Even those who have never used a game controller are familiar with the gaming juggernaut that is Call of Duty (CoD).
Since its inception two decades ago, it has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon, elevating Activision Blizzard to one of the most major gaming corporations across the globe.
The extensive conflict between Microsoft and the company they wanted to acquire ended last month, resulting in the tech giant's purchase of the latter for $67.8bn (£56.4bn). This sparked much discussion.
Mostly, people were speculating if the entire Call of Duty library of titles would be available to stream on Game Pass, the service similar to Netflix.
Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, has confirmed that the first-person shooter won't be released until sometime in 2021 or later, and that the CoD series has changed significantly since it debuted back in 2003.
Lead developers have remained dedicated to an annual release schedule, resulting in 23 games released in the main series.
Though sales remain robust and the multiplayer component of CoD continues to be highly sought-after, over the course of time, people have voiced their concerns more vocally about new versions not being dissimilar enough from the prior installment.
An allegation has been made concerning the newest version, Modern Warfare III.
Putting forth new mobile versions, the free-to-play battle royale title Warzone, and staging two official global esports competitions, Johanna Faries, the brand's global manager, concedes that it's an "unceasing, always-on giant".
She is certain that the growth of the business can continue over the next two decades.
She remarks that we are constantly looking at things which we are not always able to master correctly.
What steps can we take to improve our situation? What has brought us to this point may not be sufficient to bring us through the next 20 years.
Is she apprehensive that Call of Duty will saturate the industry and therefore become dull?
Johanna emphasizes the necessity of considering curation extensively.
We must be deliberate in our efforts to ensure we are captivating and pleasing our audiences, yet without causing them to become perplexed by the sheer amount of content present.
Betting on Call of Duty titles being added to Game Pass sometime in 2024 could result in there being a great selection of content to pick from.
Johanna declared that she cannot reveal any further information currently, yet mentioned that "there are potentially remarkable outcomes".
At this moment in time, people are focusing their attention on the newly released Modern Warfare III (MWIII). It has undone a great many of the alterations to the classic gameplay which were unpopular in its predecessor, Modern Warfare II.
One can state that supporters of CoD have been very vocal concerning the aspects of MWIII that they don't approve of, and the game has been reprimanded for not providing any fresh multiplayer maps on its launch date.
Instead of creating entirely new content, remastered versions of classics from earlier titles will be released. The single-player story mode will also bring back Vladimir Makarov, the primary antagonist from the original Modern Warfare titles.
Some have indicated that the new game may have been produced hurriedly, something which David Swenson, the creative director, refutes.
He maintains that it is "the most packed Call of Duty experience we have ever created".
He rejects the claim that his team was coerced by fans into reversing numerous novel elements that were incorporated in the preceding title.
He expressed that it does not inhibit creativity.
I believe it broadens it. It's a remarkable synergistic atmosphere.
The Call of Duty franchise began with a World War II game, and since then has moved between different time periods. However, recent releases have concentrated on more modern conflicts.
The "No Russian" mission in Modern Warfare 2 has gained the most notoriety.
Makarov's reemergence has brought with it the Konni Group, his private military company.
Many people have drawn parallels between the fictional Wagner and the real-world Wagner mercenary group.
David states that the source of the game's narrative is based on a variety of elements. The development team works in conjunction with military experts and historical consultants, yet he cautions players against concluding any direct correlation.
He said that they were not intending to make any political statements regarding current events with the game, and that it was not meant to be based on reality.
"We're aiming to create a fantastic tale."
The series appears to be enhancing its ties with some elements of reality, particularly as its viewers in new countries increase in number.
Past Call of Duty titles were criticised for their representations of characters who spoke Arabic, mostly appearing as antagonists in Western iterations of the Middle East.
Shelby Carlton, MWIII's story creator, states that the playable character Farah Karim, a commander of the imaginary Urzikstan Liberation Force, was chosen as a way to address this.
She states that Farah was an extremely important person to her as a woman.
It was definitely deliberate to aim to extend those characters and their circles.
David concurs: "Her ability to converse in Arabic makes her an admirable figure. It has been a pleasure to listen to her."
It is critical for us to listen to all these tongues, and certainly not just from the bad guys.
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