The Call of Duty franchise is notable for a lot of reasons, though its annual releases are perhaps one of its biggest defining factors. Each year a new game releases, and each year it takes home the prize of best-selling game. However, that could be slated to change in 2023 according to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier.
Over on Twitter, leaker Tom Henderson shared information from Schreier's report stating that Call of Duty 2023 will be delayed, which would mark the first time that no new Call of Duty game will release in a calendar year since the first game was released back in 2003. Henderson didn't dive into the specifics about why Activision is delaying the 2023 entry, though it may be motivated, in part, by the technical challenges that 2021's Call of Duty Vanguard has faced since launch.
Recently, Infinity Ward confirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 would release in 2022, with both games being jewels in Call of Duty's industry-dominating crown. If the delay is accurate, it means that Modern Warfare 2 will receive far more support than most entries do, and Warzone 2 will likely be treated with more care. Activision's financials would be heavily impacted by such a delay, leading to an entirely new suite of challenges for the publisher.
It's unclear if Microsoft's Activision acquisition has anything to do with the reported delay, though it is a likely reason for the game to be pushed back. Microsoft has been steadily emphasizing its reliance on marquee triple-a releases, an attempt to compete with Sony's blockbuster PlayStation exclusive games. While Call of Duty will maintain its multi-platform status, it's easy to see how a messy release could reflect poorly on Microsoft, especially if it's the first new entry under its umbrella.
While Microsoft's acquisition hasn't closed yet, it's slated to be finalized in June 2023, with Call of Duty 2023 likely releasing just a few months later if it's not pushed back. It's not outrageous to imagine Microsoft delaying a Call of Duty game either, as Halo Infinite was delayed a year to focus on quality. Microsoft could adopt a similar strategy to win over Call of Duty fans and re-emphasize that it's focused on quality releases.
While nothing has been confirmed, such a move could have a massive impact on future releases if all goes well. A follow-up tweet from Henderson states that 2023's entry would be the first "next-gen" only Call of Duty, so polishing it is clearly an important part of Activision's plans.
Call of Duty 2023 is rumored to be delayed.
