Call of Duty could be getting a premium experience if the latest rumors involving Sledgehammer Games and the series are concerned. When Microsoft announced its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, many had anticipated that there could be changes moving forward. If certain news turns out to be correct, Treyarch's premium title might have been delayed to 2024. However, contrary to expectations, there could still be a premium title next year.
Earlier in 2022, it was announced that Activision would be breaking the annual release cycle of premium games. The publisher stated that they have several upcoming titles for the years 2022 and 2023. However, there was nothing in that announcement which stated that the news of Treyarch pushing back on its title was false. While the news might be trustworthy, there could likely be a case where fans will get a premium experience. While the chances of that happening are slim, the possibility can't be ruled out just yet.
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Sledgehammer Games is working on its next premium Call of Duty title
Earlier in the day, reliable industry-insider Tom Henderson from eXputer broke the news that Sledgehammer Games is already working on a new project. This development comes despite Vanguard not getting the reception Activision wanted.
The expectations are that the project will be completed by 2025. According to Tom, an unnamed employee has suggested that Activision skipping 2023 might be a one-off case. It will likely return to the annual release cycle of premium games.
It should be noted that 2023 will not be a blank year for the franchise. Call of Duty Warzone 2 could be released in the first half of 2023, while Modern Warfare II is likely to enthrall the fans. The chances of Warzone mobile coming late this year or in early 2023 are also high.
Why Sledgehammer Games might release its premium experience earlier than expected
All the information above suggests that Sledgehammer Games' next premium experience should be expected around the year 2025. It's not only because of the deadline, but also due to Activision's usual pattern.
However, any game's development can rapidly pick up the pace, especially when the right personnel are working on it. Based on Sledgehammer's LinkedIn page, they rapidly acquiring new talent in all four of their global offices.
The total employee count stands close to 500, similar to the numbers of Infinity Ward and Treyarch. There are more than 60 open positions across all of its global offices, and talent acquisition has increased by 21%.
One thing that is for sure is that Sledgehammer Games is growing in number, which could be crucial in its success. This would avoid repeating the mistakes they made with Vanguard. Additionally, greater staff will help them churn out better quality products in a lesser turnaround time.
There are no assurances that the project that Sledgehammer Games is developing will be pushed out earlier. As things stand, fans will be getting Call of Duty Modern Warfare II in late 2022. It will likely be followed by Warzone 2 in 2023, and for the next ones, we will have to wait and watch.
Things have been changing rapidly at Activision Blizzard, and they could change again once the takeover is complete. There is a strong case that 2023 will provide a tremendous market opportunity for Activision, which could be too good to ignore.
It has been reported that Modern Warfare II will be supported with at least 2 years of content. All of this hints at the fact that 2023 might not see a premium game for the franchise. However, things could turn out to be different if Sledgehammer Games can develop their next Call of Duty project quicker than expected.
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