Call of Duty Ends Back-to-Back Modern Warfare and Black Ops Releases, Shifts Strategy

Call of Duty will stop releasing Modern Warfare or Black Ops games in consecutive years following recent backlash and underwhelming sales. After launching two Modern Warfare titles back-to-back and planning a similar cycle for Black Ops, the developers have reassessed their approach.

The Call of Duty team, representing Treyarch, Sledgehammer, Infinity Ward, and Raven Software, addressed the community on the official website. They acknowledged criticism of Black Ops 7 and broader franchise dissatisfaction, promising to meet player expectations moving forward.

To improve the player experience, Call of Duty is initiating a free trial and Double XP weekend for Black Ops 7’s multiplayer zombies mode. This will enable hesitant players to try the game firsthand. The studios have pledged to provide “unprecedented season support” to elevate Black Ops 7 to “one of the best Black Ops games ever made.”

A key part of their new strategy involves ending back-to-back Modern Warfare or Black Ops releases. The post explained the decision aims to guarantee a truly unique and innovative experience each year. They stressed their commitment to meaningful innovation rather than incremental changes, though details on future plans remain under wraps.

Recent years have been challenging for the franchise, with Black Ops 7 receiving mixed reviews. IGN gave the campaign and Zombies modes a 6 out of 10 rating, while multiplayer scored better at 8 out of 10. Both Black Ops 7 and Modern Warfare 3 attracted more criticism compared to their well-received predecessors, adding pressure to the developers’ choices.

Sales for Black Ops 7 have been notably weak in Europe, dropping 63% compared to Battlefield 6 and over 50% versus Black Ops 6 during similar time frames. However, exact sales figures are difficult to gauge due to the game’s availability on Game Pass, where playtime does not count as unit sales.

The Call of Duty team concluded their message with optimism, believing the franchise’s best days lie ahead. They promised upcoming releases will include surprises to push the series and genre forward while delivering precisely what the community wants.