Call of Duty is Going "Back to its Roots" For 2017

[Steven Bogos]

Call of Duty is Going "Back to its Roots" For 2017

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1359/1359634.jpg
In a financial earnings call, Activision admitted that Infinite Warfare didn't resonate well with its fans, and plans to take Call of Duty "back to its roots".

It's no secret that Infinite Warfare wasn't exactly the most well-received Call of Duty title of late, a fact that Activision has somewhat admitted in its forth quarter 2016 earnings call [http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/ACTI/3845529929x0x927408/E8645268-7D4F-4754-8B35-3710DD5C493D/Q4_2016_ATVI_Slides.pdf]. Activision chief operating officer Thomas Tippl said that Infinite Warfare underperformed on the publisher's expectations, noting that "it's clear that for a portion of our audience, the space setting just didn't resonate," and plans on taking the franchise "back to its roots" for 2017.

Long-time fans of the series will know that Call of Duty started its life as a World War 2 shooter, so it looks like we're heading back into the trenches. "Traditional combat will once again take center stage in this year's entry," continued Tippl. This year's entry is being developed by Advanced Warfare developer Sledgehammer games, and though it may seem like its a reaction to Infinite Warfare, Sledgehammer's game was greenlit years ago as part of Activision's three-year Call of Duty slate.

Despite lukewarm fan and critical reception, Infinite Warfare was still the number one selling game in the US last year, beating out long-time rival Battlefield, which decided to shift things up with a change in setting to World War 1.

Source: US Gamer [http://www.usgamer.net/articles/call-of-duty-goes-back-to-its-roots-as-infinite-warfare-didnt-resonate-with-fans]

Permalink

 

[Bob_McMillan]

At this point I don't even care about the gameplay, I'm not buying CoD on principle mow.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Going back to the WW2 setting huh? I did Nazi that coming.

 

[Voxoid]

Unless going back to roots means coming up with some new ideas, I'd really rather that it would just go away instead.
Have a break for a couple of years, invest in a new game engine and really give some thought into making a truly groundbreaking game instead of a cut/paste generic waste of time and effort with some tacked on features.

 

[LTenhet]

Going back to the WW2 setting huh? I did Nazi that coming.

A few people did, and they were Reich.

 

[Hawki]

Going back to the WW2 setting huh? I did Nazi that coming.

My bet's on Vietnam, but I'll waive the bet for now - some puns need their time to shine.

 

[Sonicron]

You know what would really resonate with customers, Mr Tippl? Putting the entire franchise to bed for a couple of years. Find some other franchise you can milk into oblivion and allow people to start missing your shooters, and then let anticipation build for an extra year for good measure. Then hit us with something fresh, like you managed to CoD4 back then, and boom! You got us again. For crying out loud, I don't even like military shooters all that much, and CoD4 was absolutely terrific. Once in a while this stuff can be awesome, but at this point you've gone well beyond the point of franchise exhaustion where even die-hard fans are starting to flip you off for behaving like a factory production line.

 

[dragongit]

Going back to the WW2 setting huh? I did Nazi that coming.

A few people did, and they were Reich.

I feel there are fuhrer and fuhrer people who care about the franchise with every subsequent release.

 

[TwoSidesOneCoin]

If there was ever a phrase that makes me cautious of a game in development, it's "We're going back to our roots." It usually never ends well and a recent example of that is Dead Rising with it's not so Frank-Frank. Then again it's Call of Duty so it's not like it'll change much aside from what time the game is set in.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Going back to the WW2 setting huh? I did Nazi that coming.

They were just Stalin the inevitable. We all know it.

It won't end well. They can go back to the roots with the setting, but I don't think they'll go back to the roots with their business model. They make more money with DLC and microtransactions than they do with the main game. That's the main reason why I haven't even considered buying a CoD game for years now. I treat it like any other thing that I'm not even remotely interested in.

 

[laggyteabag]

I mean, if it wasn't well received, then it wasn't well received, but if they remove all of the enhanced movement mechanics, such as the boost dodging, sliding, wall running, etc, then I will be saddened by this. Going from Halo 5 and Titanfall 2, to Battlefield 1, the game just feels slow by comparison.

There is certainly a place for WW1/2 shooters, but i'll be sad if this ends up marking the mainstream end of the sci-fi-shooter, once again.

 

[Naldan]

The word puns in the comments are especially bad if you pronounce the German words correctly. But I honestly find it cute. Not in a demeaning way.

 

[Cowabungaa]

[HEADING=2]Behind the scenes at Activison:[/HEADING]

"Guys, shit, EA did super well with a WW1 shooters, what should we do?!"

"I get it! We'll make a WW1 shooter as well!"

---

Because you just know it's going to be a WW1 shooter.

The word puns in the comments are especially bad if you pronounce the German words correctly. But I honestly find it cute. Not in a demeaning way.

You must be fun at parties.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

So no DLC and microtransation, has good gameplay with a good single player and dedicated server that people can create? I won't believe them until I see it with my own eyes.

 

[MCerberus]

Going back to the WW2 setting huh? I did Nazi that coming.

My bet's on Vietnam, but I'll waive the bet for now - some puns need their time to shine.

I can't wait for Rising Storm 2 to completely embarrass CoD then.

OT - Just give it to Treyarch and tell them to go nuts. It won't be as polished, but they're the guys that come up with the ridiculous stuff that actually has a soul.

They've sent dogs!

 

[Worgen]

I wish they would stop listening to the dumbest people and do what actually needs to be done with Cod. Infinite Warfare was really good, but they need to give the series time. Go a year without a release, let people actually really get into the game and if they get bored with it then let them miss the series. I mean the only time that kinda happened was with ghost since its multi just felt so off, so people just went back to blops 2. But, since ghost no other cod has felt off like that.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Crawl back into the womb and die then!!

Nah, don't hate you that much really, no invested emotions whatsoever. But have been wanting to use that phrase for some while now and this seems like the least offensive target to fire at. A victimless crime. Or non-crime. A nothing. This is a nothing. I'll go, sorry.

 

[TheScorpion]

I would prefer they just give Call Of Duty a break for a year or two for once but I guess that's just wishful thinking at this point.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I have to agree with a lot of other people saying that the series needs a break. Can't miss you if you won't go away. Which is funny, because I actually liked Infinite Warfare. It's better than the past two games in my opinion. I actually had fun in the single player, and the final missions felt like a real Call of Duty game.

But the series has lost that magic touch, I fully admit. Now, instead of being a part of an army, too often I find myself with one or two unkillable companions sneaking through enemy bases, or using tech to clear out an entire room by myself. I'm tired of that. I want to be in a firefight with other soldiers on my side, like in the old games. Did it kind of break immersion that, when one died, a new one would just come running up out of nowhere? Yes, but man it was fun.

 

[Zulnam]

Did it kind of break immersion that, when one died, a new one would just come running up out of nowhere? Yes, but man it was fun.

Oh man, remember when your entire unit would get wiped and you'd see green arrows showing up on the map and running toward you? Shit, remember the military errection you got from all the green arrows during the Stalingrad landing?


OP:
Dearest CoD,

You have been tainted. Report to your nearest religious hub for crucifixion and/or stoning.

Sincerely,
A throng of peasants.