The next Call of Duty game, scheduled for 2023, will be delayed by one year to 2024, according to Bloomberg’s report. Treyarch’s next Call of Duty game will be delayed beyond 2023, effectively moving away from the release model that Activision releases annually.
Activision Blizzard may delay the Call of Duty game originally scheduled for 2023-2023 due to serious quality and saturation issues. On Twitter, leaker Tom Henderson shared information from Jason Schreier’s Bloomberg report that 2023 rumors will be shelved, marking the first time since the first game’s release that no new games have been released in a calendar year since 2004. According to a report by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, the Call of Duty franchise will skip a year on the game release schedule for the first time since 2004, starting its annual franchise with 2005’s Call of Duty 2. But in fact, it’s not. We first heard reports that Activision was considering dropping Call of Duty’s annual release schedule, but now Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier says it’s done, citing sources who say Activision’s management has decided to delay the game’s release next year. After the latest release of the series didn’t live up to expectations. ‘
SCOOP: For the first time in two decades, Call of Duty will skip a year. Activision has delayed 2023's game, made by Treyarch, to 2024, sources tell Bloomberg. It's a shocking move that will have a massive impact on the franchise and the industry. https://t.co/tiozvqB1cE
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) February 22, 2022
Executives in charge of the franchise delayed the latest installment shortly after “recent entry into the series fell short of expectations,” according to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the situation. It’s unclear if this means the series will continue to take a break from annual releases or it’s just for this year. Interestingly, the delay could mean that Call of Duty players on PlayStation may be able to stick around for longer on their favorite console, as Microsoft has already indicated that Microsoft wants to release the next three games Duty 2022, 2024, and Warzone 2 on the platform. The deal is currently expected to close before June 2023, and a new Bloomberg report notes that this decision to delay Call of Duty 2023 was made independently. With the acquisition agreement due to be signed in 2023, Activision remains independent of Microsoft.
Treyarch is rumored to be working on a new Call of Duty and will also reportedly see a new free-to-play online game separate from Warzone to help bridge the gap in 2023. Treyarch, the lead developer of the next game, will also help Infinity Ward with Warzone 2 over the next year until the next game is fully completed.
The news was confirmed by “a reliable source of information on Call of Duty.” Tom Henderson believes that Warzone 2 will be released in 2023 along with the second new version of Modern Warfare (currently being developed by Treyarch). Treyarch, the studio behind the delayed and unnamed Call of Duty, is now helping to develop an unspecified free-to-play online game due to launch next year, according to a Bloomberg report.
The Bloomberg report also claims that the 2022 Modern Warfare sequel will receive two years of post-launch support to fill the gap created by the delay. While the delay means a full year without a new game, Modern Warfare II will get two years of content post-launch, and Treyarch will be the first developer to benefit from a three-year development cycle since Black Ops 3’s launch.
The gaming community expects this push to have a huge impact on the video game industry. Despite popular rumors, this delay is not related to Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision. The Call of Dutyas holiday year will coincide with Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard if the deal closes as planned by summer 2023. Although Activision has not confirmed receipt, several sources have confirmed that the report is accurate.
