A new report indicates that multiplatform first-person-shooter franchise Call of Duty may no longer be a yearly release. With Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company is looking to reduce the workload for the studios traditionally associated with the Call of Duty franchise, including Treyarch and Infinity Ward. While the deal is not finalized, high-level employees from the studios are reportedly in talks with management.
Yearly Call of Duty releases have led to poor sales and fatigue
With Call of Duty: Vanguard‘s release resulting in a monumental flop, and ongoing issues with Call of Duty Warzone, fans have been skeptical about the future of the franchise. Some attribute this to the long and harrowing work that comes with releasing a new title every year. Others have blamed poor leadership and a culture of workplace abuse and harassment. Regardless of the reasons, employees at Activision’s studios have been outspoken about working conditions and the need to reform the company’s business strategy.
According to Bloomberg, two anonymous employees state that things may change as early as next year. The main reasoning is that it would not only please players but also help the franchise’s quality as a whole. It would also let the studio’s developers help on other projects around Activision, as well as work on fresh new titles. Most importantly, employees would hopefully be faced with less overwork and crunch conditions, leading to an overall healthier development environment.
That being said, some employees are still skeptical. As is common with mergers of this scale, the threat of layoffs also seems to be a major cause for concern with Activision Blizzard employees. While there is an air of optimism that things will change with the acquisition, only time will tell whether Microsoft will improve conditions at the company.
In other news, the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy is likely to release in 2022 despite delay rumors. An industry analyst also states that the Call of Duty franchise will likely stay a multiplatform series, thanks to scrutiny from anti-trust regulators.
