One of the most consistently discussed topics around the Call of Duty franchise is the concept of change. With the fan base being as massive as it is, it is no surprise that there will be a wide range of opinions on any topic, and the idea of change is one of the most consistently debated. Some players want to see more of the same like with the Warzone 2 Season 2 changes, while others wish that the series would be more innovative. Though it seems like Call of Duty’s era of innovation is behind it, trying something wildly different would be a nice surprise.
After the original Modern Warfare trilogy concluded, Infinity Ward attempted to shake things up with Call of Duty: Ghosts, a divisive game that failed to capture the magic of the developer's previous releases. However, it did at least try some new things with Extinction mode and Field Orders, and it started an era where Call of Duty consistently strived to shake things up. Though futuristic games like Advanced Warfare, Black Ops 3, and Infinite Warfare felt like a major departure because of their advanced movement, the attempt to do something new was commendable. If one of Call of Duty’s developers wanted to try something ambitious again, a post-apocalyptic approach could be a safer but still intriguing option.
What a Post-Apocalyptic Call of Duty Game Could Look Like
Outside of Call of Duty Zombies’ Victis maps and certain areas from Call of Duty: Ghosts, the series has not yet dabbled with the concept of an apocalyptic setting. However, it could be an interesting change of pace, especially with Treyarch focusing on real world conflicts and Infinity Ward looking at fictional modern wars. Barren deserts and destroyed cities could be some hugely different locales to fight through, and a ruined world could provide an awesome Warzone map as well as truly fresh multiplayer locations.
Considering that Sledgehammer Games has yet to establish a franchise of its own, releasing two decent-but-uninteresting World War 2 games and a futuristic Call of Duty title fans were not ready for, it could be the right developer for the job. Despite its flaws, Sledgehammer’s best game was arguably Advanced Warfare, as the studio went out of its way to do something original. This game’s character customization was also stellar, and it is something that Sledgehammer could do a lot with if it could incorporate a survivor aesthetic into the outfit pieces.
A post-apocalyptic Call of Duty game could strike a perfect middle ground between innovation and familiarity. While it would be able to provide the traditional boots on the ground style, avoiding the complaints about advanced movement, all the weaponry would feel distinct. Thrown together weapons like Fallout’s pipe guns could be seen, with rusty attachments equipped and improvised explosives tossed instead of military-grade grenades. Some steps would obviously have to be taken to justify some military involvement for killstreaks, but overall the game could feel a lot less like what is usually expected from Call of Duty.
A campaign could feature a tragic flashback to the event that destroyed the world, similar to how players got a glimpse at the childhood of Modern Warfare’s Farah in the 2019 game. A campaign could focus on one character surviving, telling a more personal story, and perhaps they could have a dog accompanying them as an AI companion - revisiting the concept of Riley from Call of Duty: Ghosts. Call of Duty’s polished gunplay could be kept intact, but the tone could be more solemn, ensuring that the singleplayer portion of the game feels as different as it looks.
All of this content would translate perfectly to something like DMZ, as players searching for supplies like stims and food would make a lot more sense if they were trying to survive within a ruined world. Further, all the resources would be perfect for a co-op mode if Sledgehammer or whoever develops this hypothetical Call of Duty game was interested. For example, with Call of Duty Zombies stuck reusing locations in recent years, repurposing areas from a post-apocalyptic world would certainly allow for a Zombies feel to be restored. Though it would be a very different take on the franchise, Call of Duty embracing the end of the world is something that would seemingly have a lot of upsides.