Call of Duty is Microsoft’s Key for a Successful Reveal

VG Republic Writes: Dan Amrich, we as a gaming community have to thank you for confirming what we had a hunch was coming and were hoping for in the end, but your confirmation that we will see the next iteration of Call of Duty being revealed no later than E3 is like Christmas in June for many of us. Microsoft is partially thrilled, but on the other hand is somewhat disgusted with the fact that their biggest card was played so soon. Activision has joined forces with Microsoft more times than can be counted, so the thought that the next Call of Duty joining hands and walking to the stage with the Xbox 720 seems a likely pairing. For that very reason the thought that an edge might have been slightly lost when Amrich made his statement has to be frustrating, via his YouTube Channel and reported by CVG, but at the same time is quite satisfying to know that such a powerful force rests within the confines of your hand; it sure is easier to sleep at night knowing so. Bringing forth the next game by E3 is something that makes perfect sense for the game itself, but it also makes sense because it looks as though we will see Microsoft’s next console by this point at the latest.

[AkatsukiPain]

As rubbish as I think this franchise has become, we cant deny that millions love this milk dud of a game. Any huge game that sells well, u know microsoft will pay for timed exclusive dlc. Been tired of this franchise after modern warfare 2 its been the same crap with added feats. Great for those who love it though.

[KillrateOmega]

I'm disappointed in you, good sir. I see no 'Shinra Tensei'.

Simply appalling :(

[ijust2good]

The saddest thing is most console gamer's and most people here in N4G hate on CoD but Most of them will go out and buy it every year and still hate on it.

20-30 million every year. The best selling game every year. No fluke. I have the balls to admit it. I hate on CoD with a passion but i still buy it cause other multiplayer games suck more. Sure BF and Halo's have there moments but lets face it. CoD has 60fps holy grail of gaming paradise. Ill have game of Teamdeath match over a game of Rush anyday.

[kneon]

I haven't bought COD since BLOPS, and even that one I only bought because my daughter wanted it. And I haven't seriously played the multi-player since WAW. It just got boring and the perk combos got incredibly stupid after that.

I've found no lack of multi-player games to play so I don't feel I've missed out at all.

But I'll be shocked if there isn't a COD game announced along with the next Xbox.

[AkatsukiPain]

@KillrateOmega

Some ppl got mad for me having it & pm me about it lol.

Shinra Tensei

[Reverent]

@ijust2good, speak for yourself. I haven't bought a CoD game since MW1. It's all about Battlefield for me.

[FITgamer]

@ijust2good your comment just imploded on itself. You mention "the saddest thing" then you finish your comment with..."the saddest thing". Well done sir.

[MariaHelFutura]

1. I fully expect Cod to be announced with the next xbox.

2. It's kinda sad when the key to your success is a multiplatform title.

[MikeMyers]

It is kind of sad but that seems to be Microsoft's intent, to partner itself with well known hits and try and persuade consumers into thinking it's best played on their console.

I can see why Microsoft did this on the Xbox 360. They were huge underdogs during the PS2 generation and saw all of those games come on the PS2 and many skip the Xbox. The ones that did come out on both sold much better on the PS2. Sony also used GTA as a timed exclusive game which really helped them too. What Microsoft has done basically in the current generation is create parity among the Playstation brand. No longer do games like Tomb Raider and GTA get completely outsold on the Xbox brand. They've managed to make multiplat games for the most part a level playing field in software sales. That was key and now most games come out on both systems.

However moving forward Microsoft will need to create a better identity of their own and start investing in games that show the differences from their competitors. Especially as they improve drastically their online services. If the PS4 offers the same experience online for free that is one area that Microsoft will have to overcome. Plus with the PS4 being a developers wishlist no longer will the Xbox have hat advantage of perhaps having the better version. So what's left for Microsoft to do, keep going at it with timed exclusives? I think consumers are growing tired of those petty tactics.

Microsoft also needs to be careful about linking itself too heavily on certain franchises because once the bubble has burst and gamer grow tired of Call of Duty what does Microsoft have left to fall back onto, another franchise like Halo that's being made too often too?

[Mustang300C2012]

It is funny that the best selling game on the PS3 is COD

[MikeMyers]

"It is funny that the best selling game on the PS3 is COD"

Not surprising. Japan is not Sony's largest market, Europe and North America are. The shooter genre has exploded and largely due to the popularity of online gaming which again is way more popular outside of Japan on consoles. Then when you see most games being the same on both the PS3 and Xbox 360 and playing very similar to one another it isn't very surprising. What is surprising is how many still troll forums acting like one is so much better than the other and trying to make it appear those gamers are so drastically different from one another. Trying so hard to recruit people into group A versus group B.

[headblackman]

now you know that this game couldn't possibly be the key to the Xbox success, unless its gonna be 100% exclusive to the xbox, but I don't ever see that happening again. they key to success was the writers words. not Microsoft's or Activision's. we all know better or at least should know better to even remotely believe that this nonexclusive could ever be the key to success.

[FITgamer]

@Mustang you know what's even more funny than that? That Microsoft is dumb enough to spend so much money on title that's gonna sell well regardless.

[WickedLester]

It's multiplatform yes but MS brilliantly markets these 3rd party games to give the perception that they are Xbox exclusive. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen a commercial for a multiplatform game where at the end it ONLY showed the 360 logo, giving the notion that this is the ONLY platform you can play it on.

[JoGam]

Honestly for me MS revealing the next COD at their conference will be meh. Now if they revealed it as a MS exclusive and not just timed, that will be major.

[Oh_Yeah]

Crap game is a crap game, exclusive or not but it would guarantee Microsoft wins in sales next gen.

[Aceman18]

personally i havent bought a CoD game since MW2, but i have played MW3, and BO1 and found them ok.

microsoft using a new CoD at their reveal really doesnt excite me none.

if microsoft really wants me to spend my hard earned money on their next console they'll have to do a few things in imo

1 make live free as i will not pay someone else to use my own damn internet that i already pay my cable subscriber for

2 create new IPs that are more than just FPS, TPS with more variety, and not just relying on the same 4 franchises.

if they can't do these simply things i'll just keep my 360 and use that to catch up on whatever games i've missed this generation using gamefly.

[avengers1978]

When a game that will come out on your competition is your big draw then you are in trouble... MS needs to show off exclusives and possible new ips. Forza, gears, and halo maybe fan favorites (and I wouldn't be surprised to see them on nextbox at all) but some new blood will certainly help there next launch.
I first bought a 360 for gears and bioshock(at the time it was exclusive) but after two different 360's rrod I was happy to just stay with my PS3.
And now nothing msxbox have make me want to get there nextbox... So show new ips.
I can't see getting a system when gears and shadow complex are the only 2 things I want for it...Though the last splinter cell almost made me break down and get a 360 again.
But I kind of think it will release with splinter cell black list (like bioshock infinite came with bioshock on ps3)

[FITgamer]

Im with you on that, I've never been a fan of halo. I bought 360 just for gears, but unfortunately i had a first gen 360(shit-box). Barely made it 2 years. So i got PS3 and never turned back. Which turned out to be a good thing cause im a gamer, not a COD whore. PS3 simply has the best selection of games.

[g2gshow]

i guess i'm just the type of person that just dont like when the orinal devoplers get the boot for what ever reason just like the last gears an ninja gaiden i didn't pick it up cause different people wear in control for the most part . changing things around just didn't care for it anymore. i guess the sale show im not the only person that doesn't think like this.... ill play it one day when its 15 dollars or so
but my biggest disappointment was crack down 2 i still play part 1 when i just feel like jumping around an blowing things up

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

This is awful..

1st ps4 game shown was knack.

xbox will be the shooter box. watch.

12 year olds will help xbox win.

[-Mezzo-]

It's really sad, isn't it.

[dedicatedtogamers]

Stole the words right out of my mouth.

Then again, when the fanbase sets the bar so low...

I remember when GTA4 and FF13 coming to 360 were once considered "megaton", yet of course former 360 exclusives like Dead Rising, Mass Effect, GTA4's "exclusive" content, Bioshock, etc going to other platforms was no big deal.

[r1sh12]

@dedicatedtogamers..
With GTA4, I dont think MS did anything wrong.
Rockstar went to Sony and asked if they want it to be exclusive, Sony didnt reply.
MS stepped in with this content deal, but the average sales figures were not MS's problem, even Dan Houser said the release was too late in the cycle, many people had forgotten about GTA4 by the time TLAD was released.
The lost interest was the sole reason for the lower than expected sales.
Im sure the dev cycle for such a big game would be quite long, but thats the reason it went to PC and PS3 a year later, to claw back the money.

Im sure many other game devs learnt from this rockstar mishap - most games are now giving exclusive content via a short delay, or they are giving different content to different platforms.

If Rockstar released the content say 3 months after GTA4 was released, I the clause in the contract would keep it on the 360.
The lack of sales moved it to other platforms, lets not forget due to the exclusivity the xbox version sold almost double by the end of 2008/9

@Akatsukipain
I agree call of duty is a very tired franchise, however the next gen could mean a new engine etc..
Which could re-invigorate the franchise (possibly).

[Cam977]

They have nothing else to drive the next Xbox apart from COD. However, saying that, we'll probably see some surprises.

[denawayne]

Nothing? Really?

[Munky]

Whether you like it or not, the COD franchise is a cash cow for both MS and Sony.

http://www.vgchartz.com/pla...

What is even more telling is the fact that out of all the PS3 exclusives only 4 (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, LittleBigPlanet) titles make it into the top 20.

If anything that is more "sad" then MS identifying and taking advantage of a definite seller.

[SnakeCQC]

one console make revealing a game thats going to go to all the other platforms is microsoft's key to victory?

[prettyboy12]

lol i think he meant lol i think he lol HAHAHAHAH!!never mind

[FarCryLover182]

I really don't want them wasting time revealing this game at their conference. We know what it is and everything that a COD title entails. Leave it for E3.

[BattleReach]

Only if the show a Call of Duty running on a new Engine.. IW 4.0 on Next Gen would be a joke.

[BattleReach]

Lol, why did someone disagreed? The engine they're using is already a joke om the current gen.

[yugovega]

cod has always been microsofts selling point. that's why they always show it to open or close their shows. not a bad choice for them considering they do not really have a lot of great ips. cant show halo 2x in one show.

[Why o why]

Hey Microsoft

How about you reveal a panza dragoon or crimson skies or another alan wake or a true banzo. Maybe a fixed true human or proper sequel to crackdown... screaming from the hilltops about a multiplatform game would be palatable IF you added just a fraction of the games listed alongside it. This may happen but I hope if it does the non multiplatform games get the shine not a multiplatform game or a 'me too' steal.

[T2]

No way I touch crackdown unless it posts 10/10 on every review . I paid full price for crackdown 2 fn joke of a game

[Stefanrules7]

I think this with cod is going to cement the door between the casual gamers sticking with m$ and the rest fleeing to sony

[KillrateOmega]

this statement does hold some validity. While I wouldn't say that the next CoD is necessarily 'key' to a successful reveal by MS, I definitely say that it's a significant player. After all, there's a reason that MS always opens or closes their shows with CoD.

I just hope that we see some significant improvements to the franchise all around. Before they had the excuse of saying that they were limited by the hardware of current-gen consoles. That excuse simply won't be valid next-gen (at least for a while).

[Supermax]

I'd rather see them roll out bf4 and tell me it's 32 on 32 on the next consoles

[mochachino]

Why, it will be coming out on PS4 too and may even run/look better.

BF will probably overtake COD next-gen anyways, nothing stays on top forever.

[Knushwood Butt]

I'm wondering if Microsoft have hijacked Final Fantasy Versus XIII.

[xdye017]

this franchise has become the nicki minaj of gaming

[FITgamer]

It grew a ginormous ass?

[Jek_Porkins]

Well I don't think it's the only key to success for Microsoft, they can come out and say the next Xbox isn't DRM, plays used games, and is backwards compatible out of the box, if they do that, then they will be in good shape.

Even though the online forums and communities hate on COD, the masses love the game, so showing off a next gen COD on the next Xbox and announcing they will get maps first again on the next Xbox would probably draw in a lot of people, but they need to also show off what some of there 20+ first party studios have been working on for 3+ years.

I'm interested in a lot of what they have to say, the evolution of Xbox Live, games and features of the next Xbox, the price and design of the next Xbox ect...

So I don't think there is a single key to success, but rather a few different keys that will attract different types of gamer's, COD will draw in one type, something like Alan Wake 2 would draw in a completely different type.

[trenso1]

i find that sad if they need this franchise of all of them in their reveal to be succcesful

[GraveLord]

Does it really matter if they reveal next-gen COD at their event? Only core gamers will watch it and core gamers know this is also coming to PS4.

[artdafoo]

U know u in trouble when your sucess is hinged on Call It Doodie. I mean really thats all you got ? U basically admited defeat.

[T2]

Id agree but till sales flop its easy money for them

[KingKevo]

It probably is for a lot of people. Don't get me wrong, Third Party support is great, but if a company and a console is relying on one (multiplatform!!) game in the way that MS is relying on CoD something is wrong about that company. If they get theirs exclusive unveil it will sure make a lot of more casual gamers and kids wanting the new MS console and they'll make it a big deal, but I'm just wondering if MS cannot have enough exclusive games if they keep on seeling CoD as THEIR big thing. It is, sales are great for the game and the DLC, and Activision and MS sure make a lot of additional profit with the deal, but it's just the best example to show how unoriginal MS is getting. They release sh***y Kinect games and lame sequels of [insert any MS game here] and put their money into exclusive deals, just because they give a sh** and want to make profit only.

If MS doesn't show any exciting game for the next Xbox that's an original exclusive I won't even care about them anymore, well, less than I already do, and keep on waiting a month for my CoD DLC.