Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has led to several interesting rumors and discussions about what could be done with the publisher’s IPs. Call of Duty, unsurprisingly, has been one of the most talked about franchises following the monumental purchase. However, while many have focused on discussing the possibility of Call of Duty leaving PlayStation platforms, another big change could be coming for the series.
A recent report from industry veteran Jason Schreier saw the reporter suggesting that Call of Duty could move away from a yearly release format. While this would be a big shift for the franchise, it is something that players have been pushing for often in recent years, as many feel like Call of Duty’s quality has dipped in its latest entries. While giving each Call of Duty title more time in development would be healthy for the series as a whole, it could be particularly beneficial for Zombies mode.
A Necessary Break Between CoD Zombies Installments
Call of Duty adopting a new release format would provide a good break for both Treyarch and the fan base. It is no secret that Treyarch has had a rough few years, as it has been over half a decade since the well-received Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s rushed launch led to an unstable Zombies experience that caused a divide in the community, while Treyarch had to step in for Sledgehammer and release Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War early in 2021. Immediately after Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Treyarch was tasked with making Zombies for Call of Duty: Vanguard.
As many now know, Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies turned out to be a disappointment, with its objective focus, lack of content, and stability problems infuriating the fan base. The latest Zombies experience is proof that Treyarch needs proper time to develop its Zombies content, as the studio has done amazing things when it has not been pressured to get its games out quicker or develop additional modes for other studios’ games. While Call of Duty 2023’s Zombies content will hopefully be a return to form, there is a chance it could be lacking a bit since Treyarch will have to divert resources to support Call of Duty: Vanguard throughout 2022.
If Call of Duty was not sticking to a yearly release schedule, Treyarch would get a much-needed rest. However, the other takeaway is that the Zombies community would have a break, too. While having Zombies in every Call of Duty game sounds great on paper, the reality is that it has yet to pan out. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s Exo Zombies mode fell flat, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Zombies was solid but a major step down from Black Ops 3, and Call of Duty: WW2’s Nazi Zombies failed to catch on. Now, despite being developed by Treyarch, Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies feels like another attempt to force the mode into a game where it was not needed.
Zombies has always been at its best when there is time to breathe between map releases. While waiting several months between new maps is challenging, it is also fun, as Treyarch used to slowly tease the next map through hidden Zombies puzzles, social media posts, and trailers. When said map made its debut, there was already an immense amount of hype built up by content creators and regular players. New Zombies content used to feel like a major event as opposed to an expected addition with each game and Season, which contributed to the magic of the mode. Waiting a few years between each Treyarch-made Call of Duty game made their eventual launch special, and that is a feeling that could come back with a new release format.
Even if Treyarch continues to make Zombies for each Call of Duty release, having those games drop every few years instead of annually would give the developer time to flesh out its Zombies modes. It would give the community a break from an endless barrage of Zombies content, too, making every new map and Wonder Weapon feel meaningful.
Allowing Each Version of CoD Zombies To Be Full of Content
The other benefit of Call of Duty moving away from a yearly release format would be longer support for each iteration of Zombies. If this approach was taken, a well-received Zombies mode like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War would thrive for a few years instead of just one. Given that one of few major criticisms of Black Ops Cold War was that it only had four total Survival maps, and that an extra year of life could have seen that number doubled, the community would surely love this change.
A key benefit from each Zombies game lasting longer is that players would have a better reason to hunt for Dark Aether camo and other rare cosmetics. Just like in multiplayer, the mastery camo grind in Zombies requires hundreds of hours of gameplay to unlock everything, something that will take some players most of the year to accomplish. Unfortunately, unless those players enjoy Call of Duty: Warzone, that camo they worked so hard for will become irrelevant as soon as the next Zombies mode debuts. While it may seem like a small upside, players getting more content to use their hard-earned mastery camos in would be exciting.
Realistically, if Zombies fans are ever going to get Zombies Chronicles 2, it would be with a new approach to the yearly release format. The remaster-filled expansion has been rumored and requested for years following the success of the original, but it has yet to become a reality. This is not too surprising, though, as there has not been a good window to release such a DLC. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies was too poorly received to justify the DLC launching there, while Treyarch jumped straight to Call of Duty: Vanguard after releasing Black Ops Cold War. Zombies Chronicles 2 would not fit with Call of Duty: Vanguard’s mechanics, but releasing it on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War would take players away from the already-struggling Vanguard Zombies.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’s Zombies Chronicles was a rarity, as an expansion of that size launching after a Call of Duty game finished its life cycle was unheard of. With Call of Duty’s modern Seasonal format, it is hard to imagine Zombies Chronicles 2 fitting into the plan, so a fundamental change would need to happen to justify its release. Fortunately, the rumor about a step away from yearly Call of Duty titles would provide that window. Call of Duty 2023 getting a second year of support would allow Zombies Chronicles 2 to serve as year-two Zombies content, giving longtime fans the remasters they have been craving. While it is still unclear if the franchise’s release format will truly change, the impact this potential adjustment would have on Call of Duty Zombies would undoubtedly be positive.
