The whole ethos of all-out war is lost when companies are building games on future wars, mainly because they probably don't want the effort of making sure that what they're putting in is historically correct, so take a stance that they are doing futuristic games and can make up whatever they like and get away with it, despite the fact they have fans now screaming at them that they would love a WW1 or WW2 game making again. But what do the fans know? We only play the games don't we?
To me it's lazy development, trying to fob it off as 'inventive' kind of speaks out to me to say 'We have no more ideas, so were making this up as we go along'. Also the fact that the community you are providing for are screaming out for games based in WW1 and WW2 means that you are not giving the fans what you want. Currently it is the publisher and developer deciding on what content and era that the games are going in and it seems they have a direction and plan. However, I think that because there are a lot of people who play the series year in year out and there are a lot of people asking for certain themes within the game and a certain era. But this isn’t being provided by Activision and the 3 developers, the games are going more futuristic and I think that the reason for this is because they are using the same models as other games and amending them to their own needs.
For me the games need to go back to basics, bring that feel of all-out war back to the series and get people interested again. Simple kill streaks would definitely help this, and after playing Infinite Warfare I found myself more confused, especially with the addition of the Rig system. Something for me which has added more confusion. I couldn’t quite get my head around what the purpose of them was and why they were needed, it just seemed to be something to add in for the sake of adding in. It didn’t make a difference for me though as I didn’t really understand what the purpose of each different rig was.
When I was at EGX I managed to get a game on both Infinite Warfare and Modern Warfare Remastered, and I had such a blast on MW:R it felt good, and this is the direction that the games need to go back to.
Simple kill streaks, simple create a class or pick a gun, secondary weapon, maybe a few perks, a grenade type and happy days, away you go.
If you look at how Battlefield 1 has gone with the World War 1 timeline, this is back to basics and I have been having an absolute blast. One of the problems with Call of Duty is that it has a fan base where it doesn’t matter how many don’t buy the game, there will always be a strong sales point for it, and even if it were possible that the sales were that bad, Activision will probably be able to make it up the losses any way.
It is a sad sorry affair that from the game I used to love when I started playing it from Black Ops 1 has gone so dramatically downhill. I think Activision and the 3 developers for the series need to have a look at what is going on in their own backyard and what others are doing. If Call of Duty sales are down this year (which I highly doubt will happen) then I am hoping that the series is due a shake up, get the back to basics going and simplify the game. Make it more about narrative, really think about map design as the ones that are being released lately are either terrible, or they are just re skinning old maps from previous games, which while the nostalgia kick is nice, it’s hardly the point of a new game. (Black Ops 3 did after all have 1 old map in each of their map packs. Not cool, why should I pay twice for the same map? I shouldn't have too, and this brings me down to Modern Warfare remastered.
Treyarch released Black Ops 1 into the Backwards compatibility program and made it available to everyone who owned the game, or wanted to go back out and spend a couple of quid on it. Now, Infinity Ward have remastered Modern Warfare and not only have they done that, they have added it as an extra to there new game.
However, instead of rewarding loyal fans, they have sort of given a 2 fingers up and said that if you want this, not only do you have to buy our next game, you have to pay more for the privilege as well.
Wow, thanks Activision. The game isn't even for sale on it's own basis, you have to buy the new game to be able to play. The reason they've done this is simple. If they had sold Modern Warfare remastered on it's own, I think they know that it would have outsold the new game, showing that fans are right and showing Activision and there 3 developers that the direction there going in is the wrong one. Again, something that Activision won't want to admit.
I do get the sense that the thought process is that it is there game and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. Because let's be honest, 3 different developers, all keeping along with similar themes. It shows to me that they don't have much if any creative control over the games.
It does make me sad that a franchise I once loved and looked forward too each year is now heading down the drain faster than a Japanese bullet train. Especially when it used to be fun, and I enjoyed playing. Now, there is so much discontent with how similar each iteration is. Especially this year when you look at similarities within the Call of Duty Infinite Warfare and other games, it does look like a lot of things have been pinched from other franchises. Although for me this has been going on since Advanced Warfare.
Only the future will show where this franchise goes and while people are still playing and supporting it so heavily, I don't think the games are going to change. This article isn't one having a go at the series, it's one that wants change, to go back to basics and enjoy the series again.
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