One of the main factors ofCall of Duty’s continued success is the wide range of talented studios that work on its annual titles. The rapid turnaround of new content for the franchise is contingent upon its cycling between development studios. The likes of Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games, and Treyarch have become influential names for the IP, all having their own standalone releases.
In this frame of mind, it seems unfair that otherCall of Dutydevelopers such as Raven Software have not been given their own full projects. Raven in particular has proven itself over the manyCoDgames that it has helped develop, but the praise often goes to the main developing studios of these releases. With the annual releases ofCall of Dutyseemingly coming under strain in recent years, it could be time for Raven to finally spearhead its own uniqueCoDgame.
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Raven Software’s History with Call of Duty
Raven Software’s involvement inCall of Dutyis quite longstanding, with the company being sold toCoDpublisher Activision in 1997. Raven’s first huge involvement came with its large development role on 2015’sCall of Duty Online. A free-to-play multiplayer title for the Chinese market,CoD Onlinehas become a kind of cult-classic experience that blends many of the best aspects of a huge range of franchise releases.
Following this, Raven took the lead on2016’sModern Warfare Remastered, a fresh take on 2007’sModern Warfare. Boasting updated campaign and multiplayer modes, the title was well-received and considered to be a faithful recreation of its iconic source material. These two titles are the only two large-scale releases that Raven has had near-complete control over, with both games relying heavily on pre-existing content.
Since then, Raven took the helm ofthe memorable campaign ofBlack Ops Cold War, as well as having a sizable role in the development of theWarzonefranchise. Given the popularity of theCoDprojects that Raven has been involved in, it seems time that the studio show its true potential with an entirely new standalone experience.
Call of Duty’s Annual Releases and Raven Software
Call of Dutyhas been employing annual releases for almost two decades, although this tradition has recently come under threat. For some time, it was believed that 2023 would see no premiumCall of Dutyrelease, although these reports have since changed.
The indecisiveness of these reports has led some to believe thatthe annual release formula ofCall of Dutyis no longer sustainable. Some may consider this to be a good thing, with longer development times lessening workloads and allowing games to be given the necessary amount of care prior to launch. However, with how synonymousCall of Dutyis with annual releases, Activision may want to simply bolster its development teams instead.
WithSledgehammer Games reportedly coming back for 2023’sCall of Duty, Raven Software is more than worthy of greater responsibility. Not only has Raven Software proven it can recapture classicCall of Dutyexperiences, but it also has engaged in a range of singleplayer and multiplayer modes. The studio has additionally proven its standalone creativity with the 2010 FPSSingularity, another cult classic title.
Considering thatWarzone 2is now in a place of relative stability, more resources may be available for Raven Software to move towards new projects. With the scale ofCall of Dutycontent only growing, the time could be right for Raven Software to finally spearhead its own title.
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