In 2017 the Call of Duty franchise returned to its roots with Call of Duty: WWII. Going back to World War II after about eight years felt like a breath of fresh air for the series, which at the time was getting progressively more futuristic. While the journey back in time was appreciated, some aspects of the title could have been done better.
Will the first-person shooter franchise ever go back to the international conflict? There are several distinct reasons why they should return to World War II, but it is just reasonable for them to stick to the present day.
10 Should Return: Weaponry
One way Call of Duty: WWII differentiates itself from the pack is the feel of the weapons. The technology of the time limits certain parts of the arsenal one would come to expect from a Call of Duty, but this ultimately works in the game's favor.
Rifles are more prominent than submachine guns, and weapons in general often take longer to reload. When the series starts to veer too off the rails, going back in time is a great way to change things up.
9 Should Stay In The Present: Technological Possibilities
When dealing with cutting edge technology, the possibilities are nearly endless for the type of toys players can play within a modern-day setting. Going back to the 1940s makes the arsenal predictable.
While many appreciate the historical accuracy, there is something special about using bleeding edge technology in a video game, especially when it feels grounded like the most recent Modern Warfare.
8 Should Return: Next Generation
With next-generation gaming on the horizon, it is time to shine a new light on some old toys. Upgraded hardware can bring the battlefields of World War II to life in ways that were simply unimaginable on the current consoles.
Better graphics, AI, and a whole slew of other upgrades can make battles games have covered countless times seem brand new.
7 Should Stay In The Present: Freedom In Story Telling
A World War II setting limits the types of stories writers can tell. In modern-day war zones, they have more freedom. They have the whole world as their playground and can draw from numerous sources to tell a fictionalized tale. Whenever they go to World War II, writers are limited to a handful of nations and armies.
6 Should Return Soon: Follow Some Of The Characters From Call Of Duty: WWII
The franchise broke out of its habit of having several unrelated series running concurrently, but they could easily make another game following the same characters from Call of Duty: WWII, either as a sequel or prequel.
Even though the player character and Zussman go home, Sgt. Pierson stays in the army afterwards. The game also mentions the Sgt. Pierson participating in the battle of Kassarine, which is in Tunisia. While they describe the event, they could always make it a level in a future game.
5 Should Stay In The Present: Constantly Changing Global Landscape
Times change faster than ever. Games made in 2019 will not feel modern in two years, which makes setting another game in the present more logical. It is the reason Infinity Ward felt it appropriate to reboot the Modern Warfare series in the first place. When taking cues from the present day, something new always comes along to use as inspiration.
4 Should Return Soon: Novelty Of Historical Fiction
Some gamers are more invested in the Call of Duty franchise for its historical fiction merit. While it may not be a one to one recreation of the conflict, many appreciate the ability to replay historical events. The series loses some players when they go completely fictional, even if these titles turn out to be the most popular among the bunch.
3 Should Stay In The Present: Modern Warfare Is More Successful
Simply from a logical point of view, the Modern Warfare games are more successful and last longer than the titles taking place in the past. Just look at the first two Modern Warfare entries from 2007 and 2009.
They both got remasters, but fans do not see anyone clamoring for a World at War update. While the throwback entries serve as nice palate cleansers, it is unlikely they'll become the norm.
2 Should Return: More Parts Of The Conflict To Uncover
It is difficult to truly grasp the scale of World War II. Fortunately, this means there is plenty of ground to cover for future entries taking place during the conflict. Why stick with any of the massive armies? Making a game following the French Resistance or Partisans in Eastern Europe would look at the war in a totally new perspective. Either of these two could also help tell a more personal story, which is difficult to do when following such a worldwide conflict.
1 Should Stay In The Present: Continue Modern Warfare's Story
Considering its success and the various threads left hanging, it is likely Infinity Ward will return to Modern Warfare soon. Where exactly they will go with it is unknown, but they clearly have more stories to tell using the characters introduced in the 2019 game.
One-off titles are bound to still be a part of the franchise, but fans who are more invested in the story mode are chomping at the bit to see what Captain Price and Farah will do next.