Call of Duty has been a staple of gaming for over twenty years, but as it nears its 25th anniversary, the once seemingly unstoppable franchise has found itself at a bit of a crossroads. Sure, it's had stumbles in the past (Black Ops 4, we're looking at you) but the situation Activision finds itself in currently means that this year's entry to the COD franchise could either pull it back from the brink or see its once iron-clad grip on the FPS genre shattered like the Elden Ring.
While that may seem a bit far-fetched, COD is certainly in trouble. The series is on some unsteady ground after ceding players in droves to its rival Battlefield's resurgence and the $300 million loss accredited to the Game Pass price hike. But the problems with COD run a little deeper than that, as these are merely the consequences of symptoms that have run deep within the franchise in recent years.
The once definitive military FPS that prided itself on snappy controls, fierce gunplay, and being the peak military fantasy has steadily become the game that has everything. From a live service element, a battle royale, and enough skins to rival Fortnite, Call of Duty has become something very different to what it was in 2006, and now faces an identity crisis. In an effort to cater to everyone, now it seems to appeal to no one.
But there is a way for it to turn the tide.
Getting its prestige back
COD is no stranger to hitting the reset button, which is something that needs to happen here. It went back to its roots once in 2019 with the Modern Warfare reboot and that was met with great responses from critics. It needs to do so again, not just with its campaign, but with its mechanics. It needs to be the—somewhat—grounded military shooter it was twenty years ago.
First of all, omnimovement has become something a self-inflicted wound to the series. When it was introduced in Black Ops 6 back in 2024, it did feel fresh. Players suddenly had a whole new range of movements, which made the game feel brand new. But it didn't take long for the Try-hards and the sweats to turn it into something terrible. And by Black Ops 7 you suddenly have lobbies full of parkour experts sliding, wall running, and generally making life miserable for anyone else who hasn't managed to master and exploit it.
Season passes and Warzone aren't going anywhere in all likelihood, but at the very least there needs to be a skin filter. Not everyone comes to play COD wanting to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles having a scrap with the Terminator before getting third-partied by Nicki Minaj and Homelander.
It might want to sort out its rampant cheater problem as well, instead of just talking about how it is committed to "consistent action". That recent Surfshark study really rubbed Activision up the wrong way, but when cheating has been rife in the franchise for years, many have been left wondering what that consistent action entails beyond posturing in response to somebody pointing out the obvious.
And what of its campaign? While multiplayer is what keeps the majority of players playing Call of Duty, there is a significant portion of fans who like to pick up the game for the single-player experience. Some of us are a little more introverted, and that's okay (and maybe we don't quite have the reaction times anymore and our wrists click like Geiger counters). A return to a Michael Bay-esque campaign would be perfect. Something that has that action film thriller feel, filled with tension and capped off with some great set pieces. Not the terribly repackaged and lazy 'Open Combat Missions' they tried to get away with not once but twice.
In fact, why not get Michael Bay involved, he's already working on a film that is literally ripped from the headlines with Operation Epic Fury, a film that tells the tale of those US pilots recently downed in Iran. It might be a little bit late to get him involved this year, and he seems a bit busy himself, but maybe next year, perhaps, especially as it seems there may be a glimmer of hope for COD with its announcement of Modern Warfare 4.
Infinity Ward are back, plus other reasons to be hopeful
Activision are moving away from Black Ops after a double year release, now returning to Modern Warfare with a fourth instalment set in Korea. Not only does it promise to bring back the kind of campaign fans have been pining for, but it also promises to focus more on the grunts as opposed to the specialist operators of Taskforce 141. That said, the man with the fab 'tache Captain Price does make his return, but it seems like he could be playing quite an unexpected role this time around. It will also be properly single-player and offline only too.
We could also be seeing a return to a more moderate movement style too, as Infinity Ward looks to move away from omnimovement and wall-jumping in favour of something more realistic yet still being as 'fast and fluid as possible'.
Not only that, but Activision has come out and addressed the skin problem too. In a statement posted on X shortly after the game's announcement, Infinity Ward were quick to point out that their aim is to feel authentic to what Modern Warfare is and that "includes cosmetics and collabs. We're committed to keeping it grounded." So don't expect to be going up against Bugs Bunny or Ice Spice when the game drops later this year. Big sighs of relief all around, we expect.
Too big to fail?
Of course, all of this is why Modern Warfare 4 feels like such a pivotal moment for the franchise. Big promises are being made, but Infinity Ward still needs to deliver. Call of Duty isn't in danger of disappearing overnight; it's still one of the biggest names in gaming. But it can no longer rely on its reputation alone. Battlefield has found its footing again, players are becoming increasingly selective about where they spend their time and money, and goodwill towards the series has been eroded by years of questionable decisions.
Another divisive release like Black Ops 7 wouldn't kill Call of Duty, but it could further cement the perception that the franchise no longer understands what made it special in the first place. Modern Warfare 4 doesn't just need to be good; it needs to remind players why COD became the king of military shooters to begin with. If it can't, it could may well condemn itself to a slow bleed-out like Medal of Honor. You remember that, right?
If you're left feeling optimistic about this year's COD, why not check out our hands-on with it, he seems pretty happy with it. For the first time in years, Call of Duty seems to know what it wants to be again. Whether MW4 can deliver on that promise remains to be seen, but the signs are certainly more encouraging than they've been in quite a while.