heartbeat sensor could instantly kill the player rather than revealing enemy locations like it is meant to.
Despite this, both games remain some of the most popular first person shooters on the market. Whether this comes down to brand loyalty or just because the game is simply fun to play is uncertain, but gamers have made it abundantly clear that these issues are becoming more concerning by the day. As such, the next Call of Duty needs to emphasis polish and bug squashing as a priority.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, or whatever it is properly called, is in a unique position to set things straight. As was previously mentioned, gamer's standards are steadily rising as better technology becomes available, and developer capabilities are increasing alongside it. Treyarch clearly knows how to put together a great game, so if it can do that with the upcoming Call of Duty game and put some real polish on this time that would do wonders for the many.
The challenge is that Modern Warfare did a lot, and that's some big shoes to fill for Call of Duty 2020. There has already been speculation that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War won't have a battle royale mode, at the same time Warzone is continously evolving and other rumros indicate Blackout is coming back, but truly nothing is set in stone. If it is going to succeed, it needs to offer everything that Modern Warfare already does and more. Fans aren't going to want to backtrack to a game without gunsmith customs, battle royale, and expansive playlists after experiencing what Modern Warfare has to offer, but they deserve a game that doesn't feel like it was slapped together somewhat last minute.
Call of Duty Release Schedule
Since the release of the first Call of Duty game back in 2003, there has been a main entry added to the series every consecutive year except 2004 (in which two spin offs were released instead). Because of this fact, a Call of Duty game in 2020 is all but confirmed. Whether or not it will be called Black Ops Cold War remains to be seen, but some believe it may make an appearance at tomorrow's PS5 reveal event.
Call of Duty games have no doubt dominated the first person shooter market since their conception. In terms of brand recognition and quality, few would argue that other games in the FPS genre surpass it. Even the age old Battlefield vs. Call of Duty debaters would have to agree that the latter has more visibility and is more well known. And so using this release schedule to the best of its ability means Treyarch has the time to cook up something special.
Longevity in Gaming
Whatever one thinks about Fortnite, it can't be denied that it has had a huge impact on gaming. This is just one example, but this game has shown that gamers aren't as interested in sequels anymore, instead preferring a title to stick around for the long run, staying modern through constant content updates. Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Warzone have adopted this style as well, but the release of a new game in 2020 contradicts that. To put it plainly, one year simply isn't enough time for a game to grow into itself fully, even with Warzone reportedly acting as a bridge. Black Ops needs to be the best it can be, but Modern Warfare cannot be ignored either -- how that influences in-house competition is a big question mark.
The best way for Call of Duty 2020 to really act as a turning point for the franchise is for developers to put everything into it. The systems need to be polished, the available game modes should be more inclusive than ever before, and the game should feel great. Beyond this, though, it may be that creating a new game in 2021 will be the wrong move, as Treyarch and Activision should give Call of Duty 2020 room to breathe and grow into itself by giving it frequent content updates and support after release.
Call of Duty 2020 should be announced soon.