For the first time in well over a decade, the future of the Call of Duty franchise is a little unclear. Last October, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 released to generally positive reviews from both fans and critics, which was a marked improvement over the initial reception of Call of Duty's last few entries. Rather than continue the yearly Call of Duty cycle that's been in place since 2005, Activision is apparently changing its approach this time round, meaning that for the first time in 18 years, Call of Duty might not get a new entry this year.
According to the latest rumors, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will continue to receive content updates throughout the rest of 2023. And then, according to some leaks, some kind of 'premium' Call of Duty release will still occur towards the end of the year, with many believing it to be some kind of continuation of the events of Modern Warfare 2's campaign mode. If this is true, then another fully-fledged Call of Duty release might not happen until 2024, and if the rumors circulating are to be believed, then it might end up being yet another Call of Duty: Black Ops game, this time set during the Gulf War. But before Call of Duty 2024 is revealed and released in full, there are a few things fans need it to do first.
Call of Duty 2024 Should Bring Back Focus On Smaller-Scale Modes
One of the most divisive elements of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been its emphasis on large-scale modes like Ground War and Invasion. While these modes can be a great change of pace from the rest of Call of Duty's more fast-paced and frantic modes, they don't exactly offer the traditional Call of Duty experience, and after a few matches, fans have usually had their fill. To make matters worse, Infinity Ward has supported large-scale modes much better than it has the traditional 6v6 offerings with post-launch content, and fans have been pretty vocal about how that feels like a waste of resources.
It's imperative that Call of Duty 2024 brings back the focus on smaller-scale 6v6 modes. Iconic 6v6 modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Search and Destroy are what made Call of Duty such a household name in the multiplayer space back in 2007, and it's more important than ever for the next Call of Duty to really hone in on those elements once more and show fans that it knows exactly what they want. Of course, every Call of Duty game should have additional game modes for those that want them, but it should keep its focus on the series' bread and butter.
Call of Duty 2024 Shouldn't Rely on a Seasonal Approach
Call of Duty's seasonal approach has been a bit of a double-edged sword for the franchise in recent years. While for the past decade Call of Duty games have received new maps and weapons every so often via free updates, the last few entries have leaned heavily into this, adopting a live-service, seasonal approach to content whereby players receive new maps, new modes, new weapons, and a new battle pass every few months. The upside to this approach is that fans are given a fairly consistent stream of content to keep them engaged long after the game initially releases, but the big downside is that when a Season's content drop is underwhelming, it can severely impact the game's reception.
With the seasonal approach probably generating much more income for the franchise than a more traditional approach, it's unlikely that Call of Duty 2024 will drop it altogether, but it also doesn't need to. The important thing is for Call of Duty 2024 not to rely on its seasonal approach. Call of Duty 2024 should ensure that it's packed with content right out of the gate, enough to tide fans over until they receive a seasonal update that brings a healthy amount of content to the game, as opposed to just one or two maps.
A new Call of Duty is in development.