Summary
- It's time for Call of Duty to leave PS4 and Xbox One behind and focus on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S for optimal growth.
- The franchise needs a jumpstart, with rumors of Black Ops: Gulf War being the next major release to shift Call of Duty back on course.
- Catering to past consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One is stunting Call of Duty's potential for growth in the present market.
Call of Duty has remained at the forefront of the first-person genre since it began back in 2003. Since then, the franchise has spawned an impressive list of titles, but the current state of Call of Duty finds itself standing on some shaky ground. The release of Modern Warfare 3 was a mixed bag for many players. Despite the solid combat mechanics, a disappointing campaign and the lack of quality post-launch content have left the Call of Duty franchise in need of a jump start.
There are currently rumors swirling around about the future of Call of Duty, as the next major release in the series, which is believed to be Black Ops: Gulf War, may be announced sooner than expected. Whatever the next Call of Duty game ends up being, it needs to really get the franchise back on track, and one way to start is to leave the PS4 and the Xbox One in the past.
Call of Duty Should Retire its Time With the PS4 and Xbox One
The PS4 and Xbox One have had a great run. It's now been a little over a decade since the two consoles launched back in 2013, and they both remained strong competitors that offered tons of incredible games. However, with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S now being nearly four years old at this point, it's time for major franchises to move on, and Call of Duty is one of the main properties in question.
Taking Notes From Other Games and Companies
Even Sony itself knows that the time of the PS4 is over. Back in 2022, Sony made plans to no longer release PS4 games by 2025. Sony also doesn't have any plans to release any major PlayStation franchises until April 2025, meaning that the PS4 generation has now seen its final days as far as Sony is concerned.
When it comes to the Xbox One, Call of Duty is one of the last franchises truly holding onto the console. Although Modern Warfare 3 performs just fine on the Xbox One, it's also probably holding the game back due to being optimized to play well on an older console. This is the main issue Call of Duty needs to face with these last-generation consoles. Ultimately, it's stunting the franchise.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are the Standard Now
It's understandable that the Call of Duty franchise wants to cast a wide net in order to make as many sales as possible, but the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are now the standard, and the franchise should now solely focus on the current generation. The inability to let go of the consoles of the past is stifling Call of Duty's growth, which could arguably turn detrimental for the series. Instead of trying to reach as many players with varying consoles as possible, the next Call of Duty needs to put its focus on making games that are well-optimized for the present.
It made sense to cater to the PS4 and Xbox One when the infamous chip shortage caused massive production issues, but those days are thankfully over. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are now the consoles in the spotlight, and the Call of Duty franchise should be taking full advantage of that.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare III
- Released
- November 10, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Sledgehammer Games
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Franchise
- Call of Duty, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Split Screen Orientation
- Horizontal Only
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- How Long To Beat
- 5 Hours
- Metascore
- 60
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 Players
