What Must The Call of Duty Franchise Do To Avoid Long Term Fatigue

Skewed and Reviewed have posted an opinion piece asking what the Call of Duty franchise needs to do in order to keep the series fresh. Suggestions include co-op play, setting future games in space, and assigning character classes and roles to players.

[PopRocks359]

Some of the suggestions in the article are nice, but I'd argue CoD hit the point of fatigue at least a couple of years ago.

[csreynolds]

Agreed.

In my view, we've already passed the PSR; the last Call of Duty title I got excited for was Modern Warfare 2. It needs a hiatus - a good two years at least.

[Garethvk]

I can really see that. It did not happen for me until this one in that I did not really have a drive to do the solo campaign. I spent most of my time doing the online mode which I liked, and only got to the campaign to see how it went rather than being gripped by the story and drawn in.

Once I got to the max level online, I did not really have much desire to play more, so I waited until the new DLC came out. While I am curious to see what is next, I do think that some new things are needed. I especially would like to get away from endings where you have to battle the bad guy in a series of slow mo moves.

[MasterD919]

I was thinking the other day about how foolish Actisivion or Treyarch will look when the PS4/Xbox 720 are out and we are still seeing the same game over and over with little to no change.

You can't innovate what has been already drained to the max.

[maniacmayhem]

maybe STOP....

First answer that came to my head.

Let it rest for a good two years. Let people wear out the latest version before coming out with a new one a year later.

[Kevlar009]

They would have to change the kill streak, death, and damage formula. You can dominate by running around everywhere with an SMG or shotgun, I know in my few games of Battlefield 3 running everywhere meant you were an easy target who was only hurting the team.

As we all know, each new Call of Duty is the same as the last one except with different maps, weapons, and added modes. CoD would have to adopt a class system like BF (where each class brings something unique, the more varied the team the more assets you bring as a whole). CoD multiplayer is a bunch of one man army's who are assembled together on a team, forcng more teamwork to succeed is one direction they could take (increasing everyone's base health would require more focus fire to kill someone, limiting one man killing sprees against superior numbers would be less likely if it's harder for one person to kill another)

[Oschino1907]

I have a feeling you don't play much COD or Battlefield, or you are very new to both...

[MYSTERIO360]

The COD franchise i think needs to end Activision need to come up with a new IP next gen. I lost interest in the COD series after MW2. On the other hand im really looking forward to Destiny it sound great, hope Activision push the game forward as its an FPS id rather play.

[MilkMan]

To avoid fatigue?
This thing has been running on fumes since COD 4.
Yeah I know everyone plays it to death don't mean fatigue hasn't settled in. Even Activision wants something different.

[profgerbik]

End the franchise?

[Garethvk]

With one billion in revenue in 15the days they will not give that up anytime soon. I want to see the hit counters and play balance fiixed. I hate dropping half a clip in a person and they live while otthers go down fasst.

[ACESupERIC]

You all know there are 2 developers making their own call of duty game right? Infinity ward releases a new modern warfare every 2 years. Treyarch has the same schedule but staggered to release the year that modern warfare doesn't. Modern warfare and blackops or world at war break sales records every year. Not just video game sales records either. Any company involved in some form of entertainment media would kill for their numbers. Each new modern warfare is an improvement on the last one and the same goes for blackops and world at war. The class setups, perks, weapons, maps, and for me, the community involved, improves with each new release.If its getting stale and repetitive to some people then why does it sell more copies with each release? Because the cod community knows that each year they can rely on a phenomenal game to scratch that shooter itch. I hope they keepem coming and keep up the good work cuz if it aint broke dont try and fix it.

P. S.
I dont just play shooters or only call of duty. I usually give most good games (and some not so good) a try so dont label me a cod fanboy. You can however call me gamer and its something that I'm proud of.

[Reverent]

That excuse just makes it more pathetic on the developer's end. They get 2 years to develop the SAME damn game.

[Gemmol]

lol you right,

[Lazyeye79]

Don't release a new one every year!!!

[Garethvk]

It all comes down to money. Activision is a public company and as such they need to keep those who buy stocks happy. Most of the people who own stock may not even be gamers but you can bet they all know the value of a new Call of Duty Game. If they were to leave the revenue it generates off an annual report, you could bet there would be some very unhappy people. If enough get unhappy, then changes are made at the top and it trickles down. I worked at Monolith and Sierra when I was starting out my media work, and I can tell you, I have seen so many games shoved out the door by a suit that were not even close to being in working condition. This was done as they had to keep the books clean. So many units had to ship this qtr, when a game is over budget and behind schedule, they often cut it loose. It would take a game failing to do well from a sales perspective to usher in a change via force. Otherwise, the company will make changes on their schedule not ours.

[ACESupERIC]

How can anyone say its the same game!? Every cod has added something different and taken away things that didnt work out. It changes with every release. Whether its weapons,perks, killstreaks, and maps every one is different from the one before it. The single player campaign has also turned into a phenomenal storyline that I cant wait to see where it goes. You now have league play and more variety in the multiplayer games you choose. The only way its the same game is that its a shooter. If you think its the same game every year then go back and play one of the older titles in the series and see how much you miss the newer items, weapons, perks and killstreaks. The same game every time wouldn't grow a fanbase every year for 6 years and counting. They would wither and die. Story keeps getting better and multiplayer community keeps growing. As diehard as halo fans are they're flocking to cod in droves. Battlefield and(hopefully a new) rainbow 6 arethe only real competition for cod. And last time I checked cod has outsold them all and has more players in the playlists. You dont get a following like that by releasing the same game every year. Every ones different in its own way and anybody who has spent some real time on each one can tell you that.

[Garethvk]

So what it comes down to can be boiled down to artisitic freedom, innovation, and money. The designers want to be more creative but have a strict timeline to complete the product, segments of the public want something new, bold, and innovative, and the company has the good business sense to ride the hot hand and do the correct business model for them of taking the money while it is there.

While I think we all can agree that there is always a desire for new content and updates, the series remains the most popular game series around as enough gamers like what they are getting to drive each new release to record numbers.

I equate it to the Simpsons episode where they ripped on "The Phantom Menace". Comic Book Guy left the cinema saying it was the worst one ever and that he will only see it three more times... today.

There is a faction that hates COD, and a group that loves to bash on the game, but go out and buy it and every DLC they offer.

They play the game non-stop just to tell everyone how awful it is.

It is not for everyone but several people really like it, or like it enough to keep buying it as the sales confirm.

The real question is what can they do next, and how soon can and should gamers expect a change in the series on the level of what Modern Warfare 1 was compared to the previous games.