Activision has recently announced the next phase in the Call of Duty series with the arrival of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Set to release on October 25, 2019, the franchise has decided to forgo another Black Ops sequel. Arguably one of the franchise’s most popular games, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, released in 2009, not only set the tone for years to come but helped to bring Call of Duty to where it is today: one of the first name’s thought of when it comes to first person shooters.
Courtesy of Infinity Ward
So what exactly made Modern Warfare 2 such a great game? Surely a combination of entertaining maps, diverse weapons and powerful killstreaks. Yet, its most admirable feature was pure simplicity. Back in 2009, games did not feature the regular content updates or micro-transactions that have defined gaming in 2019.
Recent games such as Fortnite and Apex Legends have emerged victorious within the gaming community. Praised for their free-to-play features, persistent content updates, and cross-play compatibility. There is no doubt that Activision has taken notice of this. They too have tried to implement the same features in many of their recent games in the Black Ops series. Yet, these supplements are met with criticism by most fans, in turn creating a negative connotation toward the series itself.
What made old Call of Duty games so great was their ability to excite fans without releasing new content frequently. Effort was focused entirely toward the gameplay itself. Developers overlooked how the company could profit in the long run, cutting micro-transactions and pay-to-win features out of the game. This created a complete game with an enjoyable multiplayer experience and thrilling campaign.
Playing the title a year later, fans could retain the same level of entertainment they once had when the game was initially released. Despite a few DLCs that would come out every couple of months, the game itself would not vary. While this may sound like an absurd idea in today’s era of modern gaming, it seems to be what could win back the hearts of Call of Duty fans.
Courtesy of Steam Community
Hopefully, returning the franchise to the Modern Warfare series means that Activision will take a dedicated step toward returning the franchise to what made the series so popular to begin with. Not the special features, map packs or customizations, but the gameplay itself. While avid fans of the series can only remain optimistic that Activision has heeded this message, certainly the company’s decision to head back down the Modern Warfare route seems like the first step in the right direction.
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Featured photo from Infinity Ward
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