For some time, it was reported that there would be no new Call of Duty game released in 2023, with rumors suggesting that the next mainline entry would be Treyarch’s game in 2024. In place of the usual yearly release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been said to be getting an expansion packed with map remasters from the 2009 game and a new campaign focused on Ghost. While recent reports suggest that this expansion will now be promoted as a proper game developed by Sledgehammer, it will likely still have the same content and essentially be a DLC in everything but name.
Having two Modern Warfare games in a row is something new for the Call of Duty franchise, and if the approach ends up being a success, then perhaps it will become the new norm for the series. There could be a few key benefits to the approach, but its success will ultimately hinge upon how good the main release is. If players are disappointed with a new Black Ops or Modern Warfare title, buying another the year after will be a hard sell. Regardless, given the popularity of the Call of Duty brand, the Sledgehammer-led Modern Warfare game could easily be a success, meaning that the expansion approach may be poised to shake up the yearly cycle in a huge way.
What Call of Duty Expansions Mean For The Series
In theory, one big change caused by these Call of Duty expansions could be Sledgehammer no longer making its own CoD games. With all the studio’s Call of Duty games being divisive, and Call of Duty: Vanguard failing to break away from that trend, perhaps Activision will want the developer to work exclusively with the successful Modern Warfare and Black Ops subseries. Expanding on the foundations of an Infinity Ward-developed or Treyarch-made game is a lot less risky than crafting one from the ground up, and could give Sledgehammer a better chance at success.
Alternatively, development of these expansion-like Call of Duty releases could fall to a different studio with each game, which would allow Sledgehammer to continue making its own Call of Duty games. For instance, Call of Duty 2024’s expansion game, which would presumably release in 2025, could be developed by Infinity Ward. Sledgehammer could then release its own game in 2026, with Treyarch making the 2027 expansion. Raven Software could also help out with the development of these spin-off entries. Ultimately, these expansions could give Call of Duty developers plenty of time to craft each major release while simultaneously giving every era of Black Ops and Modern Warfare a longer time in the spotlight.
It is also worth keeping the content of Sledgehammer’s rumored Modern Warfare project in mind. Supposedly, a campaign focused entirely on Ghost will be included in the release, and this could be indicative of how other expansions would handle singleplayer content. Call of Duty 2024’s campaign may focus on a number of Black Ops characters, but the 2025 expansion could provide a deep exploration of a single popular figure like Frank Woods or Alex Mason. This logic extends to multiplayer as well.
The main focus of the Sledgehammer-made Modern Warfare multiplayer content will apparently be map remakes. According to insiders, a majority of the 2023 content will consist of remasters from 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, with players taking to areas like Favela and Highrise to do their fighting. If this happens, players can expect mainly new maps for Call of Duty 2024’s post-launch content, while the 2025 expansion could revive iconic Black Ops locations like Firing Range and Summit.
Lastly, these expansions could have an interesting impact on Treyarch’s beloved Call of Duty Zombies mode. Aside from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, which had an extended life thanks to the release of Zombies Chronicles, Zombies modes usually only receive one year of support. However, if these expansions become the norm, players could get a second year of Zombies content with each Black Ops game. If Zombies were to follow in the footsteps of multiplayer, remasters could be the focus of the expansions, allowing Call of Duty Zombies Chronicles 2 to become a reality. While it remains to be seen if two years of Black Ops and two years of Modern Warfare is a viable approach for Call of Duty, it would be interesting to see the series begin moving in that direction.