Big changes for Warzone are on the way. | Image: Activision Blizzard
Activision is working on two big Call of Duty initiatives for 2022, the company announced Friday. One is a sequel to 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and the other is a “new Warzone experience,” both of which will be “designed together from the ground-up,” according to a blog post.
It’s unclear if the new Warzone experience is a full-on sequel or a major update in the vein of Fortnite’s massive chapter changes, and the company didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment asking for clarification. However, Activision is promising some big things. You can expect “a massive evolution of battle royale with all-new playspace and a new sandbox mode,” the blog says, and a new engine that powers “both the new Call of Duty game release and Warzone.” Development of the new Call of Duty game and this new Warzone experience will be led by Infinity Ward, the studio that made Modern Warfare, Infinite Warfare, Ghosts, and other Call of Duty titles (including the original).
Activision also announced changes on how it will improve the current Warzone experience, which has been heavily criticized in recent weeks due to bugs, exploits, and the prevalence of cheaters. Activision Blizzard as a whole has come under significant scrutiny following California’s lawsuit against the company that alleged it fostered a workplace culture of harassment and discrimination and after labor protests and unionization efforts from workers at Call of Duty support studio Raven Software. And Friday’s news arrives hours after an extensive Washington Post profile of Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick that includes details of lawsuits he’s been involved in.
In January, Microsoft announced its intent to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. While Call of Duty would certainly be a valuable Xbox-exclusive property, statements from Microsoft since the acquisition news suggest the company plans to keep Call of Duty and other Activision Blizzard games on multiple platforms.